For a long time now we have all heard how women have a longer lifespan than men. The span is widening. Even with the knowledge of how bad cigarette smoking is and how beneficial fitness is, we men are just dying sooner.
High-risk activities play a part in this. Men typically engage in more high-risk sports than women. We tend to do these activities without understanding the finality of a mistake. I still ski in places I probably shouldn’t ride downhill on trails that I shouldn’t, but the sensation of doing these things makes me feel more alive. Those of you who do these things understand I’m sure.
Early understanding of who we are medically and genetically makes a big impact. Too oftentimes, I believe, men tend to ignore their health screenings. These should be done on a regular basis. I am still having a rough time getting my 30-year-old Son into a Medical Clinic for a baseline exam and set of labs. Find out ahead of time if there are telltale signs of potential problems down the road early so intervention can begin early. Such an example is blood pressure. Long term elevations in blood pressure cause the harm down the line and delaying treatment during a watch-and-wait period only allows unseen damage to occur.
Genetics. Take a look at who you came from. How long did they live? What did they succumb to? We now have great tools to not only check our genetic markers for certain diseases but treat ahead of potential disease processes. In theory, we should be living longer.
Men’s Health is not just about sexuality and the blue pill.