Kore Kast
Kore Kast is a Podcast dedicated to integrating health and wellness with an emphasis on Pilates and Functional Fitness. This weekly Podcast is hosted by Kris Harris, a Certified Pilates Instructor and Personal Trainer. Please subscribe and follow our journey...
Kore Kast
Know Your Numbers: The Data Behind a Healthier You
We break down the five health numbers that forecast cardiovascular and metabolic risk and turn them into a simple plan you can act on today. Clear targets, practical measurement tips, and small habits help you lower risk and feel better fast.
• why blood pressure thresholds matter and how to measure right
• LDL, HDL, triglycerides and the power of ratios
• diet swaps and exercise that shift lipid panels
• fasting glucose versus A1C and what each reveals
• quick wins to improve insulin sensitivity
• why waist beats BMI for risk prediction
• building muscle for long-term metabolic health
• resting heart rate, HRV and recovery heart rate
• a step-by-step system to track, trend and act
• red flags that mean it’s time to see a doctor
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Join our community and let's continue this journey together
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Welcome back to season five of the KoreKast. I'm Kris Harris, and we're diving deeper than ever into the core ideas that shape everything around us. This season, we're exploring the essential questions, the breakthrough discoveries, and the game-changing conversations that matter most. From science and technology to philosophy and culture, we get straight to the heart of what's driving our world forward. Season five is going to blow your mind, so let's get started. Welcome to Know Your Numbers, the data behind a healthier you. I'm Chris Harris, and I'm here to empower you with the knowledge that could literally save your life. Here's the truth. Your body is constantly sending you signals through numbers, your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, heart rate, and body composition metrics. These aren't just random measurements your doctor takes during checkups. They're powerful indicators of your current health status and predictors of your future well-being. Think about it this way. You wouldn't drive a car without checking the dashboard occasionally, right? Your speedometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature, these numbers help you make informed decisions about your journey. Your health numbers work exactly the same way. They tell you when you're cruising smoothly, when you need to make adjustments, and when it's time to pull over and get help. But here's what frustrates me most. Too many people walk out of their doctor's office with test results they don't understand. They hear terms like prediabetic or borderline high without truly grasping what these numbers mean or what they can do about them. That ends today. Over the next 15 minutes, I'm going to break down the five most critical health metrics every adult should know, understand, and actively monitor. We'll cover what the numbers mean, why they matter, and most importantly, what you can do about them. Because knowledge without action is just trivia, and your health is too important for trivia. Let's start with blood pressure, the silent killer that affects nearly half of all American adults. Your blood pressure reading gives you two numbers, systolic over diastolic. The magic number you want to see, 120 over 80 or lower. Here's what those numbers actually mean. The top number, systolic pressure, measures the force when your heart beats. The bottom number, diastolic pressure, measures the pressure when your heart rests between beats. Think of it like the pressure in a water hose when you squeeze the trigger versus when you release it. Now let's talk about what puts you at risk. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and less than 80 diastolic. Elevated blood pressure ranges from 120 to 129 systolic, with diastolic still under 80. This is your warning zone, your body's way of saying pay attention. Stage one, hypertension hits when you're consistently seeing 130 to 139 over 80 to 89. Stage two, hypertension is one hundred forty over ninety or higher. And if you ever see numbers at one hundred eighty over one hundred twenty or higher, that's a hypertensive crisis. Get medical help immediately. But here's what most people don't know. How you measure matters just as much as what you measure. Sit quietly for five minutes before taking your reading. Keep your feet flat on the floor, your back supported, and your arm at heart level. Don't talk during the measurement and take multiple readings at different times. Avoid caffeine and exercise for 30 minutes before measuring. And if you're monitoring at home, which you absolutely should be, invest in a quality upper arm cuff, not a wrist monitor. The accuracy difference is significant. Small changes can make massive impacts here. Reducing sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams daily, ideally 1,500 milligrams, can lower systolic pressure by 2 to 8 points. Regular exercise, even just 30 minutes of brisk walking most days, can reduce your numbers by 4 to 9 points. That's the difference between normal and high blood pressure for many people. Now let's dive deep into cholesterol, probably the most misunderstood health metric out there. First, let me clear something up. Your body actually needs cholesterol. It's essential for cell membranes, hormone production, and vitamin D synthesis. The problem isn't cholesterol itself. It's having too much of the wrong type in the wrong places. You've got three numbers to track LDL, HDL, and total cholesterol. Think of LDL as the lousy cholesterol. It carries cholesterol to your arteries where it can build up into dangerous plaques. HDL is the healthy cholesterol. It actually transports cholesterol away from your arteries back to your liver for disposal. Here are your target numbers. LDL should be under 100 milligrams per deciliter. If you have heart disease or diabetes, aim for under 70. Your HDL needs to be over 40 if you're a man, over 50 if you're