Happy New Year, 2025, everyone! A new year is an opportunity to create new resolutions, goals, and focus on the things that matter most. Speaking of goals, maybe one of your goals this year is to be healthier.  One of the first steps that you can take to help improve your health is knowing some important health numbers.

Those numbers are:

• Body Mass Index (BMI)
  • A healthy BMI is 18.5-24.9
  • BMI is a height-to-weight ratio that calculates excess body fat. A BMI over 30 is dangerous to your health and can increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea.
• Blood Pressure
  • Normal blood pressure should be below 120/80 mmHg
  • A blood pressure reading has two numbers: the top number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats (systolic), the bottom number measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats (diastolic). Higher numbers should be monitored regularly because that means your heart is working extra hard. Over time, high blood pressure can lead to heart failure, heart attack, or stroke.
• Cholesterol
  • Healthy cholesterol should stay less than 200mg /dL
  • Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance in your blood. High cholesterol contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.
• Glucose
  • Optimal fasting glucose level should be less than 100 mg/dL
  • Extra sugar in your blood can harm organs and damages nerves and blood vessels. Anything higher than 100mg/dL can indicate pre-diabetes or diabetes.

How can you help keep these numbers in a healthy range?

1. Consider a heart healthy diet. Focus on eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, make half of the grains you eat whole grains, eat a variety of lean protein foods- focusing on lean meats, seafood, beans, nuts, and seeds, and low-fat dairy and/or fortified plant based beverages.
2. Limit your intake of foods high in saturated fats, sugar, and sodium. Read and compare food labels to help select healthier options.
3. Get moving! Aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. Anything that gets your body moving and increases your heart-beat is considered physical activity. This can include activities that we normally don’t think about, such as gardening, sweeping, vacuuming, walking, and mowing the lawn, to name a few.
4. Manage stress. Try to slow down and plan for things ahead of time. Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Spend time doing things you enjoy, such as spending time with family, friends, and your hobbies. Try meditation, breathing exercises, or yoga.
5. Drink alcohol in moderate amounts and quit smoking.

Get to know your numbers by visiting your health care physician and getting screened. Your physician is a wealth of knowledge, and they are there to help you reach your health goals.

And remember that small steps can lead to big changes!

Want to monitor your blood pressure at home? Learn how to measure your blood pressure and then check out a blood pressure cuff for a month, right here at UF/IFAS Extension in Orange County! To learn more about our blood pressure program, e-mail Family & Consumer Sciences Extension Agents Hillary Ayers at hayers@ufl.edu or Patrick Zayas at pazayas@ufl.edu

Maybe you’re looking for classes in the new year that can help with your New Year’s goals? Maybe you’d like to learn how to make nutritious meals, how to fit physical activity into your busy day, or stress management techniques? Check out all of the different classes we offer at UF/IFAS Extension in Orange County, by taking a look at our Eventbrite page here: UF/IFAS Extension Orange County Programs

Source: American Heart Association. (2024). Know your numbers.

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