Many times when Owen Fox D.O. sees a male patient at Mastropietro & Associates in Lancaster, part of Lancaster Regional Medical Center (lancasterregional.com), he says, “It is because his wife has asked him to come in.”
So Fox, who is a board-certified family physician and geriatrician, would like for women to take heed as he offers guidance on what screenings are important for men.
“It is important for women to talk about these things with their loved one,” says Fox.
Colonoscopy is very important for individuals over 50, says Fox, as is knowing the family history. If a man has a family history of colon polyps or colon cancer, then he needs to have a colonoscopy at a younger age, according to Fox.
He gives an example of a 61-year-old man who had never had a colonoscopy. “And I was bugging him about it,” Fox says.
The next time Fox saw the man, three months later, he again brought up the colonoscopy. “If you leave me be about it, I will do it,” the man replied.
The man had the colonoscopy and found out he had colon cancer.
“They had to take half his colon,” Fox says. “He had no symptoms, no weight loss, nothing.”
Had the man waited even six months, Fox says, “I think it probably would have spread to the point it wouldn’t be curable.”
When a man is in his 30s, he should find out what his cholesterol levels are, says Fox, and they “should be monitored intermittently, depending on how high they are.”
A test to determine the amount of prostate-specific antigen in the blood, also known as a PSA test, is important for men at age 50, according to Fox. A physician might also decide that a rectal exam of the prostate gland is necessary.
But, once again, says Fox, it is important to know family history.
One of Fox’s patients, a 46-year-old man whose father had prostate cancer, had his PSA checked and it was a little higher than normal. Because of the family history, Fox sent the man for a biopsy. The man had cancer.
Another male patient who was 50 had a routine PSA test that came back very high. The man had no symptoms, says Fox, but he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer. He had his prostate removed and he is fine now.
Fox recommends “TLC” to his patients. That stands for therapeutic lifestyle change. Fox encourages his patients to make these changes when they are younger and not to wait until they are in their 50s: stop smoking; exercise; lose weight; keep diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure under control; limit alcohol use and get preventative screenings.
Bad things seem to happen to people when they are in their 50s and aren’t taking care of themselves, says Fox.
“What you do in your 50s affects how you are in your 70s, 80s and beyond.”
Highmark’s healthy eating tips for “TLC” in 2013
Becky Duncan, a registered dietitian with Highmark Blue Shield (highmarkblueshield.com) employee wellness program suggests five food clues to help improve your diet: lean, green, bean, seen and clean.
Lean
Opt for fish or chicken and think lean when making meat selections. Choose sirloin cuts, pork loins and ground beef with a 90/10 fat content. Try ground turkey as an alternative. Also keep portion size lean. Try yogurt as a substitute for sour cream and choose low-fat dairy products.
Green
Go green with your vegetable selections—and consider reds, purples, yellows and whites, too. Check out the USDA’s “power food list,” which puts blueberries, artichokes, cranberries, russet potatoes and cinnamon at the top of the list of foods containing high levels of disease fighting antioxidants (fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org).
Bean
All beans—black, kidney, garbanzo, lima—are great sources of fiber, protein and carbohydrates, and they are low in fat and salt.
Seen
People who have social connectedness tend to live longer. Sharing meal times with family and friends provides company, lets you explore different food cultures and reduces mindless eating.
Clean
Opt for minimally processed foods, whole foods and locally grown and sustainable produce; not only will you find healthier options, but you will help keep the environment healthy, too.
