Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/474241
Page 12 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com 1. A large waist A simple way to tell if you might be at risk: Check your waist circumference. You can check your waist circumference by wrapping a tape measure around the top of your pelvic bones, found where love handles grow. Take the measurement at the end of normal expiration. Do not assume your belly button marks your waist, as its position can vary significantly from one person to another. There are ethnic differences in "failing" scores. A waist measurement above 35 inches for a woman, or above 40 inches for a man, is one "strike" for Caucasians, African Americans, and Hispanics. For Asians, however, the abnormal numbers are 31 inches and 35 inches for women and men respectively, and for Japanese the numbers to watch for are 31 inches for women and 34 inches for men. 2. High blood pressure Also called hypertension, high blood pressure affects one in three Americans. Not only does it damage blood vessels, increasing risk for coronary artery disease and heart failure, but it can also lead to kidney failure. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for stroke. Your blood pressure reading, which should be checked at every medical visit as an important vital sign, consists of two numbers: "Systolic" describes the pressure of your blood when it is pumped out of the heart to start its journey through your body. "Diastolic" is the lower number and it describes the pressure of your blood right before the heart pumps it out again. You can reliably check your blood pressure at many stores or with home equipment. What is considered a failing score may shock you. If your pressure is 130/85 mmHg or higher, you have a strike. Many healthcare providers still consider this pressure acceptable despite decades of data showing this level of pressure damages arteries placing individuals at higher risk for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure. You need to know your numbers. You cannot rely on the healthcare provider's often simple response to the question, "How is my blood pressure?" A blood pressure of 130/85 will usually garner a response of: "It's fine." If you are on a treatment for high blood pressure, it is also considered a strike even if the treated pressure is below 130/85, according to the definition of the disorder used by the American Heart Association, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the Bale/Doneen Method. 3. Low HDL cholesterol Although most of us think of cholesterol as a villain, it also plays two helpful roles in our body. Your cells use this waxy substance, produced by the liver, to waterproof their protective outer membranes. Without cholesterol, the cells would die. Cholesterol is also the building block for certain hormones, including sex hormones. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the "good" cholesterol. A HDL level over 50 mg/dL for women, or over 40 mg/dL for men, is ideal. Many people who are headed for arterial disease and diabetes will run low HDL levels. Some healthcare providers are so hung up on LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or "bad" cholesterol, as the only value to worry about that "failing" HDL levels are not even discussed with the patient. 4. High triglycerides Like cholesterol, triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) found in your blood. When you eat, your body converts calories that aren't needed for immediate energy into triglycerides, which are then stored in fat cells for later use. If you regularly consume more calories than you burn, your triglycerides may be high. Many people who are headed for arterial disease and diabetes will run high levels. High triglycerides are often a warning sign of other disorders that can boost the threat of heart attacks and stroke, including obesity and poorly controlled diabetes. High levels also increase risk for cardiovascular disease. If your triglyceride level is 150 md/dL or above, you have acquired another strike. If you are being treated for high triglycerides, it is a strike even if the level is below 150 mg/dL. 5. High fasting blood sugar The glucose (sugar) in your blood comes from the carbs in your diet, the body's main source of energy. Fasting means you have not consumed anything with calories for at least 10 hours. A level of 100 mg/dL or higher during a fast counts as a strike. Fasting blood sugar levels of 100 mg/dL to 125 mg/ dL indicate that you're prediabetic. If the level is above 125 mg/dL, you actually have diabetes. 5 Cardiovascular Villains