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A Body Composition Scan, or Body Composition Analysis, is one of the best possible tests to determine an individual’s health and predict long-term health outcomes. The scan will reveal the percentage of body fat compared to muscle tissue. While this sounds like it might only be interesting to fitness or medical professionals, it’s increasingly important that all people understand their body composition.

Your body fat percentage, not to be confused with weight, is a strong indicator of your overall health and wellness. An unhealthy body fat percentage, or overall body composition, is correlated with a greater risk of chronic illnesses, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, and others.

Body fat percentage, the proportion of fat you have compared to lean tissue, is one of the best-known indicators of fitness and overall health. This is not to be confused with weight, since anyone with higher percentages of body fat, regardless of weight, will be more likely to develop chronic diseases, especially later in life.

Roughly one in three women and one in five men will suffer from an osteoporosis-related fracture beyond the age of 50. The bone disease is incredibly common, but there are a few things you could be doing today that increase your risk of becoming diagnosed.

We’ve written previously about what you can expect when going through a bone density test, but knowing when the test is needed or recommended is important. Osteoporosis is a bone disease that affects roughly 54 million Americans, though catching it sooner than later can help you mitigate its effects and seek treatment.

Understanding the details of your bone health can help you prevent or mitigate the effects of bone diseases such as osteoporosis, especially if you’re over the age of 50. A bone density scan offers insight into bone metabolism, but the scan can also reveal other abnormalities such as cancer that has spread to the bones from other parts of the body.

Bone diseases such as osteoporosis cause otherwise healthy bones to become fragile and more susceptible to fractures. This is especially true for both men and women above the age of 50 and certainly above the age of 70. It’s especially important that people in this demographic not only get screened for their bone density (a painless, quick test), but that they also eat a diet that gives their bones the necessary nutrients they need to remain strong.

If you’ve been to the doctor lately, you’ve certainly had your blood pressure monitored. Your doctor will state two numbers to inform you if your blood pressure is in a normal range or if it appears low/high.

If you are afflicted with high blood pressure, often a high blood pressure medication is prescribed. Like any clinical solution, it’s important for patients who take blood pressure medication to understand its effects as well as the dosage instructions.

Among the treatments offered to patients with heart problems and high blood pressure are beta blockers. Beta blockers, or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, block the effects of adrenaline (epinephrine), causing the heart to beat slower and resulting in lower blood pressure. This effect improves blood flow by opening up the blood vessels, often a welcome result for patients with angina, high blood pressure, or irregular heartbeats.