In our busy lives, we seldom put enough thought into what we eat. Of course, when we’re young, this seems to work just fine. However, when we get older, we will have to deal with the consequences of the diet choices we made when we were young. To avoid this, you have to be intentional about developing a plan to be healthy. The worst thing you can do is to not plan at all.

Before developing your personal health plan, the first thing to do is to understand your particular health needs. What may work for some people may not work for you. Start by researching your health history as well as the health history of your family. You should know what illnesses you are prone to and what conditions may run in your family. The more you know up front, the better you will be able to target your plan to meet your specific health needs.

When planning the best diet for your lifestyle and health needs, there are a lot of things to consider. You should take a look at the diet plans that are out there and choose the one that best suits your lifestyle and health goals. Although recommendations vary by age and health status, here are some general rules of thumb of a good daily diet:

• Vegetables = 2 to 3 cups daily
• Fruit = 1 ½ to 2 cups daily
• Grains = 5 to 8 ounces daily
• Protein = 50 to 60 grams daily
• Oils = 5 to 7 teaspoons daily

One diet recommended by the doctors interviewed for this series was the “Rainbow Diet.” A Rainbow Diet is just like it sounds: eating meals consisting of different colored fruits and vegetables, such as red, orange, yellow, green, and purple. Adding more colored fruits and vegetables to your diet provides nutrients that support your long term health while, at the same time, helping your body to fight off harmful elements.

Drinking water is essential to your health. Why? Because most of your bodily functions, such as digestion, creating silva, regulating your body temperature, and transporting nutrients require plenty of fluid to draw from. Drinking plenty of water helps your body to function properly. It is recommended that you drink an 8 ounce cup of water at least 8 times per day. If you are a fan of bottled water, you can simply drink 4 bottles per day, as each contains 16 ounces.

When we’re young, exercise is often something we do for recreation or enjoyment. Many of us play organized sports while others play for fun with friends. As we get older and our lives get busier, it can become harder to find time for exercise. Still, it is recommended that the average adult gets at least 20 minutes of exercise per day. Over the long term, this will help to increase your energy, reduce stress, and improve brain and heart health.

As a rule of thumb, you should only consume what your body needs. Eating and drinking too much, even if they are things that are good for you, can be harmful. That being said, you should avoid excessively large portions.

Although alcohol can be enjoyable, abusing alcohol can lead to long-term consequences to your health, such as heart and liver damage. For men, when you drink, you should consume no more than 2 drinks per day. This is considered moderate. Anything more than 15 drinks in a week is considered excessive. Still, you have to know yourself. If you are prone to addiction or drinking negatively impacts your behavior, it may be best to avoid it altogether.

Smoking, whether cigarettes, marijuana, or any other substance, comes with risks and offers little health benefits. Excessive smoking can damage your lungs and lead to many other health challenges. As such, it may be safer to avoid altogether. Although many advocate the use of marijuana to treat pain, according to the CDC, the research is inconclusive on whether it is better at treating chronic or acute pain than alternative treatments. Consider all your options, know the risks, and make the best decision for your health.

Making sure you get the proper amount of sleep per night is vital to your long-term health. It is recommended that the average adult gets between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. However, just as important as the number of hours you sleep is the quality of sleep you get. Whenever you get quality sleep, your body is able to repair tissues, your immune system is strengthened, and you build up your energy levels for the next day. So make sure the place where you sleep is set up for you to get the best quality sleep possible. Your body will thank you!

Your body needs some time before you go to sleep to go through the digestion process. Eating too late too often can increase your risks for things like acid reflux, that is, when your stomach produces too much acid and it starts to come back up into your esophagus. If left untreated, this can have long-term negative effects on your health. It is best to stop eating between 2 to 3 hours before bedtime.

There are several signs or symptoms of potential medical issues. Although some symptoms can point to a variety of issues, there are some important ones to be aware of. For example, frequent urination, increased thirst, and an unsatisfied appetite can be an early sign of diabetes. Likewise, chronic fatigue, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, feeling faint, heart racing, and a pounding or fluttering in the chest can be signs of high blood pressure. If you feel any of these symptoms, or any other symptoms that you are concerned about, don’t take any chances. Go see a doctor to find out more!

When it comes to mental health, everyone has a “baseline”; that is, a pattern of behaviors, habits, moods, and personality traits that are common to each individual. Think of your baseline as your “normal”, or who you are and the way you behave on an average day, when you are not too “high” or too “low”. If you just don’t feel like your normal self, then you may need to investigate what has changed in your mental health.

When something is wrong with us mentally or emotionally, it may be difficult to recognize, and even more difficult to admit. If you find yourself losing pleasure in the things you normally enjoy, feeling depressed more frequently, having problems concentrating or sleeping, or thinking about harming yourself, then it may be a sign that you are off your baseline and may need to seek help.

Oftentimes, it is the people around you who notice the change in you before you do. For this reason, it is always good to surround yourself with individuals who know you and who can notice when something has changed. When those who love and care for see a change in you, have the courage to listen and investigate why.

The first line of defense in your mental health is to have someone you trust to talk to. This is particularly tough for men as we typically don’t like to share much about our personal feelings. But, for the sake of your long-term mental health and well-being, you are going to have to find a safe place to talk through what is going on with you. Sometimes, this can make all the difference.

When talking to those you trust doesn’t seem to work, it may be time to seek professional help. It is important for you to know that you are not alone. Professionally trained counselors and therapists are equipped to help you identify what may be wrong and to develop a strategy to help get you back to your normal self. Although talking to a professional may feel uncomfortable for some men, at the least, the potential benefits to your mental health and wellbeing far outway the risk.

There are a lot of reasons why men don’t seek medical health. Some feel it is a sign of weakness while, to other men, it just isn’t a priority. Others feel like they got everything under control and don’t need help. Still, others are afraid of hearing bad news. Whatever the reason, we have to overcome our reservations of seeking help. Although managing your health will always be your responsibility, health issues are complex and no one is completely equipped to do it on their own. Having the wisdom and counsel of trained professionals can make all the difference.

A lot can be said about the complexity and equity of the healthcare system. That being said, obtaining and maintaining health insurance is an important step you can take to protect yourself against any potential health issue that arises. Although you may be healthy now and feel like you don’t need healthcare coverage, you never know when a health issue can arise and it is not a good idea to expose yourself to that kind of risk. Besides the health risks, the risks to your finances if you have a healthcare issue and you do not have insurance can be devastating. Therefore, if at all possible, make sure you have access to healthcare coverage.

Once you have health insurance, it is important to understand what your insurance covers, and what it does not. Some health insurance only covers part of the cost for some treatments while some things are not covered at all. If your healthcare doesn’t cover 100% of the treatment you receive, you will most likely be billed for the rest. Take the time to understand this before using your insurance.

There are other costs that you are expected to pay as well. Most insurance requires a co-pay. This is the payment you make at the time you seek treatment. You will also be expected to pay a premium. This is the monthly contribution you are expected to make to maintain your health insurance coverage. If you have employer-based healthcare coverage, this is most likely taken out of your check. Then there is your annual deductible. A deductible is the amount you are expected to pay per year before your coverage kicks in. When deciding the kind of health insurance you want, be sure to know the co-pay, premiums, and deductibles you are expected to pay.

Where do you go to receive treatment: emergency room, the clinic, urgent care, primary care doctor, or a specialist? It all depends on what you are receiving treatment for.

• Emergency Room: The emergency room is the best place to go if you are experiencing life-threatening conditions; i.e., heart attack, difficulty breathing, etc. From a cost perspective, emergency rooms are always going to be the most expensive option.
• Urgent Care or Clinic: If you feel you need to see a doctor but it isn’t life-threatening, an urgent care or a health clinic might be good options. Note that an urgent care or health clinic will have limited capacity to investigate or treat certain issues and you may be referred to either a specialist or to an emergency if warranted.
• Primary Care Doctor: A primary care doctor is also an option if you have a non-threatening condition. Typically, a primary care doctor is the doctor you see on an ongoing basis who is familiar with you and your health issues. They can treat some conditions as well as prescribe medication or refer you to a specialist to treat conditions they are not equipped to treat.
• Specialist: Specialists specialize in a particular area of medicine, such as an urologist or an orthopedist. Normally you will see a specialist when and if you are referred to him or her from another doctor in order to diagnose or treat a specific medical condition.

