Pulse — 60-90 beats per minute
Heart rate shows the degree of myocardial activity and elasticity of the walls of the vascular system. Normal values at rest range from 60-90 beats per minute. If the pulse is 60 or below for a long time, it indicates a slowdown in blood circulation. An increase in the frequency of beats to 90 and above indicates tachycardia. In this case, the heart quickly wears out, which becomes the cause of heart failure and other dangerous conditions.
Blood pressure — 120/90 mm Hg
Ideally, your upper (systolic) blood pressure should be 120 and your lower (diastolic) blood pressure should be 90. If your upper reading is 130 or more, your blood pressure is considered to be elevated, which is dangerous for your heart and blood vessels. Low blood pressure reduces the amount of oxygen that goes to the brain and can disrupt vital organs.
Sugar levels — 4.1-6.1 mmol/l
A healthy person's fasting sugar level should be: 4.1-6.1 mmol/l (venous blood) and 3.33-5.55 mmol/l (capillary blood). Steadily high blood sugar levels most often indicate diabetes.
BMI — 20-25
Body mass index is an average indicator of a healthy weight. However, it is not worth focusing solely on BMI, because much depends on the type of physique, the amount of muscle mass, and many other indicators. The Kettle formula (BMI calculation) is the same for both women and men. However, statistics show that the female indicator is generally slightly lower than the male. In 18-30-year-olds, the norm is 18.5-23 — in people over 30 years old, the norm is 20-25.
Calculation formula: weight (lb) / height (in)2 x 703 = BMI
Waist circumference — > 35 inches
Exhale and wrap a waist tape measure around your waist. If your waist is larger than 35 inches, regardless of your height or build, you probably have excess fat not only in this area, but also around your heart, liver, kidneys, and other organs. All of this increases the likelihood of developing many serious diseases.
Cholesterol — 2.9-5.2 mmol/l
Cholesterol is an organic fat-like substance that is found in cell membranes. It is believed that an increase in its level in the blood is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In reality, it's more complicated than that. The amount of total cholesterol and the level of triglycerides, HDL (good cholesterol), LDL (bad cholesterol), and their ratios are important for assessing health.
HDL norm is 1.03-2.32 mmol/l, LDL is 0.0-3.3 mmol/l, and triglycerides are 0.0-1.7 mmol/l.
Iron — 5.9-18.3 µmol/l for women, 11-28 µmol/l for men.
When checking the iron level in the body, you should pay attention to two indicators: serum iron and ferritin. Serum iron level reflects the amount of iron in the bloodstream and the body tissues. Ferritin shows the body's iron stores. For women over 15 y. o., ferritin is normal at 10-120 µg/l and 20-250 µg/l for men. Reduced ferritin levels can help detect iron deficiency anemia before symptoms appear.
Vitamin D — 30-80 ng/ml
Vitamin D deficiency causes osteomalacia, which results in loss of bone mass, osteoporosis, fractures, weakened immunity, increased bad cholesterol, risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, and even some cancers.
The building blocks of health
In addition to lab values, there are equally important figures we can control on our own. For example, adequate sleep (7-8 hours a day), drinking enough water (0.5 oz per lb. of body weight), regular physical activity (at least 20-30 minutes daily), and a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals are all important.
Monitoring these and other health indicators is easiest in Ornament. Remember to add the results of your latest tests to the app!
