Did you know that two of the most preventable and/or manageable diseases in the United States are heart disease and diabetes? You are probably wondering how this pertains to you or why you should care. Heart disease and diabetes are ironically two of the top 10 leading causes of death. They are known as the silent killers. You could have one of these diseases but you may not know you do. So what can you do about it? Consult with your physician about a biometric screening. A biometric screening consists of 5 tests which can all be done in a matter of 15 minutes at your doctor’s office or at your work if your employer offers annual health and wellness screenings.
1. BMI – height and weight
2. Cholesterol levels
3. Blood Pressure
4. Triglycerides
5. Glucose
By knowing the results of these tests, individuals can make small changes to their lifestyle such as eating healthier, adding exercise, stress management techniques or by monitoring blood sugar levels. By knowing this information about yourself, you are putting yourself in control of your health.
More than one in four deaths in the US are caused by heart disease and 23% of all people age 60 and over have diabetes. Unmanaged diabetes can cause heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease and possible amputation. In 2007 Diabetes cost the United States $218 billion dollars and this year alone, heart disease will cost the United States $316.4 billion dollars.
By knowing this information about yourself, you will not only save yourself money by lowering health care costs but increase your quality of life. Isn’t it worth the 15 minutes?
No comments:
Post a Comment