Men: Treat your body like a car

Joe Blumberg is executive director of Men’s Health and Wellness Center, whose mission is to create an educational and screening environment for preventative medicine that helps men make better health choices.

He believes men and women are “wired differently” when it comes to healthcare. “Women will talk to anyone with a medical condition. Men will not discuss it with their best friends,” he says. “Men generally ignore the medical community until there’s a crisis. They treat the medical community like a repair shop – break and fix. Women treat it like a preventive issue.”

He encourages men to know their family medical history – whether cardiovascular disease, diabetes or cancer. “You need to be aware and look for the potential impact of those diseases as you age.” Blumberg says men will know the horsepower on their car and even the RPM’s at which their car is supposed to rev. “And when those kinds of things don’t work correctly, men take immediate steps to correct that issue,” he says. “If we would only treat our bodies, the way we treat our cars, we’d be in much better shape.”

Quick Facts

Men are 24% less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year. Source: AHRQ
Have a screening test for colorectal cancer starting at age 50.
Your emotional health is as important as your physical health. If you have concerns, talk to someone.
Get screened for diabetes if your blood pressure is higher than 135/80 or if you take medication for high blood pressure.
Starting at age 18, check your blood pressure at least every two years.
If you are 35 or older, have your cholesterol checked.
Your car needs regular maintenance. And so do you.
If your blood pressure readings are consistently over 140/90, alert your doctor.
If your waist measures more than 40”, you have an increased risk for weight-related problems.