A lot of guys, ourselves included, think that in order to “get healthy”, you have to make a whole bunch of drastic lifestyle changes – quit smoking, stop drinking, work out for two hours daily, eat cottage cheese four times a day, become a vegan.  Have you ever known a vegan who’s actually happy?  Neither have we (for crying out loud, have a burger!).

The thing to know is that your body, as complex as it is, does an amazing job of repairing all that damage that you do to it if you understand that you’re the one in charge of keeping it in good working order.  Which means yes, there is hope for you after all of those nine-tequila-shot nights followed by a late-night run to KFC. Your body can go on a sort of autopilot as long as your head knows how to look out for the rest of you.  In other words, stop beating your body all to Hell so it can keep up with its own routine schedule of repairs. The following are the key points every guy needs to be know:

Physicals: Even if you’ve given up trying out for the Eagles, it’s a good idea to get a physical every year or two, especially if you’re starting an exercise program and you’ve spent the last few years exhibiting sloth-like behavior. If you’re young and healthy with no issues, annual is probably not necessary, but every other year is a good idea. But do go, and let the doc decide the frequency of your return visit. Just make sure everything’s in good working order, like cholesterol, respiratory issues, and blood pressure. Speaking of blood pressure….
 
High Blood Pressure: In America, where obesity and stress reign supreme, high blood pressure (a.k.a. hypertension) runs rampant. Ever heard of heart disease?  This is what we’re talking about. High blood pressure can blow out the delicate arteries around your brain – hello, stroke! It also weakens the walls of your arteries - hello, heart attack! This is why diet and stress relievers are so key to keeping blood pressure in check. Frequent exercise (punch that heavy bag, fella), proper rest, sex (see, tell her there are medical benefits to regular sex), not overdosing on sodium, and steering toward foods high in healthy oils and potassium all help to keep the pipes running clean.

Cholesterol: We were never doctors, we never played ones on TV, but we know the cholesterol basics. Here’s what you need to know – if you have too much bad cholesterol (LDL) in your blood stream, it piles up as plaque, which can rupture and block an artery downstream – game over. There is also such a thing as good cholesterol (HDL), which picks up the bad cholesterol and takes it to your liver to be disposed of. Plus, not only is cholesterol an important component of cell membranes, but it is the building block for the sex hormones:  testosterone and estrogen – excellent! You want more good than bad – easy. Question is how?  We’re not saying you should be a vegetarian, but all those steaks, cheeseburgers and ribs you throw back are part of the problem. A plant-intensive diet rich in vitamins and natural fibers is proven to build up good cholesterol, so we suggest getting to know the produce aisle at the grocery store (and keep an eye out for the occasional comely female shopper while you’re at it). Also, keep the whole grains flowing to lower bad cholesterol. And exercise daily. We sound like your Mom.

Your Prostate and Other Cancers: Sexy, ain’t it?  Look, we need to have this discussion because everyone is walking around with potential cancer cells at the ready that need to be beaten into submission. Cancer starts when cells divide out of control. This can be caused by things we can’t control (a viral infection or incidental exposures, such as certain radiations) or by things we can control (smoking, drinking, getting too much sun, listening to James Blunt). Highly active organs, like your prostate (it’s the gland that produces the liquid portion of your semen), are particularly susceptible. Besides getting regular physicals (you can self–test for testicular cancer, just don’t get too addicted to the self-test), move your diet toward foods high in good fats and vitamins and get those 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week (starting to recognize a pattern here?).

Sleep and Stress: When was the last time you really got enough consistent sleep? High school maybe? Life is busy and you’re probably not getting enough sleep. Part of not sleeping enough can be stress but part of it may be that you’re not turning off the tube, turning out the light, and checking out. A night time cup of coffee or booze drink also hinders restful sleep. We suggest a cool, dark room for optimal sleeping. We can just about guarantee that you (we) need to get more sleep than you (we) do now. Not getting enough sleep and internalizing life’s stresses raises your blood pressure, makes you eat more and generally ages your body more quickly.  Not to mention it turns you into a crabby little bastard (just ask David's wife). So exercise regularly, get your 8 hours, and loosen up.

Smoking and Drinking: This is a tough topic for us to face, since we both like all sorts of wine and booze, and Brian's a minor cigar afficionado to boot.  But we aslo know the realities of our vices so we try to keep them in relative check.  Smoking is one of those activities that can kick lung cancer into gear, filling up your lungs with tar residue, giving you emphysema and chronic bronchitis (and making you smell like a homeless dude). Heavy drinking can kick liver cancer into gear, killing brain cells, weakening your liver and heart (and making you act like a homeless dude). Everything in moderation, my brother, though we do suggest dumping the smoking altogether. That stuff’ll kill ya!