Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and taking care of our emotional well-being are essential to living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining optimal health. Medical experts and researchers have repeatedly confirmed that our lifestyle choices are crucial for healthy aging and preventing diseases resulting in premature death.
However, prevention goes a step beyond. Preventative medical care can alert you to various medical conditions that can lead to severe complications affecting your health and shortening your lifespan. Early detection and monitoring for high-risk situations are essential for good healthcare.
Regarding healthcare, men tend to see doctors less and do not pay as much attention to their possible health concerns as women do. They often go years between doctor visits, missing valuable opportunities for screening and detecting possible physical diseases.
Here are some health concerns worth keeping on top of so that you don’t end up with unnecessary complications:
1. High blood pressure: Men are as prone to high blood pressure as women. High blood pressure is mainly hereditary but can be influenced by environmental factors such as caffeine intake, salt intake, longstanding stress, and obesity. Unless the blood pressure is extremely high, you will have no symptoms, and the blood pressure will be left unchecked and unnoticed. Visit your doctor every five years to have your blood pressure measured. Try to check your blood pressure at stations found in most pharmacies. Numbers of 140/90 or greater bear a visit to your doctor. Traditional Chinese Medicine is effective in helping patients reduce high blood pressure and manage the environmental factors that can lead to high blood pressure.
2. Colon cancer: Colon cancer is the second largest cause of cancer death among men. Fortunately, it is largely preventable by screening for colon cancer. If you are at average risk for colorectal cancer, you have no existing symptoms, family history, or risk factors —your first colon cancer screening should happen at the age of 45. Although the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends having a complete colonoscopy so doctors can catch more potential problems, getting some colorectal cancer screenings is always better than avoiding them entirely. You can start doing at-home tests at age 45. If your test results show blood in your stool or changes to your colon’s DNA, you will need a colonoscopy.
- A colonoscopy involves having a colorectal specialist insert a camera at the end of a flexible tube into the colon to look for and remove cancer-causing polyps. This procedure should be repeated every ten years as a screening measure, starting at 45.
Keeping a high fiber diet low in saturated fat can also reduce the risks of colon cancer. In addition, acupuncture has been found to improve digestion, reduce food cravings, and help with weight loss.
3. Prostate Cancer: Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, after skin cancer. Doctors know that there are two types of prostate cancer—slow-growing and fast-growing. A blood test for prostate-specific antigen or PSA can be done as part of your annual physical. If your PSA number is high, it can be related to enlarged prostate conditions or prostate cancer. If it is elevated, doctors can determine if it is related to cancer or not.
4. Smoking Cessation: Lung cancer caused by smoking is the number one cause of cancer deaths in America. The simplest way to reduce your risk of lung cancer is never to smoke or stop smoking as soon as possible. Many ways to quit smoking include medications or nicotine replacement modalities. Gum, lozenges, and patches contain nicotine to help you stop the smoking habit. With these methods and regular acupuncture treatments, patients report a higher success rate of remaining smoking free with fewer cravings. The CDC recommends only one screening test for lung cancer, computed tomography, known as the low dose, though it is not always accurate and has risk factors. The LDCT uses an X-ray machine that scans the body and uses low radiation doses to create detailed pictures of the lungs. In addition, men who smoke or were heavy smokers have a higher potential for developing prostate cancer.
The CDC recommends yearly lung screenings for those who: have a history of heavy smoking, smoke now, or have quit within the last 15 years and are between 55 and 80 years old. Heavy smoking is defined as smoking at least one pack of cigarettes per day for one year. A 30-pack-year history can equate to 1 group a day for 30 years or two packages a day for 15 years.
If you are diagnosed with cancer requiring chemotherapy and/or radiation, acupuncture is very effective in dealing with the side effects of these treatments. Acupuncture can treat numerous symptoms due to cancer treatments, such as neuropathy, dry mouth, nausea, and insomnia.
5. Heart Disease: Men are at a greater risk of heart disease than women are and should begin making strides toward lowering their risk early in life. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, lack of exercise, poor dental health, and a family history contribute to an increased risk of heart disease. Especially for men with family histories of heart disease, measures should be taken to reduce the other risk factors. This means adopting a heart-healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat. A commitment to exercise at least thirty minutes daily, five days a week. It also means visiting your dentist for annual checkups to maintain good dental health. Finally, see your doctor to discover risk factors like high cholesterol and blood pressure. If these are elevated, your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce your risk of a heart attack further.
The Family Connection: Besides all the conditions listed above, it is also good to learn about any medical conditions in the family as genetics can play a significant role in developing certain diseases.
Children, parents, and grandparents often share similar health problems because inherited factors put family members at risk through their genes. The disease usually results from the combined effects of minor changes in multiple genes, and each gene then contributes in a small way to the symptoms of and development of the disease.
Heart disease, diabetes, and cancer account for 7 of every ten deaths in the United States, and they are considered genetic diseases because they run in families. Detailed family history can give you essential information about your risk factors. That awareness can monitor for and possibly prevent the onset of problems whenever possible.
And remember, the acupuncturists at San Pedro Acupuncture and Health Center are available to assist you with any health issues that can benefit from Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture.