Health tests for the 50 something man

Twenty years ago, maybe you had your yearly physical exam. But after 50 years of age there is more to think about. You may feel 25 but at 50 something you’re at greater risk of developing disease. The good news is most are preventable or even curable when caught early. That’s why routine checkups are so much more important when you are 50 something. Here are some basic health screening tests and guidelines from the U.S Department of Health & Human Services.

Screening tests and immunizations Guidelines for Men Ages 50-64

General Health
Full checkup, including weight and height Discuss with your doctor or nurse how often to have a full check up
HIV Get this test at least once to find out your HIV status. Ask your doctor if and when you need the test again.

Heart Health
Blood Pressure test At least every 2 years
Cholesterol test Discuss with your doctor or nurse when to take this test

Diabetes
Blood Sugar Test Every 3 years

Prostate Health
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test Discuss with your doctor or nurse when to take this test

Colorectal Health
(use 1 of these 3 methods)
Ask your doctor which test is right for you
Fecal occult blood test Once a year
Flexible sigmoidoscopy (with fecal occult blood test) Every 5 years
Colonoscopy Every 10 years

Reproductive Health
Testicular exam Discuss with your doctor or nurse if you need this test
Sexually transmitted infection (STI) tests Both partners should get tested for STIs, including HIV, before initiating sexual intercourse.

Eye and Ear Health
Complete eye exam Every 2–4 years or as your doctor advises
Hearing test Every 3 years

Skin Health
Mole exam Monthly mole self-exam; by a doctor (dermatologist) as part of your routine full checkup.

Oral Health
Dental Exam Routinely; discuss with your dentist.

Mental Health
Mental health screening Discuss with your doctor or nurse about a mental health screening

Immunizations
Influenza vaccine (Flu shot) Once a year
Tetanus-diphtheria booster vaccine Every 10 years

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Tags: 50 something, Health by Jay Stuart
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Losing weight when your over 50–the basics

There are just so many programs designed to help you lose weight. Some work; some not so much. But the basic element to losing weight and keeping it off is you, your willingness to change.

The foundation of all weight loss programs is for you to burn up more calories that you eat.  One problem is that as we age  our metabolism slows, meaning we naturally burn less calories. For example, an active 31-year-old man needs about 3,000 daily calories, but an active 50-year-old man needs only about 2,800 calories. So even if you are active, if you continue eating the way you did in your 20s and 30s, you’re going to gain weight. For men that often appears in an ever growing pot belly; for women it’s likely to appear in the hips and the thighs.

To avoid gaining weight over time, you should aim to burn up as many calories through basic metabolic function and physical activity as you take in. To lose weight burn more calories than you take in by combining increased physical activity with eating less calories (easier said than done).  To know whether you’re on track, you need to be able to estimate how many calories you need based on your age, gender and level of physical activity. The chart below should give you some basic guidelines:

Activity Level and Estimated Calories Burned
Gender Age (years) Sedentary1 Moderately Active2 Active3
Female 19–30 2,000 2,000-2,200 2,400
31-50 1,800 2,000 2,200
51+ 1,600 1,800 2,000-2,200
Male 19–30 2,400 2,600-2,800 3,000
31-50 2,200 2,400-2,600 2,800-3,000
51+ 2,200 2,200-2,400 2,400-2,800

Adapted from American Heart Association

1 Sedentary means you have a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
2 Moderately active means you have a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.
3Active means you have a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.weight loss, over 50, 50+, 50plus, weight loss, over 50, 50+, 50plus, weight loss, over 50, 50+, 50plus, weight loss, over 50, 50+, 50plus, weight loss, over 50, 50+, 50plus, health, health, health, health


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Nutrition for Men over 50

Now that you’re over 50 you cannot eat the way you did in your 20s. The best way to stay healthy is to exercise and eat right with a well-balanced diet filled with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean animal and plant-based proteins, low-fat dairy products and heart-healthy fats. In fact, healthy eating can keep your body and mind sharp and extend quality of life. The American Dietetic Association outlines some important nutritional needs for men over 50:

  • Calcium and Vitamin D to help maintain strong and healthy bones. Calcium-rich foods include:
    • Low-fat and fat-free dairy like milk and yogurt
    • Fortified cereals and fruit juices
    • Dark green leafy vegetables
    • Canned fish with soft bones
  • Older adults need three servings of calcium and vitamin D every day. If you take a calcium supplement or multivitamin, be sure to choose one that contains vitamin D.
  • If you fall behind on getting these nutrients, you may need a supplement separate from a regular multivitamin, since they usually do not contain enough calcium to meet recommendations.
    • Men older than age 50 need 1,200 milligrams a day.
    • Men also need 400 IU of vitamin D each day.
  • Fiber helps keep bowel functions normal and is good for your heart. If you need to lose weight, fiber keeps you full longer so you do not feel hungry as often.
    • Men older than 50 need 30 grams of fiber a day
    • Good sources are whole grains, fruits and vegetables. For products with a label, choose those with at least 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving.
  • Increasing potassium intake along with decreasing sodium (salt) may lower your risk of high blood pressure. Good sources of potassium include:
    • Fruits, vegetables and low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt.
    • Choose low-sodium foods and replace salt with other herbs and spices to reduce your sodium intake.
  • Healthy Fats: For weight control and overall health, limit fat calories to 20 percent to 35 percent of your diet. Most of the fats you consume should come from heart-healthy unsaturated fats including:
    • extra-virgin olive oil
    • canola oil
    • walnuts
    • almonds
    • avocados
  • Healthy older men without heart disease should limit their saturated fat, which comes from meat, full-fat dairy and fried foods, to 10% of your total fat calories.
  • Men with high cholesterol need to cut more saturated fat from your diet; limit it to 7% of total fat calories.

Be sure to balance your calorie intake by getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week

Exercising is even more important now that you’re over 50. Exercise helps men over 50 rev up metabolism, build and strengthen muscles and increase energy levels.

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