10 Ways to Measure Your Health to Age Better EP 12

As we age, visits to the doctor increase, testing increases, lab results get confusing and researching health concerns on your own can make you check out with so much information available. What are simpler and more reliable ways to measure your health to make sure you age better?  Today I’m answering a concern many of you have expressed and I’m sharing 10 measurements that will help you age better and improve your health. In addition to giving you 10 measurements that matter, first I’ll give you 3 measurements you’ll want to say good-bye to.  Measurements to Kiss Good-Bye  Age, because it doesn’t define you  Weight, how you feel, and your energy levels matter more  BMI, is never enough on its own    We’ve been bombarded with magazines, movies, and misinformation pointing to all of these measurements. Some of us have caused more damage than good focusing on these numbers. How many people do you know that have been stuck living by the number on the scale?  “It's less about the exact number you see on the scale and more about whether that number happens to be your ideal healthy weight.” -Barbara Hannah Grufferman  10 Measurements Essential to Our Well-Being as We Age  Height: It’s normal to lose half inch of height per decade after 40, but you want to keep an eye on your height as an early indicator of bone loss or other bone related health concerns.  Waist size: Don’t let visceral fat get out of control. Your waist size is an indicator of many health issues that you want to avoid.   Waist to hip ratio: To calculate your ratio take your waist measurement and divide by your hip measurement. A good number to aim for is 0.85.  Daily steps: These are not off my list of measurements that matter. Aiming for 10,000 steps every day is good practice and makes sure you’re moving your body.  Blood pressure: Know what your numbers are and what the ideal numbers should be for you and keep an eye on that number to make sure you’re avoiding hypertension and hypotension.  Triglycerides: This number is a key indicator for potential cardiovascular disease. It’s a type of fat and you want to make sure you’re reviewing this number with your doctor.  Cholesterol: Know your cholesterol numbers. Making sure your numbers are under 200 (for women) is a good benchmark.   Resting heart rate: Between 60 and 100 beats per minute is considered to be normal, but getting your heart rate closer to 60 is better for optimal health.   Blood sugar glucose level: Metabolic disease is a major problem in America and blood sugar glucose levels are a key indicator for diabetes and your body’s ability to use sugar.  Vitamin D: The sunshine vitamin has a major role in bone health and osteoporosis. It also reduces the risk of other diseases and should be around 35.  “There's been a lot of talk about 10,000 steps not being all that necessary. I don't know, I'm sticking with it, [...] Every single step puts you one step closer to better health.” -Barbara Hannah Grufferman  All the numbers I’ve mentioned are easily tracked, but it is important that you have the necessary conversations with your health care provider to discuss your personal health concerns and what your healthy ranges are. With new research being released, it’s important to not feel overwhelmed, but know that you can still rely on these 10 indicators to draw a picture of health for you.   Aging isn’t something we have to stumble into and do haphazardly. We get to make decisions along the way, and every tiny decision you make adds up and has an impact on how you age.  Connect with Barbara:   Love Your Age: The Small-Step Solution to a Better, Longer, Happier Life  Barbara Hannah Grufferman website  Instagram @Barbara Hannah Grufferman    Facebook @BarbaraHannahGruffermanAuthor  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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