BMI is an acronym for Body Mass Index. The BMI can be used to determine if an individual is overweight, and is determined by dividing an individual’s weight by the square of their height. According to the CDC’s Website, if an individual’s BMI is between 25 and 29.9 they are considered overweight; if their BMI is more than 30 they are considered obese. Check yours.
BMR is an acronym for Basal Metabolic Rate. The BMR can be used to determine the amount of calories an individual expends per day if they sit and do nothing the entire day. By knowing your BMR, you will have a greater idea of how many calories you should consume in order to lose, maintain, or gain weight. BMR generally decreases with age. Stress, sickness, environmental factors, like, temperature can affect BMR. Check yours.
Our Heart pumps the blood that is vital for every organ including brain to function. It pumps out the blood by contraction and when it relaxes, blood flows in. The force of these contraction (Systolic) and relaxation (Diastolic) determines the blood pressure (See). This contraction and relaxation can be viewed as a electrical activity using an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG). Our heart beats with a certain rhythm for pumping blood. Normal heart rate, which can be heard and measured by a physician, indicates normal blood pressure, which also can be monitored using a Blood Pressure monitor that provides the readings on Systolic (contraction) and Diastolic (relaxation). Most of the Blood Pressure Monitors also provide Pulse Rate (see more)
Vital signs include heart beat, respiratory rate, temperature, and blood pressure. What do these mean and how these are measured, see
Normal vital sign ranges for the average healthy adult while resting are:
Blood pressure (Systolic/Diastolic): 90/60 mm/Hg to 120/80 mm/Hg
Breathing/Respiratory rate: 12 - 18 breaths per minute
Pulse rate: 60 - 100 beats per minute
Temperature: 97.8 - 99.1 degrees Fahrenheit / average 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit
Normal vital signs change with age, sex, weight, exercise tolerance, and overall health.
Normal Vital Signs in Childhood
| Infant | Toddler | School-Age | Adolescent | |
| Heart Rate | 120-160 | 80-130 | 70-100 | 60-100 |
| Respiratory Rate | 25-40 | 20-35 | 15-25 | 10-20 |
| Systolic blood pressure | 60-90 | 70-100 | 90-110 | 95-130 |
| Diastolic blood pressure | 30-55 | 45-65 | 50-70 | 60-80 |
Heart rate gradually decreases from about 150 beats per minute in newborns to normal adult values of 60-100 by age 12. Heart rate goes up or down at approximately 10% per degree Celsius and 5% per degree Fahrenheit. you.
Source:www.kidsgrowth.com
Glucose is a major source of energy for most cells of the human body, including those in the brain. Blood carries this sugar and transports to the cells. Carbohydrates are quickly turned into glucose in the body. This raises blood glucose level just after eating food containing carbohydrates (rice, bread, pasta, etc.). After a while, this level comes down to normal. Hormones made in the body called insulin and glucagon help control blood glucose levels. For any individual, it is important to measure the blood glucose level. See how and when it should be measured. Elevated level of blood glucose is a result of Diabetes. To know more about this complex metabolic disorder, see.
A fasting blood glucose level between 70 and 100 mg/dL is considered normal.
A level of 100-125 mg/dL means impaired fasting glucose, a type of prediabetes. This increases risk for type 2 diabetes. A fasting glucose level of 126 mg/dL and higher indicates diabetic condition.
Check here to see what you need to prevent or Check here how to control if that happens.
Cholesterol (also see) acts like a double edge sword. It is essential for our healthy life. It can also kill us (see, American Heart Association) if the level is high. So, know your cholesterol level and learn what you can do if the level is elevated.
The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that healthy adults get their cholesterol levels checked every five years.
Desirable Cholesterol Levels | |
|---|---|
| Total cholesterol | Less than 200 mg/dL |
| LDL ("bad" cholesterol) | Less than 100 mg/dL* |
| HDL ("good" cholesterol) | 40 mg/dL or higher |
| Triglycerides | Less than 150 mg/dL |
* Note: Optimal level.
If your cholesterol level is high, diet and exercise may not be enough. You may need to consult your doctor who may prescribe medicine (syn. Drug) depending on what your body can tolerate. There are several types of drugs available for cholesterol lowering including statins, bile acid sequestrants; also, See, nicotinic acid, (fibric acids) also See, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors. The statin drugs are very effective in lowering LDL levels and are safe for most people. Bile acid sequestrants also lower LDL and can be used alone or in combination with statin drugs. Nicotinic acid lowers LDL and triglycerides and raises HDL. Fibric acids lower LDL somewhat but are used mainly to treat high triglyceride and low HDL levels. Cholesterol absorption inhibitorrs lower LDL and can be used alone or in combination with statin drugs. Your doctor can help decide which type of drug is best for you.
The body fat percentage of a human is the total mass of fat divided by total body mass; body fat includes essential body fat and storage body fat. Essential body fat is necessary to maintain life and reproductive functions. The percentage of essential body fat for women is greater than that for men, due to the demands of childbearing and other hormonal functions. The percentage of essential fat is 3–5% in men, and 8–12% in women (see).
There is no single ideal percentage of body fat for everyone. Levels of body fat are epidemiologically dependent on sex and age. Different authorities have developed different recommendations for ideal body fat percentages. The table below from the American Council on Exercise shows how average percentages differ according to the specified groups and categories:
Essential fat: 10–13% (women), 2–5% (men)
Athletes: 14–20% (women), 6–13% (men)
Fitness: 21–24% (women), 14–17% (men)
Average: 25–31% (women), 18–24% (men)
Obese 32% + (women), 25% + (men)
Essential fat is the level below which physical and physiological health would be negatively affected.
Source: Wikipedia on Body Fat Percentage
Also check here to see how much water should be consumed per day for healthy living.
