Men: Take Better Care of Your Health
When it comes to health, men and
women are not created equal.
For one thing, men tend to lead
less healthy lifestyles than
women and take part in more risky behaviors.
What’s more, women tend to take better care
of themselves when they do get sick. “But with
health problems such as cancer, heart disease
and diabetes looming, men need to take better
care of themselves,” said James Fitzpatrick, M.D.,
internist with Jefferson Medical Associates.
For years, men’s life expectancy has trailed behind that of women. While the gap has been closing recently, men are dying on average about five years earlier than women. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, men are less likely than women to get medical care and are nearly half as likely to take advantage of preventive health measures such as physicals and screening tests.
- Get screened. Screening tests can detect diseases early, when they are easier to treat. “There are screening tests for obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, colorectal cancer and diabetes. Men need to ask their doctors which screening tests they need and when,” said Dr. Fitzpatrick.
- Don’t smoke. Tobacco damages the entire body.
- Exercise. Men should get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
- Eat a healthy diet. The best way to get all the nutrients the body needs is to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy products.
- Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight contributes to many health problems, including heart disease and diabetes.
- Go easy on the alcohol. Men should have no more than two drinks a day.
