Men may act strong, but the truth is, men overall are less healthy and have a shorter life span than women.
Even in all major causes of death, men are shown to have higher mortality rates. For example, men are more likely to get 10 of the most common forms of cancer.
Mortality rates for both men and women decreased during the 19th and 20th centuries, but women began reaping the longevity benefits of lifestyle factors at a much faster rate as the 20th century progressed. Studies show that women live longer than men primarily because of modern lifestyle factors, rather than biological differences.
The reality is, women are usually healthier than men because they make healthier lifestyle choices.
In fact, women currently live longer than men in every country of the world.
According to U.N. data, the average life expectancy for women globally is almost 4.5 years longer, with an average life expectancy of 71 years compared to 66.5 years for men.
Men are also leading in nine out of 10 causes of death.
One of the reasons why is, compared to women, men tend to pay little attention to warning signs of major health issues, which makes them prone to preventable diseases.
Here are the top (preventable) diseases that affect men: 1. Heart disease 2. Cancer 3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 4. Stroke 5. Diabetes 6. Flu and pneumonia 7. Kidney disease 8. Alzheimer's disease
What Men Can Do to Improve Longevity Our bodies are incredibly complex machines that require fuel components (food, water, and air) to grow, function and repair themselves. Like any machine, the body requires routine maintenance to make it last a long time and to function well throughout a person's life.
Using the body as it was intended and minimizing abuse also increases its ability to perform.
When we buy a car, we expect to routinely change the oil, filters, rotate the tires, and avoid driving too aggressively to keep the car running smoothly and last a certain length of time.
As in life, accidents happen and cosmetic injuries occur, but it is the "guts" of a car, the engine, transmission, and brakes that will decide if it will be happily driving down the road or sitting in the junkyard.
Here are some of the simple things men can do to live healthier lives:
1. Eat right By cutting back on saturated fats, trans fats, and simple carbohydrates, you can reduce your chances of developing chronic health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.
2. Get some exercise At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every day has been proven to improve overall cardiovascular health.
3. Avoid smoking and excessive drinking Smoking and excessive drinking are two of the main risk factors for preventable chronic diseases. But what some don't seem to realize is that it's never too late to stop. Your body can heal itself with a little help from good lifestyle choices.
4. Get routine medical care and physical examinations Health examinations are used to evaluate your current health status, which allows the healthcare provider to detect signs of potentially life-threatening conditions. Regular checkups can help prevent diseases or catch them at an early stage, increasing the chances for treatment.
5. Stay mentally active Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness. According to the Alzheimer's Association, research shows that keeping your brain active increases its vitality, and doing new things in new ways appears to help retain brain cells and connections.
How long we live is important; however, the quality of life is equally important. The ability to enjoy life to its fullest requires investing time and effort into health maintenance and disease prevention.
Hopefully, with some gentle nudges, we can help the men in our lives build their health and have a much better chance of staying active and strong.
Here's to a long, healthy, and happy life!
Renee VanHeel
Call or text: 858-472-7295 Book a 15-minute free consultation with me https://calendly.com/reneevanheel/gcehealth
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