Do you know your numbers?
Not just your steps, your PIN or passcode to unlock your phone, etc. Do you know what your numbers were when you last saw your doctor? If you’re asking which numbers-great, I’m glad you asked!
Here are the critical numbers we should all know that help dictate our heart health:
- Total Cholesterol/ HDL (good) Cholesterol
- Blood Pressure
- Blood Sugar
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
These are numbers that help healthcare providers evaluate our risk for heart disease. If you go for a regular physical or annual well woman exam, most of these numbers are collected. Part of this year’s National Go Red Day on February 2 will be to encourage women to Know Your Numbers. Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths each year for women. Prevention is key through a healthy lifestyle, but sometimes not enough. Even a symptom free person can still be at risk! Age, family history, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, diabetes are a few of the risk factors used when assessing for heart disease. For more information on heart disease, risks, health information and action steps, visit goredforwomen.org, the American Heart Association and Womenshealth.gov
No one is too young or too old to be at risk for heart disease. Know your numbers today-the right ones. Healthy hearts make healthy mamas. You can help spread awareness, add to the discussions about heart disease in women by wearing red on February 2, 2018.
Several facts in this post were taken from the linked websites above and Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Women and Heart Disease Fact Sheet
