WHY DO WOMEN LIVE LONGER: TURN YOUR HEAD AND COUGH
Maybe it’s because our first introduction to physical examinations was being groped and told to cough by a school nurse known as the Claw, but men have a problem going to the doctor. Women make about 130 million more visits to the doctor each year than men.
“Men believe that they’re bulletproof, and like most people, they’re afraid that the doctor will find something wrong with them,” Dr. Goldberg says. And that’s the kicker because having your doctor find something wrong with you often is a very good thing. “If a doctor catches the problem before you feel bad from it, that means that it’s usually early enough to cure it,” he says.
Preventive maintenance. It’s a term we all know but one we usually associate with our cars, not our bodies. Most guys wouldn’t wait until they heard that horrible grinding sound before getting their car’s brakes checked, Dr. Goldberg says. By then it’s a whole lot more expensive to fix than just replacing the pads. “Your body is the same way. Better to bring down high cholesterol than perform a double bypass,” Dr. Goldberg says.
If you want to help close the seven-year longevity lead that women have on us, you’re going to have to start practicing prevention and getting more in touch with your body. Here’s your action plan.
Search your tree. Lots of the top men-killing diseases run in families. Prostate cancer, colon cancer, heart disease, and testicular cancer are all deep-rooted conditions that, if caught early, are easily nipped in the bud, says Dr. Goldberg. “If you know your family history and get the appropriate tests, you can avoid or treat these conditions entirely,” he says.
Put yourself to the test. Thanks to the media, every man knows that women should do monthly breast self-examinations. But how many men know to check their own testicles? “Testicular cancer is the number one solid cancer in males younger than 35,” Dr. Goldberg says. “Every man who has reached puberty should examine his testicles once a month.” It’s best to check them in the shower, where the warm water relaxes the scrotum. Run your fingers around the circumference; you’re looking for lumps or hard spots. The testicle should feel like a hard-boiled egg without the shell, says Dr. Goldberg.
• Check your skin for unusual growths, changes, or sores.
• Check your chest around the nipples for lumps; men can get breast cancer, too.
• Check the glands in your neck, armpits, and groin for swelling.
• Check your resting heart rate. Significant changes can signal the beginning of heart disease.
Check in with the doc. Find a physician whom you honestly like—a guy you trust and can talk to. And see him once a year. It’s the single best thing you can do for yourself, Dr. Goldberg says. “It’s not just a matter of keeping you alive longer. It’s keeping you healthy longer so that you can play sports, have sex, and enjoy life no matter what age you are.”
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