Improving cardiovascular health is crucial for men in . Getting regular exercise such as walking, jogging, biking, or swimming for 30 minutes per day can strengthen your heart. Eating a nutritious diet low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt, and added sugars can also boost heart health. Additionally, managing stress through yoga, meditation, or talking with friends as well as getting enough sleep are beneficial. Having annual checkups to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels also allows early treatment of any issues.
Lifestyle factors significantly influence cancer risk in men. Quitting smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke is one of the best things you can do to lower lung, mouth, throat, and bladder cancer risks. Protecting yourself from UV radiation via sunscreen, hats, and shade can reduce skin cancer likelihood. Getting to and maintaining a healthy body weight through diet and exercise can also decrease risks for multiple cancers. Furthermore, limiting alcohol intake to 1 drink per day maximum and getting cancer screenings like colonoscopies at recommended intervals are important preventative steps.
Monitoring mental health is essential but often overlooked for men. Learning to recognize symptoms like frequent sadness, lost interest in activities, significant fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, irritability, sudden appetite or weight changes, inability to focus, and suicidal thoughts allows early intervention. Opening up to close friends and family as well as your doctor can provide invaluable support. Consider pursuing counseling, lifestyle changes to reduce stress, antidepressants if prescribed, support groups, and self-care strategies like sufficient sleep, healthy eating, exercise, and mindfulness techniques. Catching mental health conditions early leads to better outcomes.
Vital health screenings for men include regular wellness visits, cancer screenings, and checks of cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index (BMI), vision, and dental health. Annual wellness visits from ages 18-49 then every 1-2 years for ages 50 assess overall health. Colorectal cancer screening should start at age 45, while prostate cancer screening can begin at age 50 after discussing with your doctor. Vision exams every 2 years from ages 40-54 then annually at 55 and dental cleanings every 6 months are also recommended. Blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, and BMI should be evaluated at least every 1-3 years but more often if issues emerge. Staying on top of these screenings allows problems to be caught and managed early.
Great local resources exist to help men prioritize health. The Community Center has free health seminars plus affordable exercise classes and gym access. Ridgeview Medical Center offers extensive men’s health services including screenings, nutritional counseling, mental health support groups, and an on-site fitness center. Local parks with walking/biking trails like Lone Lake Park and Bryant Lake Regional Park promote activity. Furthermore, lots of year-round recreation like golf, boating, swimming, tennis, skiing, skating, and team sports fosters exercise. Taking advantage of these fantastic community assets makes boosting overall health more accessible.
