6 Essential Tips For Maintaining Quality Of Life Regarding oral health, men were also less worried, as 41.3% of them had gone to the dentist in the last 12 months, while 47.3% of the women interviewed had sought a dental office. However, these numbers need to improve. Being inattentive to health may favor the development of several diseases, especially those that are silent, with no symptoms at all. Thinking about it, Testosteronerd prepared this post with 6 tips that every man should follow to maintain his quality of life. Check below!
1. Have a healthy diet
The first step in achieving a good quality of life is to have a healthy diet. A balanced diet can prevent several problems, including those that most occur in men, such as heart and prostate and hypertension. Also, a balanced diet contributes to the strengthening of the immune system and, consequently, there is an improvement in the functioning of every organism. However, it is important to note that even the recommended foods should be consumed in moderation. This avoids obesity and all its consequences. So to increase the body’s defenses, avoid eating fatty meats, fried foods, sausages, canned goods, processed products, and frozen foods. Exaggerating salt and sugar is also not indicated for those who want to have a healthy life. Many people do not know, but some fish contain toxin methylmercury, which can cause damage to the nervous system, so avoid the consumption of swordfish, pirá, mackerel, and sharks. Excess alcohol is not only responsible for the famous hangover. Over time, alcoholic beverages can damage the brain and digestive system, as well as increase the risk of diabetes and various types of cancer. So drink in moderation! To ensure a good quality of life, invest in the intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole foods. Introduce foods rich in Vitamin A, B6, C and E, selenium and zinc to increase resistance against bacteria and viruses. Omega-3 fish (salmon, tuna and cod), tomatoes, citrus fruits and berries, nuts and nuts, onions, beans, avocados, and oats are important foods to fight high cholesterol and reduce the risks of heart disease. And above all, drink plenty of water! It regulates body temperature, stimulates the work of the kidneys, absorbs and transports nutrients, facilitates the functioning of the respiratory system, and further promotes detoxification of the body.
2. Practice sports
Some believe that the exercises should be practiced only for aesthetic purposes, but this is not true. In addition to reducing body weight, physical activities can prevent diseases, increase respiratory and circulatory capacity and bone density, and contribute to creativity and memory. The body still reduces the production of hormones associated with stress and anxiety and increases the release of endorphin, the substance responsible for providing the feelings of happiness, pleasure, and well-being. Therefore, in addition to preventing various types of illnesses, the practice of sports makes possible the elevation of self-confidence, self-esteem, and quality of life. It is also important to consider that team sports or even gym training promote interaction and sociability, increasing your circle of friendship. When choosing the activity, the first step is to find out which is more aligned to your profile, so that you feel motivated to practice it. If you are a fan of aerobic activities, you can do the walking, running, boxing, capoeira, cycling and body-combat, and power jump classes. If you prefer water activities, then choose to swim or water aerobics.
For those who want to gain muscle endurance, the ideal is to do weight training and localized gym classes. And for greater flexibility, do stretching, yoga, and pilates classes. You can still play soccer, volleyball, handball, basketball, and tennis, but do not do it only Saturday or Sunday. It is recommended to practice physical activities two to three times a week. If you can, do 30 minutes of exercise every day. Regularity is more important than intensity. And do not forget to take a cardiovascular, orthopedic and respiratory evaluation before starting any type of physical activity.
3. Do routine medical appointments
As some diseases are silent and do not have any symptoms until they reach an advanced stage, it is essential to see a doctor frequently. Repeating these consultations once a year is usually enough to keep up with the general health conditions, however, from the age of 40 onwards, it becomes necessary to be more attentive to the condition of the organism. Therefore, from that age, the man must establish with his doctors the frequency with which he should return to the office. In addition to a general practitioner, it is also important to look for some specialists, see below:
Ophthalmologist
The eyes are responsible for the understanding, assimilation, and visual perception of everything around us. For these reasons, it is vital to maintain the health of these organs. Even if you do not have eye symptoms, it is recommended that you go to your ophthalmologist once a year to do a battery of exams and prevent eye problems such as cataracts, farsightedness, astigmatism, myopia, and glaucoma.
Dentistry
To prevent and make an early diagnosis of any dental problems, it is recommended that the mango to the dentist at least twice a year. Inflammation in the gums, bad breath, and diseases that attack the tissues around the teeth can be avoided in periodic consultations. During the care, the dentist will do a thorough cleaning of the teeth and a general evaluation of the mouth, including teeth, gums, the roof of the mouth and the inner part of the cheeks.
Cardiologist
Cardiology is a medical specialty that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the heart and circulatory system. If you are in the risk group for developing heart disease, you should seek a cardiologist from the age of 30, on the other hand, if you are not on the risk factors, the care can be started at 45 years of age. Risk factors include overweight, poor diet, being smoker, sedentary, having high cholesterol, the occurrence of diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease in the family.
Urologist
The urologist is considered the doctor of man. During childhood, this doctor accompanies penile development, testes changes, and phimosis. As a teenager, he is responsible for guiding the boys about aspects of their sexuality. Throughout youth and adulthood, this professional should be sought to address questions about sexual disorders, micturition dysfunctions, development of the genitals and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). He should also be consulted for prenatal exams, family planning, and vasectomy surgery. From the age of 40, it is essential to have an annual follow-up with the urologist to observe the condition of the prostate. In old age, in addition to analyzing prostate diseases, he is responsible for dealing with problems related to erectile dysfunction and androgen deficiency of male aging.
