"Feeling fine" is no way for men to keep themselves healthy.

Yet many men—especially men age 35 and under—think that feeling OK means they don't need a routine physical every year. Nothing could be further from the truth, as proven by countless examples of people of all ages who paid the price for not getting routine physical exams.

This much is clear: visiting your doctor for an annual checkup can help detect health problems that could become more serious with age. Caught early, however, these conditions can often be treated with simple, preventative steps.

For more information or questions, consult your personal or family physician. To schedule an annual exam, call your doctor.

Daily steps to good health for men

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Human Services, offers the following advice on men's health:

• Don't smoke. If you do smoke, talk to your doctor about quitting. Your doctor or nurse can help you. And, you can also help yourself. For tips on how to quit, go to: You Can Quit Smoking Now. http://www.smokefree.gov. To talk to someone about how to quit, call the National Quitline: 1-800-QUITNOW. For more quit-smoking resources, go to: http://www.healthfinder.gov/, and search for "smoking." Don't we have something on our own site?
• Be physically active. Walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming, and bicycling are just a few examples of moderate physical activity. If you are not already physically active, start small and work up to 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
• Eat a healthy diet. Emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
• Stay at a healthy weight. Balance calories from foods and beverages with calories you burn off by your activities. To prevent gradual weight gain over time, make small decreases in food and beverage calories and increase physical activity.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation. If you drink alcohol, have no more than two drinks a day. (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.)

Should you take medicines to prevent disease?

• Aspirin: Ask your doctor about taking aspirin to prevent heart disease if you are:
  • Older than 45
  • Younger than 45 and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and you smoke
• Immunizations: Stay up-to-date with your immunizations:
  • Have a flu shot every year starting at age 50. If you are younger than 50, ask your doctor whether you need a flu shot. Really? Isn't everyone encouraged to get a flu shot every year?
  • Have a pneumonia shot once after you turn 65. If you are younger, ask your doctor whether you need a pneumonia shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide more information on immunizations at: http://www.cdc.gov/nip/recs/adult-schedule.htm.