I have a confession to make. Years ago I destroyed our family SUV by completely ignoring the check engine light. I was a busy mom shuttling kids here and there and my days were jammed packed. I had recently had my Mitsubishi Montero in for service and assumed the check engine light could wait. When the car came to a screeching halt and seized up on the toll road, I realized I was wrong. Long story short the engine was bone dry… not one drop of oil. A total loss. UGH. Our mechanic took pity on me and bought the car way, way, way, below market value to use the redeemable parts for other repairs. Our bodies are kinda like cars. They give us signals when something isn't right. Instead of check engine lights, we experience symptoms. These symptoms are our body's way of telling us that something is off. Some signals might be subtle and easy to overlook, such as uncontrollable cravings, sudden energy crashes during the day, or abrupt hunger that comes with lightheadedness and irritability. Difficulty sleeping and stubborn abdominal fat are also signs that something might be wrong. I'll dive into these subtle signals in more detail another time, today I want to focus on three simple numbers to keep an eye on before they become more serious warning signs. |
SIMPLE NUMBER #1 – BLOOD PRESSURE: Normal Blood Pressure for adults:Less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic (120/80).When you have your blood pressure measured you receive two numbers. The top number (Systolic Pressure) represents the highest level your blood pressure reaches in the arteries when your heart actively beats. The bottom number (Diastolic Pressure) is the lowest level your blood pressure reaches in the arteries as your heart relaxes between beats. Take a screenshot of this BLOOD PRESSURE CHART for reference. As a metabolism coach, I'm interested in blood pressure because elevated blood pressure is often one of the first signs of insulin resistance. Insulin Resistance and Hypertension SIMPLE NUMBER #2 – HBA1C (Hemoglobin A1C, also known as “A1C”) optimal range < 5.5The full name for Hemoglobin A1C is “Glycated Hemoglobin”. This blood test is used to diagnose pre-diabetes and diabetes. It tells you, on average, how much glucose in circulating in your blood over a 2–3 month time period by measuring the amount of glucose molecules stuck (glycated) to your red blood cells (hemoglobin) If you watch TV you’ve likely seen the ads for medications to lower A1C. That’s because Among U.S. adults ages 18 years or older, 97.6 million—more than 1 in 3—had prediabetes in 2021. As a metabolism coach A1C is right up my alley. My programs are designed to optimize A1C through simple lifestyle tweaks in what you eat, when you eat, how you move and how you sleep and rest. SIMPLE NUMBER #3 - FASTING INSULIN: Normal > 25, Optimal Range ~2-10This one is a little tricky and not usually included in a standard blood panel. You may have to coax your doctor here, but I'd give it a try and start the conversation. You will likely already have information on your fasting glucose numbers but fasting insulin results will give even more detail into your metabolic health. I think this test is important and lines up with a trend in modern medicine to focus on prevention rather than treatment. It's akin to getting your car in for service as soon as the check engine light goes on rather than being stuck on the toll road after a catastrophic engine failure. :)This article by Dr. Mark Hyman describes it very well. The One Test Your Doctor Isn’t Doing That Could Save Your Life |
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