HEALTHY LIVING Take


Control of Your Health


Understand your body better with data your doctor


won’t tell you. :: BY VERA TWEED


R


outine tests conducted for an annual physical, such as cholesterol


and triglyceride blood tests, check for the most common diseases and conditions. But they leave out crucial


information you need to best assess your health. “When your doctor looks at those test results, what he’s looking for is to see if something has gone into the abnormal area,” says


Darshan Shah, M.D., a health and wellness specialist and founder and CEO of Next Health, a group of health optimization and longevity centers around the country. “When you see a blood


work result go from normal to abnormal, that means that you have a disease,” he tells Newsmax. “In reality, your blood tests have been changing for 20 to 30 years before you get diagnosed.” If you want to be in better shape, he advises: “Become the CEO of your own health.” Get to know what numbers to track and how to get them into a more optimal range.


82 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | APRIL 2025 TRACK AT HOME


Gaining new insights into the internal workings of your body may motivate you to join the minority of Americans who get enough exercise and eat mostly healthy food. Here’s what Dr. Darshan Shah recommends:


1


GET A SMART SCALE THAT MEASURES MUSCLE MASS AND BODY FAT AS WELL AS WEIGHT. “Skeletal muscle mass that you have is directly tied to your longevity and your health span,” Shah explains, “more than any other indicator of your health, even if you are a diabetic.” Loss of muscle as we


age contributes to elevated blood sugar and blood pressure, weight gain, frailty, debilitating falls, and osteoporosis. Ideal body fat is less


than 15% for men and less than 23% for women. But regardless of the starting point, improvement is the goal.


While there is no specific muscle mass percentage to shoot for, you want your body fat to be decreasing and muscle mass to be increasing. For the most accurate


results, consistently weigh yourself first thing in the


morning, after going to the bathroom.


2


USE A SMARTWATCH OR


FITNESS TRACKER. Smartwatches can cost several hundred dollars or more, but fitness trackers such as Fitbit or Garmin start around $100-$120 — or less during a sale. If you wear one 24/7,


Shah points out three types of valuable data these can provide: the amount of deep, restful sleep you’re getting; stress levels; and daily steps. If you aren’t getting enough deep sleep, Shah recommends keeping your phone out of the bedroom, steering clear of digital screens before bedtime, and not eating too late in the evening. To reduce stress levels,


Shah recommends trying diff erent relaxing activities to find what works for you. Examples include


massage, sauna, spiritual


practices, or a hobby that has a relaxing eff ect, such as cooking, baking, reading, taking care of pets, gardening, woodworking, arts and crafts, or photography. For steps, a study of


more than 2,000 middle- age adults who were tracked for about 10 years found that 7,000 steps per day was a sweet spot for increasing health and lifespan.


3


MEASURE BLOOD PRESSURE


REGULARLY AT HOME. Healthy blood pressure — under 120/80 — helps to prevent a whole host of ills, including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, dementia, eye disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Check yours regularly at home and keep track of your readings. See how your levels may improve as you make changes to improve sleep, diet, stress levels, and exercise.


©ISTOCK


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