Ultimately it is your responsibility to manage your care. An important part of doing so is keeping a good record of the diagnoses or treatments you’ve received and the results of any tests or imaging you’ve had done. Oftentimes before seeing any medical professional, you will be asked for this information. The more informed you are and the better information about your health you can give to your medical professional, the better help they will be able to provide.

Primary care doctors are often the starting place in your medical journey. Like a mechanic that does a general check of your vehicle and performs basic things like changing the oil and rotating the tires, primary care doctors are generalists that treat basic health conditions and manage overall care. For more acute issues, you will need to see a specialist. Specialists focus on specific areas of health, such as the heart, skeletal muscular issues, or diet and nutrition. Their job is to help you to diagnose or determine clearly what your health challenges are and to partner with you in your treatment.

If you are seeing a healthcare specialist it is most likely because you have a condition that requires advanced or long-term treatment in order to manage or resolve. As is the case when you are going to see any medical professional, the more research you do beforehand, the better equipped you will be to partner with them in your treatment.

Doing your research beforehand should help you to better manage your expectations. Some conditions can be resolved through treatment while others are chronic and may only be managed. If your condition can be resolved through treatment, you should understand the length of time it will take to resolve and what are the potential side effects. Knowing this will help prepare you to ask better questions when seeing a specialist and to manage your expectations for outcomes from your visit.

Oftentimes you will be referred to a specialist by your primary care doctor or some other medical professional that has examined you. Additionally, you may have to choose a specialist based on your insurance coverage. Either way, work within the parameters you are given to find a specialist that works best for you. Just like with a primary care doctor, a specialist is someone who you may have a long-term relationship with as you work through treatment. They should be someone you trust and feel comfortable working with.

When seeing a specialist, the first objective is often to come up with a complete diagnosis of the problem before deciding on treatment. Some issues are clear while others are not. Oftentimes identifying the problem and finding the treatment is a process of elimination. Don’t be afraid to advocate for the test that is going to give you the clearest idea of the issue you are facing. Health Insurance companies often play a role in the sequence of tests that are administered. Furthermore, as a patient, it is important for you to clearly understand what each test shows and what it means for your treatment. Again, you must be prepared to ask as many questions as you can. As much as possible, never leave your doctor’s visit without a clear understanding of what is going on. To make sure you understand, repeat back to the doctor in your own words what you think is being communicated.

After your health issue has been clearly diagnosed as best as possible, now it is time to decide on treatment. As with everything else in managing your healthcare, as a patient, you are ultimately responsible for working with your doctor to decide on the treatment that is best for you. Find all the options and alternatives and talk with your doctor about each. Also, you should know the potential side effects of the medication and treatment your doctor prescribes before you begin. Finally, you should have a clear understanding of the long-term prognosis of the treatment, that is, what outcomes you should expect and the timeline for recovery.

Never feel compelled to stop your research with the first diagnosis or treatment recommendation. Doctors often have differing opinions on a diagnosis and treatment. If you are unsure or uncertain in any way, don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion. At best, you may discover something that your first doctor missed. At worst, you may gain additional confirmation of the original findings and treatment recommendations. The more information you know, the better equipped you will be to make the best decision about your health.

Once you and your doctor decide on a treatment, be sure to stick with the plan. If you are prescribed medicine, make sure you take it as directed by your doctor. If you are given a treatment regimen, make sure you keep it. During the process, keep a record of your progress, and be sure to share your observations and questions you have with your doctor. This information is vital to shaping your treatment and making adjustments when needed.