Why should you care? It’s simple… and grim. Heart disease is the #1 killer of men in the US. So now’s the perfect time for all of us to think about our remarkable cardiovascular system (which is made up of the heart, arteries, and blood vessels), and what we can do to keep it healthy year ‘round.
The human heart was designed to work reliably (under normal operating conditions) for a lifetime. Ready to be astounded? The average heart beats about 100,000 times every single day of our lives. That about 36,500,000 times every year, and over the average course of a US male’s 73-year lifespan, adds up to more than 2.6 billion beats. Just as impressive is the fact that every one of those beats pushes about five ounces of blood through 52,100 miles of blood vessels. Now that is awesome. This hard-working and vital organ system, of course, works better if we do some simple things to keep it in good shape. The point of bringing these staggering strategic statistics to your attention is to help you understand why taking care of your heart—starting in your teen years—is so important.
Unfortunately, keeping our heart system in good shape is not something all men do—and the consequences can be deadly. In 2021, heart disease was the direct cause of death of 384,886 [1] men—that’s about 1 in every 4 male deaths. Making heart disease the number one killer in the US (followed by cancer and lung disease). Heart disease, particularly high blood pressure, is often called the silent killer, because someone with significant and potentially catastrophic heart illness most likely will not have symptoms until they have a heart attack or other cardiac event (half of men who die of heart disease had no previous symptoms). Because one can still be at risk of heart disease without symptoms, is essential to have regular check-ups with a medical provider and to keep track of your blood pressure.
Heart disease can often be prevented (or at least managed) with some very simple medications and changes to the ways we physically and emotionally stress our heart, making it work harder than it needs to or was designed to. Stop smoking, eat a heart-healthy diet (lots of fruits and veggies, whole grains and fiber, and limiting red meat), exercise regularly (even if it’s something simple like walking), and manage your weight. Obesity, even in young men, is an out-of-control health problem in our land of plenty, and carrying around extra pounds puts unnecessary stress on an already hard-working system.
So guys, this month, try to do just one thing differently to reduce your heart disease risk. Whatever it is, it’ll pay big dividends. This is also a great time to go in for a general medical checkup that should include some basic blood tests so you you’ll know where you stand. If your provider finds that you have an underlying condition that can stress your heart and blood vessels, take his or her treatment recommendations seriously.
And whether you’re a man or not, we urge you to encourage the men in your life to pay attention to this amazing and vital organ system. You might just end up saving one of them from premature death or debilitating illness from severe heart or blood vessel disease.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/men.htm
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
