As men get older they are faced with some unique challenges that are specific to men's health, for example, prostate and testicular conditions. Men also tend to develop cardiovascular diseases earlier than women and are more likely to gain weight around the abdominal areas, which is linked to other medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and stroke.
This article will give some tips and advice to help men focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and to improve the quality of their lives.
Instructions
1. Perform a testicular self-examination (TSE) on a monthly basis to prevent or early detect testicular problems. Adolescent boys should also be taught perform this exam, as testicular problems can start at an early age. For a video on perform the TSE, visit my website, Jewell Productions TV where you can also refer to my eHow article on the subject (see link in Resources below).
2. Prostate Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men. It is essential to get regular checkups with your medical doctor. The examination that is performed by a trained medical professional is called the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE). You can learn more about the DRE exam at my website (see Resources below).
3. Men tend to develop heart disease and strokes at an earlier age than women. It is especially important for men to lose weight, keep a healthy balanced diet, exercise regularly and reduce stress.
4. Keep regular visits to the doctor to have your blood pressure measurements taken. Normal average range for an adult male is around 120/70. This will help reduce the risks of strokes. If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure you can monitor your blood pressure at home. Regularly check your blood pressure and jot down the results.
5. Begin colorectal screening at age 50. Colonoscopies are done every 10 years. Early screening will help prevent colon cancer.
6. Stop smoking. Lung Cancer accounts for nearly one third of cancer deaths in men and cigarettes are the number one cause.
7. Men tend to put on more weight as they get older, thus putting them at a higher risk for developing health conditions such as Type 2 diabetes.
8. To help maintain a healthy lifestyle it is advisable to add multi-vitamins and supplements to your diet. For example, take selenium as a prostate cancer preventative, magnesium for diabetes and omega-3 fatty acids for heart disease. Consult your medical doctor before changing or adding vitamins/supplements to your diet or prescription drugs.
9. Have a regular cholesterol checkup with a medical doctor.
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