Health & Fitness
Know Your Numbers... It Really Counts
Having a good sense of normal values for some very common conditions can go a long way toward having meaning conversations with your doctor.
You’ve probably seen this phrase on billboards, in magazines and have heard it on the radio… KNOW YOUR NUMBERS.
Do you know what that means?
In order for you to be an active participant in your own general well-being, it is important for you to understand the goals which your provider has set for you.
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Have high blood pressure? You should aim for a reading of <120/80. This is a normal level. A reading of 120-139/80-89 defines pre-hypertension. Above that, and you are classified as having high blood pressure or hypertension. If you fall in to the pre-hypertension phase, then life style modification should be your response, that is, exercise, reducing your weight to normal, and avoiding salt.
What about your BMI, body mass index? Normal is 20-25. If you are > 25, then you are overweight. If you tip the scales and have a BMI of > 30, then you are obese. If you have evidence that your weight is causing high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, or other evidence of organ damage, then you are morbidly obese.
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Many Americans have diabetes, so understanding the Hemoglobin A1c is critical. This value corresponds to control of your glucose level over about 3 months. A value of <7 is consistent with very good control. The HbA1c is used more commonly than the fasting blood sugar.
And finally there are the numbers associated with cholesterol. The “good guy” cholesterol should be >50. This number varies with the sex of the person. Women tend to have higher HDL-cholesterol levels than men. The goal level of the “bad guy” cholesterol, the LDL-cholesterol, varies depending on cardiac risk. If a person has had a heart attack or has diabetes then that person’s goal LDL-cholesterol should be 90 or below. If a person has 2 or more risk factors (high blood pressure, family history of coronary disease, smoking, being overweight or obese), then goal LDL is < 130. For those with 0-1 risk factors, the goal should be <160.
Sound like a lot to learn? These 4 conditions are very common and appear to be linked together. Knowledge of these numbers is quickly becoming very commonplace.
By “knowing your numbers” you will have a good understanding of what your goals should be if you have any of the above conditions. And you can have a more meaningful conversation with your doctor on your next visit.
Knowing your numbers is very important, but knowing what these numbers mean and what steps you can take to get to normal numbers is what really counts.