Although June was Men’s Health Month, understanding your health goals is a task that should be focused on all year long. Maintaining physical activity or intimacy and fitting into the right clothes are goals that most men strive for. Starting sooner rather than later is key to achieving those goals. Just like women, men can live longer and feel better by reducing vices like cigarettes and alcohol, keeping a moderate exercise schedule, and communicating with their doctors on important health markers. This week on Fox 17, Dr. Bitner shares how men can understand their health by the numbers, and thus live longer and healthier lives.
Fact #1
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death in men, yet much of it is preventable. While some risk factors such as family history or age are not modifiable, many are within your control. Blood pressure, weight, waist circumference, muscle mass, body fat percentage, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and inflammation levels are all modifiable risk factors that can be used to predict when a heart attack or stroke will happen without intervention. It’s also been shown that getting just twenty minutes of exercise three times a week and limiting alcohol consumption to 14 servings a week are both crucial for longevity.
Fact #2
There are nine essential health numbers every man should know. Keeping track of your health goes beyond just stepping on the scale a few times a week. Men should keep an eye on critical metrics including:
- blood pressure
- cholesterol (especially Lipo(a) and Apo(b))
- blood sugar (A1C), waist circumference
- body fat percentage
- muscle mass
- inflammation (CRP)
- CAC score—a coronary artery calcium scan.
These numbers tell a deeper story about your body and can predict heart disease before symptoms ever appear. Making these tests part of your routine care gives you a massive advantage in preventing future illness.
Fact #3
CAC is an overlooked tool in predicting heart disease. Most men with heart disease are asymptomatic. An important test to measure current level of disease is called a CAC, or coronary artery calcium score. This is a CT scan of the heart that identifies calcium build-up in the walls of the arteries around the heart. The calcium score in the coronary arteries is a reliable predictor of heart disease and is actually cost effective in most populations. It used to be thought that hardening of the arteries is just a part of aging, but we now understand that it is a preventable process.
Takeaway Tip
Men’s health isn’t just about reacting to problems, but being proactive and preventing them in the first place. By knowing your numbers, and taking advantage of tools like the CAC score, you can take full control of your long-term wellness. What you do at 50 can define how you feel and function at 70. Start now, and invest in a future that keeps you active, energized, and present for the people and passions that matter most.