Even the Toughest Machines Depend on Regular Maintenance

Preventive care is important to men’s health. In other words, if you’re going to keep firing on all cylinders, you need to stop for regular tune-ups. Let’s take a look at the numbers:

• More than 50 percent of premature deaths among men are preventable.
• On average, men live five years less than women do.
• Men are 24 percent less likely to visit the doctor than women are.

Disease Prevention

When you look at the top causes of death for men in the United States, you’ll see that a number of chronic health conditions make the list. Through an annual physical and regular health screenings, your doctor often can spot these conditions in early, more treatable stages:

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases
• Stroke
• Diabetes

Spotlight on Behavioral Health

You may be surprised to learn that suicide is the seventh leading cause of death in men. In fact, the suicide rate among males is four times higher than in females and represents 79 percent of all suicides in the United States.

Education and open communication are critical to improving behavioral health in men. Depression is a disease — like diabetes or heart disease — and it affects your whole body. If you are having feelings of depression or extreme stress, speak up. Talk to your doctor about what you’re experiencing. Together, you and your doctor can create a treatment plan that works for you.

Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle

In addition to regular preventive care, men can take steps every day to improve their health.

• Eat nutritious food. Maintain a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat foods.
• Stay hydrated. Set a goal of drinking eight glasses of water each day.
• Moderation. Limit alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day.
• Exercise. Be active for at least 30 minutes a day, five times a week.
• Rest. Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.