|
|
| Man to Man: Men, Ages 20 to 65 |
| You
have more power than you may realize to improve your health and quality
of life and perhaps prolong your life. Even if you are feeling great,
following these tips will help keep you in tip-top shape, inside and
out: |
| SAFETY |
| • |
Always
wear your seat belt when riding in a motor vehicle. Obey all rules
of the road. Don't be a distracted or an aggressive driver. Limit
cell phone use and don't use other electronic devices while driving. |
| • |
Use
condoms to reduce risk of sexually transmitted infections or an unplanned
pregnancy. |
| • |
Don't
strain your body when moving heavy objects. Use your knees and legs
and not your back for leverage. Ask for help, if you need it. |
| • |
Wear
appropriate protective gear for your eyes and ears whenever using
construction equipment, lawn mowers, leaf blowers and snow blowers
at home or work. |
| • |
Never
use a grill indoors or in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch or under
an awning. Place the grill at least 10 feet away from your house or
any building. When grilling, never leave the grill unattended, especially
when small children and pets are present, and keep a fire extinguisher
handy and know how to properly use it. |
| NUTRITION
AND EXERCISE |
| • |
Eat
foods low in saturated fat. Avoid junk food whenever possible. |
| • |
Eat
breakfast every day. Munch a piece of fruit at snack time. Reduce
portion sizes of your meals, especially when eating out. |
| • |
Reduce
the portion sizes of your meals. |
| • |
Eat
plenty of whole grains (oatmeal, for example) and other high-fiber
foods. |
| • |
Choose
low-fat or fat-free dairy products and baked goods. |
| • |
Maintain
a healthy weight. |
| • |
Get
active. Begin and end each workout with a five- to 10-minute warm-up
and cool-down. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical
activity (such as brisk walking) on most and preferably all days of
the week. |
| WELLNESS |
| • |
Know
your family medical history. Pursue health screenings for those diseases
for which you may be at greater risk, such as colon cancer, prostate
cancer and heart disease. |
| • |
Get
an annual checkup. Starting at age 50, have an annual digital rectal
exam and an annual prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. |
| • |
If
you drink alcohol, limit your consumption to no more than two drinks
per day. (One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler,
one five-ounce glass of wine or 11/2 ounces of 80-proof distilled
spirits.) |
| • |
Don't
use tobacco. If you smoke, discuss ways to quit with your health care
professional. Consider nicotine replacement therapy products that
include self-help programs, if appropriate. |
| • |
Notice
early-warning signs of stress, such as tension in your shoulders and
neck, grinding your teeth or clenching your hands into fists. |
| • |
Don't
be a weekend sports warrior. Exercise moderately if you aren't normally
active. Use over-the-counter pain relievers to treat mild exercise-related
aches and pain. |
| |
Sources:
American Social Health Association; American Heart Association; American
Cancer Society; American Academy of Family Physicians; National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; National Safety Council; and the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health |
| Cholesterol
Primer |
| Cholesterol
is a waxy, fat-like substance that can build up on the walls of your
arteries if your blood cholesterol level remains too high. This fatty
buildup narrows arteries, which slows down or blocks blood flow to
the heart. Eventually, this can lead to heart disease, chest pain
or heart attack. |
|
High
blood cholesterol has no immediate symptoms or warning signs. Everyone
age 20 and older should have a cholesterol screening test at least
once every five years. The most informative test is the "lipoprotein
profile," which gives information about total cholesterol, LDL and
HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This screening test is
done after a nine- to 12-hour fast.
