Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of your cardiovascular health.1 Every time you visit your physician, he or she will take your blood pressure. You can also monitor your blood pressure at home with an electronic blood pressure monitor.   What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted by blood on the walls of blood vessels. Elevated blood pressure can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart... read more

The waist to height ratio is one method by which health care professionals estimate an individual’s body composition in order to evaluate his overall health.1 Enter your information in inches into EMG’s Waist to Height Ratio Calculator to determine your ratio. Although the Body Mass Index (BMI) is generally more well known than the waist to height ratio for measuring body composition, many physicians believe the waist to height ratio is the better of the two.2 This superiority is due... read more

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a popular method, which health care professionals use to evaluate body composition based on an individual’s height and weight. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight. A normal BMI ranges between 18.5 and 24.9. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight. A BMI greater than 30 is obese.1 To determine your BMI, enter your information into EMG’s BMI Calculator with height in inches and weight in pounds. The chart below categorizes the ratios and... read more

Testosterone level is an important indicator of hormonal health. Low testosterone levels have been associated with cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, decreased libido, decreased energy, and depression.1 A simple blood test is used to measure total testosterone level. Normal testosterone levels range from 300 ng/mL to 1050 ng/mL. Levels below 300 ng/dL are considered to be low. EMG also provides more information on low testosterone and testosterone replacement therapy.     Testosterone Levels Chart Total Testosterone Level (ng/dL) Description <300 Low... read more

The Super Seven Health Numbers: Here are seven important health numbers every man needs to know. See your primary care doctor at least once a year and get your numbers. Enter your numbers below to find out where you stand. Also check out, EMG’s 7 Health Numbers Every Man Should Know Infographic.     Your Numbers: Cutoff Values Ideal Numbers Blood Pressure1 140 mmHg/90 mmHg Above = High BP Less than 120 mmHg / Less than 80 mm Hg HDL2... read more

The two basic types of cholesterol with which we are concerned with are LDL and HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol (BAD cholesterol) causes plaque build up on the inside walls of arteries. Over time, this plaque buildup leads to coronary artery disease.1 HDL cholesterol (GOOD cholesterol) removes LDL cholesterol from the blood. HDL cholesterol prevents plaque build up. Thus, it protects against coronary artery disease.2 For a comprehensive overview of cholesterol, see EMG’s Cholesterol Section.   A high HDL cholesterol level and a low... read more

Fasting blood glucose is a measure of the quantity of glucose present in an individual’s blood stream after abstaining from eating for at least eight hours.1 This test is used to screen for diabetes. Levels less than 100 mg/dL are considered normal. Levels between 100 and 125 mg/dL indicate impaired glucose tolerance (aka pre-diabetes). Levels above 125 mg/dL indicate diabetes. The chart below provides fasting blood sugar numbers and descriptions as provided by the American Diabetes Association.   Fasting Blood... read more

What are the most important health numbers that every man should know? Here are 7 health numbers every man needs to know. Each number includes a chart that shows exactly where you stand. See your primary care doctor at least once a year and get your numbers.     Updated: May 5, 2015   read more

Blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of your cardiovascular health.1 Every time you visit your physician, he or she will take your blood pressure. You can also monitor your blood pressure at home with an electronic blood pressure monitor.   What is Blood Pressure? Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted by blood on the walls of blood vessels. Elevated blood pressure can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, congestive heart... read more

EMG Health Numbers: Body Mass Index Calculator Body Mass Index (BMI) is a popular method, which health care professionals use to evaluate body composition based on an individual’s height and weight. A normal, healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight and a BMI greater than 30 is obese. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight.1 To use the Body Mass Index calculator, enter your information into the provided BMI Calculator with height... read more