Mens Health Week
By Joanie in Lifestyle Tips on 17 June 2020
On the 15th-21st of June the world celebrates Men’s Health Week. This is a time to bring awareness to health issues that affect men disproportionately and to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems. Men’s health week focuses on getting men to become aware of problems they may have or could develop, and gain the courage to do something about it. .
Many of the major health risks that men face can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle: regular exercise, a healthy diet, not smoking, stress reduction, and alcohol consumption in the moderate range (no more than two drinks a day) if at all. Regular checkups and screening tests can spot disease early, when it is easiest to treat.
As simple guide, these are 7 numbers that all men need to know:
- 37 – a waist size of 37 inches or above puts you at increased of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
- 150 – men should aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week.
- 5 – we should aim to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
- 14 – maximum 14 units of alcohol a week.
- 10 – cigarette smokers die 10 years younger on average than non-smokers.
- 120/80 – normal blood pressure.
- 75 – 75% of suicides (3 out of 4) are by men.
Screening Tests that are important:
To find out more, speak to your GP.
- Cholesterol Levels -The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that all adults over the age of 35 have their cholesterol checked every 5 years
- High Blood Pressure – If your blood pressure is high, you may require medication to control it
- Prostate Cancer – Talk with your doctor about your risks for prostate cancer and whether a digital rectal exam should be part of your physical.
- Testicular Cancer – Checking for testicular cancer is sometimes called testicular self-examination. Doing this regularly means you soon get to know what feels normal for you
- Colorectal Cancer Screening – According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men &women. If you’ve celebrated your 50th birthday and haven’t been screened for colorectal cancer, it’s time.
- Skin Cancer Checks -Melanoma is currently the country’s fifth most common cancer among men.
- Diabetes Testing – Blood pressure higher than 135/80 mm Hg may be a symptom of diabete