You don’t need to be a psychic to be able to predict your longevity. Scientists have determined the following numbers as guidelines.
Here are the no-no’s:
• Waist circumference more than 35 inches.
• Triglycerides more than 150
• LDL more than 100
• HDL more than 50
• Blood pressure more than 140/90
• Total cholesterol more than 200
Where are you on the scale?
If you don’t know your numbers, now would be a good time to begin the quest for them. Keep your own numbers chart with dates so you show improvement.
I’m fortunate that all of my numbers have always been in the low range—probably a combination of my genes and my attention to staying fit and healthy.
But it’s never too late to begin your fitness program. If you haven’t had a “baseline” physical for two years or more, I would recommend you start there. Ask for a printout that shows the numbers from the list above, and then ask your doctor how to adjust the numbers, if that is indicated. You can also do your own research online and at the library.
Needless to say, weight is also a huge factor in your health. When people are overweight (ask your doctor to tell you what your ideal weight should be) they are at risk for diabetes as well as heart ailments and other health problems.
I will continue to harp about weight issues, so get used to it. At age 76, I am 5 feet 8 inches and weight 132 pounds. And yes, I work at keeping my weight within a five-pound range between 130 to 135.
You don’t need a medical professional to help you keep track of your waistline. You can measure your own waist circumference. You may be thinking that you can’t remember when your waist was 35 inches. If so, you’re not alone.
In a recent article (June 30, 2010 in USA Today) the headline stated that women average a 20-pound weight gain over 16 years. Can you remember what you weighed 16 years ago? Actually, I weigh the same and that’s what I weighed when I was 16 years old, according to my first driver’s license.
Just lucky? No, just vigilant. Each of us is responsible for our own good health.