National Men's Health Week

This blog is not purely about the emotional and spiritual heart, it's also about the physical heart that keeps us alive and able to love. If that heart gives out, we're outa here.

National Men's Health Week

Do you know what threatens men's lives the most? The list is surprisingly short. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2003, just over a million American men died. Nearly 80 percent of them died of heart disease or one of the nine other leading causes of death among American men. Here's a snapshot of the 10 leading killers of American men in 2003, the most recent year for which these statistics are available from the CDC:

Top 10 Causes of Death for Men

1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Unintentional Injuries
4. Stroke
5. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
6. Diabetes
7. Influenza and pneumonia
8. Suicide
9. Kidney disease
10. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis

Source: Mayo Clinic Web Site

Regular physical exams and health screenings are an important part of preventive health care. These routine tests and screenings can detect and treat common, serious diseases and conditions. Avoid the leading causes of death in men by taking action for your health. Some of the routine must-have medical tests and screenings for men are:

• Blood pressure checks
• Cholesterol screening
• Colorectal cancer screenings
• Immunizations
• Prostate cancer screenings
• Diabetes tests
• Skin cancer screenings
• Testicular cancer screenings

Men should have these tests and screenings on a yearly basis to maintain a healthy lifestyle for themselves. To quote Congressman Bill Richardson (Congressional Record, H3905-H3906, May 24, 1994): "Recognizing and preventing men's health problems is not just a man's issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters and sisters, men's health is truly a family issue."

Tags: National Men's Health Week, heart disease, cancer, men, causes of death