Regular checkups essential to health

With busy schedules and a heavy workload, it can be difficult to get to the doctor’s office. But, preventative measures are key for men to maintain a healthy lifestyle, especially once reaching middle age.

One of the most important things a man can do to stay healthy is find a doctor he is comfortable with and go to regular check ups. By finding a doctor that you’re comfortable with, you are more likely to be honest with your doctor about concerns. Medical tests are helpful, but communication is the starting point of many diagnoses.

One of the chief health concerns for men is prostate health, specifically prostate cancer. It is the most common form of cancer in American men. There are no early warning signs of prostate cancer; symptoms begin once a tumor causes the prostate to swell. Symptoms of prostate cancer include frequent urination, difficulty urinating, weak urine stream, uncontrolled urination, inability to urinate while standing, pain during urination, and blood found in urine.

Though there is no evidence supported to prevent prostate cancer, risks can be lowered by maintaining a healthy weight and diet. The American Cancer Society recommends a diet limited of high-fat foods, decreased eating of red meat and processed meats and consuming five or more servings of fruit and vegetables each day, which are rich in antioxidants. The antioxidant lycopene can lower the risk of prostate cancer and is found in tomatoes, spinach, artichoke hearts, beans, berries, pink grapefruit, oranges and watermelon.

Mental health check-ups are also important for men, especially in middle age.

Have you been drinking more than usual? Have you felt apathetic about things that used to make you excited? These are questions to consider. It’s important for spouses, friends and family to recognize warning signs of depression in order to get their loved one the help he needs. Symptoms of depression can include fatigue, feelings of helplessness, pessimism, insomnia, restlessness, loss of interest in activities once pleasurable, persistent aches or pains, overeating or loss of appetite, difficulty focusing and making decisions, constant feelings of anxiety or emptiness and thoughts of suicide. If you are a loved one has these symptoms, call your doctor. If immediate help is needed, call 911 or a suicide prevention hotline, like 1-800-273- TALK.

Fitness is another building block of a healthy lifestyle for men. A 2015 study from the University of Vermont found that men age 65 and older who exercise regularly have a better chance of preventing cancer than men who do not. It’s not just about exercising, though. Men should vary the types of exercise they do, such as working on strength training, such as lifting weights, cardio health, such as running or performing aerobics, and flexible, such as yoga or Pilates.

For exercise to be beneficial, it should be paired with healthy eating habits. Rather than counting calories, look for what vitamins and nutrients are included in foods in order to power your body and fight disease.

For example, shellfish are packed with zinc, a vitamin that helps the heart, muscles, and reproduction system. A lack of zinc can result in male infertility. The vitamin is also found in beef, turkey and chicken. Though avocado is high in fat and calories, it is packed with monounsaturated fat, which has been proven to lower cholesterol levels.

Insomnia and an overall lack of sleep can make your waking hours miserable, causing you to feel tired and irritable. It can also make concentration difficult. Men should get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Still having trouble sleeping or feeling rested? Visit your primary care doctor for help. He or she may refer you to a sleep disorders specialist, as you could have a specific condition, such as sleep apnea.

Men, especially men over 40, are at a higher risk of having sleep apnea, which is when breathing is disrupted during sleep. The disrupted breathing usually results in snoring. When you stop breathing during your sleep, oxygen does not reach your body, which can cause serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, stroke and heart failure.

Following testing and diagnosis, however, a Continuous Positive Aireway Pressure machine is a fairly simple treatment for those suffering from sleep apnea.

Known as a CPAP, the machine helps to control breathing during sleep by increasing airway pressure, keeping the airway from collapsing while breathing.

Remember that is important to be your own advocate as a person striving for a healthy lifestyle.

Talk to your doctor, know your family medical history, and speak up when you think something is wrong. No one knows your own body better than you.