Page 23 - Florida Sentinel 1-21-22

Health
healthier lifestyle.
1. Be Intentional When Scheduling Doctor Visits
Try to schedule your ap- pointments for the same day. Scheduling yearly check-ups are important in preventing and also diagnosing issues earlier on before they become a problem.
2. Exercise Regularly Together
Exercise can help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colon cancer. It can help treat depression, osteoporosis, and high blood pressure too. Try to get 30 minutes of moder- ate physical activity on most days of the week. Taking a walk together, jogging, swimming, and mowing the lawn all count!
3. Eat Healthier At Home
Try cooking at home more rather than eating out. Satu- rated fats are bad for arteries and heart health. They can also have a negative effect on con- centration and memory. Cut back on the red meat, butter, and other such foods. Add more fish, plants, vegetables, fruits, flaxseed, nuts, etc. Increase the intake of Omega 3 fatty acids which are associated with keep- ing blood vessels healthy and keeping blood pressure down.
4. Manage Stress To- gether
Most men feel the pressure of being the provider and head of the household, which raises stress levels. Stress can take a
toll on emotional and physical health. Help your man de-stress by scheduling couples mas- sages, going out on date nights more, meditating together, etc.
5. Sleep Hygiene Is Im- portant
Getting enough sleep (at least 7 hours each night) helps lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease, helps with stay- ing at a healthy weight, helps with lowering blood pressure, helps with improving mood and thinking more clearly. Women should encourage the men in their lives to have a healthy and consistent sleep routine, avoid nicotine altogether, avoid caf- feine and alcohol late in the day and avoid napping after 3 pm.
Always remember that just because you are healthy doesn’t mean you are off the hook! Health protection and preven- tion are the keys to staying healthy for the long haul. Find a doctor you like and start build- ing a physician-patient relation- ship.
In most parts of the world, health outcomes among men continue to be substantially worse than among women. Men tend to suffer more severe con- ditions than women, they have higher death rates for most leading causes of death and they die about six years younger than women.
By the age of 55, approxi- mately 75% of Black men will develop high blood pressure. Forty percent of Black men die prematurely from cardiovascu- lar disease as compared to 21% of white men. 44% of Black men are considered overweight and 24% are obese.
Men are statistically shown to make less frequent visits to the doctor than women. And when they see a doctor, they are less likely to report on the symptoms of disease or illness.
In fact, most men tend to skip the doctor until they be- come sick or are faced with a se- rious health problem.
Unfortunately, many of the health issues men face are pre- ventable and treatable. In most households, it’s often the woman that takes control of the health and wellbeing of the fam- ily. With this in mind, here are five tips to help women guide the men in their lives towards a
FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 2022 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 11-B