Men often delude themsleves when it comes to their personal health

Ask a man if he is healthy, and he will most likely say, "Sure."  He will say it even if is is pissing blood and bleeding from the nose.  But ask a physician to define what it means to be in "excellent health"  an he will give you the following checklist.  If yo can check off all of the following qualities, then you are more than a great guy - you are a physical specimen possessing rare genetic gifts.

You have extremely high cholesterol

You have extremely high cholesterol.  About 432,000 men die of heart disease every year - nearly one and a half times the tally killed by cancer.  "But if you have and HDL (high-density lipoprotein -  the good stuff) count of 90 mg/dl or more, you have very little worry of developing heart disease or arteriosclerosis.  You have an ample supply of HDL to keep your arteries clean, so you should never develop significant blockages.  A study that followed 8,586 men for 21 years found that those with the highest HDL cholesterol levels were least likely to die of strokes. 

To increase you HDL cholesterol levels, you need to exercise at a moderate intensity for about 20 minutes at least four times a week, and drop at least 5 pounds from your gut.  A normal HDL score is about 40 mg/dl;  your goal is to at least double that.

You have an athlete's heart

Your heart will beat a fixed number of times before it shuts down.  To insure that you don't blow your quota by age 50, you need to keep your resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute.  Find your resting rate by taking your pulse in the morning while you are still in bed; multiply the beats in 15 seconds by four.

Exercising at moderate intensities for long periods will lower your resting heart rate over time.  A weekly goal should be: at least four 40-minute aerobic workouts.  To maintain an effective workout pace, use a heart-rate monitor or keep varying your intensity.  For example, run, bike,  row slowly for 3 minutes, then go all out for 1 minute.

You can answer "yes" to two career questions

Do you look forward to going to work?

Do you look forward to going home in the afternoon?

If you can answer ""yes" to both of these questions, you have a very low risk of dying of heart attack or any other heart-related problem.

You have a PSA score less than 2.5 nanograms per millileter

The number indicates not only a very low risk of prostate cancer, but also a low risk of the PSA ( prostate specific antigen)  progressing above 4ng/ml (the danger level) within the next 4 years.  Eating key nutrients can help lower PSA count.  Incorporating the following key nutrients into your diet  can be  helpful.  10 milligrams of lycopene, 500 milligrams of vitamin C, 200 micrograms of selenium, and 200 international units of vitamin E.

You have two close male friends

Those two people can't be current coworkers,  neighbors, hitchhikers, or anyone who you know only as "the guy who is always at the end of the bar."  If you pass this test and you are over 35, it means you have far healthier social ties - and a better chance of living longer - than two thirds of all men.  Passing this test means you do not base all of your friendships on the foam pillars of convenience, geography, or a job - the mistakes that lead most men to be friendless by their 40's.  Instead, you work to maintain friendships based on common interests and compatibility.

You can ejaculate a teaspoon of semen (5 milliliters) or up to a tablespoon on a particularly good day

That is the level you were able to produce when you were 20.  If your prostrate is healthy, you should have the same output at age 50.

You can walk 2 miles in 28 minutes

Anybody can run a mile in 10 or 12 minutes; the more out of shape you are, the more hours you will spend wheezing afterward.  Maintaining a vigorous walking pace for a longer period of time is actually a better measure of your fitness.  According to Swedish researchers, a fit 40 year old man should be able to walk 2 miles in under 30 minutes.  If you can cover that ground in under 28 minutes you are in excellent shape.

You have balance and strength

Most men overdo pushing exercises like bench presses and squats, so it is rare to find a man with balanced muscular strength.  To have good muscle harmony, you should have a 1:1 strength ratio for your biceps and triceps.  That means if you can curl a 50-pound barbell 10 times, you should be able to do triceps pushdowns with 50 pounds for 10 reps.   - no fewer or more.  As for your legs, your quadriceps and hamstrings should have a 3:2 strength ratio.  If you can do 10 leg curls with 65 pounds, you should be able exactly 10 leg presses with 100 pounds.  If this quick test shows that you have uneven strength, change your workout.