Do you wait until the last minute to make your doctor’s appointment? Do you put it off completely and never get around to it at all? This month is Men’s Health Month and the Men’s Health Network is trying to get you to pay attention. Many people feel too busy to take care of themselves until something’s wrong. The truth is that most disease is either preventable or easily treatable if it’s caught early enough. Waiting and hoping that the day you are sick will never come is the wrong approach. 
It has been proven that one of the best ways to stay healthy is to get tested, establish a baseline, and then track your test results over time. Critical tests that should be on your list, whether you get the tests at a doctor’s office, health fair or lab testing facility, include a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test, a Testosterone test, and basic chemistry and lipid panels. Establishing a baseline for your PSA level allows you and your doctor to be aware of changes. Everyone’s levels are different so a change is an important factor in catching prostate problems early.
As men age their testosterone levels may drop which can cause fatigue, low libido, depression, and even diabetes and coronary artery disease. Until recently most people, including doctors, thought that reduced testosterone was a normal part of aging, but it is now recognized as a deficit that can lead to other serious disorders. New research shows that men taking supplemental testosterone due to low levels lost weight, in addition to other expected benefits like more energy and increased libido! Obesity causes numerous health problems. What if low testosterone is an underlying cause of obesity? With one simple test and follow on treatment some diseases can be avoided.
Most of us are aware that we should be having our cholesterol levels checked and adjusting our lifestyles to keep these levels low, it’s easier said than done. Getting poor lipid test results may be what you need to motivate you to really change things. Knowing where you are is essential to getting where you want to be: a long, healthy life. Even just making the appointment and working hard to keep it can be the first step to a not only a healthier month but a healthier life.
Written by: www.labtestingnow.com
