International Mens Health week: Check your blood sugar in time as diabetes can cause complications
Highlights
- It's important to get your blood pressure checked
- Digital rectal exam can help in averting prostate cancer
- You might have osteoporosis or tooth problems due to calcium deficiency
In a life full of stresses, pressure, unhealthy habits and at times health crisis too, the body is bound to face long periods of depreciation. Its no secret that even if you're 25 at heart, the body fails to keep up. These tests will tell you exactly where you stand as compared to the fittest version of yourself. They will tell you what you need to work on, and what old age problems you must definitely beware of. Ensure that you don't risk anything, prevention is certainly better than cure. This International Men's Health Week, we want to tell all the men out there the tests you must get done as you turn older.
Also read: International Men's Health Week: 5 Early Signs Of Cancer You Shouldn't Be Ignoring
So, here are 9 tests that all men over 40 must take:
1. Digital rectal exam: The digital rectal exam detects early signs of prostate cancer and other problems with the prostate gland. Lumps or enlargement could be early signs of this disease, and all men after 40, must take special care to ensure they don't suffer from this it. The prostate-specific antigen test can also be conducted to back the findings of the digital rectal exam.
2. Testosterone test: Testosterone levels in a man can be monitored through a simple blood or saliva test. A low testosterone level can cause serious cases of erectile dysfunction, fatigue, weight gain, muscle loss, hair fall, insomnia, focus loss, thinning of bones and mood swings.
Also read: Men, Eat These Veggies To Prevent Heart Disease, Obesity
3. Bone density:Osteoporosis is extremely common with people above the age of 50. and causes the body to extract calcium from the bones to put to use in other places, leading to a thinning of the bones. A bone density exam can measure the strength of your bones and help you answer other such important questions.
4. Blood sugar:Diabetes is an extremely common disease, and is extremely dangerous. Being overweight, having high blood pressure, are all important factors to be considered when checking for diabetes. A simple blood sugar test would suffice.
International Men's Health Week: Check your blood sugar if you are over 40
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5. Blood pressure: Get the sphygmomanometer out. Its time to check whether your blood is flowing at a healthy pace. Its a hidden problem, and can cause problems with your vital organs if unchecked. To ensure you are clocking 110/70, make sure to get yourself checked.
6. Cholesterol screening: Having high levels of cholesterol is more common than you'd think. With the influx of fast food, and other high cholesterol varieties, the risk of heart disease will only increase. This is part of the routine blood test, so look out for it.
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7. Colorectal screening:Colon cancer can be prevented by tests such as a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or a faecal occult blood test. You must consider a screening if you have a history of inflammatory bowel etc. The need for a colorectal exam also increases if there exists a family history of colon cancer.
8. Dental exam: Get your teeth cleaned more often, calcium is now a prized commodity in your body, and make sure you don't lose your teeth in the process.
9. Eye exam: Hypermetropia or long sightedness is quite common with old age, myopia is just as likely. Simultaneously, glaucoma can be prevented with regular eye exams, specially if you are already diagnosed with diabetes.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.