Stand By Your Man

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: May 26, 2010

Your man probably takes better care of his car than he pays attention to his health. Many men don’t think about their health maintenance and they often ignore warning signs related to their health.

Preventive medicine and early detection often aren’t on their radar screen. Major health risks can be prevented and treated if diagnosed early. It’s often the woman, who will prod her male partner or spouse to take better care of their health.

Stand by your man –– take a look at your partner/spouse’s unique health concerns and discuss with him the importance of good medical care and screening tests. Oftentimes, this falls into the woman’s work, as men are oftentimes strangers to their own healthcare.

In the US, women outlive men, on the average, by about 6 years. And, married men live an estimated 8 years longer than single men. So doesn’t that prove that the efforts women put into their family’s healthcare, really do pay off in the long run?

As women, we can promote healthy behaviors to our male counterparts: to eat healthy, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, be smoke free and encourage taking preventive medicines if needed. Your man should get appropriate vaccinations, exams and screenings; manage stress, and know his risks of developing disease.

Screening Tests You Should Make Your Man Aware Of:

• Cholesterol: If your man is over 35, he should have his cholesterol checked regularly. If he smokes, or has diabetes, of if heart disease runs in his family, his cholesterol should be checked at an earlier age. Blood pressure: should be checked at every physical. High Blood Pressure is 140/90 or higher.
• Colorectal cancer: Your man should have a colonoscopy at age 50 and start earlier if colon cancer runs in his family.
• Prostate cancer: Starting at age 50, he should have a PSA blood test and digital rectal exam annually, and earlier, if prostate cancer runs in his family.
• Diabetes: A blood sugar (glucose) test is important if he has high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
• Depression: If he has lost interest or pleasure in doing things, felt sad and hopeless for over two weeks, he should be screened for depression.
• Obesity: His doctor should be measuring his height and weight and calculate his body mass index. If it is greater than 25, he will need to lose weight.
• Sexually Transmitted Infections (STD’s): Your man should discuss with his doctor whether he needs to be tested for sexually transmitted infections such as: syphillis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, or other STD’s.
• HIV: screening is necessary if your man has presently, or been in the past with sex partners who are bisexual, who are infected with HIV, use injection drugs, have had unprotected sex, or have had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985.

Other Steps To Protect His Health:

• Aspirin: He should discuss with his doctor taking a baby aspirin daily.
• Tetanus-diptheria shot: It’s necessary to have this shot every 10 years.
• Quit Smoking
• Exercise regularly (30 minutes or more most days of the week)
• Limit alcohol to no more than two drinks a day.
• Eat healthy
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Manage stress at work and home

Encourage your man to start living healthier. Pay more attention, and help him take better care of his health. He should discuss with his doctor about his risks (which often can be prevented and treated if diagnosed early) and become aware of the importance of routine medical care and screenings. Supportive strategies may provoke healthier outcomes.