HEALTHY AND NORMAL HEALTH NUMBERS

WHAT SHOULD BE YOUR TARGET HEALTH NUMBERS

So you decided to do a health check up or your doctor has sent you for your routine tests to see how well your control has been.

It is no longer recommended that you allow your doctor make all the decisions for you. You are the person responsible for your health, your doctor and other health care providers are merely guides.

Yes, you are in charge.

Now you have received your results, what should be your ideal health numbers? What are the great health numbers?

A.      BLOOD PRESSURE:

Your blood pressure should be between 90-120mmHg for the systolic blood pressure (that is the upper value), while the lower value (diastolic blood pressure) should be 60-84mmHg.

What was the value this morning?

B.      PULSE RATE;

Normal heart rate is 60-100 beats per min. If you exercise frequently, your heart rate may be closer to 60 beats per minute. You would have noticed that when your systolic blood pressure is high, your pulse rate may also be high.

C.      BLOOD SUGAR:

i.                     Fasting blood sugar should be between 3.5mmol/L (70 mg/dl) to 5.5mmol/L (100mg/dL). If you are living with diabetes, fasting blood sugar  up to 7mmol/L is not bad.

ii.                   Random blood sugar (RBS) is your blood sugar 2 hours after eating should be less than 11.1mmol/L(200mg) if not diabetic or pregnant.

 If living with diabetes, aim for no more than 10mmol/L (180mg/dl), 2 hours after meals. Lower normal values are preferable.

iii.                  In pregnancy, fasting blood sugar greater than 5.6mmol/L is considered to be diabetes- gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)

iv.                 Glycated haemoglobin(HbA1c) should normally be less than 5.7%.

D.      LIPID PROFILE:

E.       WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE.

·         For adult males, your waist circumference should be 102cm (40inches).

·         For adult females, your ideal measurement should be 88cm (34inches)

Go ahead and commit to achieving your ideal waist circumference. It would not make your poorer or less like an African woman. I wish some days that the fat around the waist can be converted to a fat bank account or asset base.

To measure your waist, stand in front of the mirror, feel the lower margin of your ribs by your side. On the same side, feel the upper part of the hip bones. Wrap the flexible tape midway between these points and take your measurement.

See a visual illustration here

F.       BODY MASS INDEX (B.M.I.)

This can be calculated here.

 Body Mass Index is a rough guide to use to find out if you are with a healthy weight range that is least associated with diseases like Diabetes, Metabolic syndrome etc.

This may not be appropriate for people who have generalized edema or a very muscular (aka macho men).

ARE YOU ABOVE 40 YEARS OF AGE, GO AHEAD AND CHECK ALL THESE IF YOU HAVE NOT IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS.