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caption38 goodhealth. Some simple tests can help you work out how healthy you are. And best of all, you can do them at home so they won’t cost you a cent, says Karen Fittall test #1 To check… Your risk of heart attack Try... Measuring your resting heart rate. The best time to do it is in the morning, before you get out of bed. Press your index and middle fingers (not your thumb) just below the ‘fat pad’ of the thumb on your opposite wrist. Count the number of beats in 15 seconds and multiply by four. [ Start worrying if ] Yours is consistently higher than 76 beats per minute (and you’re not pregnant, which naturally increases a woman’s heart rate).[ Why it works ] Because the resting heart rate is a decent predictor of heart attack in women, regardless of things like physical activity, smoking status and other risk factors. That’s according to US researchers who discovered that women who had resting heart rates above 76 over a number of years were 26 per cent more likely to have a heart attack than women with heart rates below 62. ➸ Take action Resting heart rate is a measure of how fit you are, so doing more exercise should help lower it. Relaxation techniques, which help you de-stress, might also work in the long term. But if you’re worried or discover that your run-a-marathon training hasn’t done the trick, talk to your GP. test #2 To check… Your bowel’s health Try... Eating a meal that involves corn – specifically one that means eating whole corn kernels (like corn on the cob or tinned corn) rather than pureed corn. [ Start worrying if ] You don’t see ‘yellow’ in your bowel movements within about 48 hours. [ Why it works ] The yellow outer ‘husk’ of a corn kernel isn’t easily digested, so some of them will stay intact as they make their way through your intestines. And that’s good news if you want to monitor your ‘bowel transit time’. Anything up to 48 hours is considered normal,

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caption39 test #3 To check… Your risk of osteoarthritis Try... Holding your hand up in front of your face, with your palm facing towards you and your fingers straight. Pay attention to the height of various fingers. [ Start worrying if ] Your index finger (the one next to your thumb) is shorter than your ring finger (the one next to your little finger). [ Why it works ] Because a UK study discovered that women with shorter index fingers – a trait that’s quite common in men – have an increased risk of osteoarthritis. The scientists aren’t sure why, but say it may have something to do with hormone levels, which can influence both finger-length ratios and the development of osteoarthritis. ➸ Take action Keep your weight in check and try to avoid joint injuries – both risk factors for osteoarthritis. But that doesn’t mean saying no to exercise: a 2012 study found that leading a sedentary life was just as damaging for joints as high-impact sports like running. The key for people at risk of osteoarthritis is picking lower-impact sports, like walking and swimming.  gm1213diyp39 - 38 2013-10-11T15:59:14+11:00

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caption40 Photography emmanuelle hauguel/ trunkarchive. com/ Snapper Media / getty images test #4 To check… Your risk of stroke Try... Taking your heart rate again, but measure it while you’re sitting down this time. Don’t worry too much about the beats per minute, instead tap your foot along with the rhythm of your pulse. [ Start worrying if ] Your pulse falls out of rhythm with your foot tapping at any stage. [ Why it works ] Because it might mean you’ve got an irregular heartbeat which can be a symptom of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common type of heart irregularity. And that’s a major risk factor for stroke – people with AF are five times more likely to have one. ➸ Take action If you do notice your heart often beats to an uneven, rather than a regular rhythm, see your GP. Two out of every 100 Australians have AF, but risk increases with age (one in 10 people aged over 75 have it), and up to 30 per cent of cases are undiagnosed. test #5 To check… How well your eyes are ageing Try... Covering one eye at a time and looking at the vertical and horizontal lines created by a nearby window frame. [ Start worrying if ] Any of those lines look wavy or distorted rather than dead straight. [ Why it works ] Because noticing that straight lines are starting to appear wavy is one of the most common symptoms of macular degeneration, a disease which mainly strikes people over 50 years of age and is the leading cause of blindness in Australia. ➸ Take action See your optometrist. There’s no cure for macular degeneration, but early detection is vital to prevent as much vision loss as possible. test #6 To check… If you are iron deficient Try... Pulling your lower eyelid down and assessing the colour of the flesh. Next, have a look under your tongue.[ Start worrying if ] Both areas are more pale pink in colour than a ‘healthy’ red.[ Why it works ] Because when you’re running low on iron,