News / Health & healing

Men don’t go to doctors unless they’re in serious pain or really spooked about something. The head-in-the-sand approach isn’t much of a health-maintenance strategy.

Number of miscellaneous ailments resolve themselves without medical attention. But denial can also leave you dead. A smarter move: regularly assess your health with a few morning inspections that are easy and accurate. They aren’t replacements for routine doctor visits – our legal department wants that made clear – and you can check out other symptoms which should have you dialling an emergency number.

Any redness, inflammation or bleeding of your gums might be due to gingivitis, a condition that can progress to periodontal disease. This, in turn, is linked to heart disease – one of the top killers of men.

Take a deep breath. Did you inhale through your nose, or through your mouth? If it was your mouth, then your nasal passages may be obstructed , probably due to allergic rhinitis, the symptoms of which can include sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose and general stuffiness. Or if those symptoms accompany coughing and wheezing, you might have asthma.

To check your resting heart rate, pee first; a full bladder may elevate your heart rate. Then sit for a minute or two before taking your pulse at either your neck or your wrist. Count the number of times your heart beats in 15 seconds, and then multiply that number by four for your bpm. As a rule, 40 to 60bpm indicates a high level of cardiovascular fitness.

PHOTO: MH.CO.ZA

Men gain weight around their middles, and studies have shown that deeply seated abdominal fat (called visceral fat) bumps up your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. Unlike the fat that resides just under the skin, visceral fat collects deep within your abdomen, filling the spaces between your organs and increasing the risk of inflammation throughout your body.

Most men diagnosed with melanoma – usually after age 40 – have had it for some time and either ignored the signs or simply didn’t notice them. Melanoma in a guy is typically found on his head, neck or upper back, so it’s tough to spot and catch early. It pays to be vigilant.

Poor flexibility in your upper back can predispose you to lower-back pain and injury. If you sit at a desk for long hours without moving, or if you’re doing a lot of lifting to build your chest muscles but not stretching them out and not strengthening your upper back, your shoulders and neck will hunch forwards. Can’t recall where you just placed your socks? You’re probably stressed out.

The stress hormone cortisol temporarily short-circuits memory.Check your memory – and improve it – with an “N-back” exercise in the morning. Pick a word, such as “economy”, while you’re watching the morning news. Every time someone says the word, come up with the word that person said two (or five) words before it. “This exercise can evaluate how much you can deal with mentally at one time, and then boost it.