AS the summer winds down, back-to-school activities are in high gear to get the children (and you) ready for the academic year. While you check and recheck their extensive school lists, be sure to consider your own health checklist – your ABCs.

Let’s be honest, when the school term resumes, quite a bit of your daily stresses that were on break will return. Heavy traffic to and from work, busy schedules filled with children’s extra-curricular activities that somehow become your own, and late night projects and assignments that question how qualified you truly are for your own jobs. The school year is challenging for parents and children alike. Prioritise your health and wellness in anticipation of what the year has in store. Knowing your numbers is a great way to begin any healthy lifestyle journey. Check your A1C, blood pressure, cholesterol, and though less considered, your vitamin D levels. These numbers are all in some way linked to your risk of the debilitating chronic non-communicable diseases and should be monitored.

DIABETES

Diabetes results when the body malfunctions and is unable to regulate the sugar levels in the bloodstream, leading to high blood sugar (hyperglycemia). Insulin is the hormone produced to regulate this process by transporting sugar from the blood to the cells to be used. In the case of insulin resistance, the cells do not respond efficiently to the hormone and high sugar levels persist and can result in diabetes and other complicationS. In type II diabetes, the pancreas tries to produce insulin to meet the demands, but without medication and/or lifestyle changes, insulin production will become inadequate.

Type II diabetes, like other non-communicable diseases are lifestyle related and, as such, its development and progression can be avoided. As at last World Diabetes Day in 2014, almost 7,000 Jamaican youth aged 15-24 years, and 180,000 Jamaican adults were diabetic.

Living with controlled diabetes is feasible, but with inadequate testing and poor control the disease can lead to life-altering complications, and even death. Approximately 12.9 per cent of all deaths are due to diabetes in Jamaica. While prevalence of confirmed diabetic cases are growing, inadequate testing still inhibits early treatment and disease control.

Symptoms to look for are blurry vision, frequent urination, persistent thirst, extreme fatigue, slow healing cuts and wounds, and numbness or tingling in hands and feet. Testing is critical in identifying your blood glucose levels to determine if you have healthy sugar levels, are pre-diabetic, diabetic, or in critical need of medical treatment to manage further progression of the disease. It is important to note that there are two main types of diabetes, with prevalence favouring type II, which was once referred to as adult onset diabetes.

With changes in lifestyle and urbanisation, young children are developing type II diabetes at alarming rates and go undetected due to delayed testing. The daily blood sugar test determines blood levels at time of testing and is used as a daily monitoring tool. This is a random blood glucose test. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels are determined using the A1C test. This paints a clearer picture of the average function of blood sugar regulation in the body over an extended time. Glucose attaches to red bloods cells (glycates) and the more glucose in the blood, the more molecules are joined to red blood cells. By measuring the percentage of A1C in the blood, you get an overview of your average blood glucose control for the past few months. Get your A1C tested on your next trip to the doctor.

HYPERTENSION

High blood pressure, hypertension, places additional pressure on your heart to pump blood around the body and to organs. Untreated hypertension predisposes you to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and even diabetes. Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers, such as 120/80, which you may hear clinicians say as “120 over 80”. The first number is the pressure (systolic) as your heart beats and pushes blood through the blood vessels. The second number is the pressure (diastolic) when the vessels relax between heartbeats. Consider the below blood pressure ranges:

* Healthy blood pressure: below 120/80

* Early high blood pressure: between 120/80 and 140/90

* High blood pressure: 140/90 or higher

A family history of high blood pressure, high-stress environments and old age are contributing factors to the development of hypertension. Lifestyle factors include physical inactivity, high alcohol consumption, smoking, excess salt in the diet, and being overweight. Be sure to monitor your blood pressure levels often for optimal health.

CHOLESTEROL LEVEL

Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced primarily by our liver and exists in every cell with key functions in bile, vitamin D and hormone production. Cholesterol also plays a critical role in the development and functioning of our central nervous system, and it has major functions in signal transduction and sperm development. It is packaged with a specific protein to form a fat (lipid) and protein substance, lipoprotein, and has two types. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered the bad type of cholesterol, which can form plaque in our arteries that may lead to arteriosclerosis. This may cause blood and oxygen flow obstruction, a blockage that is especially dangerous to the brain and heart. High-density lipoprotein, the good cholesterol, helps rid the blood of LDL, reduce stroke and heart disease and colon cancer risk.

Cholesterol is measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per decilitre (dL) of blood. Your cholesterol level is considered high if you have total cholesterol levels of 240 mg/dL or higher. It is considered borderline when it is between 200-239 mg/dL. High cholesterol (also called hypercholesterolemia) can be hereditary, but it is also affected by lifestyle choices. Overweight, poor diet, and physical inactivity can all contribute to elevated cholesterol levels. Excess alcohol consumption and smoking are also lifestyle contributors to hypercholesterolemia. A simple blood test can provide your lipid profile to indicate your cholesterol serum levels.

VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY

Vitamin D is a neurosteroid hormone that is produced by the body once sun penetrates the skin. Living in a tropical climate where sunshine is available all year round, it is surprising that vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency can exist. There are various factors that contribute to this anomaly, including our heavily pigmented skin, work schedule and sun-blocking practices that limit our exposure.

The pigment melanin that provides our exotic shades of brown reduces how much vitamin D we absorb. That, coupled with the use of sunblock lotion, prevents us from getting the well-needed sunshine vitamin. Our work schedules also reduce our exposure, with many getting to work before the sun comes up and retiring home by nightfall. If your mode of transportation is a car or bus, you may not spend enough time in the sun to soak up the vitamin.

As we age our body produces vitamin D at a lower rate. Vitamin D serves many roles in the body, most notably in bone and muscle health, as it needs to absorb calcium. lt is, therefore, reasonable to accept that as we age, we become more prone to fractures, brittle bones and osteoporosis when adequate vitamin D is unavailable to support optimal bone health. Studies have also shown links between vitamin D deficiency and prostate cancer, autoimmune disease, skeletal disorder, metabolic and cardiovascular disease. Insufficient vitamin D is also linked to depression, especially in the elderly. Clinical studies mainly focus on the older population, but the link between depressive mood and vitamin D insufficiency has been documented in healthy college-aged students in the United States.

The most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is the 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood test. A level of 20 nanograms/millilitre to 50 ng/mL is considered adequate for healthy people. A level less than 12 ng/mL indicates vitamin D deficiency. Oily fish, like wild salmon, mackerel, sardine, and fish oils, like cod liver oil, are rich sources of vitamin D. Supplementation is a cheap and effective way of increasing your vitamin D levels.

While you enjoy the last of the summer weeks, schedule a doctor’s appointment to get your ABCs checked. Knowing your numbers will give you a better understanding of how your body is functioning and any shortcomings to optimal health. Once you have performed the necessary checks, you may need to take the time to sit with your medical professional or nutritionist to thoroughly go over what the numbers may mean. A plan of action for treatment can also be developed under professional supervision. The good news is there is no studying or burning of the midnight oil for these tests. Just be open-minded and willing to make the necessary steps to get and keep your health on track. Good luck!

Rashida Beckford (Nutritionist BSc) offers nutritional consultations at Ript Camp located in Barbican Centre, Loshusan every Wednesday. For more nutritious recipes contact her at rashidabeckford@gmail.com, Twitter.com/RashidaBeckford, Instagram.com/RashidaBeckford, or (876) 332-5456.