The
ranges below are for healthy individuals. Your cholesterol goals
will be different if you have one or more risk factors for heart
disease.
|
| Total
cholesterol |
| • |
Desirable
less than 200 mg/dL* |
| • |
Borderline
High 200-239 mg/dL |
| • |
High
240 mg/dL and above |
| Low-density
lipoprotein (LDL or "bad cholesterol") is the main source of
cholesterol buildup and blockage in the arteries. The lower your LDL
level, the better for your heart. |
| • |
Optimal
less than 100 mg/dL |
| • |
Near/Above
Optimal 100-129 mg/dL |
| • |
Borderline
High 130-159 mg/dL |
| • |
High
160-189 mg/dL |
| • |
Very
High 190 mg/dL and above |
| High-density
lipoprotein (HDL or "good cholesterol") helps keep cholesterol
from building up in the arteries. The higher your HDL level, the better
for your heart. |
| • |
Optimal
60 mg/dL or more |
| • |
Low/Undesirable
less than 40 mg/dL |
| Triglycerides
(another form of fat in the blood); high levels can raise heart disease. |
| • |
Ideal
under 100 mg/dL |
| • |
Normal
149 mg/dL or lower |
| • |
Borderline
High 150-199 mg/dL |
| • |
High
200 mg/dL and above |
| *Cholesterol
levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per deciliter
(dL) of blood. Values indicate degree of risk for developing heart
disease. |
| |
Sources:
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute |
|
| Home Screening Tests |
| A variety of health screenings can be performed at home. While they can be convenient, home screening tests should not replace regular medical exams and
screenings by a health care professional.
|
| Perform home screening tests exactly as explained
in the kit directions for accurate results. If you
develop symptoms of potentially serious illness, such as visible blood in your urine or stool, chest pain or testicular pain, see a health care professional
immediately. Home tests include: |
| • |
Blood glucose monitoring (if you have diabetes): Check your blood-glucose level as often as recommended by your physician. Talk to your doctor or diabetes educator about additional ways of managing your illness. |
| • |
Blood-pressure
monitoring: If your health care professional recommends it, buy a
blood pressure kit or a digital monitor. Keep a running log of your
blood-pressure readings to share with your health care team. |
| • |
Urinalysis: Home tests generally detect any traces
of blood in the urine, which could indicate a urinary tract infection or kidney problem.
|
| • |
Blood
cholesterol level: Most home test kits determine only total cholesterol
level, but when total cholesterol level is high, your LDL ("bad cholesterol")
level may be high, too. Some kits provide immediate results; others
must be sent to a lab for analysis. |
| • |
Fecal occult blood test (stool test): Using a test kit (obtained from a physician), you put a small piece of stool on a test card for three consecutive bowel movements. Then
you return the test cards to the doctor or a lab, to check the stool samples for blood, which could indicate intestinal bleeding. This test should be done every year. |
| • |
HIV
test: You perform a finger-stick to produce a dried-blood spot specimen
on filter paper. Identified by an anonymous code number, the specimen
is mailed to a laboratory for HIV antibody testing. You call a toll-free
phone number to obtain your results, and if necessary, counseling
and referrals. |
| • |
Testicular self-exam: Once a month, check for
swelling on the scrotal skin and roll each testicle gently between your thumbs and fingers. If you
feel any pain or abnormalities, see a urologist.
|
| |
Sources:
American Urological Association; American Diabetes Association; American Heart Association; U.S. National Library of
Medicine; American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science; and the
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Understanding Blood Pressure |
| Blood
pressure - the force of blood against the walls of arteries - is recorded
as two numbers: systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over diastolic
pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). For example, a blood
pressure measurement of 120/80 mm hg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed
verbally as "120 over 80." Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80.
Between 120/80 mm hg and 139/89 mm hg is considered prehypertension.
High blood pressure, or hypertension (140/90 mm hg or above), increases
your risk for heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. Hypertension
often has no warning signs or symptoms. Once high blood pressure develops,
it usually lasts a lifetime. |
| You can help to prevent or control high blood pressure by: |
| • |
Eating healthfully |
| • |
Reducing salt (sodium) in your diet |
| • |
Maintaining a healthy weight |
| • |
Being physically active |
| • |
Limiting your alcohol intake |
| • |
Quitting smoking |
| • |
Taking
blood pressure-lowering medication, as prescribed by your health care
professional |
| |
Source:
American Heart Association |
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