It’s probably not a shocker that most guys are less likely to go see a doctor than the women in their life. Considering that their life expectancy is about five years shorter than ours, it’s really important that we press them on to get certain health screenings every year.
“Annual screenings provide an opportunity for men to understand their true health risks and change the quality and quantity of their life for the better,” says Dr. Lee Rice, a specialist in wellness and preventative medicine and Chief Wellness Officer of Premier Fitness Camp in San Diego, CA.
Here are six screenings that men should be aware of and diligent about:
1. Blood Pressure:
Hypertension is known as the “silent killer”, because it can cause slow damage to every organ in our body without any symptoms whatsoever.
2. Blood Glucose:
Elevated blood sugar is much the same as high blood pressure, often only causing symptoms when the disease is already present and possibly far advanced.
3. Body Mass Index (BMI):
Obesity is determined by having a BMI of 30 or over. This is clearly a condition which develops over time and can be caught and treated much before weight gain becomes a significant health risk factor, but only if it’s checked and the result known.
4. Expanded Lipid Testing:
Men with abnormal lipid levels are at significantly elevated risk for premature aging and degeneration of almost all organs. Heart attacks, stroke, liver disease, obesity, diabetes and even dementia have been linked to abnormal lipid profiles.
5. Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test/digital rectal exam:
The PSA blood test and an annual digital rectal exam are still viewed as the cornerstones for saving lives from prostate cancer. The recommended frequency of these tests is currently being vigorously investigated by ongoing studies and literature reviews and may vary for specific individuals. But in general, annual testing is still recommended by most experts for most adult males.
6. Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT):
The third most common cause of cancer deaths in men is colon cancer. But this form of cancer is totally preventable by early detection of small pre-cancerous lesions in the colon that are curable at the time of colonoscopy, and may be detectable by an annual FOBT.
The benefits from early detection and diagnosis are significant. There has been an impactful decline in the number of deaths due to coronary heart death due to public health campaigns and a general knowledge of risk factors that contribute to heart disease.
Annual check-ups and check-ins with your physicians about the above-mentioned tests and screenings for diseases like skin cancer are crucial to protecting yourself from health threats, according to Dr. Rice. “Early detection of both elevated risk factors and abnormal pathology is the key to a long and healthy life.”
