Dear Church family,

OK all the men in our lives, it’s your turn to get some good health information and encouragement. I’ll briefly touch on several areas of men’s health but there is so much more information out there, feel free to contact me for websites and written materials if you want to know more.

HEART DISEASE– in 1997 62% of deaths were from heart disease, but there are lifestyle changes you can make today to cut your risk of heart disease by as much as 70%.

            Stop smoking- talk to your Dr. about prescription and non-prescription aids to quitting smoking.

            Cut your cholesterol – As you may know the Ratio of your total cholesterol to your “good” (HDL) cholesterol is what you need to work on. The HDL helps keep the blood vessels clear. Your Dr. can help you figure if the ratio is 4.5 or less, which is what you want. Regular exercise and low-fat, low-cholesterol /high fiber diet will get it under control and keep it there.

            Keep your blood pressure under control - for every point your diastolic (lower number) pressure drops you can lower your heart attack risk by 2-3%. Losing weight, cutting down/out your alcohol consumption and lowering you salt intake all help.

CANCER- lung, prostate and colon are the “Big 3” for men, causing more than half of the male cancer deaths yearly. Good lifestyle habits can prevent many cancers and significantly reduce the risk of many others. These changes include: quit smoking, limit alcohol consumption to no more than 2 drinks per day, avoid overexposure to the sun (and use sunscreen appropriately), reduce fat in your diet to less than 30% of total calories and eat more fruits, vegetables and fiber.

STROKE – Men are more than 19% more likely to have a stroke than women and it’s the third leading cause of death and the biggest cause of serious disability among men.

            Quitting smoking, keeping your blood pressure down and exercising moderately can cut your stroke risk substantially.

            Another special risk factor is “atrial fibrillation”, a heart rhythm problem experienced as racing heart or palpitations (skipped beat). If you experience these see your Dr. as medication can help control this problem.

LUNG DISEASE- Emphysema is a preventable disease, it decreases the ability of the lungs to exchange air and leads to slow, lingering death for about 50,000 men a year. This disease can be prevented or slowed by quitting smoking.

PNEUMONIA and INFLUENZA – true, young men don’t often die from the flu but men over 65, esp. if they have immune disorders, asthma, diabetes or heart or lung disease often do. If you have one of these risk factors or are over 65, or, just as important if you are in close contact regularly with people over age 65 you should get a flu shot every year (supplies permitting, that is).

DIABETES – There are 2 major types of diabetes. Type I is usually seen in youth when the body stops producing insulin completely. Type II is more common, usually seen in adults and is a result of the body slowing down the production of insulin or not using the insulin properly. It’s estimated that 8 million Americans are walking around with early signs of Type II diabetes and don’t know it. The symptoms are: frequent urination, unusual thirst or weight loss, extreme hunger or fatigue, irritability, frequent or recurring infections, blurred vision or numbness or tingling in hands or feet. If you have any of these problems and especially if you have a family history of diabetes, see your Dr. Keeping your weight down, lowering the fat and sugar content of your diet and exercising regularly may help delay or prevent Type II diabetes.

I recently came across a website for those of you who love computers that will predict your risk of diabetes, stroke, heart attack, kidney, eye and foot (circulation) problems. You fill in your personal information and in about an hour they will send you back your risk factor of developing those problems over the next 30 years. You can then adjust your risk factors, such as weight and exercise and cholesterol to see the difference in your risk factors if you make some life style changes. I did it and it’s amazing to see how small changes in lifestyle can significantly impact your future health. The website is: www.diabetes.org and once you get to the website look on the right side and click on “Get your free diabetes PHD” it will take you to the website, ask you questions and then send your profile to your email address. It’s legit and VERY helpful.

I also have to make a correction on a recent email address I gave for the new food pyramid info. It’s really www.mypyramid.gov and it too will personalize your food intake when you supply your information.

Please call me with any questions you might have. Remember today is the first day of the rest of your life – make it a healthy one!

God’s richest blessings and my love and prayers,

Maureen Redmer, RN

Aurora Parish Nurse Program