
On Father's Day, share health messages for men, says Harvard Men’s Health Watch
This month, Harvard Men's Health Watch offers simple but important messages to men at each stage of life. Father's Day is a good time to share this advice with men — and the women who love them.
Studies show that healthy men, and those who have already suffered a heart attack, can reduce cardiovascular risk by eating nuts regularly, reports the Harvard Men's Health Watch. Doctors theorize that:
- Childhood: Real men have feelings. Boys will be boys, and should be! But they should also learn to acknowledge their feelings and communicate emotions.
- The teens and 20s: Real men wear seat belts. Risky male behavior can hurt the health of both men and women.
- The 30s: No man is an island. Don't let work displace family and friends. Instead, establish priorities and begin to build the social networks that can sustain you throughout life.
- The 40s: Obesity happens. For men who need to lose weight, the “C” word is calories, not carbs. Exercise counts, too. “You don’t have to run a marathon to control your weight and improve your health,” says Dr. Harvey Simon, editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. "But you do have to walk for at least 30 minutes a day."
- The 50s: Real men have doctors. Talk to yours about screening for common cancers—and get regular tests of blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
- The 60s: Expand your horizons. Stay involved. Consider travel, sports, courses, and hobbies.
- The 70s: Use it or lose it. Mentally stimulating activities can reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Do anything you find interesting, stimulating, and—above all—new.
- The 80s: Count your blessings. Keep working to stay healthy and active, but also learn to cope with Father Time—and keep looking for good things in your world.
- The 90s: Share your wisdom. Elders can teach younger generations a lot.
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Harvard Health Publications publishes five monthly newsletters--Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Women's Health Watch, Harvard Men's Health Watch, Harvard Mental Health Letter, and Harvard Heart Letter--as well as more than 50 special health reports and books drawing on the expertise of the 8,000 faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School and its world-famous affiliated hospitals.
