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HEALTH SCREENINGS FOR MEN

 
Doing healthy screenings on your body will enable you to find diseases early and treat them.
Keeping yourself healthy not only for yourself but your family as well is very important.
Make sure to talk with your doctor to find out how often you should be tested.

Below are some suggestions on types of screenings available:

 Obesity:  Have your body mass (BMI) calculated to screen for obesity.  (BMI) is a measure of
body fat based on height and weight. 

 High Cholesterol:  You should have your cholesterol checked regularly starting at the age
of 35.  If you are younger than 35, you may talk with your doctor about whether to have yours checked. Signs of problems could be if you have diabetes or high blood pressure.  Heart disease
may run in your family, or if you smoke.

 High Blood Pressure:  Have your blood pressure checked at least once every year.  Any blood pressure that is running 140/90 is considered high.

 Colorectal Cancer:  People should have this test done at around the age of 50.  You doctor
will be able to tell you which test you should take.  If you have a family history of this you
may need to be checked out more frequently.

 Prostate Cancer:  The American Cancer Soceity recommends digital rectal exams should be
done at the age of 50 for men.  African American should be 45.  Talk with your doctor about
which is better for you. 

 Diabetes:  You should have a fasting blood sugar or glucose tolerance test done every 3 years
once you reach the age of 45.  If you have one or more of the other risk factors such as high
blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, overweight or obese, or a family history of this an annual
screening is recommended.

 Depression:  Always remember your emotional health is just as important as your physical
health.  If you feel down or sad or hopeless over the last couple of weeks or have had little
interest or pleasure in doing things, you may be depressed.  Call you doctor and talk to him
about being screened for depression.

 Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm:  If you are between the ages of 65 and 75 and have ever
smoked (100 or more cigarettes during your lifetime), you will need to be screened once for abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is an abnormally large or swollen blood vessel in your abdomen.




                                                                       Mens Health Link from The Missouri Departmnet of Health
                                                        http://www.dhss.mo.gov/ChronicDisease/CalendarJun.pdf
               
 Mens Health information link


                                                         
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