When it comes to health, men unlike women show little concern. Maybe this could be the reason why women have a longer lifespan. Even though they both face many of the same health risks, more men die at an early age then women and this helps to verify that they are less conscious about their health. Men are facing some very serious health risks today and if they continue to ignore them, they will continue to have a very high disease and mortality rate.
The most common cause of death for men aged 30 and over is that of heart disease. Studies have shown that over 30 percent of all men throughout the entire world suffer from heart conditions. Those who have a family history of heart disease fall into the higher risk category along with those who choose to live an unhealthy lifestyle. There are several factors that contribute to heart disease such as smoking, drinking, eating high cholesterol foods and becoming a couch potato.
In order to get the upper hand on heart disease you need to get some form of daily exercise as well as eating a diet that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Daily exercise alone can reduce your chances for heart attack or stroke by as much as 80 percent. This can be something as simple as a half hour walk in the park each day. You can also cut your risks by avoiding high cholesterol foods along with salt and sugar.
Another major cause of death in men is lung cancer and this is comparable to breast cancer in women. It is also the deadliest form of cancer for men. Lung cancer has claimed more victims in the last 10 years than all other forms of cancer combined. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and it can also be caused by second-hand smoke form people or smoke from automobiles.
The main ways to treat lung cancer are by chemotherapy and radiation, but the best thing to do is to prevent it by avoiding smoking along with secondhand smoke and by staying away from heavy polluted areas whenever possible.
Prostate cancer is the second most common type of cancer found in men. Although the cause of this cancer is not known, symptoms of this disease can be detected early through PSA or Prostate-Specific Antigen Test. The prostate glands produce this type of protein. If a blood test determines that there is a high level of PSA, it could mean that the prostate is affected with a disease and it could be cancer. Early detection is the key to having the cancer properly treated and cured.
Type II Diabetes is another common disease that millions of men in the United States are diagnosed with. Some men do not even realize that they have this disease. It is caused when the body does not produce enough insulin or it simply ignores it. When this happens, it causes glucose to build up in the blood instead of the cells where it is supposed to. There are races that have higher risks for this disease such as African Americans, Asian Americans and Latinos to name a few.
There are also other factors that contribute to the development of Type II Diabetes such as a person’s age and their family health history. A good way to try to avoid getting this disease is to eat a healthy diet along with getting some form of daily exercise and keeping a watchful eye on your weight. Even though there are no foods that are directly linked with diabetes, eating a healthy diet that is low in sugar will play a major role in regulating your insulin levels. Keeping a close eye on your blood sugar levels can also prevent serious complications from this disease.
Men over 40 who do not live a healthy lifestyle are really putting themselves in danger of developing one of the above diseases, especially if they choose to smoke, drink, overeat and do not get any form of daily physical exercise. The best way to try to avoid these diseases is to live a healthy lifestyle including daily exercise and see your doctor on a regular basis so you can have a yearly physical to ensure that you are healthy and fit.
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