health and safety: COUNTDOWN TO GOOD HEALTH

Sunday, May 10, 2009

COUNTDOWN TO GOOD HEALTH

Dr R K Modi tells Kiran Mehta about the 'magic numbers' that hold the key to your well-being

0.5 – 4.7 MICRO UNIT/ML
That's the scale where your thyroid level (TSH) needs to show up at. All adults above the age of 30 need to take a thyroid test, once a year. More so, if you are a woman suffering from hormonal problems. An underactive or an over active thyroid are both dangerous conditions that can eventually affect the heart. Treatment usually involves oral medication.
5
That's the number of servings of fruits or vegetables a healthy adult needs each day. Studies show that those who stick to this number have reduced risk of cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol levels, regular bowel movements and also improved blood sugar levels. Fresh vegetables and fruits are a must in your diet. Your best bet are raw fruits. As for veggies stay away from deep-fried ones. Also since fruits contain natural sugars they satisfy the cravings of those with a sweet tooth.
25 KG/M²
This is the target Body Mass Index (BMI) recommended by the World Health Organisation. Those with a BMI of 25 also tend to feel healthier with higher energy levels. Since most of us in the cities fall prey to a sedentary lifestyle, weight control is not an easy problem to tackle. But with calorie control and exercise, you can definitely touch the 25 mark.
25 – 30 KILOGRAMS
That's the ideal hand grip strength for a healthy young adult. If your grip strength, which is a measure of muscle and bone strength, is lower than this, you are at increased risk of developing osteoporosis. To improve grip strength, increase your calcium intake.
200 MG OR LESS
Your total cholesterol levels, inclusive of both good and bad cholesterol need to be below 200 mg. Your blood cholesterol level refers to the amount of fat in your blood. If your levels are too high then you are at a greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke. According to research, lowering your total cholesterol level by 10% may reduce the incidence of heart disease by 30 percent.
Your daily fat intake should be less than 30 per cent of your total caloric intake, with less than 10 per cent coming from saturated fats. The best way to monitor this is to check the labels of the foods you are eating. To lower your cholesterol levels, eat a diet that is low in fat. If you do eat fats, avoid saturated fats, which are found in products such as milk. Moderate exercise can also lower your cholesterol levels considerably.
10,000
Walk at least 10,000 steps a day. A brisk walk every day that adds up to this figure, takes about 30 minutes a day and will leave your refreshed, energised and yet rather relaxed. In fact the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation recommend that all healthy adults should get 30 minutes of exercise most days (but not less than 5 days per week). Studies have also shown that people who include exercise in their daily routine live longer and face a lower risk of diabetes.
(Dr R K Modi is a senior consultant in internal medicine attached to Wockhardt and the Dr L H Hiranandani hospital, Mumbai)