With Father’s Day on its way, the CDC wants to remind men to
stay up-to-date with doctor’s visits and vaccinations. According to the Center,
despite what some people think, adults need vaccinations too. Immunity from
diseases, such as shingles and pneumococcal, can fade with time. The Center
offers these health tips:
- Get enough sleep. Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. In general, adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep. For help with sleep disorders, click here.
- Be smoke-free. Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke. Quitting smoking has both immediate and long-term effects. For help quitting, click here.
- Be physically active. Be active for at least a couple hours a week. Include activities that raise breathing and heart rates and that strengthen muscles.
- Eat what counts. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat and alcohol.
- Pay attention to signs and symptoms. Irregular symptoms include discharge, excessive thirst, rash or sores, problems with urination or shortness of breath. These are only a few of the many symptoms that males should pay attention to. See a doctor immediately if they occur.
- Get vaccinated. Immunizations are necessary at every age. Be wary of diseases like influenza, tetanus, shingles, pneumococcal and HPV. There are vaccinations for all of these.
- Know and understand numbers. Keep track of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index or any others that a doctor recommends. These numbers can provide a glimpse of health status and risk for certain diseases. Be sure to ask doctors or nurses what tests are needed and how often. Try to get high or low numbers into a healthier range.