Try these tips to become proactive about your health
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
You don’t have to allow your health to deteriorate over time. With a few proactive steps, you can prevent a multitude of health issues later in life — or curtail the effects of existing bad health habits.
Eating right has far-reaching effects on innumerable aspects of health, including reducing inflammation, curbing weight, sustaining health through nutrition and sufficient hydration. It’s easy to get in the habit of trying to “outrun your fork” by exercising in lieu of eating right.
However, Chris Kiesow, physician assistant at Gameday Men’s Health in Rochester, said that proper diet is more important than exercise, which is a close second.
“Diet” in the health context isn’t referring to fad dieting, but to daily meals and snacks — what an individual eats. Kiesow cautioned against strict diets as they’re not sustainable. Eating plans that cut out entire food groups are not balanced either.
Emphasizing fruits and vegetables, lean sources of protein, whole grains, healthful oils, water for hydration and minimally processed, sugary and fried foods can represent a solid eating plan for most men. But in general, many men lack protein intake.
“As we age, we should get enough protein” Kiesow said. “It’s the building block of muscles.”
He advises aiming for 0.17 to 7 gram per pound of bodyweight.
Proportionate with dipping testosterone levels, inactive men 25 to 60 years old lose approximately 0.5% of their muscle mass annually and after age 60, this rate can double.
“It’s more important to resistance train as we age,” Kiesow said. “For men, it improves longevity. Being strong and having good balance keeps us around longer.”
He also wants men to talk with their providers about having their PSA blood test beginning around age 45 to 50 to screen for prostate cancer. Caught early, prostate cancer is very treatable. The same goes for colonoscopy. Begin around age 45 to 50. Any polyps found can be removed, thus preventing the development of colon cancer.
Kiesow urges men to minimize alcohol use.
According to the National Cancer Institute, “people who drink alcohol are at higher risk of certain cancers than those who do not drink alcohol and that the more someone drinks, the higher the risk of these cancers. Even light drinkers can be at increased risk of some cancers.”
Use only prescribed medication and avoid illicit drugs, smoking and vaping. Men still outnumber women for smoking tobacco. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that 13.1% of US men smoked, compared with 10.1% of women. Smoking causes lung damage and tobacco use in particular contributes to a plethora of cancers. Anecdotal reports of popcorn lung and other diseases point to the danger of vaping. It’s also concerning that the majority of vaping liquid which widely contains ingredients such as nickel and lead, originates in countries lacking the consumer safety laws upheld in the US.
Adopting a healthful lifestyle with enjoyable physical activity can help keep you moving. Try picking up an activity you enjoyed in high school. Or try something new. If it’s hard to know where to start first, seek help.
“Personal trainers offer workout programs and these can be specifically designed for indoor or outdoor use and for any level of ability,” said Kimberly Whitcomb, certified personal trainer who offers one-on-one sessions in Fairport and Wolcott.
These workouts can be for general fitness or tailored to specific activities such as preparing for a marathon, improving one’s golf game or maintaining better flexibility and balance.
Simply getting out to walk for 30 minutes daily, along with a few resistance training sessions weekly, can improve overall health and longevity.