Men’s Health

High cholesterol tends to run in families, so obviously genes play a role. But a variety of lifestyle choices — including diet, activity, and body weight — also affect cholesterol levels. The only way to know how high your cholesterol levels are is to get a simple blood test. Everyone over 20 should get a cholesterol test at least once every 5 years. If your numbers are high, your doctor may recommend the test more often.

Like everyone, it is important for men to have a balanced diet. Eating foods from the five food groups and limiting fats and sugars can help men maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

The United States Department of Agriculture recommends not only eating foods from each food group, but also eating these foods in proportion at each meal. This can be found by dividing a meal into five portions – the largest for vegetables, followed in size by grains, protein, fruits and dairy.

As men age, it’s important they pay even closer attention to their nutrition. The USDA suggests that men over 50 watch their calorie intake by continuing to eat foods from the five food groups and limiting unhealthy fats and sugars.

Aging men also have an increased chance of health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol, and will have specific nutrition needs based on their health concerns. As men age, they should also limit salt intake and refined carbohydrates.

Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol are among the most common men’s health issues.

  • Heart disease – High cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and excess weight are among the risk factors that can cause heart disease, which involves damage to the arteries.
  • High blood pressure – Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure doesn’t have specific symptoms but causes other problems, such as heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.
  • Diabetes – Type 2 Diabetes, the most common type, causes your cells to incorrectly process the food your body breaks down, leaving you with high blood sugar.
  • High cholesterol – High levels of bad cholesterol in your blood forms plaque that builds up in the walls of your arteries, which narrows the opening for blood to flow. Over time, this can cause heart attack or stroke.

Feelings stressed can be caused by anything as small as misplacing car keys to as big as divorce. It is important to find healthy ways to manage stress to keep it under control.

Managing stress:

  • Exercise
  • Eat right
  • Get enough sleep
  • Take a deep breath
  • Set limits
  • Prioritize
  • Do something fun and/or funny
  • Put a positive spin on the situation
  • Talk it out with friends, family or an advisor
  • Join a support group
  • Seek professional help

There are two types of belly fat, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Subcutaneous fat is the kind you can see and pinch. Visceral fat, which surrounds the abdominal organs, is a health hazard.

Studies recently have shown a link between a large waist and a higher risk of death, according to the AARP.

The more belly fat a man carries, the more likely he is to be affected by diseases and conditions, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Colon, rectal, pancreatic and endometrial cancers
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Sleep apnea