It is beyond doubt that health is our most valued possession. However, keeping our mind and body in an admirable state is not a battle that can ever be completely won.
It is a constant struggle, but it is a struggle we need to learn how to live with. Of course, there are many factors affecting our health and not all of them are something we can influence.
For example, genetics plays a vital role in our health efforts, but so does our age.
In our twenties, we may feel indestructible, but as soon as we get past that 30 threshold, things start going downhill.
From this day on, our body requires a bit of extra care, so we don’t come to regret it later on. Unfortunately, a lot of people are unaware of the health hazards that lurk everywhere.
With this in mind, here is a short heads-up list of five health mistakes men should avoid making after 30.
1. Neglecting stress
One of the greatest stereotypes when it comes to male upbringing is that a ‘manly’ man can just ‘walk off’ anything that bothers him.
The first thing that gets underestimated in the male society is the effect of stress on one’s mind and body. This, however, is as wrong as it gets and symptoms, signs and causes of stress are something that deserves to be closely monitored.
It would be wrong to assume that males suffer more from stress than females do, but while women are open about problems they face, men tend to get secretive about them. This results in them suppressing everything that worries them at work or in their private lives.
2. Not sleeping enough
While teens and early 20s are the years when it is socially acceptable to be bold and reckless, during their thirties, most people commit to their career or starting a family. All of this takes a lot of time, which means that a good night’s sleep might become nothing more than a distant memory.
Sure, when you were 23, you could pull an all-nighter and still be fresh after a two-hour sleep before the exam. In your thirties, however, this kind of lifestyle is bound to leave its toll on both your mind and body.
Sleep deprivation in its more severe form may cause cognitive dysfunction, weaken your immune response, make you gain weight and even raise your blood pressure.
3. Disregarding your oral hygiene
Keeping your oral hygiene on a high level is not just about keeping your breath fresh.
The health of your mouth can affect the health of your entire body. Even though you may not have an ample amount of time on your hands, you can always set aside enough for a few 5-minute tooth-brushing sessions per day.
Unfortunately, this is where most people stop. Dentists all over the world go on and on about the importance of flossing, but people seldom listen.
4. Unhealthy diet
They say that you are what you eat and, the older you get, the more you will come to be assured of these words.
In your 20s you may live on food scraps with virtually no repercussions. However, no matter the age, skipping your daytime meals is never a good idea. This way, you can disturb your metabolism, which can be quite hazardous.
Even without this, skipping your meals and later compensating for this through junk food makes you develop unhealthy eating habits. In time, this can ruin your health, make you gain weight and even set you up for type 2 diabetes.
5. Believing yourself invincible
Even though your health may start deteriorating in your 30s, this will not be something you can immediately feel.
Men are in their prime during their late 20s and early 30s, which may lead them to falsely presume they are invincible. This results in them neglecting early symptoms of serious afflictions by trying to just ‘walk them off’. For this reason, the ultimate piece of advice for all men (regardless of their age) is never to be too proud to ask for a professional opinion.
There is nothing ‘unmanly’ about going to a physician when you feel the ache.
Conclusion
At the age of 30, 35, 37, you may feel as the king of the world, but most hazards lurk when you are the most confident and careless.
The truth is ugly: the older you get, the worse your health will be.
