Health Center - Men's Health
If you're like many men, you probably delay going to the doctor until you're sick or have an injury. Improve your vitality and help prevent health problems down the road by learning about important screenings, common conditions, questions to ask your provider and other essential health tips.
Help the Men in Your Life Stay Healthy
It's well-known that men have a shorter life expectancy than women, perhaps due to higher rates of alcohol and tobacco use, fewer trips to the doctor or stress at work. As such, there are detailed guidelines for preventive efforts against prostate cancer, colon cancer and heart disease, which are the most common life-threatening conditions that men develop.
June is Men's Health Awareness Month, a time during which you may want to drop hints about screenings and healthy living to the important guys in your life.
Screenings and tests may save a life
We all know that prevention is the best medicine, but perhaps your spouse, partner, brother or dad needs the occasional reminder. Consider posting the following facts and guidelines on the fridge or in another location where the men in your life will notice it.
Cholesterol levels should be checked about every year after age 35. A reading for elevated cholesterol indicates a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but the good news is that it's relatively easy to lower levels of blood lipids through diet and exercise.
Blood pressure is another important yet modifiable risk factor for poor heart health. A high blood pressure reading may reveal an increased chance of developing cardiovascular problems, kidney disease or stroke. But much like cholesterol levels, blood pressure can often be brought down by changing certain lifestyle habits.
Colorectal cancer screenings should be performed regularly on men who are 50 and older. While unpleasant, colonoscopies and other testing methods have been shown to save numerous lives from cancer.
