Unfortunately men tend to avoid discussing their health issues or even seeing a doctor when they aren’t feeling well. That is one of the contributing factors as to why men have shorter lifespans than women do. To try and shed some light on the issue let’s go over the top 5 threats to men’s health and why you should see your doctor regularly.
Cardiovascular Disease
This is the leading cause of death in men all over the globe with 30% of deaths attributed to this. We all know that a combination of healthy eating along with regular exercise help stave off cardiovascular disease. However that isn’t all, you will also need to reduce your alcohol consumption and refrain from smoking. Learning how to effectively manage your stress is another issue that men need to deal with. Common symptoms are chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in arms and legs and difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these get to a hospital.
Lung Cancer
Despite less and less people smoking lung cancer is still a leading cause of death and among these deaths most are by smokers or those who were extensively exposed to second hand smoke.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer has been on the rise in recent years and although treatments have improved your life expectancy it is still a leading cause of death in men. Science has found a link between obesity and prostate cancer as well as a high calcium diet also being linked. Like cardiovascular disease dropping the excess weight and getting regular exercise can reduce your risk of prostate cancer.
Depression and Suicide
80% of all suicides are men. It has become such an epidemic that suicide now ranks as a leading cause of death. Stress, depression, lack of mental health access and a plethora of other factors contribute to the problem and we have a long way to go in dealing with it.
Type 2 Diabetes
The population is getting heavier every year and the rate of obesity keeps climbing and with that comes more cases of Type 2 diabetes. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are inextricably linked. Drop the excess weight and get more exercise, manage your diet to include less sugar and processed carbs. Type 2 diabetes brings on a whole host of other health issues.
Many of the health issues that men face today are lifestyle related and they can prevented simply by eating a healthy diet, managing their weight and getting enough exercise.