Men Should Prioritize These 5 Things If They Want To Stay Healthy

Keeping our men healthy is a team effort. So, where does one start? Here are five suggestions to get your man on the path to wellness.

Originally published June 22, 2017

Prevention is the best medicine. Many of the health issues men face are preventable and treatable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the top five leading causes of death among men are heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke. Heart disease is the No. 1 ranking cause of death, reported the CDC.

Men can take charge of their health and wellness by getting important health screenings, eating healthier, being physically active, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, staying injury-free, practicing safe sex, drinking in moderation, and being tobacco-free. It may sound like a lot to do, but it’s totally doable, and it doesn’t have to be done in a silo.

Men’s health is everyone’s business. Whether it’s for yourself as a man or you have a husband, son, uncle, or brother. Keeping our men healthy is a team effort. So, where does one start? Here are five heart-healthy suggestions to keep our men healthy.

Get Regular Health Checkups

Annual checkups could save your life. They are a proactive approach to staying well. It allows you and your doctor to identify what’s normal for you, which makes it easier to diagnose issues early on before they become a problem. Sometimes, doctors can even catch things before any symptoms appear. Ask your doctor what screenings are needed and when. This is also a good time to track personal numbers such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index. Maintaining and managing these at normal values is important to prevent heart disease and stroke. And get vaccinated. Immunizations help maintain health, regardless of your age.

Get Good Sleep

Not getting enough sleep can be associated with several conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression.

The amount of sleep one needs changes with age. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults over 18 need a minimum of seven hours of sleep. It’s also important that we don’t hinder getting good sleep with stimulants like coffee and energy drinks, alarm clocks, and external lights—including those from electronic devices. These things can interfere with our “circadian rhythm” or natural sleep/wake cycle.

Toss the Tobacco

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking. It’s never too late to quit, producing immediate and long-term benefits. It lowers the risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, erectile dysfunction, and other illnesses.

Additionally, it’s also important to avoid secondhand smoke, which is just as dangerous as smoking yourself, if not more so. It can also cause heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.

Be Active

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults are obese. One way to control your weight is to be active. Doing so helps you build stamina, stay fit and flexible, and burn calories as you move.

It’s recommended that adults get at least two-and-a-half hours of moderate to intense aerobic activity each week and do muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. Remember to work all your major muscle groups, including your legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

Eat Healthier

I know this is sometimes easier said than done, so I won’t recommend you “remove” anything from your diet. Rather, I suggest you “replace” certain things, substituting those processed, packaged, canned, and fatty foods with a variety of fresh fruit, vegetables, and lean meats.

Most perishable food is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients, which protect against disease. If your food can live longer on the shelf than you can, then that’s a problem. Also, make snacks healthier with portion control, limiting the consumption of food and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol.