34 Health From your BMI to the amount of cholesterol in the blood, here’s our numbers guide to healthy living
Life is a lottery, the saying goes, but while we may not be able to give you the top prize for this week’s draw, we can give you the crucial digits that add up to a longer, healthier life…
120/70 mm/hg
The ideal blood pressure reading is between 90/60 and 120/70, according to the NHS. The first figure shows systolic pressure – the force of blood as the heart beats. The second is diastolic – pressure at its lowest, between beats. And with more than half of all Brits over the age of 40 suffering from high blood pressure, regular checks are advisable. Blood pressure over 140/90 is high.
5 mmol/l
The total amount of cholesterol in our blood should be equal to or less than this, says Dr Dane Vishnubula, chief medical officer for Active IQ (activeiq.co.uk). “More specifically, your LDL (low-density lipoprotein) should be less than 3mmol/l and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) greater than 1mmol/l.”
LDL carries cholesterol around the body and deposits it as fat while HDL, which brings it back to the liver, is seen as protective.
6 grams
To reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure, six grams is the maximum amount of salt you should eat on a daily basis, says Emma Dane, nutritionist at Power Health (powerhealth.co.uk). Check labels and avoid food with a content of more than 1.5g of salt (0.6g of sodium) per 100g.
150 minutes
Two-and-a-half hours is the time adults should spend in moderate aerobic exercise – cycling, brisk walking – each week. Ideally, the activity should be in bursts of 30 minutes over five days. Alternatively, combine 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity with strength exercises.
30 grams
Our fibre target is 30g a day but most of us only manage 18. Emma advises, “Aim for a balance of insoluble (wholegrains, brown rice, fruit and veg with skins, nuts and seeds) and soluble fibre (oats, fruits and vegetables, flaxseeds and beans).
20 minutes
Don’t spend longer than this at a computer screen without taking a break, says Dr Clare O’donnell, optometrist at Optegra specialist eye hospital group (optegra.com). “Follow the 20/20 rule. Look up from your screen every 20 minutes and focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.”
18.5-24.9 BMI
The medical tool used to calculate whether people are in the correct weight range divides weight by height – and this figure is the target range for healthy adults. Dr Vishnubala explains that less than 18.5 is underweight, between 25 and 29.9 is overweight and above 30 is classed as clinically obese. However, this system doesn’t tell you how your weight is made up, so if you are muscular, measuring body fat with callipers or smart scales could be of more use.
37 and 31½in
Men’s ideal waist measurement (taken where the belly button is) is 37 and women’s is 31½. NHS Direct recommends men with a waist measurement of 102cm (40in) or more and women with a waist of 88cm (34in) seek advice from their GP. “A good rule of thumb is that your waist measurement should be half your height,” says Horizon’s Dr Michael Mosley (thefast800.com). “Take a piece of string and measure from your head to your feet. Then take the measured string length and wrap it in half. This should be the healthy circumference of your waist.”
42 mmol/mol
Tests for Type 2 diabetes measure the amount of sugar attached to red blood cells in the body and a healthy person should have blood glucose levels of less than 42 mmol/mol. Dr Vishnubala says, “Forty-two to 48 represent prediabetes, while 48 and above indicate diabetes.
6-8 hours
We all need our zeds – but try not get too many of them. Six to eight hours is the optimum
amount of sleep we require each night, according to a study presented to the European Society of Cardiology Congress. Using data from more than a million adults, scientists linked both sleep deprivation and too much time spent in bed to increased risk of coronary artery disease or stroke.
10pm
Forget burning the candle at both ends, 10pm is the perfect bedtime, says Dr Jason Ellis, director of Northumbria Sleep Centre. “The old wives tale, ‘An hour before midnight is worth two after’ does contain some truth. Earlier sleep tends to be more physically refreshing as it contains more slow-wave sleep, which is good for repairing and building up your body’s defences.”
15 minutes
Get outside in the sun – and ditch the sunscreen. At least for 15 minutes, which is how long we need to boost poor vitamin D levels. Figures show one in five of us in the UK lacks this nutrient made mainly by the action of sunlight on skin. lack of it has been linked to cancer, multiple sclerosis and osteoporosis.
10 micrograms
To counterbalance our lack of vitamin D, which is necessary for bone, muscular and cardiovascular health and plays a part in reducing fatigue, the NHS recommends nutrional supplements. Penny Stables, nutritionist at TEA+ vitamin-infused tea, says, “According to NHS guidelines, UK adults should be getting a supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D.”
20 seconds
hum Happy Birthday twice – it should take about 20 seconds – which coincidentally is the time
we should spend washing our hands to fully remove dirt, viruses and bacteria, says the World health Organisation.
90 days
Change your toothbrush every 90 days. Bacteriologist, dentist and The Breath Company founder Dr harold Katz warns, “If you use your brush for longer than three months, the bad bacteria lodged on the bristles may transfer back into your mouth.”
7 portions
Seven is what you should be aiming for when it comes to eating fruit and veg. Upping your intake from five to seven-a-day can cut the risk of early death by nearly half, says a University of london study.
14 units
Booze, though, remains a bit of a no-no. The Department of health advises a weekly limit of 14 units, equating to about six pints of beer or a bottle and a half of wine.
3 weeks
And while on the subject of drinking, three is the number of consecutive days in a week – and weeks in a year – to go without alcohol and give your liver a chance to catch up.
2,600
Of the 2,600 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in England each year, 83 per cent are preventable. And while around two women die from this disease each day, screening is at a 20-year low. One in four don’t bother with the test.
51
The average age for women reaching the menopause is 51. One in 20, however, undergoes the menopause between 40 and 44, while one in 100 is under 40.
One
Women should check their breasts for changes once a month. Give them a once over after your period or, if you are menopausal or post-menopausal, pick a date you are likely to remember and carry out a monthly check. Breast Cancer Now found only 48 per cent of women examine their breasts regularly.
30 to 2
Updated guidelines for CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in cases of heart attack recommend a continuous cycle of 30 chest compressions, at a rate of 120 a minute, followed by two rescue breaths.
2 portions
Keep your ticker in tip-top condition by eating fish or seafood twice a week. And make sure you include one portion of oily fish, too, says the Food Standards Agency. While all fish and shellfish are good sources of vitamins and minerals, oily fish, such as salmon and sardines, are rich in long-chain omega-3, which helps maintain heart health.
3 days
Codeine painkillers should not be taken for more than three consecutive days, says Stuart Gale, chief pharmacist and owner at oxfordonlinepharmacy.co.uk. “Take the smallest dose needed for the shortest period,” he advises. “If you are still in pain after three days, speak with your pharmacist or doctor.”
1,412 calories
On average, each of us binges on 1,412 calories between meals every day. Research commissioned by English Apples & Pears found adults reach for crisps, sweets and chocolate bars as a matter of course, racking up an extra 10,000 calories a week.
16 dress size
Women’s bodies are changing. Statistics compiled by lingerie brand Bluebella show the British woman is on average 5ft 5ins tall, weighs 11st, has size six feet and a dress size of 16. Boobs are getting bigger, too, with the standard bra size now 36DD compared to 11 years ago when it was 34B.
20 minutes
It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to let your brain know you are full – which is why slow eaters tend to be slim. So wait this long before deciding whether to have seconds.
“Three is the number of consecutive days in a week to go without alcohol”