The Morning Thing kicked off the week by celebrating National Library Week and sharing some “Get Healthy” tips from the Knox County Healthy Department.

Here are some interesting facts about libraries.
http://libraryoutsourcing.com/10-interesting-facts-libraries/

Find out more about the Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County!
This is a very active place with special events for readers of every age.
http://www.knox.net/

Here is more information about National Library Week.
http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/factsheets/nationallibraryweek

Want to get your kids interested in reading? Check out these 10 tips! http://www.mercyhome.org/10-ways-get-your-child-interested-reading

It was also a Get Healthy Monday on the show. 
Studies show that when it comes to making decisions to improve your health, Monday is the day most people make those decisions. The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health.The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health – Make that decision to lose a few pounds, get exercising, make a doctor’s appointment, stop smoking – Make every Monday the day to start getting healthy.

Do you know your numbers…your health numbers?
We live our lives by the numbers: phone numbers, PIN numbers, stock market numbers. When it comes to health, you should live by the numbers, too.

The key health numbers to know are: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index (BMI).

Doctors test most of these numbers at annual check-ups – which begs the question – when was the last time you had a checkup? It’s important that you know your numbers and understand what they mean. By keeping your numbers within a healthy range, you can greatly improve your health and reduce your risk for heart disease and other illnesses.

Blood Pressure When it comes to your blood pressure number, pay attention to the top number – the systolic pressure, which indicates the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. A systolic reading above 140 is considered too high and warrants seeing your doctor. Your Blood Pressure goal is 120 over 80 or less.

Cholesterol When it comes to cholesterol, there are really three numbers to know – your total cholesterol, your “healthy” cholesterol, called HDL and your “bad” cholesterol, called LDL.

The normal range for total cholesterol is 200 or less. The optimal range for HDL cholesterol is more than 60 and LDL cholesterol should be less than 100. There are no definite symptoms of high cholesterol, so it’s important to see your doctor and know your cholesterol numbers.

Blood Sugar or Glucose Glucose is sugar stored in your blood as your body’s main source of energy. Your fasting blood sugar number must be measured after an 8-hour fast. Fasting is key since ingesting food—say, a banana an hour beforehand—would raise blood sugar levels and could create a false pre-diabetic or diabetic reading. Your FBS can be determined with a simple blood test or a finger stick test.

A fasting blood sugar number above 100 is considered pre-diabetic; treatment measures should be discussed with a physician.

Body Mass Index Your body mass index (BMI) measures your weight in relation to your height. A BMI over 25 means that you are overweight and a number over 30 indicates obesity. That extra weight can lead to high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses.

Your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index numbers are key indicators of your risk for serious illness. If you know these important numbers, you can make changes to improve your health.

Small changes can make a big difference. So start today. It’s Get Healthy Monday!