This month we’re bringing men’s health front and center in our collective conscious. While heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, men continue to be more at risk than women.1 High blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and stress contribute significantly to complications leading to heart disease.

Along with seeing your primary care physician at least once a year for a complete physical exam, here are five simple things you can do to lower your risk of heart disease while keeping yourself looking and feeling strong and healthy year-round:

  1. Check your blood pressure regularly if you have hypertension or a family history of high blood pressure. According to the National Institutes of Health, the updated guideline for a normal blood pressure is below 120/80. You can find blood-pressure monitors in drugstores and supermarkets.
  2. Monitor your blood glucose if you’re diabetic, prediabetic, or have a family history of diabetes. Testing kits are also available at a drugstore or supermarket. The American Diabetes Association has issued these blood sugar level guidelines:
    • Before meals: 80 to 130 mg/dl
    • 1-2 hours after meals: less than 180 mg/dl
  3. Work toward maintaining a healthy weight based on your body mass index (BMI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers 18.5 to 24.9 a normal range. Here’s how to calculate your BMI:
    STEP BMI CALCULATION EXAMPLE
    (6-foot tall, 180-pound male)
    1. Your weight (in pounds) ÷ your height (in inches) = A 180 ÷ 72 = 2.5
    2. A ÷ height (in inches) = B 2.5 ÷ 72 = .0347
    3. B x 703 = your BMI .0347 x 703 = 24.4
  4. To help manage stress, consider taking up yoga. It’s also a great way to increase strength, flexibility, and balance, which are critically important to overall health at any age. You can practice alone at home or in a group class at a fitness club.
  5. While most men like to go it alone, this month you might want to talk with other guys about their health. Remind your friends to get an annual checkup. You can even go a step further and ask them to promise that they’ll make an appointment and text you with an update afterward.

In addition to making your health your #1 priority, remember that your health is Teladoc’s #1 priority. Use the app to request a visit for a time that’s most convenient for you. Our board-certified physicians can diagnose and recommend treatment anytime you have a non-emergency condition such as:

  • flu
  • bronchitis
  • sinus infection
  • backache
  • heartburn
  • muscle strain
  • hay fever and seasonal allergies
  • and much more

Aside from getting a yearly exam, remember these words from Teladoc member Rob H.: “If you don’t feel right, go see a doctor—it’s not the end of the world. Sometimes it’s nothing. But sometimes it’s something.” Thanks for putting yourself and your health first this Mustache Movember!

References

1https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.php

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Health Talk, Men's Health