Monday Minute: Top 5 Men’s Health Issues

It’s National Men’s Health Month! Because of that, we are going to take a look at the 5 most common health problems in men and what can be done to prevent them!

• Cardiovascular Disease: About 1 in 3 men will have some form of cardiovascular disease. You can help prevent this and keep your heart healthy by exercising, eating well, monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing smoking, and reducing alcohol consumption.
• Prostate Cancer: This type of cancer is the most common among men, second to skin cancer. Early detection is crucial for treating prostate cancer. As most of the symptoms for it only show up in the later stages of the cancer, the best way to catch it early is getting checked by your doctor regularly after turning 40.
• Lung Cancer: It is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women, and the average age of diagnosis for it is 70. Smoking tobacco is the cause of 90% of lung cancer cases. Smoking cessation is the biggest thing you can do to prevent lung cancer. Ending smoking habits reduces your risk of lung cancer regardless of how late in life you quit.
• Depression and Suicide: Depression in men is often undiagnosed. One reason is that men are typically less likely to vocalize these feelings or reach out for help. Another reason is that depression in men often presents itself as anger and aggression, instead of sadness. The best thing you can do to prevent it is keep lines of communication open about how you are feeling and if you experience depressive symptoms for more than 2 weeks, contact your doctor.
• Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes in particular can creep in without your knowledge and wreak havoc on your body. The best way to prevent this is to maintain a healthy diet and incorporate exercise into your routine. Also, getting regular blood sugar checks can detect rises in glucose early on before you experience adverse side-effects.

Many of these often fatal problems can be prevented by changes in diet and lifestyle and being sure to visit your doctor regularly. If you need more resources regarding doctor referrals, please feel free to contact us!

“The Men’s Health Issues You Should Know About.” Senior LIFE, June 12, 2018. https://seniorlifepa.com/blog/6-mens-health-issues-you-should-know-about.