Men are often accused of taking better care of gadgets, cars, and electronics than themselves. And whether that’s true or not, the lack of care for their bodies often stems not from a lack of caring but sometimes a lack of knowledge on the risks facing their health.
So, we wanted to highlight some of those risks. Here are some of the top health risks facing men today.
Heart Health
The American Heart Association states that more than one in three adult men have some form of cardiovascular disease. African-American men account for 100,000 more cardiovascular disease deaths than Caucasian men. Issues that stem from poor heart health include strokes and high blood pressure.
How to Fight Back:
Regular medical visits are important for monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart health, but men should also take charge of their health by:
- Not smoking and not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol
- Exercising
- Watching their weight
- Eating healthy
Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer is the most common form of cancer for men and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. This cancer impacts the prostate, a small gland in males, and most of the time is slow growing and only effects the prostate where it has minimal impact. Though, it’s important to watch out for symptoms because some forms can be aggressive and spread quickly.
- Trouble urinating
- Decreased force in the stream of urine
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in the semen
- Bone pain
- Losing weight without trying
- Erectile dysfunction
How to Fight Back:
Prostate Cancer is very treatable if caught early so regular checkups and extremely important. Prostate Cancer is not an “old man’s disease” and men should start getting tested regularly at age 50.
Respiratory Issues
Every year more and more men are diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the American Lung Association. Respiratory problems can include an innocent but can also develop into more serious problems such as lung cancer, emphysema, or COPD.
How to Fight Back:
Quit smoking. Exposure to occupational hazards like asbestos does increase your risk of these disease but smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer.
Alcohol
Those two beers after work might not seem like a big deal, unless its three beers, followed by four or even more. Men binge drink twice as much as women which puts them at a higher risk for alcohol-related deaths. Regular drinking also increases the risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Trusted Source men face higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations than women do.
How to Fight Back:
Drink less. Most people who reduce their alcohol intake find their thinking is much clearer, they can manage stress better, and they feel less anxious and things are less likely to get them down.
Depression & Suicide
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) report from 2018, men are three times as likely as women to die by suicide but men are less likely than women to have received formal mental health support in the past year. It’s harder to diagnose depression in men because symptoms present as fatigue (and other hard to stop signs), but also because they’re less likely to admit they’re struggling.
How to Fight Back:
Change the conversation. Men need to be willing to talk about their mental health and recognize that getting the help you need does not mean you’re weak.
Stay on top of your health by staying active, eating healthy, and normalizing talking about your health and mental health. Your family is there to support you, and Orange Insoles is here to support your feet!
