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Overview
Men are notorious for avoiding the doctor and ignoring unusual symptoms.
This may help explain why women tend to live longer. Don’t let complacency take
a toll on your health.
Schedule yearly checkups with your doctor and keep these appointments.
Your doctor can help monitor your weight, blood pressure, and the level of
cholesterol in your blood. Excess weight, high blood pressure, and high blood
cholesterol are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Your doctor can
recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or other treatments to help get your
weight, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol under control.
Packaged and processed foods are often full of sugar, salt, unhealthy
fats, artificial additives, and calories. Limit the fake stuff and eat a wide
variety of:
- fresh fruits
and vegetables
- whole-grain
products, such as brown rice and whole-grain breads
- fiber-rich
foods, such as beans and leafy greens
- lean cuts of
meat and poultry, such as skinless chicken breast and lean ground beef
- fish, such as
salmon
When buying groceries, shop the perimeter of the store. This is where
you’ll typically find the freshest foods. Spend less time inside the aisles,
where processed foods tend to be located.
Get
moving
Heart disease is the leading
cause of death among American men. Regular exercise is one of the best ways to
prevent heart disease and keep your ticker strong. It can also help you improve
and maintain your overall physical and mental well health.
Try to get at least 150 minutes
of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic
exercise, every week. For example, schedule five 30-minute long sessions of
aerobic exercise in your weekly calendar. Aerobic exercise includes activities
such as walking, jogging, swimming, basketball, tennis, and other sports.
It’s also important to make
time for at least two sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week. For
example, weight lifting, rock climbing, and yoga can help you develop stronger
muscles.
Maintain
a healthy waist
If your waist measures more
than 40 inches around, it could be cause for concern.
it raises your risk of obesity-related diseases. For example, men with large
waists are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
For most men, the best way to
shed excess belly fat is to cut calories from your diet and exercise more. Ask
your doctor to help you develop a weight-loss plan that’s safe and effective
for you.
Most people can get the vitamins and minerals needed for optimum health
by eating a well-balanced diet. It’s important to eat wide variety of vitamin-
and mineral-rich foods, such as fresh fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Many
of those foods also provide heart-healthy fiber and natural antioxidant
compounds that can help lower your risk of certain diseases.
Some people may also benefit from taking a daily multivitamin or other
supplements. For example, your doctor may encourage you to supplement your diet
with fish oil capsules containing omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D3. Ask your
doctor about the potential benefits and risks of adding a multivitamin or other
supplements to your daily routine.
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Secondhand
smoke is also very dangerous. Nearly 7,300 nonsmoking Americans die from lung
cancer caused by secondhand smoke every year,
(CDC). Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure can also cause other health
conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema,
and heart disease. They also raise your risk of developing many types of
cancer.
Other health-damaging behaviors include excessive alcohol consumption and
recreational or habitual drug use. If you consume alcohol, do so in moderation.
For example, men should consume no more than two drinks per day, or the
equivalent of 24 ounces of beer, 10 ounces of wine, or 3 ounces of spirits.
If you use recreational drugs, it’s important to stop. They’re linked to
many health conditions. For example, cocaine use can cause heart attacks and
strokes. Injected drugs of all sorts can lead to serious infections and skin
breakdown at the injection sites.
Some men also use anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass. This can
lead to serious health consequences. Possible outcomes include sterility, heart
disease, skin disease, and behavioral problems.
If you smoke, drink too much, or use illicit drugs, your doctor can help
you develop a plan to quit. They may recommend medication, therapy, or other
treatments or strategies.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer. It’s one of the deadliest cancers.
men over the age of
50 are at a heightened risk of developing it. Your risk is also higher if
you’re Caucasian.
To lower your risk of developing melanoma, take steps to protect yourself
from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. When you’re outside:
- spend time in
the shade
- cover your body
with protective clothing
- cover exposed
skin in sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher
- reapply
sunscreen every two hours or more frequently if you’re sweating or
swimming
It’s also important to avoid tanning beds, which are harmful sources of
UV radiation.
Conduct a monthly skin check to look for new or unusual moles, changes to
existing moles, or other changes to the color or texture of your skin. Use a
mirror to help check places you can’t usually see. Visit a dermatologist about
once a year for a full-body skin check.
After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis
among American men, If you have trouble
urinating, develop pain when you urinate, or notice blood in your urine, it may
be a sign of prostate problems. Make an appointment with your doctor. They may
encourage you to get blood tests or undergo a prostate exam to check for prostate
cancer or other conditions.
Check
for colorectal cancer
Colon cancer is the second
leading cause of cancer death in the United States, reports the
It’s important to begin screening for colorectal cancer starting around age 50.
Your doctor can use a colonoscopy to check for cancerous growths in your colon.
They will also check for polyps, a type of noncancerous growth. Certain types
of polyps can develop into cancer at a later time. Ask your doctor how often
you should have a colonoscopy conducted.
Kimbly Fabrykant
Brelle Pieti