Love has been in the air all month long and we’ve all spent a great deal of time showing others how much we care! Now it’s your time to learn how to LUV your heart by knowing these 5 numbers to help you improve or maintain your current heart health.
5 Numbers Everyone Should Know
- Weight
- A healthy weight range keeps your heart from working too hard. Use a BMI calculator like the one on the CDCs website to determine your healthy weight range. Although BMI calculations may be inaccurate for a bodybuilder, they’ll work for most of us!
- Waist Circumference
- Get out your hidden tape measure and check out your current digits. Aim for this healthier goal:
- Women: 35 inches or below
- Men: 40 inches or below
- Blood Pressure
- Uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to heart attack or stroke. Keep those numbers below 120/80! If you’re currently taking blood pressure medications remember to take those consistently, watch your daily sodium, and remember some cold and flu medications can raise blood pressure or even interfere with your medications –talk to your doctor or pharmacist about what solutions are best for you.
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol levels can be quite confusing since there is several numbers involved, so use these helpful tips below.
- LDL, the “Lousy” cholesterol, should be below 100.
- HDL, the “Happy” cholesterol, should be 60 or above.
- Triglycerides should be below 150.
- Glucose (aka Blood Sugar)
- A fasting glucose should be 99 or below to avoid the risk of becoming diabetic. If you’re currently diabetic, continue to monitor your glucose and consistently take your meds!
Are your numbers not feeling the LUV?
Try these simple (and not so simple) tips to lower your scores and LUV your heart:
- More Food, Less Calories!
- That’s right—you can eat more food and still eat less calories. Just by selecting low fat, low sodium, nutrient dense food, you can lower your numbers.
- Move More!
- Get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week. You can even break it up into 10 minute sessions – just move!
- Manage Stress!
- Use the Employee Assistance Program, an organizer service, or even attend a Yoga class to help you manage that stress.
- Stop Smoking!
- Many resources are available in your community, online and over the telephone to help you quit. Talk to your doctor before starting any nicotine replacement therapy.
For more information on LUVing your heart, check out www.heart.org
