What are your health numbers?

We are always surrounded by numbers. However, they begin to take on greater importance when they are tied to health status. You've probably heard about them during a visit for medical care. But do you know what they mean? Do you know what your numbers are telling you? To enjoy full health and quality of life it is important to know them and discuss them with your physician. Remember to always keep a record of each of them, as writing them down will be a great help in improving or modifying your health care plan. Ask your physician to help you establish the ideal numbers for you. These may vary depending on your age, gender, and existing conditions.

Know the Glucose (sugar) number

Glucose is a type of sugar and is the main source of energy in the body. Glucose testing is used to measure blood sugar levels to determine if they are within healthy limits, elevated, or too low. It is often used to diagnose or monitor diabetes. Monitoring is the main tool for maintaining control of blood glucose levels.
The American Diabetes Association suggests the following levels for adults:

Know your Cholesterol and Triglyceride numbers

Cholesterol is a fat (lipid) that the body needs in order to function properly. Too much cholesterol can increase the likelihood of disease. Triglycerides, on the other hand, are the most common type of fat in the body and store excess energy from the diet. When both cholesterol and triglycerides are elevated, the risk of having a heart attack or stroke is high. Once you get tested, ideally your numbers should look like this:

Knowing your Blood Pressure number

You could have high blood pressure (hypertension), and still feel fine. That's because high blood pressure often causes no symptoms. That's why it's important to measure your blood pressure as often as you can, but at least once a year. The result is recorded with two numbers. The first number, called the systolic blood pressure, is the pressure caused when the heart pushes blood into the arteries. The second number, called the diastolic blood pressure, is the pressure that occurs when the heart relaxes.​