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The best gifts any father can get this Father’s Day are the tools to stay healthy. Dr. Alexis E. Te, director of the urology program at the Iris Cantor Men’s Health Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, addresses common men’s health myths to get you back in gear towards living a healthier lifestyle for yourself and your loved ones.

• You can have control over your libido.
  Libido is multidimensional and can be affected by many things besides age. This includes frame of mind, obesity and other conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
   
• Protect your skin.
  If you spend a lot of time in the sun, you are susceptible to skin cancers such as melanoma or basal cell cancer. If you see spots starting to appear on your skin, even subtle ones, see your doctor and determine if a biopsy is necessary.
   
• Lifestyle can keep chronic illnesses in check.
  Dr. Te says that many chronic illnesses are preventable by lifestyle modification, and “changing men’s attitudes towards healthy lifestyles can significantly impact their health and long-term quality of life.”
   
• No matter what your age – combat cancer with early detection.
  Cancer can occur in men at any age, and early detection is the key to being cured.
  
  Research has shown that not all cancers require radical treatments that may have a negative impact on quality of life. For example, with an accurate diagnosis and appropriate counseling, treatment for some prostate cancers may not interfere with your day-to-day life. See your doctor regularly for preventative screening.
   
• Watch your waist size!
  Bad diet, poor exercise and lack of awareness all contribute to obesity. Be mindful of your weight, and stay physically active – outdoors, in the gym or with your family.
   
• Everyone has a heart.
  Heart disease and heart attacks don’t just happen to your dad or grandfather. Younger men, including well-known athletes, can be diagnosed with life-threatening heart disease. If you are experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath or have a family history of cardiac disease, see a doctor immediately.
   
• Take action to manage your aches and pains.
  Don’t blame age for an achy knee or a sore back. There are countless tools and resources that can help you gain a better understanding of diet, exercise regimens and disease screening – all of which can help you become healthier, more engaged and happier as you age!

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, located in New York City, is one of the leading academic medical centers in the world, comprising the teaching hospital NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical school of Cornell University. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence in patient care, education, research and community service. Weill Cornell physician-scientists have been responsible for many medical advances — including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer; the synthesis of penicillin; the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S.; the first clinical trial for gene therapy for Parkinson’s disease; the first indication of bone marrow’s critical role in tumor growth; and, most recently, the world’s first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital also comprises NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian/Westchester Division, NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital, and NewYork-Presbyterian/Lower Manhattan Hospital. The hospital is also closely affiliated with NewYork-Presbyterian/Hudson Valley Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area, according to U.S. News & World Report, and consistently named to the magazine’s Honor Roll of best hospitals in the nation. Weill Cornell Medical College is the first U.S. medical college to offer a medical degree overseas and maintains a strong global presence in Austria, Brazil, Haiti, Tanzania, Turkey and Qatar. For more information, visit www.nyp.org and weill.cornell.edu.