We’re all aware that heart disease is a dreaded by-product of modern-day existence.  We may even try to adhere to varying levels of living and eating healthy.  But, it’s also important to keep an eye on the numbers that matter, if you’d really like to do something about the danger when there’s still time.

Here’s the essential stuff (via Reader’s Digest, Aug 2009):

Total cholestrol – Should be under 200 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dl)

LDL – Should be under 100 mg/dl  (> 190 mg/dl is downright risky!)
HDL – Should be over 50 mg/dl for women and over 40 mg/dl for men
Triglycerides – Should be under 150 mg/dl

Fasting Blood Sugar – Should be under 100 mg/dl

Blood Pressure – Should be no higher than 120/80 mmHg

BMI – Should not be higher than 25 (Over 29, and your heart risk increases 81%)

Waist Size – Should be 35 inches or less for women, and no more than 40 inches for men

Reminder to Self: Keep doing a Lipid Profile, FBS and BP check every two years, and a BMI check every two months.