Men encouraged to pay attention to health

  • Published
  • By Denny Krick
  • Health and Wellness Center
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Many times, men are forgotten by health advocates when it comes to their specific health needs.
They also sometimes fall into the trap of doing things just because someone forces them to do it. This is particularly true for those who participated in high school and college sports.
Men may have only been aware of certain health practices, i.e. eating and exercise habits, sports physicals or getting enough sleep, only because a coach made them do it. The same thing may have carried through the years after high school and college, and now the Air Force is the "coach."
Now is the time for men to take that responsibility for themselves. They can take care of themselves and be involved in a lifestyle that promotes good health, not only because the Air Force says to, but because they need to develop activities in their lives that last a lifetime. The career in the Air Force is relatively short and male Airmen should begin to think in terms of "forever."
June is Men's Health Month. Team Vance males are encouraged to look at what they are doing in terms of good health practices for the rest of their lives. They should be developing good eating and exercise habits and eliminating bad drinking and smoking habits to maintain themselves for the rest of their lives.
The best health adviser a person has is his health provider, but the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also offers this general screening schedule to follow:
18-34 years old -- Periodic blood pressure, height and weight checks; annual dental exams; limit alcohol use
35-49 years old -- Check cholesterol every five years; periodic blood pressure, height and weight checks; annual dental exams; limit alcohol use
50 years and older -- Get a colon sigmoidoscopy every five to 10 years; check fecal occult blood every year; periodically check vision and hearing starting at 65 and check blood pressure, height, weight and for prostate cancer periodically; check dental health per dentist; limit alcohol use
Men should pay attention and adopt the philosophy of looking at the "big picture." Acting on developing good habits and eliminating bad ones will sustain a person for the rest of his life.