As a husband, father, grandfather or friend, you want to be there for all of life’s important moments. But to do that, sometimes you must prioritize yourself, especially when it comes to your health.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men in the United States, on average, die five years earlier than women and die at higher rates from the three leading causes of death: heart disease, cancer and unintentional injuries.
Use this Men’s Health Month (June) as a reminder to make your health a priority. Below are tips on how to be proactive about your health.
Cancer
Men have higher rates of getting and dying from cancer than women. You can lower your chance of getting cancer by staying up-to-date on screening tests and making healthy choices. Screening means checking your body for cancer before you have symptoms.
Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men. Prostate cancer screenings can find cancers that may be at high risk for spreading if left untreated early. However, most prostate cancers grow slowly or not at all.
A blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test is commonly used to screen for prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer screenings begin at age 45, unless there is increased risk because of a family history.
Talk to your doctor about a screening. If you need a primary care physician, use our online tool to find one near you.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in men. The only recommended screening test for lung cancer is low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan.
A lung cancer screening is recommended yearly for people who:
- Are between 50 and 80 years old, and
- Smoke now or have quit within the past 15 years, and
- Have a history of heavy smoking (20 pack years or more).
- A pack year is smoking an average of one pack of cigarettes per day for one year.
Take our lung health risk assessment to find out if you’re eligible for a screening. And if you need help quitting nicotine, sign up for our Free Virtual Freedom from Smoking Program.
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men. Colorectal cancer screenings can find precancerous polyps (abnormal growths) so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.
The most common type of screening for colorectal cancer is a colonoscopy, which is recommended every 10 years for those age 45 years and older. You may need to be screened earlier or more often if you are at increased risk. Family history of colorectal cancer and your racial and ethnic background, especially African Americans, may increase your risk.
Call 877-696-3622 to schedule your colonoscopy.
Heart Disease
Heart disease in the No. 1 killer of men. The term heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions, including coronary artery disease and heart attack. Sometimes heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until a man experiences signs or symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or an arrhythmia. For this reason, it’s importance to be proactive and reduce your risk for heart disease.
- Make fruits and vegetables half of your plate. Healthier food choices build a healthier heart.
- Get 30 minutes of exercise each day.
- 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.
- Limit alcohol intake.
- Lower your stress level.
- Quit smoking with the help of our Free Virtual Freedom from Smoking Program.
Take our heart health assessment to see if you may be at a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the near future.