health in my 40's

Being in our 40s can be a whirlwind of growing responsibilities. Juggling work, family and social life, it’s easy to neglect our own health. Decisions we make about our health, fitness and food in our 40s will determine if we hit our 50s trim and fighting fit, or overweight and unhealthy.

HEALTH AWARENESS IN MY 40’s

In our 40s we start to become more at risk of developing serious health conditions and illnesses. Many of these risks can be reduced through living healthier. It’s a good time to learn what we might be susceptible to by finding out about our family health histories. And it’s really important we go to our doctor for a thorough men’s health check-up. Some lifestyle factors that can impact our health in our 40’s include:

 

  • Stress and not getting enough sleep
  • Drinking too much too often
  • Overeating, and eating too many takeaways and convenience foods
  • Living with knee, back and shoulder pain
  • Sitting too much and not getting enough exercise
  • Smoking and other drugs
  • Not seeing a doctor or dentist for a check-up

40’s health check

Make the time to visit your doctor for a health check-up every couple of years, even if you don’t feel sick. Now is the time to start getting tested for prostate cancer and bowel cancer. For all the information you need on getting a health check-up, including booking your appointment and what to ask for, download our Men’s Health Check-ups brochure.

These are some of the topics you might want to discuss at your health check.

  • Family health history
  • Blood pressure
  • Liver health
  • Cholesterol and heart health
  • Weight
  • Irregular moles or sun spots on your skin
  • Risks of prostate cancer and bowel cancer
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Vision and hearing
  • Hormones, energy levels and sex drive
  • Snoring and breathing difficulties

STEPS TO BETTER HEALTH IN OUR 40’s

It’s fair to say that by the time we’ve reached our 40s most of us have a set routine and habits. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to kick the bad habits and put in place healthier eating and exercise routines. Find out what’s a healthy size for your height and make it a priority to reach and maintain it. Being a healthy size reduces our risks of a huge number of health conditions including gout, high blood pressure, diabetes, most cancers, heart diseases, arthritis and strokes. Check out what can you do.

40's check-ups schedule

Blood pressure 2 years
Blood tests & urinalysis 3 years
Chest health 2-3 years
Eye health 5 years
Flu shot Yearly
Mental health Regularly
Oral health Yearly
Physical exam 3 years
Prostate health  2 years
STIs Regularly
Skin self exam 1-2 months
Testicle self exam yearly
Testosterone ask your doctor
Tetanus & diphtheria booster 10 years
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WHAT CAN I DO?

Make an appointment to see a doctor for a men’s health check-up. Talk to your doctor about any health concerns you might have, but have never got around to getting checked out, for example: funny shaped moles, aches and pains, and questions about your waterworks and man bits. Your doctor will ask you about conditions like high blood pressure, asthma, heart disease and diabetes so find out what runs in your family beforehand. For more information about what to expect at your men’s health check-up, including booking your appointment and what to ask for, download our Men’s Health Check-ups brochure.

CHECK-UPS BROCHURE

A lot of us develop high cholesterol in our 40s and this can lead to heart disease and heart attacks. Eating healthier can help reduce our cholesterol. Cut back on deep fried foods and processed meat like bacon and sausages. Pack your own lunch instead of buying it, and choose foods that fuel your body instead of slowing it down, like fresh meat, vegetables and nuts. It’s never to late to make small changes to improve our health.

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It is important for our muscles, bones and our stress levels to find time to be active. Sports we used to do in our 30s like rugby, touch, or running can get harder on our hips and our knees. Get your sporting injuries checked out by a doctor, physio or osteopath and give them a chance to heal properly. Think about sports that are kinder to your joints like tennis, swimming, cycling, or rowing. It’s good to exercise and play sport with our mates – it keeps us all motivated and gives us a great excuse to take time out and catch up.

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Some of us are fat and we don’t even know it. We compare ourselves with our mates and say “well I’m not as fat as him.” Get a tape measure and put it around your waist. If your waist measurement is more that half your height then you need to lose some centimetres. It’s no joke, carrying extra weight around our stomachs increases our risks of developing gout, high blood pressure, diabetes, most cancers, heart diseases, arthritis and strokes.

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Be realistic about how much you’re drinking. Drinking too much in our 40s can increase our risks of GOUT, BOWEL CANCER, and liver disease. It’s good to get in the habit of having at least a few alcohol free days a week. If you have tried to cut back but it’s too hard, try some of the help agencies around or talk to your doctor about it.

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Cigarettes kill us slowly and painfully. Lung cancer is a hideous disease and you really don’t want to get it. The good news is, if you stop smoking now, your lungs can still regenerate and you can totally turn your health around.

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If you’re going through a rough time, or think one of your mates is, make an effort to talk about it. Talking can help put things in perspective and gives us ideas about what to do next. Bottling it up can lead to additional stress and unhappiness we just don’t need. Talk to your mates, tell them what’s going on with you, and ask them how they’re doing.

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