Know Your Numbers

Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States. Pretty scary. With February being American Heart Month, PTI wants to encourage you to “know your numbers” so that you understand your heart disease risk. If you don’t know those numbers, ask your health care provider at your next visit and start keeping track.

But what are the numbers that show if you’re a heart disease risk? The four items below hold that important information:

•         Blood Pressure

•         Cholesterol

•         Blood Sugar

•         BMI (Body Mass Index)

Some of these risk factors can be managed or controlled with diet change, increase in activity, daily medication and other guidance from the health care provider. Others can be related to family history, gender and age which are risk factors out of our control. But most often these risk factors can make a change for the better with modifications to lifestyle.

Start some kind of physical activity at least 30 minutes for most days of the week. If you’re a newbie and have been given the all clear from your health care provider, start walking. Regular exercise is a great way to start living healthy. You will get yourself accustomed to activity and make it a habit. Walking on a treadmill at the gym or at home, walking at the high school track near you, walking at the strip mall at work, walking at the inside mall, walking on vacation, walking on a trail in your city, walking around your house or in your basement. How many different places can you find to walk? Look for fitness classes or gyms in your area to increase your commitment. Being physically active can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI.

Learn to eat healthy. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, legumes and nuts. Limit red meats, sweets and sugary beverages. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Healthy eating can also lower blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and BMI.

Maintain a healthy weight. Coordinating physical activity and eating healthy are the gold standard to helping with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight. You have a good chance that all four numbers listed in the beginning of this article will go down. For sure, you will feel better!

If you’ve been told by your health care provider that you are also at risk for diabetes or have been called “pre-diabetic” due to a high fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1C, BMI or family history, learn about the Diabetes Prevention Program. This evidenced-based, year-long program has a healthy eating and physical activity focus and can give the double whammy of reducing your heart disease risk along with your diabetic risk! PTI has a program starting March 6. See our website for more information at http://www.transformcoach.org.

Make it a habit to ask your health care provider at office visits for those all-important numbers so you can keep track of them. Be open to making healthy changes in your life. Some people start an Excel file to track their numbers at every health care visit or keep their office print-outs in a hard copy file. Others find an app for their phone or start an ongoing phone note they add to when needed. However you choose to do it, learn to self-manage the risk factors you have control of. Get support from your health care providers, family, friends and co-workers.

It is easy to know your numbers. Now do something about the ones that need help. Make a commitment and an action plan for better health. You will be on your way to preventing heart disease and a whole lot more!