When it comes to scheduling for a routine check-up, routine doesn’t always mean routine especially for men. Months, even years, go by before a man schedules just the simplest of health care screenings. Several reasons for procrastinating a routine check-up are: fear of what the doctor may say; too busy to make time; there’s nothing wrong or feeling good. Whatever the reason, a person should visit their health care provider for a regular check-up.  The purpose of these visits is to:

–       Screen for medical issues

–       Assess your risk of future medical problems

–       Encourage a healthy lifestyle

–       Update vaccinations

–       Help you get to know your provider in case of an illness

There are specific times when you should see your provider.  Below are screening guidelines for men.

Blood Pressure Screening

• Have your blood pressure checked every 2 years unless the top number (systolic number) is between 120 and 139 or the bottom number (diastolic number) is between 80 and 89 mm Hg or higher.  Then have it checked every year.

Diabetes Screening

• If you are age 45 or older, you should be screened every 3 years.
• If your blood pressure is above 135/80 mm Hg, your provider may test your blood sugar level for diabetes.
• If you have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 and have other risk factors for diabetes, you should be screened. Having a BMI over 25 means that you are overweight.

Cholesterol Screening and Heart Disease Prevention

• Men over age 35 and older should be checked every 5 years.

If you have diabetes, heart disease, kidney problems, or certain other conditions, you may need to have your blood pressure checked more often and start getting screened earlier, at age 20.

Physical Exam

• During an exam, review overall health status:

–       20-39 yrs. / every 3 years

–       40-49 / ever 2 years

–       50+ every year

• Your blood pressure should be checked at least every two years.
• Your height, weight, and BMI should be checked at every exam.

Colon Cancer Screening

• If you are under age 50 and have a strong family history of colon cancer or polyps, you should have a colon cancer screening.
• If you are between ages 50-75, you should be screened for colorectal cancer.

Note: Screening may also be considered if you have a history of inflammatory bowel disease or polyps.  You may need a colonoscopy more often if you have risk factors for colon cancer.

Prostate Cancer Screening

• Most men age 50 or older should discuss screening for prostate cancer with their provider.  African American men and those with a family history of prostate cancer in a first degree relative younger than age 65 should discuss screening at age 45.
• The potential benefits of PSA testing as a routine screening test have not been shown to outweigh the harms of testing and treatment.  If you choose to be tested, the PSA blood test is most often done very year.

It is never too late to schedule an appointment to see your health care provider. If you have not done so, then do it the Nike way, “Just Do It.”  Make it a Christmas gift to yourself.

So, Man-up, get a check-up, so you can live-up to your full potential of living a healthy lifestyle!

Please consult your health care provider as screenings may vary based upon your health. 

Information provided by medlineplus.gov. 

With all the Black Friday sales and Cyber Monday hype dying down, we now have a chance to let the Thanksgiving dinners digest while we catch our breath.  But Christmas is coming fast!  If you haven’t felt the pressure yet, it’s coming soon.

The not-so-subtle hints and wish lists, if you’re not careful, can cause you to spend more than you planned and put you in a bad spot, financially, going into next year.

In case you didn’t know, I want to let you in on a little secret.  It is OK with Jesus to have Christmas on a budget!  Trust me, He is good with it.  I have learned that budgeting Christmas spending is the best way to maintain order over the finances during these spend-happy holidays.  You can start by deciding how much money you are willing to spend on Christmas.  Notice I didn’t say gift-giving or traveling.  All Christmas related activities that are out of the normal day-to-days spending practices are lumped together.  Whether you are buying gifts, traveling, paying for special dinners, all Christmas spending could come out of the allocated money.  And when there is no more money…there is no more Christmas spending.  Period.  That is when you resort to giving the gift of love!

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday of the year.  You should enjoy it.  But you don’t have to celebrate until you’re broke! It’s O.K. to dial it back some, cut the wish-lists short, and budget your Christmas spending.  Jesus won’t be mad at you (although some of your family might call you cheap!).  Trying to please people is a losing endeavor, so why not take a different approach to the holiday spending this year?  Put your Christmas on a budget and hold fast to the spending limit you set.  You don’t want to still be paying for December choices in January.  That’s like living life in the rear view mirror.   Finish strong and go into 2017 with some positive momentum.  A major part of keeping your finances under control is developing disciplined spending habits.  It may be hard now, but you will be better for it in the future.  Or at least that is what the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:11. So enjoy your Christmas, but don’t go crazy!  God bless and we’ll see you in 2017.