Our health services across the UK are facing huge pressures at the moment, and it’s meant many people may have put off check-ups for fear of putting more strain on GPs.
However, taking care of your health and addressing any warning signs is incredibly important.
We’ve shared a quick and easy health check men can do at home below:
DIY MOT:
Giving your body a once-over doesn’t require any spanners and needn’t cost a penny. If you’re worried about your health, however, always contact your GP in the first instance.
Try these steps regularly…
How is your engine running? Regular physical activity
Being physically active goes such a long way in maintaining and improving good health. It helps to:
- Lower blood pressure and improve heart health
- Aid in weight management
- Improve your quality of sleep
- Improve your memory and brain function
- Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression
- Protect against chronic diseases
Using the right fuel: healthy eating
A well-balanced diet provides all of the energy you need to keep you active throughout the day, and gives you the nutrients to stay strong and healthy, to grow and repair and to help prevent diet related illnesses.
Look out for ‘warning lights’
Check yourself all over, regularly, for:
- moles changing shape
- unexplained lumps
- unexplained shortness of breath/breathing difficulties
- unexplained pain (especially in the chest)
- swelling or itching
- a cough that won’t go away
- blood where it shouldn’t be (i.e., urine, saliva)
- changes in bowel habits (such as blood in stools, diarrhoea or constipation for no reason, a feeling of bloating or of not having fully emptied your bowels or pain in your stomach or back passage)
If you have any of these, talk to your GP immediately.
Check the water
Is there any change in how often you pee or how easy it is to do so? Do you get up more often at night? These can all be warning signs that need addressing as soon as possible.
- Peeing more often, especially at night, and less easily with a weaker flow can be signs of prostate enlargement. (Prostate enlargement is not necessarily a sign of cancer but it needs to be checked.
- Peeing more often, especially at night, along with being overweight, tiredness and sores healing more slowly may all be signs of diabetes. Get your blood sugar tested – it may be something else, but it’s best to know straight away so you can manage any concerns.
Check your pressure
You can get your blood pressure taken at the GP for free – or you can buy a home-tester.
Blood pressure, or BP as it is often referred too, is a measure of the force that your heart uses to pump blood around your body and is given as two figures.
The first is when the heart is contracting (systolic), the second when it is resting (diastolic). Normal blood pressure is around 120/80mmhg, once the systolic starts to read 140 and/or the diastolic 90, it is worth getting it checked more frequently.
Of course, any stress can raise your BP temporarily but if you’re getting regular readings of 140/90 or more, see your GP.
How are you running?
Do you feel okay? More often than not, we all say we are “fine” when asked. But ask yourself if this is true. Are you feeling lonely? More stressed than usual perhaps? A little down?
Try to connect with someone, call a friend, get outside and enjoy some exercises out of the house.
We also run a Reset Programme at Harcombe House, our centre in Devon, which offers you the opportunity to develop and improve your resilience and overall mental fitness, with a programme of workshops and activities tailored to your individual needs.
Anything else?
- You might want to monitor your testicles for any changes. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 20-35 but if caught in time it can be effectively treated and deaths are rare. Find out more here.
- Erection problems are common, but when it becomes a regular problem it can be an early warning sign of some serious health problems including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. It could also be sign of high cholesterol or low testosterone. Again, talk to your GP who will be able to advise you further.
Take advantage of free check-ups
You have an MOT to spot possible problems with your car before they occur. Health screening is based on the same idea. Screening is about looking proactively for any developing issues to deal with them before they impact on health.
Most men aged 40-74 in England should be regularly invited for an NHS health check. It can help you spot upcoming heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, stroke, and other health problems.
If you haven’t been invited or haven’t had one for five years or more, ask your GP. There is also bowel and other screening available for men over 50, so remember to ask if you haven’t heard – it’s never too soon.
Online courses
We have a number of online courses available to you, from shorter bitesize length to more in-depth, covering a range of health and wellbeing topics. Find them all here:
And remember, we’re here for you if you feel you’d benefit from our support: