Your Waist measurement and what it could mean to you.

In my last ramblings, I spoke about BMI or Body Mass Index. In that post, it was explained how it is a statistical measure of the weight of a person scaled according to height. Today I would like to expand on that a little more.

According to the Health Day News, research has shown that excess abdominal fat is a good indicator that you're at higher risk for conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure, the National Dairy Council says.

A waist circumference of greater than 40 inches for men and 35 for women is cause for concern, the council suggests.

The organization offers these suggestions on how to measure your waist circumference:

• Find the upper hip bone and the top of the right iliac crest, the portion of the pelvic bone at the belt line.
• Wrap a measuring tape around your middle at the level of the belt area at the top of your pelvic bone.
• Breathe out -- don't hold your breath or suck in your stomach.
• Make sure the measuring tape is not too loose or too tight around your middle, and make sure you aren't holding the tape at an angle.

The path to good health is surprisingly shortened with knowledge, exercise, and the proper diet. I’m in my early 50’s, so I am really concerned about my health. Needless to say I read a lot and watch what I eat and how much. Looking good and feeling better is my goal and I’m sure it is yours too.

While reading my AARP magazine the other day, I ran across and article that offered ways to boost your wellness in 15 minutes or less. I’d like to share a few of them with you.

1. Catch some sun—I know we’ve been advised to stay out of the sun, but, the sun is our primary source of vitamin D. By spending a small amount of time in the sun, without sunscreen, could help ward off illnesses such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoporosis. Why, because each one of these can be triggered by a vitamin D deficiency.
2. Drink more coffee—No I’m not kidding coffee’s main benefit is it’s wealth of antioxidants. The beverage can lower your risk of type II diabetes and can protect your liver from damage too. If you have osteoporosis, be sure and follow your physician’s advice for calcium supplementation.
3. Take a breather—New age practices like Yoga, Tai Chi, and Meditation are know to boost your health, improve your blood circulation and reduce tension.

Well that’s it for today, I hope you find this information useful. Be sure and join me for my next post.