Blood pressure measures the force of blood exerted against the walls of the arteries as it is pumped through the body. When the heart beats faster or harder than normal, when there is an increase in blood volume (such as in pregnancy for example), or when arteries are narrowed, this force increases and blood pressure rises. Blood pressure is reported as two numbers: systolic (when the heart contracts) over diastolic (when the heart is relaxed).

IMPROVE YOUR SCORE

Drink water! Staying hydrated is so important for healthy blood pressure. Also, watch the amount of packaged, processed foods you eat - crackers, chips, granola bars, candy, cereals and even sauces and dressings have incredibly high levels of sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats. While those ingredients allow them to sit on a shelf for years without spoiling, they aren't great for you. Sprinkling salt on your home cooked dinner is not where people run into issues with sodium – it is the high sodium levels of processed foods, especially with low-fat and non-fat options. Think about it this way – if the fat is removed from something, flavor has to be added back in somehow, most of the time food manufacturers do this by increasing the sodium levels in their food.

When there's too much sugar in the diet or your body isn't efficient at clearing it and using it for fuel, blood glucose levels can rise and lead to insulin resistance and Type II Diabetes. Testing blood glucose levels (or, how much sugar is in the blood) helps screen for diabetes. Type I Diabetes is usually inherited or genetic, but Type II Diabetes is almost always a result of poor diet and lifestyle habits.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

The current diet of the average American consists of large amounts of packaged convenience food items. Unfortunately, they are almost always filled with these metabolism-bombs:

• Trans fat
• Unhealthy oils (hydrogenated oils for example)
• Sugar
• Salt

The goal with blood sugar is to make sure it gets absorbed and utilized slowly so there aren’t any unnecessary spikes or dips. You can do this by replacing highly processed foods with whole foods options by aiming to fill at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal, sourcing your carbohydrates from vegetables rather than grains, and incorporating healthy fats, which will also aid in satiety.

Physical activity will help to lower blood glucose levels by increasing insulin sensitivity and also by stimulating mechanisms within the body that trigger the cells to take up glucose and use it for energy.

Calculated from your height and weight, BMI is a fairly reliable indicator of body fat and can help assess risk for chronic disease. While age, sex, body type and race all play a part in fully determining health risk, they are not used to calculate BMI and thus this metric is best used as a guide when considered aside other metrics.

IMPROVE YOUR SCORE

Get moving! Changing your body composition requires physical activity. Make sure you're getting at least 30 minutes of cardio each day and are incorporating strength training into your workouts. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so by building muscle with strength training you'll help keep your metabolism burning high for hours after each workout.

Of course, diet and nutrition are also important. Aim to have at least one serving of a fruit or vegetable with each meal and snack, totaling 5 each day. Choose lean meats and healthy fats. The abundant fiber in fruits and vegetables will take up way more space in your stomach than more heavily processed foods, helping to fill you up faster. The surge of vitamins and powerful antioxidants from these fruits and veggies doesn’t hurt either, and the protein and healthy fats will help satiate you so you stay fuller longer.