a woman. Higher is better here. Think of HDL as your cardiovascular cleanup crew. The more you have, the better protected you are. Your total cholesterol, that's LDL plus HDL plus other lipoproteins, should stay under 200. But here's the critical insight most people miss: ratios matter more than individual numbers. If your total cholesterol is 220, but your HDL is 80 and LDL is 120, you're in much better shape than someone with total cholesterol of 180, HDL of 30, and LDL of 140. Your triglycerides, that's the fourth number on your lipid panel, should be under 150. High triglycerides often signal insulin resistance and increase your risk of heart disease, especially when combined with low HDL. Now let's talk about what actually moves these numbers. Dietary cholesterol, the cholesterol you eat, has less impact than most people think. Your liver produces about 80% of your body's cholesterol regardless of what you eat. What really drives your numbers up? Saturated fats, trans fats, refined carbohydrates, and excess weight. Here's your action plan. Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats. Choose olive oil over butter, nuts over processed snacks, fatty fish over red meat twice a week. Increase your soluble fiber intake through oats, beans, apples, and barley. Soluble fiber literally binds to cholesterol in your digestive tract and helps remove it from your body. Exercise is incredibly powerful here. Just 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week can raise your HDL by 5 to 15% and lower your LDL by 10 to 15%. That's 30 minutes five days a week. Make it non-negotiable. Let's move to blood sugar and hemoglobin, A1C, two measurements that reveal how well your body processes glucose and predicts your diabetes risk. These numbers are critical because diabetes doesn't just affect your blood sugar, it's a systemic disease that damages your heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves, and blood vessels. Your fasting blood glucose should be under 100 milligrams per deciliter. This test requires you to fast for at least eight hours. No food, no drinks, except water. Between 100 and 125 puts you in the prediabetic range. That's not a diagnosis you can ignore. It's your body's final warning before developing type 2 diabetes. 126 or higher on two separate occasions means you have diabetes. But here's where it gets interesting. Your hemoglobin A1C tells a completely different story. While fasting glucose gives you a snapshot of one moment in time, A1C reveals your average blood sugar over the past two to three months. It measures how much glucose has attached to your red blood cells over their lifespan. Your A1C target is under 5.7%. Between 5.7 and 6.4% indicates prediabetes. 6.5% or higher means diabetes. Here's the math that should motivate you. Each 1% reduction in A1C reduces your risk of diabetic complications by 40%. Now why should you care if you're nowhere near these ranges? Because insulin resistance, the precursor to high blood sugar, often develops years before your glucose numbers change. Signs include increased belly fat, higher triglycerides, lower HDL cholesterol, higher blood pressure, and fatigue after meals. The good news? Your blood sugar responds incredibly quickly to lifestyle changes. Within days of improving your diet and increasing activity, you can see measurable improvements. Within weeks, those changes become significant. Here's your blood sugar action plan. Eliminate liquid calories, sodas, fruit juices, flavored coffees. These spike your blood sugar faster than almost anything else. Choose complex carbohydrates over simple ones. Timing matters too. Eating protein or fat before carbohydrates can reduce your blood sugar spike by 30%. Take a 10-minute walk after meals. This simple habit can lower your post-meal glucose by 20 to 30 points. And if you're prediabetic, don't wait. Studies show that losing just 5-7% of your body weight and exercising 150 minutes per week reduces your diabetes risk by 58%. That's more effective than most medications. Now let's talk about body composition and why your scale is lying to you. BMI, or body mass index, has been the standard measurement for decades, but it's deeply flawed. BMI only considers height and weight, completely ignoring muscle mass, bone density, and where you carry your fat. A muscular athlete can have a BMI over 25 and be labeled overweight while having 8% body fat. Meanwhile, someone with a normal BMI of 22 could have 35% body fat and significant health risks. BMI fails most when it matters most. Here's what you should measure instead waist circumference. This single measurement is often more predictive of health risks than BMI. For men, your waist should measure less than 40 inches. For women, less than 35 inches. Measure at your natural waistline, just above your hip bones, not where your pants sit. Why does waist circumference matter so much? Because visceral fat, the fat surrounding your organs, is metabolically active tissue that produces inflammatory compounds and hormones that increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. You can't spot reduced belly fat, but you can measure it and track your progress. Body fat percentage gives you the most accurate picture of your health. Healthy ranges vary by gender and age, but generally men should aim for 10 to 20% body fat, women 16 to 25%. You can estimate this with bioelectrical impedance scales, DEXA scans, or hydrostatic weighing. But here's what most people overlook: muscle mass. After age 30, you lose 3 to 5% of your muscle mass per decade. This isn't just about looking good. Muscle tissue burns calories even at rest, helps regulate blood sugar, and maintains bone density. The scale might stay the same while your body composition dramatically improves through strength training. You could lose 10 pounds of fat, gain 8 pounds of muscle, and only see a two-pound change on the scale, but your health risks, energy levels, and physical capabilities would be transformed. Focus on measurements and how your clothes fit rather than just weight. Track your waist circumference monthly. If you're strength