- Asking the right health questions can potentially save your life.stethescope image by Jeffrey Zalesny from Fotolia.com
Often patients rely on their physicians to supply them with information on their health without knowing the right questions to ask. Patients should be prepared with questions to ask their doctor and actively seek out the answers that lead to a healthier life. - According to Dr. Mehmet Oz, Vice-chair and Professor of Surgery at Columbia University and host of The Dr. Oz Show, knowing your blood pressure is key to maintaining good health.
Every patient should ask their doctor what their blood pressure is and create a plan with their physician to reach a target number if their blood pressure is not ideal. Blood pressure of less than 120 over 80 are regarded as good numbers. Dr. Oz notes that blood pressure of 115 over 75 is an ideal target. - Regular physicals are important actions for good health. During these regular checkups, patients should inquire about their blood sugar levels.
According to Dr. Oz, a patient's blood sugar level should be below 100. - According to the American Heart Association, a healthy cholesterol level is less than 200mg/dL. This number, along with other factors such as LDL and HDL levels, puts patients at lower risk of coronary heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that cholesterol levels should be checked every five years or as recommended by the patient's physician.
- While waist size can easily be measured at home, a physician can more accurately measure a patient's waist. It's also beneficial to have waist size measured at the doctor's office so that a plan can be made if a patient's waist size is not within the healthy range.
For women, a waist size of 32.5 inches and under is a healthy range. For men, a waist size of 35 inches and under is an indicator of good health.
