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5 top health risks for men

Men are vulnerable to many types of ailments. However, here are the top five biggest reasons for the death of men.

Here, we'll discuss why men are susceptible to these illnesses and what steps they can take to curb them.

1. Heart disease

More men die of heart disease than women. Men are at a greater risk of contracting heart disease as they have lesser time to prevent its development. The risk factors that trigger heart disease include advancing age, family history and race, smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, obesity and diabetes.

While you cannot control your age, family history and race, you can definitely take steps to modify your lifestyle, so you should learn to eat right and exercise hard to decrease your risk of getting heart disease.

NEXT: Stroke

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2. Stroke

Did you know that the third largest killer of men in the world after cancer and heart disease is stroke?

Hypertension is the root cause of stroke and the only means to prevent stroke is to find ways to control it.

Avoid smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and change your lifestyle into a healthy one. Exercise moderately (like going for a brisk walk), and take up recreational activities like yoga and meditation that help you relax.

A healthy lifestyle means eating the right types of foods and getting plenty of exercise. Avoid red meats and dairy products that are rich in saturated fats. Include lots of fresh fruits, whole grains and vegetables in your diet.

NEXT: Suicide and depression

3. Suicide and depression

Men are more susceptible to committing suicide than women. The under-diagnosed depression in most men is partly to be blamed. Men fail to openly project their depression and others fail to recognise it and proper treatment doesn't take place, leading to suicide.

Men show different symptoms from women when they're depressed. While women become sad, men express their grief in the form of anger, risk taking behaviour, work burnout, midlife crisis, and indulge in alcohol and substance abuse.

Men who are immensely depressed tend to think that their life is certainly not worth living and resort to suicide as a quick end to all their miseries. Seeking immediate medical help is the only way out of this problem.

NEXT: Lung cancer

4. Lung cancer

Lung cancer is another leading health disorder that most men face. It is one of the leading killers of both men and women alike. Your risk of getting lung cancer increases with exposure to secondhand smoke.

Other factors that matter are your personal history, the level of air pollution that you're exposed to, and your exposure to radon or asbestos.

Lung cancer is caused by tobacco products and you need to stop smoking as this will prevent further damage to your lungs. Most people are often subjected to secondhand smoke in public places and closed rooms. Most governments worldwide have also taken steps to curb this practice.

NEXT: Prostate cancer

5. Prostate cancer

Another common health disorder that is found in men worldwide is prostate cancer. After lung cancer, this is the second largest killer of men. Causes for prostate cancer remain unknown and prevention of the same is also under study.

The ailment is treatable especially if detected in the early stages. Detecting prostate cancer in early stages is quite challenging as no symptoms of the illness can be seen till it spreads to other parts of the body.

Prostate cancer screening is the best means to detect this ailment. Men who are prone to prostate cancer are people who have a family history of this killer disease and men who are black. These are the people who should positively take the prostate screening test early.

Other risk factors include advancing age and a diet that's high in fats. Men who consume lots of red meat and high fat dairy products without including sufficient fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet are prone to this type of cancer.

Make sure that your diet is healthy by including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, turning to low fat dairy products, and avoiding red meat and instead consuming lean meat.