Men’s Health Revealed
Men are notoriously bad at looking after their health but there are plenty of simple things which can prevent problems. According to the stereotype, men are big babies when they feel ill, taking to their beds at the first sniff or sneeze. The true picture is more worrying.
Research shows that men are more reluctant than women to visit a GP or pharmacy when they first develop symptoms – with damaging results to their health. Men visit their GP on average 20% less than women, are less likely to turn up for routine screening sessions and more frequently miss hospital outpatient appointments.
Peter Baker, Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum says “Men are generally reluctant to ask for help. They don’t like to admit that something is wrong and that they aren’t in control.” He went on to say, “Men end up at the doctor’s eventually, but by the time they get there the condition can be more serious, advanced and difficult to treat and the outcome can be worse.”
The importance of an early diagnosis cannot be stated strongly enough as it can make all the difference in the treatment of a condition from the common flu right through to more serious conditions such as cancer or heart problems.
Many people prefer to believe that the major conditions which they’ve heard about or been warned about will always happen to someone else and not to them, however there are certain risk factors which no man can afford to avoid.
NHS figures show that 41% of men in the UK are overweight and 32% of women. By 2020, this figure is predicted to rise to 80% of men. Carrying excess weight significantly increases the chances of suffering from coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other problems. Fat around the middle is particularly bad for health and studies have shown that men with a waist measurement of more than 37in have a greater risk of developing one of the above conditions and ultimately in suffering an early death.
The best advice is to eat a healthy, balanced diet and aim to exercise regularly as it has been shown that both diet and exercise is the key to sustainable weight loss.
Testicular cancer, which affects around 2,000 men a year in the UK, is the commonest cancer in men aged 15-45 and cases are increasing. Just as women are advised to look out for signs of breast cancer, men should look out for changes in their testicles such as a lump, hardening, swelling or fluid. According to the male cancer charity Orchid, “Recent surveys suggest that many men are unaware of testicular cancer or prefer to ignore it, and that few men check their testicles for signs.”
Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of developing the disease while having a family member with the illness can increase the risk. The good news is that 95% of patients are cured today.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for British men with 36,000 new cases being diagnosed each year. Often there are no symptoms in the early stages which can make an early diagnosis more difficult. Men who are over 50, have a family history of the disease and/or are of African or African-Caribbean background are more at risk but the condition is still a risk outside these categories.
Again, regular exercise is said to have a protective effect. Some people believe that a diet high in Lycopene (found in tomatoes and other red fruits and vegetables such as red carrots, watermelons and papayas but not strawberries or cherries) and Selenium can also be beneficial however the US Food and Drug Administration has said there is little scientific evidence to support this.
Depression is more commonly diagnosed in women than men but some believe this could be an ‘iceberg’ effect with more men suffering from the condition than official figures show. Three out of four people who commit suicide are men – perhaps because they find it more difficult to talk about mental health problems. Symptoms of the condition include feelings of sadness, loss of interest or pleasure in life, a sense of worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt. It can lead to a loss of appetite, lapsing concentration and poor sleep. While it could be a contributing factor to the high percentage of male suicides compared to female, undiagnosed depression can also lead to relationship issues, problems at work and other anxiety issues.
An annual health examination can assist in diagnosing these and other conditions early enough to make a significant difference. While it may not prevent a condition, it can certainly help to minimise the impact as much as possible by identifying a problem before it develops too far. Here at William Russell we understand the importance of being proactive when it comes to your health. Our Elite Silver, Gold and Platinum plans all include an annual well-being benefit which will contribute towards the cost of this check-up as well as covering the cost of prostate cancer tests for men along with mammograms and cervical smear tests for women. To find out more about the William Russell Health plans, please contact a member of the team or go online to get a Quick Quote now.
