Retirement: Life’s Greatest Adventure Don’t let manliness put your well-being at risk

There is a big difference between the life-expectancies of men versus women.  I think one of the reasons men don’t live as long is that men are less likely to take good care of their health.  Some men think it is not manly to go to the doctor periodically or to take tests for various medical conditions.  The notion that “real men” don’t need to go to the doctor is not a wise choice.

Some men I know feel that being tough means you can deal with any health issues that come your way without any outside help.  Living a healthy lifestyle, doing periodic testing for medical conditions, and going to a bunch of doctors is not considered manly to some men.

If you don’t want to do it for yourself, consider your family and friends.  Following an unhealthy lifestyle is irresponsible to you or to them.  Most seniors need to have tests for prostate conditions, the colon and many other health concerns.  Flu shots every year, PSA (prostate) blood tests and colonoscopies, to name a few things, are necessary to ensure good health.  Many potentially fatal health conditions can be cured or treated successfully if detected early.  Yearly doctor exams, blood tests and other types of exams, such as those mentioned above, can greatly add to your life expectancy.  Even more important, good health care leads to a longer, happier, more comfortable life.

Another issue some men have, is the idea that men should always be working.  Even after retirement, some men feel they should do home-improvement projects or other masculine work all the time.  They sometimes believe that fun and recreation are not part of a masculine lifestyle.

There is nothing wrong with doing home-improvement projects or having a hobby like working on cars.  However, these activities should not interfere with taking time out to participate in recreational activities or just have fun.

Retirement is a time when life can be joyful.  Travel, playing sports, enjoying family and taking in local attractions are all things that you should enjoy doing.  You shouldn’t think that having a good time is not masculine.

In my view, manliness is just being yourself, and it comes with the responsibility for taking care of your medical, physical and medical health. Missing out on fun in life is not manly, it’s just sad.