If you Google the term health you\u2019ll come up with over 4 BILLION results. Yes, BILLIONS. The very first step in growing Sustainable Wealth is to Secure Your Health but if the definition for health is so murky, how do you proceed?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You get clear on WHAT HEALTH IS<\/strong>, WHAT HEALTH LOOKS LIKE<\/strong>, and WHAT HEALTH METRICS<\/strong> to track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Oxford Dictionary defines HEALTH as: the state of being free from illness or injury or a person\u2019s mental or physical condition. A nice textbook definition that really doesn\u2019t say much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Being free from illness or injury sounds great as does \u201cbeing healthy\u201d but what does that actually mean? What does one do to be healthy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n After being inundated with media images of computer-altered or even artificial people, our views on what actual health looks like is somewhat distorted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below is a listing of key physical and mental traits that suggest inner health. I also call these traits “Healthy Ideals” as they can be goals to strive for as not many of us likely have all of them yet. These Healthy Ideals can also be used as a quick reference to alert you to areas that may need follow-up with a healthcare provider or additional monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we know what good health can look like on the outside, there are a few different metrics<\/a> that can be used in consultation with your healthcare provider to monitor your inner health. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting with SLEEP might be one of the best places to start for both physical and mental health as it is so incredibly foundational for overall health. Body fat percentage and waist circumference are other metrics but those can both be significantly impacted by a lack of sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually people start with one metric (Sleep) and work towards optimizing it before moving on to other metrics. Others like to sleep how some of these metrics are impacted by others, for instance how sleep impacts Blood Pressure, Resting Heart Rate or Heart Rate Variability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In terms of tracking these metrics, a simple notebook could work, especially if you\u2019re concerned about privacy. There are also Health Apps such as Apple Health and others for specific health metrics such as heart function, sleep, and mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps the number one driver of health (at least in my point of view) is sleep quality and quantity. Why? Because sleep alone is fundamental to both physical and mental well-being<\/a>. Without proper sleep, your brain and body cannot function properly<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you know if you\u2019re getting good sleep? You wake up feeling physically refreshed and mentally alert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many of us, we don\u2019t wake up this way and it\u2019s often due to poor sleep hygiene. Properly preparing to sleep can actually fix a lot of sleep issues. You likely have a morning routine \u2013 maybe a shower, coffee, breakfast, catch-up on email\/news\/social media. It helps to have a similar routine and wind-down period before going to sleep. For more on sleep hygiene, see this Sleep Foundation<\/a> post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My post on 3 Keys to Long-Term Health<\/a> also covers sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps one of the most<\/strong> important measurements of health, your waist circumference and waist\/hip ratio can be used to alert you to of excess visceral fat which can increase your risk of many chronic diseases including diabetes and heart disease (both two incredibly costly long-term diseases).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diabetes costs an individual on average $9,601<\/a> PER YEAR (2018 dollars). Heart disease costs on average $18,953<\/a> PER YEAR (2005 dollars).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The International Diabetes Federation guidelines<\/a> for obesity by waist circumference are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Women: > 80 cm (31.5 inches) = obese, higher risk<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men: > 90 cm (35.5 inches) = obese, higher risk<\/p>\n\n\n\n Waist circumference is measured by taking a strip of flexible tape (ideally with measurements on it\/ this is a kind of soft tape often used for clothing measurements) or a string and wrapping it around your waist over top of the widest part of your abdomen or across your belly button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your flexible tape or string doesn\u2019t have measurements, you can use an inflexible tape measure and lay the string on top to get the measurement. For more information on how to get this measurement, see Verywell Fit\u2019s post on How to Measure Your Waist Circumference for Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more reading on waist circumference and its impact on chronic disease, read more at Harvard\u2019s School of Public Health, Waist Size Matters<\/a> and a journal report from Nature Reviews Endocrinology<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There is so much that goes into finding your ideal weight that it\u2019s handled in its own post. Check out Finding Your Ideal Weight in 5 Steps <\/a>for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tracking your resting heart rate may be one of the quickest and easiest ways to take a quick \u2018pulse\u2019 on your overall health. A resting heart rate of below 90 beats per minute can be a sign<\/a> of cardiovascular health and fitness. A normal resting heart rate can be anywhere between 60 \u2013 100 beats per minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you wake up in the morning and are still in bed, take you index and middle fingers and find your pulse on your neck or on the inner side of your wrist. Using a watch, count the number of beats for 30 seconds and then double the amount. If it\u2019s below 100 beats per minute it\u2019s considered normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Used along with blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring, your resting heart rate can help provide a better picture of how well your heart is functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blood pressure is another great way to monitor your overall health. Increased blood pressure can be caused by a variety of reasons but generally, an elevated or increased value means that your heart is working harder to pump blood<\/a> than normal and that can have serious consequences<\/a> for your whole body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting a blood pressure cuff and taking regular measurements at home is a great way to track this metric. Some people have \u201cwhite coat syndrome\u201d and their blood pressure naturally increases at the doctor\u2019s office and their reading will be artificially high. Stress can also temporarily raise values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many grocery stores and pharmacies also have access to blood pressure monitoring stations so you can take a quick reading while you\u2019re out running errands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writing down readings in a logbook or storing them in a health app is another valuable way of tracking these metrics over time which gives you the best look into possible trends and changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What blood pressure values<\/a> should you be looking for?<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Does Health Look Like?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Overall Health Metrics to Track<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Figuring Out What to Track<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Physical Health Metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Sleep Quality and Quantity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Waist Circumference\/Visceral Fat<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Maintain Ideal Weight <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Resting Heart Rate<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Blood Pressure<\/h4>\n\n\n\n