A. Know your numbers: It's important to be aware of how healthy your body is, the following are some basic numbers to be aware of.
1. Blood Pressure: According to WebMD,: Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. The heart pumps blood into the arteries (blood vessels), which carry the blood throughout the body. High blood pressure, called hypertension, is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder to pump blood to the body and it contributes to the hardening of the arteries or atherosclerosis and the development of heart failure.
Me: It's important to know this number because you can lower blood pressure either by medicine or simple lifestyle changes.
2. BMI: Your BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women.
- Underweight= below 18.5
- Normal Weight= 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight= 25-29.9
- Obesity= 30 or over
You need to get in the normal weight zone, if you are not, talk with your health practitioner about getting healthy especially if you fall in the obese section. Obesity is dangerous and can lead to Type II Diabetes and makes a person more susceptible to other degenerative diseases.
Check out this website to find your BMI .
3. Blood Sugar: Your blood sugar number represents the level of glucose in your blood. This number can fluctuate so it's important to take this number when you wake and before breakfast which is called a fasting blood sugar (FBS) number. If the number is out of range then this could indicate a medical condition such as Diabetes. If you suspect that you are a candidate for this be sure and talk to your doctor about checking your blood sugar level.
4. Cholesterol, LDL, HDL, &Triglycerides:
B. HDL is the good cholesterol. High levels of HDL seem to protect against heart disease. Some experts believe that HDL carries the LDL away from the arteries and to the liver where it is passed through the body.
C. Having a high triglyceride, a type of fat, in your blood can increase the chance of getting heart disease. If you regularly eat more calories then you burn, especailly easier calories like simple carbohydrates you can end up with high triglycerides.
Check with your doctor about your numbers. The important thing is healthy lifestyle changes can improve test results but is important to know what your cholesterol numbers are.
5. Real Age. You know what age you are but your body probably thinks you are a different age. To find out what age your body thinks you are try the Real Age website and take the test. Again lifestyle changes can bring down the age your body thinks it is even lower than your chronological age.
B. Food & Exercise Journal:
This is a great discipline to really see where you are at in your health. The first time I did this I was shocked to see how many calories I really was eating in a day. The scary part is how quickly calories are consumed especially if you are a grazer or a snacker. Take a challenge for one week to write down everything you eat and how much you work out. You can then times that number by four and get a feel of how healthy you are during the month. If it will help you be more disciplined, do it as as online blog or email it to a friend who is also tyring to get healthy too.
C. Support Group or Weight Program:
This is really imperative to getting healthy. You need accountability. I need accountability. It's one of the main reasons I do this blog. If I am writing about health, I better be living it.
There are several different ways to get accountability. You can have a family member or friend jump into health with you. Sometimes it is going to take more support however. If you feel you are eating uncontrollably or have a food addiction you are going to need to get some professional help and also check out some free support groups.
Here's a few symptoms of a food addict.
- Obsessed with food
- Eats when stressed
- Overeats because food is there
- Thinks about meals all day
- Feels guilty when they overeat
- Hides food or eats alone
- Starves oneself and binges
A lot of people use food to replace loneliness, boredom, and unfulfillment. Because of trauma from abuse, abandonment and betrayal people will also bury their emotions with food.
Here are some ideas on how to get the help you need:
Work, church, or group of friends join forces: Get a running group on Saturday mornings, do a weight loss contest in the workplace, or start a weight loss boot camp at your church. Make it fun and competitive and see some results.
Over-eaters Anonymous/Celebrate Recovery: Both are open 12 step programs that handle food addictions. It is a great place to go anonymously and meet other people who struggle with food issues, as well as get a sponsor, someone who is there to see you through your struggles.
Weight loss programs like"Weight Watchers": The best thing about programs like these are the support groups involved. You know you have to weigh yourself and it's being recorded, so you are more likely not to eat those extra calories. You will see the same people going through the same thing week to week, and will be able to vent your frustrations. The support is essential to those plans' success rate.
Doctor or therapist: You need to determine how healthy you are. If your numbers are really off the charts then you should check into working with a doctor or seeing a therapist to get the help you need to get back on track to health.
The important thing to do is to do something immediately. You can talk yourself out of anything that would be good for you and isolation truly is your enemy. Get real with yourself and ensure longevity to the best of your ability.
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