Men’s Health

Although June is Men’s Health Month, we want to help men raise their health IQ and lead healthier lives all year long. That’s why we’re providing this page of information about issues that most affect them. You’ll also find links to websites that can provide even more health-related information about these issues.

How can men stay healthy?
Being proactive about your health is critical to staying healthy, according to www.Medicinenet.com.  In addition to general steps such as not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and controlling cholesterol and blood pressure, men should take more proactive steps, such as:

• Getting routine medical care and physical exams
• Screening for prostate and colon cancer
• Performing routine home testicle exams
• Exercising 3 – 5 days a week to maintain general health, energy and fitness

Is Alzheimer’s a serious men’s health issue?
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease create a serious health issue for men, according to Medicinenet.com. The cause isn’t known and there isn’t a cure. But the risk can be reduced by not smoking and by controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Physical and mental fitness, and keeping socially active also may help.

Connecticut men’s lifespans has increased by 4.7 yrs. (to 77.5).
A recent study of mortality data in 3,147 cities and counties in the nation found Connecticut men with the third-highest longevity and women at fourth-highest. The analysis, conducted by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, included data from 1987 to 2007.

Of the state’s eight counties, Fairfield fares best in longevity. Among females, it was the 35th highest-ranked county in the U.S. in 2007 at 83.3 years, and among men that same year it was 36th highest, at 78.9 years.

In 2007, Connecticut men had a longevity of 77.5 years — equal to the males of Singapore, the 14th-highest nation in longevity.

Suicide is a leading men’s health risk. 
Suicide is a leading men’s health risk and the Mayo Clinic notes that depression is an important risk factor.

www.Medicinenet.com lists seven key symptoms of depression, which may be subtle and develop slowly. They are:

• Difficulty concentrating or completing projects
• Lack of energy
• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
• Change in appetite
• Feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness
• Excessive sadness or feelings of emptiness
• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm

For more information, visit the National Institute of Mental Health (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml).

Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of death among men.
Motor vehicle accidents are a leading cause of fatal accidents among men, according to the Mayo Clinic. To minimize the risk of accidents and injuries, use common sense and avoid potentially dangerous situations, adds www.Medicinenet.com. For example, wear a seatbelt, obey the speed limit, don’t drive when you’re sleepy and never drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medications that can sedate you.

Accidents also occur frequently at home, notes Medicinenet.com. You can avoid many by:

• Making sure floors are not slippery or wet
• Securing stair railings
• Keeping walks and driveways in good repair
• Ensuring smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have fresh batteries and work properly.

Play it safe. Visit the National Safety Council (http://www.nsc.org/Pages/Home.aspx).

Want to know more about men and diabetes?
Men can prevent or control diabetes by eating a well-balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly, according to www.Medicinenet.com. The Mayo Clinic adds that poorly controlled diabetes can lead to heart disease, eye problems, nerve damage and other complications.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form, affecting more than 80 percent of diabetes patients, according to www.Medicinenet.com. Type 1 diabetes usually affects those under age 40.

Learn more from the American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org).

Stroke is a major health issue for men.
Not only is stroke a major issue for men, www.Medicinenet.com notes most of the risk factors are the same as for heart disease: smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and family history.

A stroke results when blood supply to the brain is interrupted, which causes brain cells to die. For more information, visit the American Stroke Association (http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/ ).

Most cancers in men are preventable.
According to Medicinenet.com, lung cancer is the leading killer among men, and 90 percent of lung cancer cases are the result of smoking. Colon/rectal cancers, along with prostate cancer, are the second most common.

Living a healthy lifestyle decreases the potential risk of developing cancer. This includes regular exercise, a healthy diet and avoiding toxins in the environment, including smoking and secondhand smoke.
Learn more from the American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org).

Heart disease is the leading killer of men in the U.S.
www.Medicinenet.com notes the major risk factors for heart disease as well as stroke include smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and family history. You can’t control your family history, but you can control or minimize these other factors.

Of the state’s eight counties, Fairfield fares best in longevity. Among females, it was the 35th-highest-ranked county in the U.S. in 2007 at 83.3 years, and among men that same year it was 36th highest, at 78.9 years.

From 1987 to 2007, Connecticut men’s lifespans increased by 4.7 years and women’s increased by 2.9 years. In 2007, Connecticut men had a longevity of 77.5 years (equal to the males of Singapore, the 14th-highest nation in longevity) and women were at 82.3 years (equal to 18th-ranked Austria).

Caffeine does NOT affect men and women equally.
According to a study led by researchers from the University of Barcelona, caffeine affects men more than women. It also notes these effects start just 10 minutes after drinking a beverage with caffeine. In addition, the study also shows that decaffeinated coffee also produces an increased state of alertness.

For more on this, visit Science Daily (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081222113526.htm ).

Want to know what one of the top 10 (less obvious) health issues is among men?
Even in healthy people, aging gradually decreases how efficiently kidneys function.  Learn more by visiting the National Kidney Foundation (http://www.kidney.org/ ).

Kidney disease is one of the top 10 health issues for men, according to Medicinenet.com. It adds that kidney failure is often the result of years of poorly controlled high blood pressure and diabetes.

Learn more at the Alzheimer’s Association (http://www.alz.org/index.asp).