Assessing Health

Targeting Health, Lifestyle and Medical Risks

We assure you this picture is not the current Wellness 2000 staff.  But the concept and need for a basic health assessment has remained unchanged over the years. 

Any successful journey begins with a determination of your starting point.  What are your priorities for your physical and mental health?  Are you healthy enough to begin an exercise program?  We help you answer these questions through a health assessment. We can also assist you in setting goals to improve your health.

Health assessments can be very detailed providing measures of mental and physical health. At a minimum the assessment provides a basic screening of your physical health..

The results of the assessment may indicate you need to see your doctor for a follow up evaluation. Unsure about obtaining a blood test or finding a doctor? We can help with information on obtaining these tests or we can provide a referral for a physician.

 

The basic health assessment includes:

• Blood Profile: a blood test for multiple disease and lifestyle risk factors or a finger-stick blood test for coronary lipid and glucose evaluation. Advanced Blood and Laboratory Tests are offered for specific health concerns such as prostate cancer and colon cancer.
• Measurement of your vital signs:  blood pressure, pulse, respiration
• Measurement of your body fat percentage.
• An evaluation by a medical professional.

 

Immediate Health Risk vs. Health Emergencies

Emergencies are sudden, life threatening conditions. requiring hospital emergency room treatment. If you are having a heart attack or stroke - time is critical. Learn to recognize the symptom of heart attack and stroke so you can act quickly to minimize the danger.

Recognize the symptoms of Heart Attack and Stroke

Immediate Health Risk means you need to see a Doctor for treatment as soon as possible -  within 1-2 days.

People at Immediate Health Risk are identified by testing.

 

 

Immediate Health Risk Factors:

High Blood Pressure: (Hypertension)

• Normal blood pressure is a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mmHg and a diastolic blood pressure of less than 80 mmHg.
• Pre-hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 120–139 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure of 80–89 mmHg. Persons with pre-hypertension are at increased risk to progress to hypertension.
• High blood pressure or hypertension for adults is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher.

Preventing High Blood Pressure

 

 

Elevating Fasting Blood Sugar

Normal fasting blood sugar is below 100 mg/dl. A person with pre-diabetes has a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl. If the blood glucose level rises to 126 mg/dl or above, a person has diabetes. 

 

Prevent or Delay Diabetes

 

 

 

Elevating Cholesterol Level

Cholesterol is a type of fat called a lipid. Your body needs some cholesterol. But if you have too much, it starts to build up in your arteries.

The buildup of cholesterol narrows your arteries and makes it harder for blood to flow through them. It reduces the amount of blood that gets to your body tissues, including your heart. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack and stroke.

A simple blood test tells you how much cholesterol you have.

Your total cholesterol number

• Best is less than 200.
• Borderline-high is 200 to 239.
• High is 240 or above.

The different kinds of cholesterol

• LDL should be low. Your LDL goal depends on your risk of heart attack and stroke. If you are at high risk, your goal is less than 100.
• HDL should be high. A good HDL goal is 40 or higher.
• Triglycerides should be less than 150.

 Understanding Cholesterol

 

Obesity

Obesity is a serious medical condition.  If your body mass index is greater than 30, you should consider seeing your doctor for treatment.  When your weight increases to overweight or obese, the risk for the following medical conditions increases:

• Coronary heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Dyslipidemia (high cholesterol or triglycerides)
• Stroke
• Liver and Gallbladder disease
• Osteoarthritis

How do you know if you are obese?

Obesity is often defined using a measurement called body mass index (BMI).  This measurement is widely used because it is simple and produces an accurate result for most people. BMI should not be used if one has access to a Skinfold test or a Bio-electrical impedance analysis. Some people weigh more because of muscle, so the BMI test is not correct for people with a large muscle mass.

However, for most people, BMI is a reasonably accurate measurement. You can calculate your BMI using the following link from the Department of Human Services.

Today, about one third of American adults are considered obese.  But there is a positive outlook.  Relatively modest weight loss will rapidly improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity.

Obesity treatment methods include:

• Dietary changes
• Exercise and activity
• Behavior change
• Prescription weight-loss medications
• Weight-loss surgery

Most people can achieve a healthy weight through changes in behavior.  Health eating habits and increased physical activity are necessary in any treatment plan.  These changes in lifestyle are also required in treatments using prescription drugs or weight-loss surgery.  To learn more about clinical approaches to obesity read Mayo Clinic - Treatment of Obesity .

 

 

 

 

 

Wellness 2000, Inc.
           1175 E.Main, Suite 2F       
Medford, OR 97504

     Phone: 800-866-8344   
                email: info@wellness2000.com

In This Article

• Health Assessments
• Immediate Health Risk
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Cholesterol
• Obesity

Related Topics

• Your Health
• Assessing Your Health
• Nutrition and Fitness
• Influenza
• Living and Working Well

Links

• Heart Attack & Stroke: American Heart Association:
• High Blood Pressure: WebMDD
• Diabetes: American Diabetes Association
• Cholesterol: WebMD
• Obesity: Mayo Clinic