ALMetro360 June 19

Keeping Men Healthy B Y W ILSON S COTT , MCA H EALTH & F ITNESS C ENTER D IRECTOR . As the director of MCAHealth & Fitness Center, you must work with a broad sec- tion of men. Can you pinpoint their main health concerns? A. Without a doubt it would be cardio- vascular disease and strokes, which are the top killers of men in the U.S. Actually, that’s true of women as well. That is why the doctors at Montgomery Cardiovascular Associates had the foresight to open the Health & Fitness Center in 1996. Q. What are the basic causes of these health problems? A. Baring strong genetic predispositions, most are based on lifestyle — inactivity, diet and stress. Actually, it is inactivity that is the genesis of so many of today’s chronic conditions like obesity and diabetes and increasingly with links to Alzheimer’s. There is an adage going around today that “Sitting is the new smoking” because inactivity has so many health implications. Q. In layman’s terms, what are the mechanics of exercise on the heart? A . Take high blood pressure, which affects about 1 in 3 Ameri- cans and is the leading cause of heart attacks and strokes. Many of our members can see the direct correlation of exercise with blood pressure; when we take their blood pressure readings before and after exercise. It is noticeably lower after exercise. This is due to the body’s cardiovascular system’s response to aerobic exercise. 26 AL/ Metro360 www.almetro360.com LIVING WELL ......................................................................................................................... Q