Are you Healthy?

In 1986, the World Health Organization defined health as "a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities." Umm. OK. So what does that mean??

Let's just say health is achieved through the well-being of our physical, mental, emotional & social "Health Triangle". Each of these categories has multiple definitions, we can individualize them to make them even more unique in their specificity. So, how do we know if we are "healthy"? There are multiple blood tests, scans, physical exams, mental tests, and emotional markers to look at, but lets focus on a few that you can start paying attention to right now in your own home:

1) Resting Heart Rate: The best time to find out your resting heart rate is in the morning, after a good night's sleep, and before you get out of bed. It is easiest to find you pulse at your wrist or neck. Ideally, your resting heart rate will fall somewhere between 55-75 beats per minute, with athletes showing heart rates as low as 40 beats per minute. As you track your resting heart rate, you may notice that you can predict when you are coming down with an infection, are over training, or under more stress than normal. Having a lower resting heart rate will also indicate that you are improving your health over time.
2) Hydration Urine Test: The color of your urine can indicate your hydration level (see color chart). The optimal color of urine is a straw yellow color. Mild dehydration will make your urine a slightly darker or brighter yellow color. If your urine is bordering on a golden-brown color you are severely dehydrated. Some vitamins can change the color of your urine, so keep this in mind. Dehydration can lead to an increased heart rate, headaches, thirst, dry or acne prone skin, muscle cramping, constipation, fatigue, decreased sweating, an increase in body temperature, and much more. At a mere 10% dehydration level, our cells begin to get compromised and can start to die.
3) Body Circumference Measures: You can simply measure at the arms, chest, waist, hips, and thighs and add the total for a way to compare how your body can change with improved exercise and nutrition. But the US Navy has come up with a way to use 3-4 measurement sites to estimate your body fat percentage. You will need to know your height and the circumference measure around your neck (just below the larynx or "adams apple"), at the smallest part of your waist, and hips (for women only). Once you have these measures you can plug them in to this online calculator. Recommendations for body fat percentages depend on your age, but should ideally fall somewhere between 23-39% for women, and 15-27% for men.
4) Mental Health Questionnaires: There are multiple different questionnaires that target specific mental and emotional issues. Mental-Health-Today has some great tests that will give you results for you to take to a qualified physician or counselor for further assistance. If you test OK, and just need a boost in your mental fitness, try these websites for some exercise for your brain!
5) Know your Values: Often times our relationships turn sour when we don't honor our own values or we choose to take on the value of others rather than value ourselves. Take this test to assess your core values and get real with your social health.

Above all, listen to your heart and body. Do you feel healthy? If you don't get a check-up with your doctor, join a health club or support group, and start making a plan to take one step at a time to improve how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. The only person who can ultimately change you is YOU! Take control of the things that are in immediate need today, even if that means letting go of a few friends or habits. For more information about healthy habits, see my RestoreFitness YouTube videos!