We must take responsibility for our health. Focusing on physical and mental health can prevent many conditions and injuries leading to illness and death. Men have different healthcare needs than women. The tips below can help men live a long and healthy life.
How to improve health
Eat a variety of foods to balance your diet. Vegetables and fruits are key to getting the proper nutrients. Include lean proteins, such as fish and poultry, and foods high in fiber. Limit your sugar, sodium (salt), and saturated fat intake.
Men should get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. It could be walking, jogging, biking or swimming. Sports, such as basketball and tennis, also count. Men should also exercise to strengthen their muscles. This can reduce your risk of falls and injury. It is especially important as you get older. Regular exercise helps control your weight. It may reduce the risk of certain diseases and cancers. This includes heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Increasing your amount of exercise each week can lead to weight loss.
There are other lifestyle changes that men should make to maintain their health:
- Lose weight if you are overweight.
- Do not smoke or use tobacco.
- Limit how much alcohol you drink. Men should not drink more than two drinks per day.
- Protect your skin from the sun.
- Manage your stress.
- Practice safe sex.
- Avoid risky or harmful actions or choices. Extreme and extreme sports increase the risk of injury or death. Fasten seat belts in moving vehicles. Wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or motorbike. Always avoid texting while driving.
It is also important to consider mental health. For starters, you should manage your stress levels. If you become anxious or depressed, seek help immediately. Treatment, in the form of therapy, medications, and support systems, can improve your condition. If you are contemplating suicide, call 911 or 1-800-273-8255. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open all day, every day.
Things to consider
Diet and exercise play a big part in your daily health. They can help lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels. However, preventive health care is much more than that. It’s about listening to your body and knowing how to prevent disease. The goal is to manage your health in a way that avoids health problems or detects them before they start.
One way to deal with this is to see your primary care doctor at least once a year for a routine checkup. You should not go to the doctor only if you are sick. Another way is to update the footage and show the movie. Injections keep your immune system strong. Screening finds problems early and can lead to more successful outcomes. Here are some examples of injections and screenings for men. Talk to your doctor about other needs based on your health and family history.
- Every 6 to 12 months, have a dental and eye exam.
- Get a flu shot every year.
- Every 1 to 2 years, check your blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about how often you should check your cholesterol levels. The results could help predict and prevent the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
- As an adult, get a Tdap shot. This protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). Every ten years, get a Td booster vaccine.
- Starting at age 50, get regular colon cancer screenings.
- Around age 60, get vaccinated against diseases like shingles and pneumonia.
Health insurance plans cover preventive health care. This includes most screenings, scans, and visits. If you have health problems, follow your doctor’s instructions for treatment. They aim to relieve or eliminate symptoms and prevent the problem from getting worse.