training consistently and eating adequate protein, about 0.8 to 1 gram per pound of body weight, you're building the foundation for long-term metabolic health. Let's dive into heart health metrics that reveal the true fitness of your cardiovascular system. Your resting heart rate is like a window into your heart's efficiency, and most people have no idea what theirs is. A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute, but that's a massive range. Elite athletes often have resting heart rates in the forties or 50s because their hearts are so efficient that each beat pumps more blood. If your resting heart rate is consistently over 80, it could indicate poor cardiovascular fitness, stress, dehydration, or underlying health issues. Measure your resting heart rate first thing in the morning before getting out of bed. Use your fingers, not your thumb, to find your pulse at your wrist or neck. Count for 15 seconds and multiply by four, or count for a full minute for accuracy. Several factors affect your resting heart rate fitness level, age, medications, caffeine, alcohol, stress, and sleep quality. As you become more fit, you'll see this number drop. A decrease of just 10 beats per minute can indicate significantly improved cardiovascular health. But here's an advanced metric that's becoming more accessible: heart rate variability, or HRV. This measures the tiny variations in time between heartbeats. Counterintuitively, more variability is better. It indicates a healthy, adaptable nervous system. High HRV suggests your body can effectively switch between stress and recovery modes. Low HRV often indicates chronic stress, overtraining, or illness approaching. Many fitness trackers and smartphone apps can now measure HRV, making this once clinical metric available to everyone. Now let's talk about recovery heart rate, one of the most powerful predictors of cardiovascular health that almost nobody tracks. This measures how quickly your heart rate drops after exercise. After moderate exercise, your heart rate should drop by at least 12 beats in the first minute of recovery. After vigorous exercise, it should drop by at least 20 beats. Poor heart rate recovery is associated with increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. But the great news this metric improves rapidly with consistent cardiovascular exercise. Here's how to improve all these heart metrics. Engage in regular aerobic exercise. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity per week. Include interval training, which specifically improves heart rate recovery. Manage stress through meditation, deep breathing, or yoga. Prioritize sleep. Poor sleep directly impacts heart rate variability. Track these numbers consistently. Your heart health metrics often improve weeks before you notice changes in your weight, blood pressure, or cholesterol. They're early indicators that your cardiovascular system is getting stronger and more efficient. Alright, let's bring this all together with your practical action plan. Knowledge means nothing without implementation, and these numbers are only valuable if you consistently track them and take action based on what they tell you. First, establish your baseline. Get a comprehensive metabolic panel that includes fasting glucose, A1C, and a complete lipid profile. Get your blood pressure checked multiple times in different settings. Measure your waist circumference and calculate your BMI as starting points, even with its limitations. Create a tracking system that works for you. This could be a smartphone app, a simple spreadsheet, or even a notebook. The key is consistency. Track your blood pressure weekly if it's elevated, monthly if it's normal. Monitor your weight and waist circumference weekly, not daily. Daily fluctuations will drive you crazy and aren't meaningful. Invest in quality tools. A good home blood pressure monitor will pay for itself in doctor visits avoided. A body composition scale gives you more data than a basic scale. A fitness tracker or smartphone can monitor your heart rate metrics. Now, when should you see a doctor? Don't wait for your annual physical if you're seeing concerning trends. If your blood pressure is consistently over 140 over 90, get medical attention within a week. If you're showing multiple metabolic syndrome indicators, high waist circumference, elevated blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL, or elevated glucose, schedule an appointment immediately. Here are your key takeaways. Small changes create massive results when applied consistently. A 10-pound weight loss can improve all your metabolic markers. 30 minutes of daily activity can reduce your cardiovascular disease risk by 40%. Knowing your numbers empowers you to make informed decisions about your health before problems become crises. Your health is your most valuable asset. These numbers aren't just medical data, they're your roadmap to a longer, healthier, more energetic life. Start tracking them today, set realistic improvement goals, and celebrate the small wins along the way. I'm Chris Harris, and this has been Know Your Numbers, the data behind a healthier you. Take control of your health, one number at a time. Thanks for listening. Thank you for joining me on this episode of the KoreKast. I hope you're feeling inspired and empowered to take your health and wellness journey to the next level. Remember, every small step counts, and I'm here to support you every step of the way. If you'd enjoyed today's episode, I'd love for you to share it with your friends and family. And if you're feeling generous, consider donating at the link provided in the description. Your support helps us to keep bringing you the core cast every week, packed with valuable insights and expert advice. For more resources, tips, and updates, don't forget to visit our website at www.kore-fit.com and follow us on Instagram at KoreFitnessAZ. Join our community and let's continue this journey together. Until next time, stay healthy, stay happy, and keep striving for your best self. This is Kris Harris signing off from the KoreKast, and I'll see you next week.
