Linn-Benton Community College now offers an opportunity to learn vital facts about yourself each term. Those students enrolled in Lifetime Health and Fitness or LHF, are able to get this done by phlebotomists from Samaritan Health who come once a term to draw your blood and send back your results. Students enrolled in Circuit Weight Training can also get this done; however, they require a $20 fee. Faculty members and their spouses can also have this done for this same fee.
What do we associate in our minds when we think about blood? Pain? Injury? Death? How about life? Did you know keeping appraised on your blood glucose, lipid panel, and cholesterol levels can save your life? 250,000 people die each year due to blood related illness before they get the chance to reach the hospital.
When I say illness, I mean many things from heart disease and diabetes to heart attacks and strokes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that in the year 2010, Heart disease had claimed 597,689 lives, Diabetes claimed 69,071 lives, and Stroke or cerebrovascular diseases claimed 129,476 lives.
What do we associate in our minds when we think about blood? Pain? Injury? Death? How about life? Did you know keeping appraised on your blood glucose, lipid panel, and cholesterol levels can save your life? 250,000 people die each year due to blood related illness before they get the chance to reach the hospital.
When I say illness, I mean many things from heart disease and diabetes to heart attacks and strokes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that in the year 2010, Heart disease had claimed 597,689 lives, Diabetes claimed 69,071 lives, and Stroke or cerebrovascular diseases claimed 129,476 lives.
Did you know that by being aware of these blood levels can prolong your life span? Well, knowing what you’re up against isn’t where it ends but the knowledge you either do or do not have an issue enables you to make any lifestyle changes needed to save your life.
LHF instructor Brad Carman said “Between 300 and 400 students opt for this testing each term”, which is usually the 3rd week of each term. “When you get your results, you can even give them straight to your doctor to either act on or put on file for future reference”, said Carman, “Results range from Lipid Panel, blood glucose level, cholesterol, and indications whether you may be diabetic.”
LBCC Athletics Department secretary Gayle Rushing said that “only students enrolled in these classes are eligible for testing”. Rushing was very clear that if students are interested in blood testing, they must sign up for one of these classes. “We don’t want students thinking that just anyone can do it,” says Rushing, “We just don’t have enough people from Good Samaritan coming to accommodate more students than are currently in class”. Can you imagine the line of people who would show up if it was open to everyone?
“You want to fast for 12 hours before you have your blood drawn”, says Richard Gibbs, Athletics and Health Instructor, “You want to be fasting so your levels reflect your normal state as opposed to giving a false score due to food you just ate”.
Gibbs has personally participated in this even before and believes that keeping informed is quite important. Gibbs related to this writer that he has seen many people who have recieved their results and were able to make lifestyle changes that they didn’t even know were needed.
For anyone who may be interested in having this information, enroll in LFH or Weight Training and become master of your own future. For anyone currently enrolled who has missed sign up or are unable to attend the event, a second chance to have this done will take place at the Benton Center at a date that will be given to those interested parties. Protect your future. Think ahead. Be prepared.
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