Many men who pride themselves on being proactive at work and at play seem content to take the back seat when it comes to their health and fail to take precautions – to their cost.
Mistake 1: Skipping health checks
"Just as women go for mammograms and Pap smears, men need to go for a PSA blood test for prostate or testicular cancer, and after age 50, a digital rectal exam as well. It’s better than being treated for cancer", says Dr Michael Herbst, health specialist of the Cancer Association of SA. And just as women should self-examine their breasts once a month for lumps or other changes, men should feel for lumps or an enlarged testicle, while soaping up in the shower.
Other signs to be alert to are a feeling of heaviness in a testicle, or an ache in the lower abdomen, back or groin. Get it checked out straight away.
And never ignore impotence as it may indicate that you have a problem with blood flow to your penis, which can be a sign of a cardiovascular or other problem that needs to be addressed.
Mistake 2: Laughing off sunscreen
"It’s not enough to apply this only at the beach or when playing sport – with the strong South African sun, you need sunscreen daily", says Herbst. Apply at least a shot-glass full of a broad spectrum variety with an SPF of 30 to 50, even on cloudy days.
Go for a baseline skin check with a dermatologist, or at a CANSA Care Centre with a FotoFinder dermoscope machine, and ask about mole-mapping.
This is especially important if you have more than 50 moles, a previous personal or family history of melanoma, or have ever been severely sunburned. Then go every two or three years for a check-up if you’re dark-skinned, annually if fair-skinned.
Mistake 3: Brushing aside the risk of cardiovascular disease
Many men still associate this with their parents’ generation, but if there is heart disease in your family, it can affect you in your 30s or 40s. The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA reports that premature deaths caused by CVD in those of working age (35 to 64) are expected to rise by more than 40% by 2030.
Have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked – your medical practitioner will advise you how often, depending on your health and medical and family history.
Mistake 4: Keeping quiet about their mental health
"Many men are still raised not to express emotions – the real men don’t cry myth", says medical scientist Nkini Phasha, a spokesperson and board member for the SA Depression and Anxiety Group.
Unable to cope with their anxiety or depression, many escape to alcohol or recreational drugs, or high-risk behaviour such as reckless driving, gangsterism or multiple sex partners, or become workaholics. It’s vital to speak to a mental health professional and get help.
Mistake 5: Neglecting dental hygiene
According to the American Dental Association, only 66% of men brush their teeth twice or more a day, against nearly 90% of women, and men are less likely to floss. And a study in the Journal of Periodontology showed women were nearly twice as likely to go for regular dental check-ups. Yet, gum disease can raise your risk of heart disease, erectile dysfunction and dementia.
Mistake 6: Eating too much fast food
Research suggests that men are more likely than women to eat high-kilojoule fast-food high in salt. Yet, nutritious, balanced meals needn’t take time or trouble.
Think whole-grain sandwiches filled with salad and either lean meat, low-fat cottage cheese or tinned fish (salmon, pilchards and sardines have omega 3 fatty acids for heart protection), and some fresh fruit. Freeze left-over stew or soup in individual portions you can pop in an office microwave – you’ll save money, too.
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