More and more, men in this country are taking good care of themselves and placing value on their health. However, there is still a stereotype that exists which dictates that it isn’t “manly” to pay attention to ones diet, or visit the doctor for pain and other symptoms.
However, if men wish for an optimal quality of life and health, this attitude has to change. On average in the US, men die five years earlier than women. For this and many more reasons, its time for the male gender to focus on health and illness prevention.
The following are some of the most common health threats facing men today.
Heart disease
Heart disease is still the leading killer of men (and women, but that’s another article). There are many factors that contribute to this illness, but unhealthy lifestyle habits such as poor diet, excess alcohol, smoking and too much sedentary time all contribute.
Diabetes
The rates of diabetes – especially type 2 diabetes – in our country are skyrocketing, and this illness often goes hand in hand with obesity. Many health experts suspect that a major player behind the spread of this illness is sugar. Along with the sugar many add to their coffee and tea, nearly all processed foods contain some amount of sugar.
Exercise is another important factor in diabetes. Some research has found that 30 minutes of exercise per day decreased men’s risk of developing diabetes by over 50 percent.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer affects nearly 200,000 men in the United States each year. Fortunately, this is one cancer that is often caught early, and is successfully treated. Screening for prostate cancer is one reason it is highly important for men, especially older men, to visit the doctor.
If this cancer is caught early, your chances of surviving are much higher.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the cancer responsible for killing more men than any other cancer. While risk factors for this cancer vary, one big one is smoking. If you’re still smoking and you value your future health at all, it’s time to quit.
The takeaway from this is that while some illnesses are unavoidable, you can give yourself the best fighting chance to prevent them – and combat them should they occur – if you keep your body in tip-top shape. This means a nutritious diet of real, whole foods, regular exercise, stress relief, plenty of sleep and maintaining these healthy habits long term.
Also, it is worth it to say that symptoms are not to be ignored – they are indicators to learn from. If you are experiencing signs of less-than-perfect health, it’s important to see a doctor to shed light on the situation as soon as possible.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.alive.com/articles/view/24341/4_health_threats_for_men
http://www.webmd.com/men/features/6-top-health-threats-men
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/mens-health/in-depth/mens-health/art-20047764
