Men's Health

Did you know that, on average, men are less healthy and have a shorter life expectancy than women? Part of the reason for this health gap is that men don’t take care of themselves as well as women do. Men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behavior, and less likely than women to adopt preventive health measures.

Men are also less likely to have health insurance, more likely to work in dangerous occupations, and often put off going to the doctor even when they really should go. As a result, men die younger—and in greater numbers—of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and many other diseases. In 1920, women outlived men by an average of one year. Today, that difference is more than five years.

More than half of premature deaths among men are preventable. By educating yourself about potential  male health problems and passing that information on to the men you love, you may be able to save a life. And by encouraging all the men in your life to realize that even the smallest symptoms can sometimes be serious and may need to be discussed with their doctors, you’ll be helping them take a more active role in their own health care.

Here are a few flashing lights men should look out for:

• Changes in bowel or bladder habits. This can be an indication of prostate or bladder problems. And blood in the urine is a common indicator of kidney problems. Does he get up five times a night to go to the bathroom? That could be a symptom of an enlarged prostate, a common condition among men as they get older. BPH (prostate enlargement) is the most frequent prostate condition in men over 50. Over 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions that negatively affect their quality of life. And every year over 230,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and about 30,000 will die of it.
  
• Impotence or erectile dysfunction. Most of the time, erectile problems are caused by an underlying health problem, such as diabetes, clogged arteries, or high blood pressure. So if you want to make love and your husband says he has a headache, pay attention: it might be something far more serious. For up to 30 million American men, erectile dysfunction is an ongoing problem. Generally speaking, your sex life is a reflection of your overall health—the healthier you are, the better it will be. But good overall health isn’t a guarantee of a good sex life.
  
• Approximately 450,000 men die of cardiovascular disease each year. Cardiovascular disease is a blanket term that includes three major types of diseases of the heart and blood vessels: hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary heart disease, and stroke. Over 32 million American men suffer from one or more of these conditions, and every year just under half a million of them die of cardiovascular disease—more than cancer, lung disease, accidents and diabetes combined. Compared to white men, African-American men are more likely to die of cardiovascular disease and Latino men are less likely.

• Diabetes a very serious condition that affects your body’s ability to turn what you eat into the energy your body needs to function. Diabetes contributes to the deaths of over 200,000 Americans every year. Also, it is a leading cause of heart disease, strokes, kidney failure, blindness and amputations.
  

• Persistent backaches, changes in the color of urine or stool, obvious changes in warts or moles, unusual lumps, recurrent chest pains or headaches, bleeding that won’t stop, nagging cough, unexplained weight loss, and extreme fatigue can all be symptoms of other serious health problems.

• Depression. Although women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are four times more likely to succeed. Because men are reluctant to ask for help and may try to hide their depression, you may recognize the symptoms sooner than he does. These may include acting overly anxious, having trouble sleeping, complaining of feeling sad or "empty" or helpless, engaging in unusually risky or reckless behavior, or losing interest in hobbies or other pleasurable activities (including sex).

As important as it is for you to take charge of your own health and wellness, you can’t do it all. Getting regular checkups and age-appropriate screenings is a proven way to improve health and reduce premature death and disability. Here are some definitive help for Men's Health 

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