Key Numbers You Should Know To Get A Picture Of Your Current Heart Fitness

 Heart disease has become a menace across the world, it is the leading killer of both men and women across the globe. Yet, it does not seem to have made a deep enough impact on people. People are going on living a sedentary lifestyle (the major reason behind heart disease). One solution that could go a long way towards alleviating this problem is adopting healthy lifestyle measures. Yes, there are heart disease risk factors—like age, gender and family history—that can’t be changed, but there are others you can take control of- high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking…starting now.

While the best way to prevent heart disease, to protect yourself from it, is by leading a healthy lifestyle, however, knowing your numbers: cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar can go a long way towards keeping heart disease at bay.

Here are the numbers you should know, and discover if your numbers are where they should be. Accordingly get tips for disease prevention and heart-healthy living. By the end of it all you should be able to rattle off these numbers without a second thought. These crucial numbers add up to good health (provided they are in a healthy range):

Blood pressure (BP) - High blood pressure is a major heart disease risk factor, and a health risk linked to stroke and heart attack. This necessitates regular check-ups. Aim for 120/80 mm Hg or less. Starting from age 20, you should get your BP readings and continue at every annual appointment with your doctor.

Cholesterol- Cholesterol is a vital consideration for a healthy ticker. High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is another major heart disease risk factor. You should aim for a total blood cholesterol lower than 200 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol less than 100 mg/dL, HDL (good) cholesterol greater than 60 mg/dL, and Triglycerides – should be under 150 mg/dL.

Cholesterol screenings typically also begin at 20 years of age, which must be performed every five years. But if there is a personal or family history of high cholesterol or other heart disease risk factors, cholesterol screening every year is necessary.

Blood sugar (blood glucose) - Your healthy target: up to 100 mg/dL. High blood sugar levels put you at a greater risk for developing pre-diabetes (levels of 100 to 125 mg/DL) or diabetes (anything above 125 mg/DL), which is a dangerous condition by itself, and also a leading heart disease risk factor. The best way to take control of your heart disease risk is by taking appropriate measures to control blood sugar.

Weight- It’s an important number to know for the health of your ticker. Being overweight or obese can definitely increase your risk for heart disease, however, the thing that especially can be detrimental to your health is where you carry your weight, for example, around your waistline, which is specifically associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and respiratory issues.

To sum everything up, the aforementioned numbers are key indicators of your overall health, especially heart health.  Unlike your family history, age and gender, which you cannot do anything about, you can alter these factors by making the right lifestyle choices every day. If your blood pressure, cholesterol, weight and other numbers are higher than normal, you must work towards lowering them. On the other hand, if your numbers are within a healthy range, you can rest easy knowing you’re on track with your current healthy lifestyle habits. Learning your heart health numbers will allow you to take steps to lower your risk for heart disease.

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