8 essential preventive health measures to track over time

Staying on top of your health involves more than just the occasional doctor visit. By regularly tracking your blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, and other vital indicators, you can better understand your body, potentially catch issues early, and stay motivated to maintain good health.

We spoke with Kathryn Sharman, a nurse practitioner at TELUS Health Care Centres, to learn more about what specific health parameters can tell you and how to track them.

“Tracking health metrics allows us to personalize our wellness journey,” says Sharman. “It can provide a roadmap to understand our bodies better and tailor our lifestyle choices for optimal wellbeing. It’s like having a compass for your health, guiding you towards sustainable habits and proactive health management.”

What health measurements should I track? 

Here are eight essential health measurements to consider. This article will explain each in simple terms, why it’s important, and how to track it. Keep in mind that you don’t need to track everything — talk to your doctor about which areas are most relevant for you right now.

1. Cardiovascular health 

Monitoring your cardiovascular health helps you spot potential problems and take steps to prevent heart disease, stroke and heart failure. While some risk factors, like family history, can’t be controlled, many can.

Measures:

• Resting heart rate/heart rate variability: Resting heart rate counts your beats per minute while at rest, often in the morning. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) tracks the time variation between heartbeats, offering insights into stress and recovery. You can measure it with an EKG or wearables like the Oura ring or fitness trackers.
• Blood pressure: High blood pressure or hypertension, increases your risk of heart attack or stroke.
• Cholesterol: A blood test measures your "good" HDL and "bad" LDL cholesterol. HDL helps remove bad cholesterol from your arteries (aim for HDL higher than 1.6), while too much LDL can clog them (aim for LDL lower than 2.5).
• ApoB: Apolipoprotein B shows the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood and is a key measure, especially if your cholesterol is high. A blood test will measure it.

2. Metabolism

Your metabolism turns the calories you eat into energy. Checking it helps you see how well your body handles this process and can guide your choices for managing weight. If you have a fast metabolism, you burn calories quickly, which helps with weight control. A slower metabolism, on the other hand, can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of health problems like diabetes and obesity.

Measures: 

• Blood sugar: Your body relies on glucose, so keeping your blood sugar levels steady is critical. If it's too low, you might face hypoglycemia. Too high? This could be an early indicator of Type 2 diabetes. When regulating your blood sugar, Sharman says, “It’s not just about what you eat; it’s also how you move. Add in regular physical activity, from brisk walks to strength training.”
  

• Uric acid: Produced from protein metabolism and filtered by your kidneys, high uric acid can lead to gout, a painful arthritis. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether or not you would benefit from tracking your levels with a blood test, especially if you consume alcohol or high-purine foods like organ meats and seafood.
  

• Creatinine: This waste product from muscle activity is filtered out by your kidneys. High creatinine levels can signal kidney issues or dehydration. It can be measured with a simple blood test.

3. Cancer risk

Cancer rates are rising in Canada, mainly for lung, breast, prostate and colorectal cancers. Knowing your risk can help you catch it early and take action.

Measures:

• Genetic risk factors: A DNA test can reveal if you have genetic changes that might increase your cancer risk.
  

• Cancer antigens and biomarkers: Blood tests can measure proteins like CA 125 and CA 19-9, which may be elevated in individuals with cancer. A new kind of blood test called liquid biopsy can also look for circulating tumour DNA shed from cancer cells and other biomarkers. At TELUS Health Care Centers, we offer liquid biopsy for colorectal cancer.

4. Hormonal balance

Hormones play a big role in your body, controlling everything from growth and mood to stress and digestion. They help keep major systems in balance.

“Women in various stages of life — like pregnancy, perimenopause or menopause — can benefit from checking their hormone levels to spot disruptions and manage symptoms like irregular periods, fatigue, mood swings or weight changes,” says Sharman.

But it’s not just women who can have hormonal imbalances. Men, children and the elderly can experience issues with their hormones.

Measures: 

• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): A blood test checks TSH levels, which help your thyroid produce hormones that control digestion, heartbeat and more. High TSH levels can indicate thyroid issues, leading to symptoms like tiredness and weight gain.
  

• Pituitary, adrenal and reproductive hormones: Blood tests can identify and manage reproductive and adrenal health issues, helping to support overall wellbeing in both men and women.

• Cycle tracking: Wearables like the Oura ring track your menstrual cycle and ovulation by monitoring body temperature and cycle dates. This can help with family planning and provide insights into hormonal health.

5. Inflammation

Inflammation is the body's way of reacting to injury or infection. But if inflammation sticks around for too long, it can turn chronic and increase the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular diseases and autoimmune conditions.

Measures:

• To check for inflammation, doctors look at biomarkers in your blood. One common biomarker is C-reactive protein (CRP). High CRP levels signal ongoing inflammation and are often found in older adults or people with conditions like cancer and obesity.

6. Liver function

A lot of things can affect your liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease (due to alcohol or other causes), autoimmune conditions and even cancer. While you can’t prevent all liver issues, making healthy lifestyle choices —like eating a balanced diet, reducing alcohol consumption and exercising regularly — can make a big difference, says Sharman.

“Liver damage can be reversed in the early stages,” she adds.

Measures:

• Triglycerides: These fats are made in the liver from the sugars and fats you eat. High levels can thicken your blood and contribute to artery-clogging plaque. A blood test checks your levels.
  

• Targeted enzymes: Certain enzymes in your body can show how well your liver is functioning. Testing for GGT (Gamma GT), AST (Aspartate Aminotransferase) and ALT (Alanine Aminotransferase) can help reveal signs of liver damage.

7. Fitness level

Being fit isn’t just about how far you can run or hitting the gym — it’s about how well your body uses oxygen and the strength of your heart and lungs. Knowing your fitness level lets you fine-tune your workouts and improve your health.

Measures:

• Resting Heart Rate: This is a measure of your heart rate while you are at rest that can be taken from many different wearable devices. In general, a lower resting heart rate tends to signal better cardiovascular fitness.
  

• Hemoglobin: Checking hemoglobin levels can reveal anemia or other oxygen-related health concerns.
  

• VO2 Max: See your body’s maximum ability to use oxygen during intense exercise, a good indicator of fitness.

8. Sleep 

Sleep affects everything from your mood to your immune system. A good night’s sleep helps your body recover and recharge and cuts the risk of chronic conditions and mental health issues.

“You need to prioritize your sleep because it’s critical to your mental and physical health. Most people need about seven to nine hours of sleep a night. You should know how many hours you need to function well and try your best to get that each night,” says Sharman. 

That could involve avoiding caffeine or alcohol in the evening, practicing relaxation techniques, reducing screen time before bed or sticking to a regular sleep schedule.

Measures: 

• Quantitative sleep: Tools like the Oura ring monitor your sleep patterns, giving you details about how well and how long you’re sleeping. These can also measure your body temperature and heart rate to assess how they may be affecting your sleep.

Aim for healthy numbers

If your numbers show any elevated risks, chat with your healthcare provider about what you can do. They’ll help you develop a plan to help with prevention, screening or early detection.

TELUS Health Care Centres can help you keep track of important health measures. Check out our Preventive Health Assessment, Precision Health to learn more.

Written in consultation with Kathryn Sharman, a nurse practitioner at TELUS Health Care Centres.