Overall, men need to pay more attention to their health. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, compared to women, men are more likely to:
- Smoke and drink
- Make unhealthy or risky choices
- Put off regular checkups and medical care
In the Know — Prostate Cancer
Just like you would do your research when buying a new car, doing some homework to understand prostate cancer — the most common cancer in men (except for skin cancer) — makes sense. You can visit the American Cancer Society for detailed information about screenings, treatments and symptoms.
Even if you are not yet at an age for a recommended screening, take these questions to your next doctor’s appointment (or share them with a special man in your life). Spend a few minutes getting the answers you need so you understand the disease more clearly.
The Heart of the Matter
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men of most racial and ethnic groups in the U.S., killing 357,761 men in 2019 — that’s about 1 in every 4 male deaths. Perhaps most alarming about those statistics is that half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends the following to lower the risk of heart disease:
- Know your blood pressure.Having uncontrolled blood pressure can result in heart disease. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly. Learn more about high blood pressure.
- Talk to your health care provider about whether you should be tested for diabetes. Having diabetes raises your risk of heart disease. Learn more about diabetes.
- Quit smoking. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, learn ways to quit.
- Discuss checking your cholesterol and triglyceride levels with your health care provider. Learn more about cholesterol.
- Eat healthy food. Being overweight or obese raises your risk of heart disease. Learn more about being overweight and obesity.
- Limit alcohol intake to one drink per day.
- Lower your stress level and find healthy ways to cope with stress. Learn more about coping with stress.