Posted in May 2015
We have these health screens (taking height, weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol screens) at the hospital in an effort to promote healthy habits. They incentivize the staff to complete these screens by providing us with cash placed essentially in a health care savings account - this of course is a huge incentive for the "how can we make/save more money" mentality of the residents and fellows.
In true Renee fashion, I completed my health screen yesterday (the absolute last day you could do it) for the obvious reason of saving some money for future healthcare costs this year. I knew my numbers would be better this year than last year. But the numbers, the actual NUMBERS, kind of shocked me.
The two pictures below are of me, roughly within a few weeks of when these numbers were drawn separated by a year.
The girl in the top picture had a BMI of 23, total cholesterol of 192 and a blood pressure of 122/82. All of these numbers, by in large, are reasonable. A normal BMI is between 18.5-25, total cholesterol less than 200 and a blood pressure of less then 120/80 ( I reasoned with myself at time that a first year cardiology fellow with a 16 month old at home had a right to be slightly hypertensive). Nothing to get super worried about - but had I continued with the same lifestyle, where would those numbers be today?
The girl on the bottom (with the extraordinarily handsome 29 month old stud, I'm totally not biased) has a BMI of 20, total cholesterol of 142, HDL of 83 and a blood pressure of 110/70. And she is 24 pounds lighter. Still within the "normal range", but in a better direction than before. That girl on the bottom also doesn't have the lower back pains the girl on top was having (and is still picking that hunky 2 year old up whenever he wants), doesn't need that 3rd cup of coffee by 2pm, still enjoys a glass of wine or a bowl of ice cream every now and again and is just plain happier.
Numbers don't lie. Your current health and direction of your future health is a result of the choices you make every day, however small they seem. Be stronger than your excuses - all it takes is a change in your perspective.