FIRST THINGS FIRST *******NUMBERS YOU NEED TO KNOW*******
BLOOD PRESSURE- measures the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. The top number (systolic) is the pressure of blood flow when the heart beats; the bottom number(diastolic) is the pressure when your heart is relaxing.
Aim for
- 120/80 mm Hg or less
CHOLESTEROL- A strong heart needs healthy blood vessels that have a smooth lining.
There's two types of cholesterol good(HDL) and bad(LDL) cholesterol.
- LDL chol.-can cause fatty plaque in the walls of the arteries
- HDL chol.- removes excess LDL from the arteries and delivers it to the liver for disposal
Aim for
- Total Cholesterol below 200 mg/dl
- LDL (bad) below 100 mg/dl
- HDL (good) above 50 mg/dl
TRIGLYCERIDES-This blood fat fuels muscles but, in excess, is stored in the fat cells and in the liver.
Aim for
- Below 150 mg/dl
BLOOD SUGAR-Someone with the precondition has a 1.5-fold higher risk of getting heart disease than a healthy person: if you have type 2 diabetes the risk is 2 to 4 times higher.
Aim for
- Fasting glucose level of up to 100 mg/dl
