Apple A Day Or Not...lt's Time To Talk With Your Doctor (NAPSA)—During National Men’s Health Week, and throughout the year, men should be encouraged to make a commitment to their health maintenance and awareness. Health care providers are taking this opportunity to remind men to maintain a healthy lfestyle not just for one week, but every day. In many ways, taking care of your bodyis like taking care of your car. To keep either one running well for the long haul, you need to get regular tune-ups to prevent big problems from developing. What they say about men’s driving habits also seems to hold true for their health care habits: men don’t like to ask for directions. But it’s a bad habit not to ask for directions when it comesto your health. Your body does not come with an owner’s manual. That’s why it is so important for you to learn more about common health problems that affect menand how theyareall related. Knowing And Avoiding Risk Factors A preventive health care procram, including healthy diet, exercise and regular checkups, can help men avoid illness, live longer and preserve quality of life as they get older. Most key risk factors for men stem from an unhealthy lifestyle, which may include stress, lack of exercise, poor diet, smoking, or excessive alcohol or drug use. These risk factors can cause high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or heart disease. Some can’t be changed, such as age or family health history, but you can take better care of yourself now and have an effect on sexual function,” said John P. Mulhall, M.D., Asso- For A Healthy Lifestyle: e Stop smoking e Eat a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables e Get regular exercise Talk to your health care provider about controlling or preventing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes minimize yourrisk of a seriousillness in the future. For those risk factors that can be changed, you can take steps every day to reduce or eliminate them by improving your lifestyle in healthy ways. These include: e Stop smoking e Kat a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables e Get regular exercise Talk to your health care provider about controlling or preventing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. The Importance Of Sexual Health A common men’s health problem is erectile dysfunction or ED. This condition is often overlooked, perhaps because men are too embarrassed to talk about their problems having or maintaining an erection. If youre having problems with intimacy, it’s important to discuss them with your doctor, no matter how awkward you imagine that the conversation maybe. “ED can often be an indicator of a number of underlying medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease and depression. In turn, any of these conditions may ciate Professor of Urology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. “This is why it’s especially important to talk to your doctor about ED or any sexual health problem.” Talking To And Finding The Right Doctor Being a patient can be a nerveracking experience, which is why so many men fail to get even a regular checkup. In fact, studies indicate that men often ignore symptoms or delay seeking medical attention when sick or in pain. It’s important for you to tell your doctor about any health problems that you may be experiencing, even if it is uncomfortable to discuss. Some easy ways to start the discussion about ED are to ask simple questions (“Hey, doc I’m having trouble in the bedroom, could something be wrong?” or “Should mysex life be slowing down?”), and just go with what makes you comfortable. Government statistics show that one out of three (33 percent) men does not have a regular doctor to go to when sick or in need of medical advice. If you currently do not have a physician or want to find one that specializes in ED and men’s sexual health, a new resource called the Men’s Sexual Health Referral Network is available to help you find a physician or counselor. Visit www.sexual healthdoctors.com for confidential access to physician information. Men, treat yourself as well as you may treat your car—get regu- lar tune-ups and talk to your doctor about your health.
