Studies show that men under 40 are among the least likely to prioritize their health care. Your 30s is the time to change this statistic, as you can catch warning signs before they progress, as well as establish healthy patterns before you enter middle age. Some health checks you shouldn’t miss once you hit 30...Continue reading
Tag: cholesterol
Top Chronic Diseases Men Should be Aware Of
Although the gap has definitely decreased, women still live an average of 5 years longer than men do. And although both men and women are affected by chronic illness, men tend to smoke and drink more than women increasing their risk of many diseases. To top it off, men are also much less diligent about getting preventative care...Continue reading
My “Normal” Lifestyle Almost Killed Me
I was living what I thought was a “normal” lifestyle when all of a sudden I was facing death. One day I was visiting family, the next I was in the hospital experiencing dizziness and shortness of breath. I soon learned I had three blocked arteries, and would quickly need triple coronary bypass surgery to...Continue reading
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Silent Killers
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms or AAA, (pronounced “triple A”), are a silent killer. They evolve slowly over many years, offering no symptoms and no pain. They begins as a small dilation in the lower portion of the aorta, the body’s largest blood vessel, usually in the area just below the kidneys. Over years, they will continue...Continue reading
Why Do We Slay Ourselves?
As a final follow-up from my pulmonary embolism escapade [click here for the backstory] of August, 2012, I had a stress echocardiogram in March of 2013. Hooked up to EKG leads, I walked for ten minutes at a moderate pace and then had a sonar exam of my heart. Easy-peasy. A week later, the results...
Stopping the Number One Killer of Men
The #1 cause of death among men in the United States is heart disease, killing 1 in every 4 men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moreover, half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms. That is why management of risk factors like high levels...
What’s New in Weightloss, Part I
Being obese or even overweight has some very negative effects on our health. But researchers at Canada’s McGill University just developed a computer model that can predict the effects of being overweight on people’s life expectancy and quality of life. The results are pretty grim: The researchers led by Dr. Steven Grover, a Professor of...Continue reading
Statin Drugs May Save Your Life—Even After You Quit Taking Them
The benefits of taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are very clear: reduced risk of heart attack and stroke (of course you should never take statins or any other prescription medication without consulting with our provider first). New research indicates that men in their late 40s and early 50s who take statins for five years may enjoy...Continue reading
Do You Really Need to Take Statins?
Medications are wonderful treatment for many diseases. However, whenever prudent, physicians should aim to limit your medication burden and promote preventive measures such as diet, exercise and other lifestyle modifications. Additionally, it’s very possible to overmedicate, and it’s best to take fewer medications, and thus limit your exposure to resulting adverse effects. Why take a...Continue reading
Managing Your Cardiovascular Risks
As a physician and board member of the National Lipid Association, I’m confronted every day with the reality that cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer in this country. This stark fact is challenging for me to accept because there are a few simple steps people can take to better understand their risk of heart...Continue reading