Midlife is a time of transition. While you may feel a shift in your energy levels or metabolism, it’s also a prime opportunity to take control of your health and set yourself up for a vibrant future. By incorporating a few key strategies and understanding some important health markers, you can empower your midlife and embrace active, healthy aging.

Understanding Your Health: Key Test Markers

Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your health. Here are some essential health test markers to discuss with your doctor during your midlife checkups:

• VO2 Max: A VO2 max test, short for maximal oxygen consumption, is a way to measure your body’s ability to use oxygen during intense exercise. It’s considered the gold standard for assessing cardiovascular fitness and endurance. This measures your body’s maximum oxygen consumption during exercise. A higher VO2 Max indicates better cardiovascular health and endurance. Remember, consulting your doctor is essential before undergoing a VO2 max test, especially if you have any health concerns.
• Regular Blood Work: By understanding your blood test results, you can take a more proactive approach to your health. If certain markers raise concerns, you and your doctor can work together to create a personalized plan to improve your health and reduce your risk of future problems. This might involve dietary changes, increased physical activity, or stress management techniques. For women in midlife here is a link short list of my favorite tests: https://www.instagram.com/p/C74Ej-qPqEa/?img_index=2 which I do every quarter, especially if I start a new supplement.
• Blood Pressure: Regularly monitor your blood pressure to identify potential risks for heart disease and stroke. Sit in a chair with your back supported and feet flat on the floor. Bare your upper arm and rest it on a flat surface at heart level, typically with the help of a pillow or armrest. It’s recommended to take your blood pressure at the same time each day and to choose one arm for your measurements and stick to it.
• Blood Cholesterol: Maintaining healthy cholesterol levels reduces the risk of heart disease. Monitor your total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and triglycerides. But a true indicator of how your body is using the necessary Cholesterol you must get your Apo B number. Apo B is found in various cholesterol particles, including LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. A higher Apo B level may indicate an increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to just looking at LDL levels alone. This is because Apo B reflects the total number of atherogenic particles (potentially artery-clogging particles) in your blood.
• Blood Sugar: Manage your blood sugar levels to prevent diabetes and its complications. Discuss your A1C test results, which provide an overall picture of your blood sugar control over the past few months. An A1C test measures your average blood sugar control over the past 2-3 months. The hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a protein in your red blood cells that binds to glucose (sugar). The more glucose in your blood, the more hemoglobin will be coated with it. So, a higher A1C percentage indicates higher average blood sugar levels. Normal range is below 5.7% BUT i am NOT A DOCTOR and this is only advise to help you know what test to study for yourself and know your own numbers.
• Body Composition: Knowing your body fat percentage can be helpful. While weight isn’t the sole indicator of health, understanding your body composition can inform your exercise and diet choices. BMI calculations are not an accurate way to understand your body composition. A inexpensive way is the Skinfold Calipers method by a trained professional who uses calipers to measure the thickness of skinfolds at specific body sites. This provides a more precise estimate of body fat percentage than BMI, but accuracy depends on the technician’s skill. Another inexpensive way is using the Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) or In Body type devise. This method sends a low-electrical current through your body and measures the resistance. Muscle mass conducts electricity better than fat, so higher muscle mass leads to lower resistance. BIA devices are readily available (home scales, gym equipment), but hydration levels can affect results. Still not 100% accurate way but a good estimate. A more expensive way is the Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) is a scan that uses low-dose X-rays to measure bone mineral density, lean mass, and fat mass in different body regions. It’s considered the gold standard for body composition analysis due to its high accuracy, but DXA scans are typically more expensive and require specialized equipment.

*I am NOT a doctor nor pretend to be, these are all test I have been doing on myself since 2015 and recommend to my clients on a regular basis. This is not a complete list, just a good place to start. You need to find a qualified physician who understands women in midlife/perimenopause/menopause to help navigate this river of information with you, and UNFORTUNALTY sometimes your Health Insurance DOESN’T cover all the expense. BUT you have to take control of your health either while you have options or it will be forced upon you later.