Mens Health Week June 11- 17 Ways to Stay Healthy for the Men in Your LIFE

How Guys Die (Top 10 Causes of Death for Men)
By Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness
Freelance
In recognition of National Men’s Health Week (June 11-17), MSN Health & Fitness has culled some fundamental facts and figures to raise your awareness of the most fatal conditions facing men in the United States today. With any luck (God willing prevention and daily wise lifestyle choices), we’ll also raise your prospects for living a longer, healthier life.
You may be struck by how many risk factors for the life-threatening conditions below are within your capacity to control.

We men could add years—even decades —to our lives by simply eating healthily, staying active and not smoking.

No. 10: Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s is a brain disease correlated to aging, so the number of cases has been increasing as men live longer. Life expectancy after diagnosis ranges anywhere from two to 20 years.
Risk Raisers: Aging, Poor social relationships, lack of reading and playing games/ activities to strengthen your mind, lack of physical activity.
Numbers That Count: According to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, an estimated one in 10 persons over age 65 and nearly half of those 85 or older have Alzheimer's disease.
Prevention 101: Little is known, but experts advise taking similar steps to preventing heart disease (see below).
Did you know? One hopeful prospect for combating Alzheimer’s is a brain-imaging technique which would measure the amount of the toxic compound (amyloid) that causes Alzheimer’s.

No. 9: Kidney Disease
Your kidneys remove waste and toxins while also helping to regulate blood pressure and body water. Kidney diseases are predominantly brought on by diabetes or high blood pressure.
Risk Raisers:
Diabetes.
High blood pressure.
Inactivity.
Smoking.
Numbers That Count: Treatment for chronic kidney disease (CKD) soared by 57 percent as awareness rose in the 1990s, though the actual rate of prevalence has been relatively stable.
Prevention 101:
Exercise.
Drink plenty of water.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Limit aspirin and ibuprofen.
Did you know? CKD is closely associated with heart disease. According to the American Society of Nephrology, death from cardiovascular disease is 10 to 30 times higher among dialysis patients.

No. 8: Suicide
Depression is the common element in more than half of all suicide attempts, though only one in 10 attempts is successful. It appears men are more successful than women because they choose more certain methods of self-destruction (for example, a gunshot rather than sleeping pills).
Risk Raisers:
Depression.
Painful illness.
Recent crisis or loss.
Substance abuse.
Numbers That Count: Men commit suicide four times more frequently than women.
Prevention 101:
Tell a friend.
Contact a doctor.
Call a suicide hotline (1-800-SUICIDE).
Did you know? About one in four suicides leave a note behind.

No. 7: Pneumonia and Flu
The statistic that 36,000 people die from pneumonia and influenza every year scares a lot of Americans into getting a flu shot. Most are individuals with compromised immune systems, especially the elderly.
Risk Raisers:
Pre-existing respiratory condition.
Heart disease.
Diabetes.
Weakened immune system.
Numbers That Count: The pneumonia/flu death rate dropped 10 percent between 2003 and 2004.
Prevention 101: Immunization.
Did you know? As of 2004, more people are dying of Alzheimer’s disease than pneumonia or flu. (Alzheimer’s is far more prevalent among women than men, which is why it ranks lower on the list of health threats for men.)

No. 6: Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes follows closely on the heels of this nation’s obesity epidemic. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) states that 54 million Americans are pre-diabetic, meaning that blood glucose levels are approaching diabetic levels.
Risk Raisers: Excess body fat and inactivity increase risk for type 2 diabetes; risk factors for type 1, which is far less common, are not well understood.
Numbers That Count: 9.6 percent of people aged 20 or older have diabetes, while nearly 21 percent of people over 60 have it.
Prevention 101:
Make a habit of healthy food choices.
Exercise.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Did you know? According to the ADA, 10.5 percent of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes, although nearly a third of them do not know it.

No. 5: COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
COPD is not actually one disease but the co-existence of emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These lung conditions are primarily caused by smoking—and they will kill you.
Risk Raisers: Smoking.
Numbers That Count: According to the American Lung Association, male smokers are nearly 12 times as likely to die from COPD as men who have never smoked.
Prevention 101: Don’t smoke or use smokeless tobacco.
Did you know? Smoking is bad for you. Did we mention that?

No. 4: Stroke
There are two types of strokes—those caused by a blocked artery (ischemic) and those due to bleeding in or around the brain (hemorrhagic). Both types result in the death of brain tissue, which can affect one’s entire body.
Risk Raisers:
High blood pressure.
Smoking.
Diabetes.
High cholesterol.
Obesity.
Numbers That Count: About 80 percent of strokes are ischemic and 20 percent hemorrhagic.
Prevention 101:
Keep a healthy diet.
Exercise.
Mind your blood pressure.
Did you know? A 2007 report by the American Heart Association estimated the cost of health expenditures and lost productivity due to cardiovascular disease and stroke at $431.8 billion—well over twice the cost of all cancers.

No. 3: Accidents
“Unintentional injuries” kill a staggering number of people every year. In 2004, the CDC’s total for men and women was 112,012. Vehicle accidents accounted for the most fatalities, followed by poisoning, falls and drowning.
Risk Raisers:
Driving while intoxicated.
Ignoring safety regulations.
Dangerous occupations such as mining, farming, construction and fishing.
Numbers That Count: In a related statistic, one in 30 black males are considered at high risk for homicide compared to one in 179 white males.
Prevention 101:
Wear a seat belt.
Don’t drink and drive.
Be well rested at work.
Follow safety guidelines.
Follow warnings on household and workplace chemicals.
Did you know? Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for men under the age of 34.

No. 2: Cancer
The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that cancer will take the lives of 289,550 men in 2007. However, the death rate for cancer’s major killers has steadily been decreasing. Even without a cure we could slash the rate by nearly one-third: ACS says tobacco accounts for 30 percent of all cancer deaths.
Risk Raisers:
Smoking.
Sun exposure.
Excessive alcohol intake.
Numbers That Count: Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among men (31 percent), followed by prostate (9 percent) and colorectal (9 percent) cancers.
Prevention 101:
Eat well.
Exercise.
Get screened.
Protect against UV rays.
Learn about carcinogens in your environment.
Did you know? Fewer than half the people diagnosed with cancer today will die of the disease.

No. 1: Heart Diseases
Though heart disease is the longstanding No. 1 killer, its mortality rate since 1950 has been halved in the 25-to-64 age group. Approximately 28 percent of American men—more than one in four—die from cardiovascular diseases today.
Risk Raisers:
High cholesterol.
High blood pressure.
Obesity.
Diabetes.
Numbers That Count: Heart disease kills about 26 percent more African-American men than white men.
Prevention 101:
Eat fruits and vegetables.
Be smart about fat intake.
Exercise.
Go for regular check-ups.
Don’t smoke.
Ask your doctor about taking aspirin daily.
Did you know? The 50-year Framingham Heart Study suggests men have a 49 percent risk of developing coronary heart disease after the age of 40.
Finally, here's a guide to some of the most common risk factors for an early demise. Learn and live to tell about it.

Rich Maloof lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. He specializes in health, technology, music and children’s non-fiction. He is a regular contributor to MSN.com and has written for CNN, Yahoo!, Billboard and the “For Dummies” book series.
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