AsiaLIFE

 

During your teens and twenties risk is taken with a grain of salt and the consequences are not always considered. Young men are indestructible – or at least feel that way. Until something goes wrong that is – and it’s not just about helmets! Reducing risk is important. Did you know that for each drink after the fourth, your risk of an accident or problem related to alcohol intoxication increases substantially? Keep it below four and the risks are limited, particularly if you’re planning on staying out late. Being drunk means you are more likely to be a mugging target or do something stupid. The body metabolises around one drink (or just under a can of beer or glass of wine) per hour.

Sexual risk can be prevented by not being too drunk and using condoms correctly. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are easily transmitted and very common, particularly among bar girls and sex workers here in Phnom Penh. HIV is less easily transmitted but having an STI or the presence of any blood increases the risk significantly. Using a condom will reduce this risk – but note that up to 50 percent of sex workers in Phnom Penh are HIV positive. If you are at any risk of HIV transmission then get to your doctor within 48 hours to commence post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) which is a cocktail of anti-HIV medication taken for a month to prevent seroconversion. It’s the morning after pill for HIV. You’ll also need to be tested or treated for other STIs. Everybody forgets the sun but good sun protection in the early years makes a world of difference later. This includes sunglasses.

Life Catching up with You?

 

The 30s and 40s often lead to a growth of the girth. Having a belly is an independent risk factor for heart disease. Being overweight puts you at risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes (type 2) and fatty liver. The big determinants of this as middle age approaches are exercise, diet and alcohol – not being active enough, eating too much of the wrong food and drinking too much alcohol. The main remedies are regular aerobic exercise (150 minutes per week), eating a low-fat, low-salt, balanced diet complete with daily fruit and vegetables, and reducing alcohol consumption particularly if weight is a problem. It is important at this stage in life that you start seeing a doctor regularly to get blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index checked together with any other indicated tests. You should have your prostate checked regularly after the age of 40 – and skin every year.

The Middle Ages

 

This is when a healthy balanced diet, regular exercise and not smoking really make a difference. Hitting 50 means continuing with the prostate checks but starting screening for bowel cancer too – particularly if there is a family history of it. This usually means looking for blood in the stool (faecal-occult blood), but can mean a colonoscopy.

If you haven’t stopped smoking yet you really need to. It takes about 10 years for the excess cardiovascular risks associated with smoking to disappear. Weight is the next priority and your body mass index (weight in kg / height in m2 – there are calculators on the web) should be less than 25 – and certainly less than 30. Having muscle mass is a good thing and strength as well as aerobic exercise are important for fitness. Regular doctor check ups are vital at this stage to pick up increases in blood pressure or cholesterol. You should have any chest pain investigated. A cardiac stress test is prudent at this age if your doctor thinks your chest pains are an indicator of heart disease.

The Golden Years

 

Wisdom and patience may come as the age of grandparenthood is entered, but this is also when health risks really escalate. Knowing your doctor, and your doctor knowing you, is very important at this time. All health alerts should be attended to promptly, and you should have regular blood pressure (annually), prostate (every two years) and bowel cancer screening (every two years). It is important that your heart is evaluated with a cardiac stress test. Lung function tests are important if you have a history of smoking.

 

Robust old age is governed by regular physical activity, a balanced and modest diet – you don’t need to eat as much as you’re used to – and timely management of any healthy issues. Keeping your brain occupied is important for preventing dementia and the more mental activities you do the better. Continuing to work and spending time with friends and family is one way of doing this.