PERRY BUCHANAN: Staying healthy by the numbers

Just as we should listen to science, we should watch the numbers. Our lives are affected daily by numbers. We may miscalculate or lie about numbers, but numbers never lie. Numbers are important to determine the health of a business: what’s doing well, and what needs attention. In our personal lives, we rely on numbers everyday when we balance our checkbook or calculate how many miles per gallon we’re getting in our car. If we have a financial goal, we need to know how many hours we need to work or how many widgets we need to produce to reach our goal.

When it comes to health and overall fitness levels, there are some important numbers we all need to be aware of. To get a better picture of total health, see a doctor for a complete blood profile. Explaining every number in your blood work is beyond the scope of this article, but I do want to cover what I feel are the top five numbers to track.

1. Weight — Weight is probably the number most of us are aware of and the easiest to measure. Over one-third of Americans are considered obese, and twice that are considered overweight. Obesity is responsible for a multitude of health problems. Based on your weight and height, you can calculate what’s known as your body mass index (BMI). Your BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared. There are plenty of charts you can find on the internet, so you don’t have to do the math. A BMI between 19 and 24 is considered optimal. For some, especially weight-trained male athletes, the BMI may not be a meaningful fitness measurement. For those, body fat percentage is a better indicator. Step on the scale at least monthly. If you’re watching your weight, weigh at least weekly. Studies show that those who track their weight are successful at keeping it down.

2. Waist size — Waist size is one of the best indicators of how your weight is affecting your heart health. If you carry a large percent of your body fat around your waistline, your risk of dying prematurely is nearly doubled. Fat cells aren’t just storage for extra calories. When body fat is packed into your abdomen, the fat cells send out a toxic stream of chemicals impacting the whole body. Divide the narrowest part of your waist by the widest part of your hips. A waist-to-hip ratio of less than .90 inches for men and .85 inches for women is desired. Typically, a waist size over 35 inches for women and over 40 inches for men indicates increased health risks. The ideal waist size is half or less of your height in inches.

3. Blood Pressure — Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. The top number, the systolic pressure, indicates the pressure when the heart muscle contracts while pumping blood from the chambers into the arteries. Diastolic, the bottom number, indicates the phase when the heart muscle relaxes and allows the chambers to fill. High blood pressure (hypertension) is linked to many medical problems including heart disease, chronic kidney disease and stroke. A reading of 140/90 mm Hg or more is considered high, and warrants seeing your doctor. 120/80 is generally considered a normal, healthy blood pressure.

4. Cholesterol — High cholesterol is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. More important than your total cholesterol number are the numbers for your LDLs and HDLs. Your HDL, the healthy cholesterol, needs to be 50 or more. Your LDL, the unhealthy cholesterol, should be less than 100. Cholesterol at these levels is associated with healthy, youthful arteries.

5. Fasting Blood Sugar — Testing your fasting blood sugar with a simple blood test or finger stick test measures your risk for diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, and other serious health complications. A fasting blood sugar number above 100 is considered pre-diabetic. If you are diagnosed as pre-diabetic, treatment measures should be discussed with your physician.

Monitoring your weight, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar are crucial first steps in controlling disease and improving the quality of your health. As reliant on numbers that we must be, numbers are only a means to measure what’s really important. By not knowing your numbers, you’re just guessing. Knowing your numbers, but not using the information to make changes, means you’re just obsessing. It’s important to take the action steps needed to help you reach those ideal health numbers. Based on your current numbers, develop a comprehensive plan. You’re never too old to start. After all, age is just another number.