Once you turn 40, your body starts to take notice and things begin to slow down. You lose muscle mass each year, your body gets less flexible, and your metabolism slows down. At the same time, your health concerns begins to increase. Paying attention to your health is important at any age, but it is increasingly important as you age.

The older you get, the harder it becomes for your body to bounce back from injuries and stress on the joints. What used to be a minor injury could now be quite a substantial injury because of the longer time it could now take to recover. Besides longer recovery times, there are also certain health conditions that become more present and prominent at certain times as you age. It would be exhausting to try to remember every health concern, but you can focus your efforts on the top 3 health concerns.

Below are the top 3 health concerns to watch out for in men over 40.

Heart Disease

Heart disease comes in all forms including cardiovascular disease, strokes, hypertension, and more. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men over the age of 40. According to the American Heart Association, 1 in 3 men have some type of heart disease. Ways to minimize the risk for heart disease as you get older are:

  • lead a healthy lifestyle with a balanced diet and regular exercise
  • get your numbers checked on a regular basis including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar
  • know your family history regarding cardiovascular disease
  • get regular checkups

Heart disease is something that can run in your family, so it’s important to pay attention to common health issues in your family as well. If you’re concerned about heart disease, it may be worth your time to eat a more balanced diet, perhaps even consider thickening your food if you have swallowing difficulties, and try to incorporate exercise as well as regular check-ups.

Cancer

The risk for getting certain cancers also rises as you get older. Lung cancer is the leading cancer for both men and women. Deaths caused by lung cancer are greater than prostrate, breast, and colon cancers combined. 90% of lung cancer is directly attributable to tobacco use, including 2nd hand smoke. Turning 40 should be a serious call to action for smokers who want to live another 40 years. The risk for skin, prostate, and colon cancer also increases as you get older. Be sure to visit with your doctor and start any preventative actions you can.

Musculoskeletal Injuries

After 40 our bodies become less flexible, and muscle mass slowly starts to shrink. This means that we are more at risk for injury from broken bones, sprains, pulled muscles, and other musculoskeletal injuries. There is a whole subspecialty in Radiology devoted to diagnosing muscle and skeletal injuries through the use of x-ray, MRI, ultrasound, and CT scans. Online radiology degrees like the one from Adventist University of Health Sciences are critical in providing quality healthcare, and demand in this field is posed to continue to grow in the future as our population ages. Make sure that you visit regularly with your doctor to determine where the state of your muscle and bone health is at. You may consider taking supplements to help in nutritional deficiencies as well as regular exercise. If you are already a bit limited in what exercises you can do, discuss your concerns with your doctor. They may be able to give you a list of exercises or refer you to a physical therapist that could give you some low impact exercises that will be beneficial for you to do.

Be Proactive to Counter Your Health Concerns

Turning 40 can be the point to reevaluate your health and take steps to ensure that the next 40 years will be as healthy and active as the last 40 years. This means you should see your healthcare professional on a regular basis. Pay attention to your diet and start eating more healthy choices that will help you live a healthier lifestyle and avoid future health concerns. Catching some of these health problems early is the key to successful treatment and a more health life.