The 3 Things Men Should Be Doing Every Day, Week, Month

By Martha Michael

From weight loss to heart disease, men’s health issues have been dissected and put under a microscope for decades. Outside the laboratory there are real world suggestions to connect the dots between where you are and where you want to be. From working out to better eating habits, you can start small and make a healthier choice this month, or dive into bigger changes with new daily or weekly practices.

What Health Issues Should Men Be Aware Of?

There is little difference between the sexes when it comes to the wisdom of paying attention to health risks. Everyone can benefit from becoming better informed about threats to wellness. There are some differences in the prevalence of certain conditions, as well as a few that only apply to one gender, such as prostate cancer. Many of the most common health issues experienced by men involve internal organs that are important for both males and females.

Heart Disease

One of the most prevalent and serious health conditions for men involves their heart. More than one-third of adult males have cardiovascular disease, according to an article by Healthline. If heart disease goes undetected it can be fatal.

High blood pressure is a problem for men under 45 years of age, and more than 3 million men per year suffer from strokes. Factors that increase an individual’s risk of developing a heart condition include:

• High blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Smoking habits

Nearly half of American men and women have cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association, or AHA. The diagnoses are rising, in part, because in 2017 the definition of high blood pressure was lowered from 140/90 to 130/80 millimeters of mercury.

The AHA created a list of goals for patients to minimize cardiovascular risks called “Life’s Simple 7”:

• Eat a healthy diet
• Exercise regularly
• Keep your weight down
• Don’t smoke
• Keep blood pressure down
• Maintain low cholesterol
• Make sure blood sugar is at a healthy level

Respiratory Diseases

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of Americans who smoke tobacco has dropped from 20.9 percent in 2005 to 11.5 percent in 2021, but there are more than 16 million people living with a disease related to smoking.

Respiratory diseases include emphysema, or COPD, and lung cancer. Despite the drop in cigarette smoking, each year the number of men diagnosed with lung cancer grows in number. According to an article by the National Institutes of Health, men have a 17.2 percent risk of developing lung cancer at some point in their lives, while women’s risk is 11.6 percent.

COPD is a progressive disease causing deterioration of your pulmonary function and is linked to lung carcinoma. Patients with COPD are twice as likely to contract lung cancer as the normal population.

Liver Disease

You need a healthy liver to aid digestion and weed out toxins for absorption of nutrients. Some liver diseases are genetic and others stem from exposure to carcinogens or other damage. They include:

• Liver cancer
• Bile duct cancer
• Viral hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Autoimmune disease

Your liver is a football-sized organ situated under your ribs on the right side, says an article by the Mayo Clinic. Some liver conditions cause scarring and others can lead to organ failure.

Symptoms of liver disease may include:

• Jaundice
• Abdominal pain
• Itchiness
• Pale colored stool
• Dark yellow urine
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Lower appetite
• Bruising easily
• Swollen legs or ankles

Lifestyle Choices to Boost Men’s Health

June is National Men’s Health Month, but what happens in June ought to happen year-round. While some health problems are outside your control, many risk factors can be reduced by adding some basics to your routine.

What Should Men Do Every Day for Better Health?

Being fit is consistently at the top of the list when it comes to health, happiness, and staying active into your senior years. Health and fitness don’t come cheap, however. Your daily routine has a big impact on whether you become lean, healthy, and prepared to succeed at your job or in your regular activities.

An article by Muscle & Fitness talks about some of the lifestyle choices that maximize your health outcomes.

Eat and drink well - Making fast food visits the exception, not the rule, is solid advice. Plan meals in advance so you’re not grabbing what’s easy in lieu of proper nutrition including protein, fruits, and vegetables. Water should be your drink of choice, and if you have high fitness standards, strive to drink up to a gallon per day.

Move your body - Try to sweat every day, whether it’s boot camp or bicep curls. Starting your day with a brisk walk or jumping into a yoga practice won’t hurt either.

Get plenty of sleep - To reduce body fat, build muscle, and supply you with enough energy for your day, you have to get enough shut-eye at night. Sleep affects your hormone levels, which also affect your mental health.

What Should Men Do Every Week for Better Health?

Get outside - Experiencing a natural setting and breathing fresh air are just a few of the reasons to plan outdoor activities every week. Take it beyond a picnic and get some exercise while you’re at it -- play golf, throw a frisbee, or walk the dog.

Add fiber to your diet - Studies show that getting enough fiber can boost your heart health and lower your risk of diabetes.

Stretch - If you like cardio workouts, be sure to stretch afterwards. You should add flexibility exercises to your schedule, including each of the following muscle-tendon groups:

• Shoulders
• Neck
• Chest
• Lower back
• Trunk
• Hips
• Legs
• Ankles

What Should Men Do Every Month for Better Health

Most people jump through hoops to see their primary care physician when they’re sick, but monthly self-checks are easy to do and require little time. An article on the Integris Health website recommends checking yourself monthly to identify health problems as they occur.

Belly fat - Obesity is one of the country’s most serious health problems and it’s easily measured; most people know if they’re gaining weight. Approximately 1 in 13 American adults falls into the category of extremely obese, which increases your chance of developing diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Skin - As the most common form of cancer in the United States, skin cancer ranks high in priority when it comes to prevention. Both men and women should do a thorough self-exam to look for changes or lesions on their skin. Once a month, you should check every mole for a change in size or dimension. More than 2 million Americans are diagnosed with basal or squamous cell cancer each year and 70,000 individuals are faced with a melanoma diagnosis.

Oral exam - Seeing the dentist two or three times a year for regular checkups can give you an edge if an emergency arises. Doing a self-exam between appointments will give you a better chance of picking up on a growing problem. Nearly three-quarters of oral and throat cancer diagnoses occur in men, and twice as many men get an oral cancer diagnosis than women, possibly resulting from HPV infections.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help Men?

Whether you have room in your schedule for weekly or monthly visits, chiropractic care sets a solid foundation for your health prognosis. More than experts in treating the nervous system, your chiropractor can put together a baseline of your overall health.

By recording your family health history at your initial consultation and physical exam, a chiropractor can identify changes to your health over time. In the event of a diagnosis you can get early treatment such as a spinal adjustment to help speed the healing process.

For many patients, a weekly chiropractic adjustment provides more than relief from painful symptoms or injury correction. It’s a preventative measure geared toward improving range of motion and slowing down the development of age-related conditions, such as spinal stenosis.

Men’s health issues have been scrutinized, inspected, and examined, but turning them into action may be the hardest part. With the help of a chiropractor properly aligning your spine and healthy lifestyle choices, you can take control of your wellness trajectory … one day, week, or month at a time.

The information, including but not limited to, text, graphics, images and other material contained on this page are for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.