It’s
said that men take more care of their cars than they do of their
bodies.
A rattle, a lack of performance, a scratch on the paintwork
receives prompt attention.
Regular servicing ensures the car performs well and lasts the
distance. This is how it should be with a man’s health too.
So here are ten checks that should be included in his body’s
service.
1. Pressure. The first indication many men get
that their blood pressure is high is when they suffer a heart
attack or a stroke, since high blood pressure doesn’t usually
cause symptoms. So having it checked is the best way of finding out
whether it’s getting ready to blow. Blood pressure should be
checked every three to five years, unless the doctor has advised
checking it more frequently.
A diet low in fat, sugar and salt, with plenty of fruit and
vegetables, regular exercise, maintaining an ideal weight, drinking
no more than 3-4 units of alcohol a day, not smoking and reducing
stress helps keep blood pressure down. Omega 3 fish oils, garlic
and co-enzyme Q10 can also help to keep blood pressure at a safe
level.
2. Fuel level: Diabetes occurs when the body is
unable to produce enough insulin and consequently blood sugar
(glucose) levels rise too high. This damages blood vessels and
nerves, increasing the risk of heart disease, blindness, kidney
damage and impotence.
A test every few years is important because although diabetes may
cause for example tiredness, excessive thirst and the need to pass
urine more, often it causes no symptoms at all. Avoiding being
overweight and exercising regularly will reduce the chance of
diabetes developing.
3. Windscreen: Have your eyes tested every couple
of years to make sure you are seeing everything clearly. Hidden
problems such as damage to the blood vessels at the back of the
eyes, from undiagnosed diabetes or high blood pressure, can also be
detected during an examination. Glaucoma is a condition that, if
untreated, can cause blindness so once a man has reached the
fabulous age of forty, he should be tested for this every two
years. Omega 3 fish oils, garlic and pycnogenol are just some of
the supplements that can help keep the circulation healthy. Lutein
is believed to help keep the eyes in good order.
4. Bumpers: Regular testicular self-examination is
the best way of detecting cancer early when treatment is most
successful. In the shower, check for swelling, a pea-sized hard
lump on the front or side of the testicle, or a dull ache or sharp
pain felt around the testicle or in the scrotum. If you’re
worried about something, don’t ignore it, ask your doctor to
check it out. The testes don’t like smoking or too much
alcohol or too much heat, but they do like vitamins A, C and E,
selenium and zinc to help keep them healthy and producing sperm
well.
5. Bodywork: Keep an eye on moles and if an existing one changes
size, shape or colour or develops irregular edges, bleeds, itches,
crusts or reddens or a new one appears, ask your doctor to check
it.
Protect your skin from excessive sun exposure and skin burning -
the major risk factors for cancer - by applying a cream with UVA
and UVB protection regularly throughout the day, covering up with
sleeves, a hat and sunglasses and keeping to the shade between 11am
and 3pm. Daily moisturising with a cream containing vitamins C and
E, not smoking, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, drinking at
least eight glasses of water a day, omega 3 fish oils and kelp
extract can all contribute to good skin health.
6. Performance: Depression strikes men too. It
makes them feel sad and miserable and affects their performance,
making everyday jobs harder to do. Feeling low, sad or miserable;
becoming angry for little reason; poor concentration and
motivation; minimal enjoyment or pleasure from life; disturbed
sleep; appetite disturbance; fatigue; and poor libido could mean
depression.
Plenty of rest and relaxation, regular exercise, not drinking
alcohol excessively and eating a balanced healthy diet will all
boost mood. Taking the herb St John’s wort can help overcome
mild to moderate depression. It can be treated, so never be
frightened to ask for help.
7. Exhaust system: Check the toilet bowl before
flushing. Blood (bright-red or black flecks) or mucus in the stool,
a change from normal bowel habit that lasts more than a few weeks
without returning to normal, a feeling of incomplete bowel
emptying, stomach pain or discomfort, unexplained weight loss,
tiredness or a lump in the abdomen indicate a check-up with the
doctor is needed.
Artichoke extract, a daily probiotic, and psyllium can both help
the bowel perform properly. Moderate exercise, a diet high in
fibre, fruit and vegetables and low in fat and red meat and
maintaining an ideal weight may help prevent bowel cancer.
8. Water system: Have a prostate check-up if
passing urine more often, particularly at night; difficulty getting
going; stopping and starting; or urgently needing to go sound
familiar? It may mean the prostate is enlarging and causing a
blockage, which is most common in men over forty. Usually the
culprit is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is not
cancerous, and can be treated.
Ease symptoms by reducing caffeine and alcohol intake and taking
the herb saw palmetto. Zinc is also needed for a healthy prostate
gland. Vitamin E, selenium and lycopene are believed to offer
protection against prostate cancer.
9. Load: Divide your weight in kilograms by your
height in metres and then divide this result again by your height
in metres. The result is your body mass index or BMI. If it’s
over 25, you are overweight. If it’s over 30, you are
obese.
Obesity contributes to heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis and
some cancers, to name but a few of the health problems that may
result. It also knocks an average of nine years off a man’s
life expectancy. Taking regular exercise and eating a healthy
low-fat, low-calorie diet is the best way of maintaining a healthy
weight.
10. Over-revving: Keep your stress in check. If
stomach butterflies, dry mouth, needing the toilet, mood swings and
irritability or neck muscle tensionfor example are recurrent or
present most of the time, then health-damaging long-term stress may
be the cause. Unchecked, this contributes to high blood pressure,
heart attacks and strokes; weakened immunity with recurrent coughs
and sore throats; and muscle aches, poor concentration, insomnia,
anxiety and depression.
Keep stress in check by eating regularly throughout the day,
avoiding too much caffeine, getting enough rest, taking a valerian
supplement before going to bed and taking time to relax and unwind
on a regular basis throughout the day.
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