5 Items on Men’s Health Check List

You don’t need statistics to tell you that men are more likely to avoid the doctor than women. Women are, in fact, 100 percent more likely to see a doctor for examinations, screenings, and preventive health consults, even though they’re far less likely to die from one of the top 10 causes of death.

Here are the checkups you should be making time for now, so that you can have more time, period.

Every Year:

1. Blood Sugar Check

Diabetes, a chronic disease characterized by high blood sugars, greatly increases your risk of heart disease and other complications such as kidney damage and erectile dysfunction due to nerve damage. Annual glucose testing serves as the best method of diagnosing diabetes before it gets too advanced.

2. Skin Check

Men with a family history of skin cancer, or who had significant sunburns when they were younger, are at high risk for skin cancer. Skin cancer can affect men of any age.

3. PSA Test

One in seven men will develop prostate cancer. Other than skin cancer, it is the most common form of cancer in American men. The prostate-specific antigen, or PSA blood level test, along with digital rectal exams (DREs), are the best way to detect prostate cancer.

Every 3 Years:

4. Colonoscopy

A colonoscopy is a rite of passage for men (and women) over the age of 50, as that’s when colon cancer risk increases. Other risk factors include a medical history of inflammatory bowel disease or a diet high in animal fat.

Every 4 Years:

5. Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Check

High blood pressure is the number one cause of stroke in men, and it is very serious if left unmanaged. High cholesterol can also lead to serious cardiovascular problems, like heart attack or stroke.

Men 20 and over should have their cholesterol checked every three to five years, and then yearly after the age of 50.