How to Be a Real Man as You Mature

Most men's magazines today only address the more superficial aspects of men's wellness. Things like ripped abs, broad shoulders, defined chest, and a great tan. This is not unlike the picture you get in women's magazines implying that in order to be a "healthy" women you have to be slender and not have any wrinkles. Obviously, neither one of these pictures is anywhere near accurate, and they are even further off the mark for more mature men and women. The good news is that more women have a tendency to try to take better care of themselves than men do. Men shouldn't pretend things are okay when they aren't.

The earlier men start paying attention to diet and patterns of physical activity, the better off they'll be. A 60-year-old man can't play baseball or basketball the same way he did in his twenties, or even in his forties. They should look to more age appropriate physical activities. And diet effects male health concerns including cardiovascular disease, erectile dysfunction, diabetes, hypertension, and colon and prostate cancer. Degenerative cardiovascular disease comes in large part from eating habits, exercise choices, and dealing with emotions and stress.

There are studies that show that, in general, one in three men don't have a regular doctor, more than half don't get regular health screenings, and one in four waits as long as possible before seeking care or advice about a health problem. More men need to realize that it isn't a sign of weakness to seek advice or help. Men should open up more with their doctor about symptoms, concerns, and lifestyle.

One of my oldest and dearest friends has historically paid little or no attention to his health. At age 61 he had been told by his doctor for almost 10 years that he should get a regular colonoscopy. He refused. Six weeks ago he was admitted to the hospital with severe symptoms that led to the discovery that he had an extremely large tumor in his colon and he has end stage colon cancer that has spread to his liver, lymph nodes, and other parts of his abdominal cavity. Even with aggressive treatment he probably has less that 2 years to live. Considering that colon cancer is suppose to be one of the most fully treatable forms of cancer if it is found early, what happened? My friend ignored his symptoms and pretended that everything was okay. Unfortunately, this is a common problem among men.

If you're a mature man, and you want to live to a ripe old age, you need to forget about the "macho man" image.

Take care of your health by seeing a doctor regularly and having appropriate health screenings.
Pay attention to your diet and the kind and amount of exercise you're getting.
Learn to seek help from physicians, therapists, and counselors when needed.
And don't wait, deny, and stuff problems away until they lead to really big problems.

If you want to be a real man, act more like a woman and take better care of yourself.

Online fitness coach Tom Manfredi is the creator of the site http://www.fitness-after-50.com. He has a master's degree in exercise physiology and over 20 years of practical exercise experience.