You wouldn’t dream of driving your car around for a year without the occasional diagnostic, but when it comes to personal health, a lot of guys suddenly forget the importance of maintenance. We caught up with one of the capital’s longest standing physicians, Dr JP McCulloch, to find out what men should get checked every year – whether it hurts or not – and why.
Height and weight
We all know that weight gain can lead to all kinds of problems, including diabetes and heart disease. Your doctor should measure your height and weight to determine your body mass index, or BMI – a reading of 18 to 25 is generally considered healthy for most men. Likewise, sudden or unexplained weight loss can also be a sign of trouble, and if your height goes down, you may be suffering from compression of the spinal cord.
Prostate
Cancer is the third leading cause of death in the UAE. Data from the UAE Ministry of Health indicates that cancer accounts for approximately 500 deaths per year and according to the UAE National Cancer Registry, prostate cancer accounts for 7.5 percent of all male cancer cases in the UAE – so no matter how unpleasant the exam may be, it’s less bad than the disease. Men over the age of 50 should also consider having a Prostate Specific Antigen screening, a blood test that can indicate prostate cancer.
Blood pressure
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, can lead to heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and other health problems. If yours is high, you may be able to control it with diet and exercise, or you may need medication – your doctor can tell you. Having blood pressure that’s too low can be equally dangerous, so check it out.
Other blood and organ tests
A simple blood test can identify – or rule out – a number of issues that may or may not present with symptoms. A test that measures your blood count, fasting blood sugar and lipid profile can tell you if you’re in danger of developing such health concerns as bleeding problems, diabetes, thyroid dysfunction and other problems with your liver or kidneys. Also, starting at age 50, it’s a good idea to have an EKG every year or so to track any changes.
General physical and mental well being
It may not seem like it, but sometimes small aches and pains or changes in mood can be signs of bigger problems. You’re not being brave if you simply soldier on – you may just be letting a small problem turn into a big one. Discuss any physical or emotional concerns you have with your doctor. You wouldn’t let that click in your engine turn into a clang – treat your health the same.
Laura Fulton
Stay healthy
Those yearly visits to the doctor will be a lot less worrying if you take good care of yourself.
- Stop smoking: It doesn’t matter how long you’ve smoked – quitting is always a great idea
- Eat well: You don’t have to limit yourself to lettuce leaves to have a healthy diet; instead, try to get most of your calories from lean protein and vegetables, and avoid those things you know are bad for you like fried foods, sugar and caffeine
- Exercise: You don’t need an expensive gym membership or heavy-duty equipment to stay fit. Find something you enjoy doing – like biking, swimming or playing a sport – and have fun with your fitness. Looking for a local team? Check out www.abudhabi.duplays.com
- Hydrate: It’s easy to consume more calories than you need from beverages, but a great way to offset those calories is to dilute them with water. Keep a water bottle on your desk to refill throughout the day, and try to balance your beverages by drinking one bottle of water for every non-water beverage you drink
- Vaccinate: Abu Dhabi is a real melting pot, which means we’re exposed to cold and flu bugs from around the world. If you’re prone to flu, consider getting a flu vaccine
- Clear your head: Stress is to blame for a number of health issues, but it’s not always easy to limit the amount of stress in your life, so look for ways to make time for yourself and relax. If you feel it’s all spiralling out of control, seek help. The American Centre for Psychiatry and Neurology (02 666 4866) offers counselling for a wide range of issues
- Sleep: The mental and physical benefits of sleep are numerous. If you’re not getting enough sleep, examine why and take measures to correct the problem. It can make the world of difference
