Know Your Numbers (As Well As You Know Your Zodiac Sign)

By Dr. Tomi Mitchell

You know your Zodiac sign. Your rising sign, too. Maybe even your Mercury retrograde behaviour profile. You’ve got your birth chart memorized and your spiritual advisor on speed dial for every full moon. You can recall your first crush’s birthday, favourite childhood ice pop flavour, and possibly even your old locker combination.

But can you tell me your blood pressure? Your fasting glucose? Your hemoglobin A1c?

Didn’t think so.

As a physician with over a decade of experience in practice (and yes, I started medical school more than 20 years ago—seasoned, not stale), I’ve learned a lot about what people do and don’t prioritize. Spoiler: Most people know their Starbucks order better than their health metrics.

And that’s a problem.

Guidelines shift, research evolves, and medical fads come and go—but some basics don't change. Knowing your key health numbers is not optional. It's vital. It’s foundational. It’s the real astrology of your life. And frankly? I wish more people talked about their A1c levels with the same excitement and drama as they do about eclipses or Saturn returns.

So, let’s fix that. Let’s talk about the numbers that predict your fate.

1. Blood Pressure: Your Heart’s Mood Ring

Blood pressure is the force your blood uses to push against your artery walls. Think of it as your heart’s tone of voice: sometimes calm, sometimes loud, and occasionally screaming for help.

The ideal? Around 120/80 mmHg.

Not 150/95. Not “I think it was okay last year at my dentist’s office.” Not “I get dizzy when I stand up, but I’m fine.”

Here’s the truth: high blood pressure doesn’t always come with symptoms. It’s called the silent killer for a reason. It won’t send you a courtesy text before it wrecks your kidneys or triggers a stroke. It just waits—quietly.

Pro tip: Get a home monitor. They cost less than your weekend brunch habit and are a solid investment in your future.

2. Lipid Profile: Not Your Dating Profile, Sweetheart

Let’s be clear: I don’t care if you’re on Tinder, Hinge, or happily partnered. What I do care about is the state of your arteries. Your lipid profile checks:

• Total cholesterol

• LDL (the “bad” kind)

• HDL (the “good” kind)

• Triglycerides (the sneaky one)

  
  

These numbers are your cardiovascular compatibility score. And if they’re out of range, your heart’s potential for long-term love (read: life) is in jeopardy. High LDLs don’t ghost you—they clog you. Slowly. Silently. Until one day, it’s too late.

3. Your Weight: Yes, We’re Going There

I’m not here to body shame. I’m here to be real.

Knowing your weight—especially your height (BMI)—isn't about vanity. It’s about risk. Heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis—they're not checking if you love your curves. They're checking your metabolic state.

Is BMI a perfect tool? No. It doesn’t factor in muscle mass or body composition. But it’s a good starting point. And frankly, ignoring it entirely because it’s imperfect? That’s like never checking your gas tank because your gauge might be off.

You deserve to feel good and be well.

4. Hemoglobin A1c: Your 90-Day Sugar Diary

Your A1c is your body’s sugar memory. It tells on you.

It’s not fooled by the green smoothie you had yesterday. It remembers the stressful snacks, the skipped breakfasts, and the nightly desserts. It looks back over three months and gives us an average of your blood sugar control.

This number is critical in detecting pre-diabetes and managing type 2 diabetes. Too many people wait until they feel “off” to test it—by then, we’re often playing catch-up with complications.

5. Glucose: Don’t Sugarcoat It

Checking your fasting blood glucose is like checking your phone battery before heading out—basic maintenance.

• Normal: <100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L)

• Pre-diabetes: 100–125 mg/dL

• Diabetes: ≥126 mg/dL

  
  

Glucose is a vital sign, just like your pulse or pressure. If your body struggles to regulate it, every system eventually pays the price. Let’s not wait until the symptoms scream.

6. Exercise Minutes: Move or Lose

I get it. Life’s busy. The “gym” is a mental barrier. But movement is non-negotiable.

The minimum standard is 150–300 minutes of moderate aerobic weekly exercise. That’s about 20–40 minutes daily, or five hours weekly. And no, five minutes of chasing your kids between emails doesn’t count.

Cardio isn’t just for weight loss—it improves brain function, boosts mood, and reduces chronic disease risk. Plus, sweaty people are often happier people.

7. Resting Heart Rate: Your Inner Metronome

This one’s simple—no tech needed. Place two fingers on your wrist and count your pulse for a full 60 seconds.

• Normal: 60–100 bpm

• Fit and fabulous: Often 50–60 bpm

• Too high? It could be dehydration, stress, illness, or an early warning sign.

  
  

Track it weekly. Your heart deserves your attention even when it’s not racing.

8. Sleep: Know Your Hours, Not Just Your Watchlist

I’ll repeat it for the night owls in the back: sleep is not optional.

Adults need 7–9 hours of good-quality sleep every night. Not fragmented, not with three bathroom breaks, and not with two hours of TikTok at 2 a.m.

If you wake up tired, snore like a freight train, or fall asleep at traffic lights, please get assessed. Sleep apnea, insomnia, and poor sleep hygiene aren’t just inconvenient. They’re dangerous.

9. Mental Health: Stress Is a Metric Too

You know your Myers-Briggs, your Enneagram, your Big Three signs. But do you know how stressed you are?

Mental health isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s numbness. Sometimes it’s irritability, over-productivity, or unexplained fatigue.

Check in with yourself regularly. Journaling, therapy, meditation—these aren’t luxuries. They’re maintenance.

Talk to someone. Your heart, your hormones, and your immune system are listening.

10. Screenings: Book the Appointment

Preventive care is not a scam—it’s a safety net.

Depending on your age, gender, and history, you may need:

• Pap smears

• Mammograms

• Colonoscopies

• Prostate exams

• STI screenings

  
  

Your doctor isn’t suggesting these for fun. They’re trying to catch things before they catch you. Be proactive.

“But I Feel Fine...” (So Did They)

I've lost count of how many patients have said, “I feel great!”—only for their blood work to tell a different story.

Just because the engine light isn’t on doesn’t mean your engine isn’t overheating. And when we do finally lift the hood? Sometimes it's too late to repair what could've been prevented.

Feelings aren't facts. Test. Track. Know.

Why This Matters More Than Your Horoscope

Our healthcare system is overwhelmed. Burned-out providers, long waitlists, reactive medicine—the best way to protect yourself is to be informed.

Knowing your numbers isn’t just self-care. It’s system care. It keeps you out of the ER. It buys you time. It saves your life. It gives your family one less emergency to navigate.

You matter. And your numbers? They’re trying to tell your story—early.

Final Word from Your Friendly Neighbourhood Doc

I will keep preaching this until it becomes normal—until people know their blood pressure as casually as their moon sign-until we bring our A1c levels to brunch, until fitness watches are as standard as phones, and denial isn’t our default.

You deserve to know. You deserve to be well. You deserve not to be blindsided by a diagnosis that could’ve been caught early.

So, dust off that blood pressure cuff, log into your patient portal, and book the check-up you’ve been putting off.

Know your numbers. Own your health. Live on purpose.

Until next time,

Dr. Tomi Mitchell