(Springfield, MO) -- If your total cholesterol is over 200, do you know what that means?  When you're trying to stay healthy, numbers can make a big difference. Many people see their primary care physician once a year and try to soak up all their knowledge in that one visit.   A "face-to-face" is great. But there's a lot you can learn about your own health care, if you know your numbers.

Darrell Brake, 82, and his wife Peggy have been married for more than 60 years.  They can credit those impressive numbers to watching several other sets of numbers. "We have our check-ups, which have kept us going all these years," said Peggy.

Doctor Jim Rogers watches the Brake's cholesterol, blood pressure and body weight. Over the years, he's recommended things like colon screenings and mammograms, and helped Peggy spot a heart problem before it became more serious. "After the age of 35, for all of us the single greatest cause of death is cardiovascular death," said Dr. Rogers.

The doctor also helps them maintain a healthy lifestyle, although in Darrell's case, he might be a little too active, and he's got a pulled stomach muscle to prove it.
"I have a motorcycle, I think that's how I pulled it." said Darrell.

Dr. Rogers said a growing trend is for people to go to health fairs for screenings and tests.  They come out with papers like this one, which shows their cholesterol and blood glucose levels.  The only problem is, people have no idea what these numbers mean. "People will jump into a health care screening going on at the mall or at work and not be interpreting that with the primary care physician," said Dr. Rogers.

So what can you learn from a screening?   Regardless of age, your total cholesterol level should be below two hundred, and your fasting blood sugar under 140. If you have a PSA, or Prostate Specific Antigen Test, levels above four nanograms could signal a problem.  But the most important number will vary for each individual, your body mass index, which is a measurement of your body fat based on height and weight. "Staying active and watching your body weight are two of the best preventative care measures people can do," said Dr. Rogers.

According to medical professionals, another problem is a national shortage of primary care physicians.   Urgent Care Dr. Dan Burke is there to handle the aftermath of that shortage. It's his mission to get people thinking about their health care early, even if they're still in elementary school, like 5th grader Sierra Bratcher. "I'd rather have the tests now and be healthy when I grow up and I don' have to go through all the struggles," said Bratcher.

Sierra's family has a history of diabetes, heart disease and sleep apnea. That's why her mother gets regular check-ups and blood tests, for her and her two daughters. "I'm making sure I don't have any genetic things wrong with me, to make sure they don't have anything," said Amanda Bratcher.

Dr. Rogers said there are a few other standard screenings he recommends for his patients, depending on their age.  He said every female should have a pelvic exam and pap smear as soon as they become sexually active. And anyone over 40 should also consider a colon exam. Your family history can help determine what other screenings you might want to consider. Skaggs Hospital in Branson has an entire web page devoted to helping people understand what numbers they should be keeping track of. To learn more, go to the hospital's website at www.skaggs.net/mylife