How Healthy Are You?

Grade your health! Answer the 20 questions below, giving yourself 1 point for every time you mark #1, 2 points for every #2, 3 points for each #3, and so forth. Find your rating at the end of the test.

A. What does my blood panel (cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL's and LDL's) indicate?

1. I don't know and I don't care.
2. I don't know but I would like to find out.
3. My last reading was above normal.
4. My last reading was normal.
5. My last reading was lower than normal.

B. What is my Body Mass Index and/or percent body fat?

1. I don't know and I don't care.
2. I don't know but I would like to find out.
3. It puts me in the category of obese.
4. It ranks me as average to overweight.
5. It ranks me as athletic to average.

C.  Addictive substances, including nicotine, caffeine and alcohol are part of my lifestyle.

1. Yes, I  have some every day.
2. Yes, at least several times a week.
3. Yes, but only "socially" when others invite me to.
4. Not currently, but I have in the past.
5. Never.

D. I get the recommended cancer screenings appropriate for my age (mammogram, PAP smear, colonoscopy, PSA testing, etc.).

1. No, and I don't expect to.
2. No, but I will when I need to.
3. I have had some tests in the past but I'm overdue for a follow-up.
4. I am scheduled for some tests in the next 3 months.
5. I am current on recommended screenings.

E.  I am high-risk for the top five Diseases of Affluence: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and auto-immune diseases.

1. I have been diagnosed with more than one of these diseases.
2. I have been diagnosed with only one of these five chronic diseases.
3. I have not been diagnosed, but I am a high-risk for at least one of these diseases.
4. I have not been diagnosed and am a moderate risk.
5. I am not a high risk for any of these.

F. I get an adequate amount of sleep each night.

1. No, I typically get fewer than 6 hours of rest per night.
2. No, I get between 6 and 7 hours each night.
3. I get 7 to 8 hours at least 4 times a week.
4. I get 7 to 8 hours of sleep almost every night.
5. I consistently get 8 hours of sleep a night.

 G. I exercise 5 times a week.

1. I don't get any exercise.
2. I don't exercise more than once a week.
3. I exercise 2-4 times per week.
4. I exercise 5 times a week for 30 minutes or less per session.
5. I exercise 5 times a week for more than 30 minutes per session.

H. I get 15 minutes of sunshine and fresh air each day if possible.

1. No, I don't like to be outside at all.
2. No, I don't get out more than once a week.
3. No, but I am outside 2-4 times in a week.
4. Yes, I get 15 minutes of sunshine and fresh air 5 days of the week.
5. Yes, I get more than 15 minutes of sunshine and fresh air more than 5 days per week.

I. My fat intake is:

1. unknown; I don't monitor it.
2. mostly animal fats or saturated fats.
3. from both animal and plant sources but is mostly unsaturated.
4. only from plant sources but still contains extracted oils, like olive and coconut.
5. only from whole plant foods, such as seeds, nuts, olives and avocados.

J. The amount of water I drink each day is:

1. none; I prefer other drinks besides water.
2. 1 or 2 glasses.
3. 3 or 4 glasses.
4. 5 or 6 glasses.
5. More than 6 glasses.

K.  Sweets in my diet include:

1. Desserts each evening and pop every day.
2. Desserts, pop or foods with sugar, Nutra-sweet or high fructose corn syrup 3-4 times per week.
3. Foods sweetened with sugar, Nutra-sweet or high fructose corn syrup twice a week
4. Foods only sweetened with honey, agave, molasses, maple syrup or other natural sweeteners.
5. No extracted sweeteners; I use fruits (dried and fresh) to sweeten my foods.

L. The amount of animal protein in my diet (meat and dairy) is:

1. greater than 40% of my total intake.
2. 30 to 40% of my intake.
3. 20 to 30% of my intake.
4. 10 to 20% of my intake.
5. less than 10 % of my intake.

M.  I eat simple or refined carbohydrates (bread, cereal, potatoes, pasta, products made with white flour)

1. for every meal.
2. twice a day.
3. once a day.
4. rarely; I eat whole grains at each meal instead.
5. never; I have 1 cup of whole grains for the entire day.

N. I use nuts and seeds

1. rarely; they aren't really a food group.
2. as a treat: roasted and salted.
3. occasionally as an additional protein or fat source.
4. several times a week in moderation.
5. daily in quantities of 1-2 ounces.

O. The number of fruits I eat per day is:

1. less than 1; I only eat fruit a couple of times per week.
2. 1 or 2 servings.
3. 3 servings.
4. 4 servings.
5. 5 or 6 servings.

P. The vegetables in my diet

1. are in the form of french fries, or baked/mashed potatoes.
2. include a side salad and/or cooked vegetable with dinner.
3. amount to 2 or 3 servings per day.
4. are a priority; I eat 4-6 servings per day.
5. equal 7 or 8 servings and constitute about 50% of my diet.

Q. I eat beans and legumes (split peas, lentils, etc.)

1. only when I can't avoid it.
2. less than once a week.
3. one to 3 times a week.
4. 4 to 6 times a week.
5. every day.

R. I incorporate sprouts into my meals

1. if I'm rabbit (in other words, never).
2. when someone sneaks them into my salad (meaning less than once a month).
3. occasionally, but not as an integral part of my lifestyle.
4. a couple of times a week.
5. at least 3 to 4 times per week.

S. Fermented or cultured foods like kefir, raw sauerkraut and sourdough

1. should be put in the garbage disposal.
2. are a delicacy I eat once or twice a year.
3. are health foods I have used once or twice a month.
4. are part of my plan once a week.
5. are foods I eat several times per week.

T. The amount of raw food I consume

1. is negligible; food should be cooked unless you are a rodent.
2. amounts to about 1 serving per day.
3. is 10 to 25% of my diet.
4. is 25 to 50 % of my diet.
5. is greater than 50% of my diet.

Now score yourself:
85 to100 points - A,  Top of the Class; you've got life-saving habits!
69 to 84 points - B,  Good work! Keep making those improvements
53 to 68 points - C, There are definitely some areas to address
36 to 52 points - D, Your health is in jeopardy, start making changes now
20 to 35 points - F, If you don't do it, no one else CAN!

To your health and happiness,
Hailey