Health Screening

It started with us breaking away from the group after the Flash n Dash show and while we were waiting to have dinner with Xinn's mum, there was a health screening nearby that cost $5. Since Xinn had always wanted to check out her health status and what not, she went ahead and give it a try.

I wasn't keen initially, and just tagged along to see how she was doing. But then as she started her test, I glanced up and checked out the BMI calculation and started doing it on my phone. I've always known my BMI to be a bit leaning towards the moderate ranges, away from the healthy range. So when the results came out (over 23, 22.9 being the final figure for healthy zone), I got a bit curious and somewhat concern.

Decided that since her test would take awhile, I went ahead and paid the $5 and started my test.

On the initial sheet given to me, I had written "Height" as 1.6m, and "Weight" as 59kg. Knowing that I generally wear rather heavy jeans, I wouldn't be surprise if my weight during the test would be higher.

What was demoralising though was when I stood onto the height and weight scale, the guy checking the scale went:

Guy "1.59m! Wah you've shrunk!"
proceeds to cancel my 1.6m, and write 1.59m

Me "o, lol"

Guy "And you've put on weight!"
proceeds to cancel my 59kg, and write 59.8kg

Me "...."

So step one...fail. BMI 23.68

Step two.

I went and did the Fat test, same as the type AL did. So it's not as accurate as the pinch here and there method as I'm told, but hey, $5, complain what right?

16.7%. Things were looking up. lol. A sign of relief, score one for Dru!

Step 3.

Now came the one I wasn't to keen on, mainly cause I hate needles...so I did a lot of chatting with the lady at the counter trying to drag the duration before I get shot by a tiny prick...eventually there was no getting away and I got super poked.

The test came back:

HDL Cholesterol Reading (Good Cholesterol, Higher is better): 1.01
Total Cholesterol Reading (Lower is better): Lo
Glucose Reading: 6.1 After Meal

So on the chart, it shows 1.0-1.5 being the ideal range...1.01...ok...lower end of ideal, higher would be better so ok la, good enough for me.

Total Cholesterol Reading, 5.2 and below is desirable. I got "Lo"...huh?

Glucose Reading: 2 hours after meal 5-7 is Optimal...I got 6.1...yay!

Step 4.

Consultation! So finally it came down to the crucial part of the health screening, trying to figure out wtf all that test earlier on tell you about your health.

I got consulted by a fruitcake doctor who was really chatty and fun to talk to. After all the usual questions (do you smoke? drink? exercise?), he then started analysing my results.

"Ok, 16.7% bodyfat, keep it up! at a VFat level of 7, you're in the green zone!"

"Your HDL is high which is desirable which is good. Don't worry if it's not high, because your Total Cholesterol is low, and hence in terms of cholesterol percentage, you have a lot of good cholesterol considering it's at 1.01"

Sounds good, so then I asked him why the Total Cholesterol had a number guide but I got "Lo".

"That's cause the testing kit reads from 4.0 onwards. Hence if it detects low, it means yours is below 4.0, which is really low bad cholesterol"

PHEW! I did highlight to him though that I eat eggs quite often and drink a lot of coffee.

"Some times some people are born naturally to handle cholesterol really well, you might be one of those."

EGO BOOSTING!

So then I highlighted the bigger concern to me. After all this good news, why am I above 23.

"BMI is a rough guide, it's only a general rule we follow, but it's nothing much without more information about your body's inner workings, that's where the body fat, cholesterol, and glucose come into play. With those results being clearer, the BMI does not matter as much anymore, so at over 23, I'd say you're fine, according to a british study..."

I heard the word study and immediately shut down.

"...hence in their research which is well documented, you have below 1% chance of getting heart disease within the next ten years."

EGO BOOSTING SOMEMORE!

The health screening was a rather interesting experience, though I had initially not wanted to "see my fate", it allowed me to understand my body better.

Am glad to have taken part in this test.

Now if only someone can explain to me why I am healthy, and falling sick every few months...