What is the knowledge about men’s preventive health care?

Many people’s misunderstandings about men’s preventive health care focus on “tonifying the kidneys and improving sexual function.” In fact, the truly effective health care is hidden in the details of daily life, and there is no need to spend a lot of money on various sky-high supplements.

Not long ago, I met a 32-year-old Internet programmer at a community free clinic. His physical examination for three consecutive years showed high blood uric acid and prostate calcification. He always thought that his backache and weakness were due to "kidney deficiency". He secretly bought an online celebrity aphrodisiac supplement for half a year and took it. He continued to take it until he had nosebleeds and suffered from insomnia and night sweats. In fact, it was just sitting and staying up late and drinking too many energy drinks. If his living habits did not change, no matter how many supplements he took, it would be in vain.

To be honest, men generally have the habit of "carrying on minor illnesses and being too embarrassed to see a specialist", especially when it comes to urinary and reproductive-related problems. They always feel embarrassed and would rather search for popular science and take medicine than go to the hospital. There was a 47-year-old freight driver who suffered from frequent and painful urination for almost half a month. He only dared to come for a check-up when he urinated blood. The urinary tract infection had already reached the renal pelvis. The problem that could have been solved by taking antibiotics for three days ended up being hospitalized for a week.

There are a lot of controversies about men's health online now, such as whether to take regular androgen supplementation after the age of 30. One school of thought believes that androgen decreases at a rate of 1% to 2% every year after the age of 30. Extra supplementation can increase energy and improve muscle status. There are also long-term clinical data suggesting that blindly supplementing androgen without clear indications will greatly increase the risk of prostate hyperplasia and even prostate disease. To judge whether to take supplementation, it is clear to draw a tube of blood to do six sex hormones. There is no need to follow Internet celebrities and buy testosterone blindly. There are also many people who firmly believe that "eating more oysters can supplement zinc and improve sperm quality." If you eat meat, eggs, milk, and nuts normally in your daily diet, you will not be deficient in zinc at all. However, excessive supplementation will affect the absorption of copper and reduce immunity, which is not worth the gain.

Paying more attention to small details is better than anything else. For example, don’t sit still for four or five hours. The prostate is at the bottom of the pelvic cavity. Sitting for a long time is equivalent to continuously pressing and covering it. If the blood circulation is poor for a long time, it will cause bloating or frequent urination. Standing up every 40 minutes to get a glass of water, go to the toilet, and walk for two minutes can relieve most of the stress. And don’t always feel that “little wine makes you happy”. Whether it’s liquor or beer, as long as you drink it every day, even if it’s only one or two at a time, your liver, kidneys, and pancreas will not be able to handle it over time. I used to know a 35-year-old salesperson who drank “meaningful” wine with his customers every day. Last month, he was diagnosed with moderate cirrhosis of the liver during a physical examination, and now he doesn’t dare to drink alcohol anymore.

People have always asked me if I have any health tips that will last forever. To be honest, I do have one, which is to take 20 minutes a day to do some exercise that can make your heart beat faster, such as brisk walking, jogging, or playing ball. If you stick to it for two months, you will feel a significant improvement in your energy and sleep status. It is much more reliable than spending thousands of dollars to buy a bunch of supplements.