If you’re in your early 30s, you’re probably at the physical peak of your life in terms of strength, stamina and muscle mass. But that doesn’t mean you should get complacent with your health! It’s important to maintain regular check-ups with your GP – and if you’re in your mid-30s, then you might want to consider testing your cholesterol, blood pressure and pre-diabetes markers.
What you need to know about high cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat that is carried in the blood. It is an essential part of the functioning of the body.
There are two types of cholesterol: low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). LDLs are the most dangerous; it has the propensity to stick to the walls of the arteries, while HDLs actually help carry away the LDL away from the arteries. When you have ‘high cholesterol’ it generally means you have too much LDL and/or too little HDL in your bloodstream.
Triglycerides is another source of fat found in the bloodstream. Eating a lot of high-fat (particularly saturated or trans-fat) or high-sugar foods can increase the number of triglycerides in the body. Excess triglycerides can destroy HDL (the ‘good’ cholesterol) and increase LDL (‘bad’ cholesterol).
Having high cholesterol increases your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, mini-stroke (known as transient ischaemic arrack – TIA) and narrowing of the arteries (which can lead to angina, fatigue, confusion, and shortness of breath).
What you need to know about high blood pressure
Your heart pumps blood around the body through the circulatory system. As it does this, it applies pressure against the walls of the blood vessels. Blood pressure measures the maximum amount of pressure applied during one heartbeat and the minimum amount of pressure between two heartbeats – known as systolic pressure and diastolic pressure respectively.
In a healthy individual, the maximum amount of pressure in your arteries when the heart contracts will sit around 120 mmHg; and will be around 80 mmHg when the heart relaxes.
If your systolic pressure reads above 130 mmHg it indicates that too much pressure is being put on your arteries. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
High blood pressure is sometimes known as the silent killer because there may be no symptoms, so it’s incredibly important to get this checked regularly.
What you need to know about diabetes
Once you’ve eaten something, your body begins converting it into energy to fuel you through your day.
Carbohydrates turn into a sugar, known as blood glucose, and circulate around your body via your bloodstream. When this happens, your pancreas releases insulin to absorb the glucose from the blood into the cells so it can be stored it for energy. This process lowers blood sugar levels back to normal. When someone has diabetes, insulin is not produced or the body doesn’t respond as it needs to, leaving glucose to stay in the blood.
Diabetes presents in two different ways:
Type 1 diabetes often comes on very quickly and usually develops in childhood or adolescence. The cause is unknown and there is no known prevention.
Type 2 diabetes can often go undetected for years, with symptoms slowly developing and thus going unnoticed (or put down to ageing). Type 2 diabetes is more common but can be prevented through diet and lifestyle.
Diabetes increases the chances of peripheral artery disease (PAD) – a narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to your legs and feet. When blood flow is restricted, it can result in open sores and infections. In addition to limited blood flow, diabetes can also damage the nerves and blood vessels in the feet and the legs, meaning people can’t feel pain from sores and wounds. This can lead to serious infections, which may only be able to be treated with amputation.
Left untreated and unmanaged, diabetes can also lead to blindness and kidney disease, and significantly increases the chance of cardiovascular disease.
What you need to know about reducing your risk
The good news is that you can reduce your risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes through diet, exercise and lifestyle choices.
Your 30s are the ideal time to schedule regular appointments for general health check ups and to develop life-long healthy habits such as:
- Being active for 30-60 minutes most days
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Not smoking
- Limiting or sustaining from drinking alcohol
- Keep stress levels low
- Limit high-fat and high-sugar foods
If you have any concerns or queries, the wonderful naturopaths at our Ballarat store can help support you in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
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