Imagine yourself twenty or thirty years from now. Take a minute and think about what you will see in the mirror. Will you be overweight, skinny, strong, or weak? How old do you think you will be when you have your heart attack?
What we see in the mirror isn’t representative of how healthy we are inside. The challenge we have as wellness and longevity physicians is getting this message across to men, especially men in their 30s. For too long we’ve been led to believe that eating healthy and exercising are all we need to be “healthy”. The internet is ripe with supplements, fad diets, and supposed “health experts” telling you lies. It’s modern-day snake oil sales and it’s making the problem worse. But it’s not only the internet and social media; it’s also the medical community. Insurance companies and Medicare have created an environment where the doctor works for them and must make decisions based on their rules and not science or the needs of the patient.
Many men don’t go to the doctor because they feel fine and believe they are healthy. They don’t see any reason to go to the doctor… until they get sick. But that’s the problem! Men don’t make preventive health a priority and end up paying the price later in life. They wake up one day and realize they look and feel weak, tired, and fat and blame it on getting old. Or they wait until their health problems grow beyond the point of denial. They ignore symptoms up until the day they have their heart attack. By then, the opportunity for prevention has passed.
Looking and feeling old and unhealthy is not a normal part of the aging process! Men need to understand that medical problems don’t start overnight or after the age of 50. Coronary artery disease starts in our teens. Twenty and 30-year-olds are walking around today with heart disease in its beginning stages. This could have been prevented in most cases. Many diseases that plague men in their later years can be prevented.
The integration of health, wellness, and modern medicine on a level that will effect real change is not part of our current healthcare system. In fact, there are few places to get this kind of care. Don’t confuse what I’m talking about with going to a naturopath or strip-mall “wellness” center. You need a medical doctor (scientist) knowledgeable in the latest anti-aging and preventive health research; a doctor who is focused on longevity and not constrained by time or insurance companies. This is essential to getting a thorough assessment of your current state of health to understand your risk profile.
You need aggressive and proactive measures that must be performed early in life to increase your health and life span. This is done with early wellness planning. Preparation for our future is not a new concept. We do it all the time. We hire financial advisors to manage our finances so that one day we have a nest egg. We do regular preventive maintenance on our homes and vehicles to keep them functioning for years to come. Why don’t we do this for our health?
Life is too important to just live passively. Don’t be forced to react to illness and poor health later in life. Early, proactive, preventive wellness care and planning are essential, and that is our focus at The Men’s Clinic. We’ve worked hard to develop one-of-a-kind techniques and strategies to empower you. Make your current and future state of health a priority now. The key to your quality of life as you age, is in your hands!
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