How to maintain good health in men

How to maintain good health in men

A healthy lifestyle and preventive care is important for your health and wellness. Ask your health care provider about what schedule of regular examinations is right for you.

What should I know about weight and diet?

Eat a Healthy Diet

  • Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein.
  • Do not eat a lot of foods high in solid fats, added sugars, or salt.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Regular exercise can help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight. You should:

  • Do at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. The exercise should increase your heart rate and make you sweat (moderate-intensity exercise).
  • Do strength-training exercises at least twice a week.

Watch Your Levels of Cholesterol and Blood Lipids

  • Have your blood tested for lipids and cholesterol every 5 years starting at 35 years of age. If you are at high risk for heart disease, you should start having your blood tested when you are 20 years old. You may need to have your cholesterol levels checked more often if:
    • Your lipid or cholesterol levels are high.
    • You are older than 50 years of age.
    • You are at high risk for heart disease.

What should I know about cancer screening?

Many types of cancers can be detected early and may often be prevented.

Lung Cancer

  • You should be screened every year for lung cancer if:
    • You are a current smoker who has smoked for at least 30 years.
    • You are a former smoker who has quit within the past 15 years.
  • Talk to your health care provider about your screening options, when you should start screening, and how often you should be screened.

Colorectal Cancer

  • Routine colorectal cancer screening usually begins at 50 years of age and should be repeated every 5–10 years until you are 75 years old. You may need to be screened more often if early forms of precancerous polyps or small growths are found. Your health care provider may recommend screening at an earlier age if you have risk factors for colon cancer.
  • Your health care provider may recommend using home test kits to check for hidden blood in the stool.
  • A small camera at the end of a tube can be used to examine your colon (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy). This checks for the earliest forms of colorectal cancer.

Prostate and Testicular Cancer

  • Depending on your age and overall health, your health care provider may do certain tests to screen for prostate and testicular cancer.
  • Talk to your health care provider about any symptoms or concerns you have about testicular or prostate cancer.

Skin Cancer

  • Check your skin from head to toe regularly.
  • Tell your health care provider about any new moles or changes in moles, especially if:
    • There is a change in a mole’s size, shape, or color.
    • You have a mole that is larger than a pencil eraser.
  • Always use sunscreen. Apply sunscreen liberally and repeat throughout the day.
  • Protect yourself by wearing long sleeves, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses when outside.

What should I know about heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure?

  • If you are 18–39 years of age, have your blood pressure checked every 3–5 years. If you are 40 years of age or older, have your blood pressure checked every year. You should have your blood pressure measured twice—once when you are at a hospital or clinic, and once when you are not at a hospital or clinic. Record the average of the two measurements. To check your blood pressure when you are not at a hospital or clinic, you can use:
    • An automated blood pressure machine at a pharmacy.
    • A home blood pressure monitor.
  • Talk to your health care provider about your target blood pressure.
  • If you are between 45–79 years old, ask your health care provider if you should take aspirin to prevent heart disease.
  • Have regular diabetes screenings by checking your fasting blood sugar level.
    • If you are at a normal weight and have a low risk for diabetes, have this test once every three years after the age of 45.
    • If you are overweight and have a high risk for diabetes, consider being tested at a younger age or more often.
  • A one-time screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) by ultrasound is recommended for men aged 65–75 years who are current or former smokers.

What should I know about preventing infection?

Hepatitis B

If you have a higher risk for hepatitis B, you should be screened for this virus. Talk with your health care provider to find out if you are at risk for hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis C

Blood testing is recommended for:

  • Everyone born from 1945 through 1965.
  • Anyone with known risk factors for hepatitis C.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)

  • You should be screened each year for STDs including gonorrhea and chlamydia if:
    • You are sexually active and are younger than 24 years of age.
    • You are older than 24 years of age and your health care provider tells you that you are at risk for this type of infection.
    • Your sexual activity has changed since you were last screened and you are at an increased risk for chlamydia or gonorrhea. Ask your health care provider if you are at risk.
  • Talk with your health care provider about whether you are at high risk of being infected with HIV. Your health care provider may recommend a prescription medicine to help prevent HIV infection.

What else can I do?

  • Schedule regular health, dental, and eye exams.
  • Stay current with your vaccines (immunizations).
  • Do not use any tobacco products, such as cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
  • Limit alcohol intake to no more than 2 drinks per day. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of hard liquor.
  • Do not use street drugs.
  • Do not share needles.
  • Ask your health care provider for help if you need support or information about quitting drugs.
  • Tell your health care provider if you often feel depressed.
  • Tell your health care provider if you have ever been abused or do not feel safe at home.
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