Proctologist
These doctors should be sought by the man from the age of 50 to prevent and make an early diagnosis of possible bowel cancer. If there are situations of this type of cancer in the family, the man should consult the proctologist annually after completing 40 years. These specialists treat diseases affecting the large intestine, rectum, and anus, including hemorrhoid problems and acute diarrhea. Men often feel intimidated and ashamed to go to the office. However, it is very important to go to regular appointments, to prevent any complications.
Endocrinologist
Although it is most famous among women, men should also consult an endocrinologist. Most people do not know it, but when the man gets older, there may be a decline in sex hormones known as andropause. The main symptoms are tiredness, reduced muscle strength, and sexual dysfunction, requiring the help of the endocrinologist to do the hormonal replacement. This specialist can still treat problems of obesity, diabetes, thyroid, and pituitary disorders.
4. Perform periodic examinations
Taking exams regularly, even if no symptoms are felt, is important to prevent or detect disease. Any problem that is diagnosed early is more likely to be treated successfully. When the young man reaches the age of 15, he should begin the practice of testicular self-examination. This test should be done every day and can be done while showering. One should palpate the testicle to see if there is anything different. From the age of 20, every man should have blood tests every year to
- Evaluate glucose,
- Magnesium,
- Potassium,
- Calcium,
- Phosphorus,
- Cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.
Through a complete blood count, it is possible to evaluate the concentrations of these substances and nutrients and to identify the occurrence of diabetes, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism, as well as to verify cases of anemia and infections. From this age, it is also recommended to perform urinalysis once a year to look for the presence of abnormal elements or sediments. It identifies evidence of diabetes, bleeding, dehydration, infections, and kidney disease, such as kidney stones.
Ophthalmic examinations, such as visual acuity, refraction (degree verification), biomicroscopy (evaluation of the eyelids, the ocular surface, and the anterior part of the eye), tonometry (intraocular pressure), and fundoscopy (evaluation of the inner part of the eye, optical and retinal) should be performed annually. They can even detect diseases like diabetes and hypertension. In addition to those already mentioned, a few more exams should be done after the age of 20: Ultrasound of the abdomen: Checks bile stones and kidney condition. Blood pressure: quantifies blood pressure to detect the occurrence of hypertension and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.
Rapid tests for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs): such as HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B and C. After 40 years, the man should be concerned about diseases in the prostate, so it is indicated to do the test known as rectal touch. In it, the douche or observes the size of this gland. In addition to prostate cancer, it is possible to identify inflammations in the rectal channel and diseases such as prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia by touch. Ultrasound of the prostate may also be performed to check for an abnormality in this organ. Prostate cancer can be diagnosed by rectal examination, as well as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) examination, a blood test that quantifies the levels of this substance, which is produced by the exocrine gland. If the amounts of PSA are high, it can mean problems in the prostate. Also after the age of 40, if cardiovascular disease is suspected, it is recommended to have a blood pressure, exercise test, echocardiogram, and heart ultrasound examination.
From the age of 50, it is advisable to perform the colonoscopy, in which an optical tube films and verifies the whole intestinal mucosa, analyzing if there is any deformation, wound, nodules or dryness. This test can detect cancer of the rectum and large intestine and should be done every 5 years. If there is any change, it should be done every 2 years. Even after the age of 50, it is interesting to do the Doppler exam, to evaluate the direction and speed of blood flow. It is essential to follow this schedule of exams, according to each age group, to ensure a better quality of life. You should also have your immunization record updated.
5. Be organized
Do you feel like spending more time with your children, your wife, and your friends? Want to be more disposed to yourself? So you have to make a change in your habits. Disorganized people face overtime at work, stress, and frustration at wanting to accomplish many things and fail to do so. This can trigger several diseases such as cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders, muscle aches, insomnia, eating disorders, and depression.
However, by becoming more organized, you can reduce wasted time, increase your income at work, perform all your daily tasks, and even spend more hours doing what gives you pleasure, ensuring satisfaction and a better quality of life. To do this, make a plan with all the activities that you will accomplish in the day. You can even make a weekly plan, thinking about the goals and goals you want to achieve during the week. Make a schedule of everything you’ve planned and go scratching when the task has been completed. If you are a fan of the technologies, you can use the phone book. It is also important to prioritize the most relevant tasks, starting your day for them. To make things easier, always keep your objects in the same place, either in the drawer or in a box. The ideal is that you always keep in mind where they are. Enjoy throwing away all that no longer serves, especially that pile of unnecessary papers. Try to keep your punctuality, so the tasks go as planned. Use alarms, reminders, and stickers to help. And, above all, the secret of the organization is the habit. Each day that you can keep track of what you’ve scheduled will be one more reason to continue the next day.
6. Sleep well
To restore the energies spent during the day, you must have a good night’s sleep. This rest period is imperative for the brain to store memories and process information. Sleep well is also critical because it regulates the body and the body’s defenses.
During sleep, substances are released that are responsible for keeping the immune system active. For this reason, when a man does not sleep well, his system of protection becomes fragile and therefore more subject to illness. Also, lack of sleep quality can lead to various endocrine, cardiovascular, diabetes, and early aging disorders. About the number of sleeping hours, it can vary according to the age and physical and mental fatigue of the man, however, the idea is that an adult sleeps from 7 to 8 hours a day.
Thus, people who sleep well guarantee a better quality of life and, on the other hand, those who sleep poorly can present several symptoms, such as reduced performance, fatigue, irritability, mental confusion, perceptual distortions, weight gain, muscular pain, mood swings, and even depression. Sleep deprivation can further deregulate blood pressure and raise concentrations of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which are involved with stress and anxiety.
