Live Healthy Georgia

Live Healthy Georgia— Seniors Taking Charge Men’s Health June 2011 Newsletter By Lauren Badger, BSFCS

June is Men’s Health Month! In this concern to men include lung, skin, newsletter, we will focus on several prostate, and colorectal cancers. To chronic conditions that reduce your risk of these men face as they age. cancers, do not use tobacco products, go to your doctor Heart Disease for regular health screens, Heart disease is the and protect your skin from leading cause of death the sun. Also, if a certain among men and women type of cancer runs in your worldwide, and it has family, be sure to been identified as the leading men’s communicate with your healthcare health threat in the United States. Risk provider. factors include tobacco use; diets high in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, or sodium; Stroke physical inactivity; obesity; excessive A stroke happens when a clot blocks alcohol intake (more than two drinks a blood supply to the brain or when a blood day for men); high LDL cholesterol and vessel in the brain bursts. This can triglycerides; high blood pressure; permanently damage parts of your brain uncontrolled diabetes mellitus; and and lead to disability and even death. genetics. By maintaining a healthy diet Your risk of stroke increases as you age, and regular physical activity, avoiding and men are more likely to have strokes tobacco use, controlling your chronic than women. Also, Blacks, Hispanics, conditions, and reducing your stress and American Indian/Alaskan Natives levels, you can lower your risks of heart have a greater risk of stroke than non- disease. Hispanic whites or Asians do. Other risk factors for stroke include family history, Cancer tobacco and alcohol use, physical Cancer is a group of diseases in which the inactivity, high blood pressure and body’s cells grow out of control and can cholesterol, heart disease, uncontrolled cause illness and death if not treated. The diabetes, overweight and obesity, a types of cancer that are of particular previous stroke, or sickle cell disease.

Department of Foods and Nutrition, The University of Georgia, GA 30602 Division of Aging Services, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Atlanta, GA 30303 Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases These diseases are chronic Departmentbronchitis of Foodsand and Nutrition,Older adults The University are more of Georgia, likely GA to30602 develop emphysema (also calledDivision chronic of Aging Services, Georgiadiabetes Department because of Human Resources,the aging Atlanta, body GA gradually 30303 obstructive pulmonary diseases) and makes less insulin, which is needed to use asthma. With chronic bronchitis and energy from the food that you eat. emphysema, breathing progressively gets Individuals with diabetes may have more difficult, and individuals may cough frequent urination, excessive thirst, up large amounts of mucus, wheeze, and hunger, fatigue, or tingling in the hands or have chest tightness and other symptoms. feet. In addition to age, obesity, physical Risk factors for bronchitis and inactivity, family history, and emphysema include tobacco smoking, race/ethnicity are also risk factors. environmental exposures, and genetics. With asthma, individuals also experience Take Charge of Your Health shortness of breath and may wheeze, have A good general guideline to reduce your chest tightness, and experience frequent risk of most chronic diseases is to make coughing. For asthma, genetics strongly healthier choices on a daily basis. Aim to contribute to the disease, and individuals eat a healthy diet with vegetables, fruits, with allergies are more likely to have the whole grains, high-giber foods, and lean disease. proteins. Also, manage chronic conditions and schedule regular check-ups Alzheimer’s Disease with your healthcare providers, especially With this disease, a loss of brain function if you have any of the symptoms listed occurs, called dementia. Individuals’ above. Be physically active for at least 30 memory, language, thinking, ability to minutes a day, and try to manage your make decisions, and personality are stress. Always remember that your health impaired. As you age, your risk increases; is a journey, not a destination! however, the disease is not a part of References: normal aging. Although men are less  CDC. Healthy aging. 25 February 2010. Internet: http://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/AAG/agi likely to develop Alzheimer’s than ng.htm  CDC. Heart disease. 16 March 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/ women, men still do get the disease. heartdisease/index.htm There is currently no proven way to  CDC. Men’s health. 13 April 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/men/ index.htm prevent Alzheimer’s, although if you have  CDC. Stroke. 27 April 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/stroke/  CDC. What is diabetes? 5 April 2011. a known family history of the disease, http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/consumer/learn.htm  Mayo Clinic. Men's health: Preventing the top 7 threats. 5 February speak with your healthcare provider about 2011. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mens-health/MC00013 medications that may prevent it. Also, a  NDIC. Diabetes and aging. 2002. http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/about/dateline/spri02/8.htm healthy diet that includes fruits,  NHLBI. NIH. Asthma. February 2011. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html vegetables, and cold-water fish may be  NHLBI. NIH. COPD. June 2010. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ beneficial. health/dci/Diseases/Copd/Copd_WhatIs.html  PubMed. Alzheimer’s disease. 4 October 2010. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001767/ Diabetes Mellitus  West Virginia Health Statistics Center. Chronic lower respiratory disease: a state and national problem. Executive summary. 12 Diabetes is when your blood glucose September 2006. http://www.wvdhhr.org/bph/hsc/pubs/other/clrd/ (sugar) levels are higher than normal. summary.htm  World Health Organization. The top 10 causes of death. October 2008. http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/ index.html