Health: Who's The Weaker Sex?
By Karen Springen
Men may earn more than women, run faster and buy more wide-screen TVs. But when it comes to health, they trail the opposite sex in nearly every category. Stroke, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and the six other leading causes of death kill men at a higher rate than they do women. Yet men are half as likely to see a doctor regularly. "They're busy with work, and they always make excuses," says Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham of California, a prostate-cancer survivor who is pushing to open an Office of Men's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Here are some steps men can take to live longer, healthier lives.
18 to 35. Focus on prevention. See your doctor every two years for routine tests, including blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar screens. Ryan Cooper, 28, saw his dad die of a heart attack at 40 and now visits the physician regularly. After a recent checkup showed his triglycerides (a kind of fat) were twice the normal level, he hit the gym, cut back on burgers and pizza and now has a clean bill of health. Also, perform regular self-exams for testicular cancer, the most common form of cancer among men ages 20 to 35. (See urology.net.)
35 to 50. Pay particular attention to diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. If you have a family history of colon cancer, get a colonoscopy, says Dr. Gary Martin, vice chair of the department of medicine at Northwestern University. And if you have a family history of prostate cancer, you may want to begin prostate screening. (Otherwise, start both at 50.) At 45, talk to your doctor about whether you should take an aspirin a day to help prevent a heart attack or stroke.
50s and 60s. If you have a history of high blood pressure or diabetes, ask about an ultrasound of the carotid arteries in your neck to check for blockages that could lead to a stroke. If you haven't already done so, get a colonoscopy. Have a dermatologist screen you for skin cancer and get your hearing checked every three years (see asha. org).
70s, 80s and above. If you were a smoker, ask your doctor about a sonogram to check for weak spots or bulges in your aorta, the body's largest blood vessel. And get a bone-density scan to test for osteoporosis, which affects men 10 to 15 years later than women.
The bottom line: it pays to care for your health at every age.
Travel: Spanish Delight
East met West, and made Granada. Culture vultures will adore the Andalucian town for its Islamic monuments; skiers and sunbathers will love its proximity to the Sierra Nevada and the Mediterranean.
See the Alhambra by moonlight, when the sounds of fountains and the scent of cypress seem strongest.
Stay at the Hotel Palacio de Santa Ines, a chic but inexpensive boutique hotel built around the courtyards of a 16th-century town house (34-958-22-23-62 ).
Dine at Chikito, a boho bar-restaurant famed for its wine, hams and artsy clientele. Hit the cafes in the Plaza Bib Rambla for churros and hot chocolate.
Shop for Moroccan leather, pottery and jewelry in the shops lining the narrow alleys of the Alcaiceria, the old Muslim quarter.
--Carla Power
Road Test: Mercedes Slk350--Like Malibu Barbie
If the SUV says utility, the sporty roadster with a convertible top is all about a carefree day on the road. Mercedes gets this right in the redesigned SLK350. I scooped up a friend, popped the top and took to the hills above Malibu. This beauty fit perfectly into the landscape. The SLK is sculpted, tight and cut--like a body-builder. A steeply sloped front end meets a seriously slanted windshield; it looks as if this SLK is zooming even at a standstill. But zoom it must, with a 3.5-liter aluminum V-6, 268-horsepower engine. Slipping through the rocky coastline, I thrilled to the skin-tight responsive steering, the seamless shifting and the pitch-perfect traction. This is a monumental improvement over the previous-generation SLK, which looked cheap and gave a decidedly uninvigorating ride.
Inside, sleek is the buzzword. My tester had red leather seats and door inserts contrasting with matte black. The dash is all about matte metallicfinish, and the bling-bling Mercedes logo is everywhere: on the steering wheel, shift knob, wheels, front grille and trunk lid. So much personality in such a small package.
Tip: For better fuel economy, try the seven-speed auto transmission..
--Tara Weingarten
Style: Wild Wedding Wear
Prince Charles's royal nuptials last month prompted that perennial spring question: what should the style-savvy guest wear? As Harrods fashion buyer Nick O'Donnell puts it, "This summer, dare to upstage the bride!" InStyle magazine recommends that guests wear fabulous white hats (no longer a color no-no) from Armani, and Vogue is sending pew-bound readers to bold-print silk Pucci and Missoni gowns. London's Sunday Times Style pages advise pairing a chic Christian Dior couture jacket with a denim miniskirt for a "clever mix of youth and formality." The royal wedding guests took such advice to heart: the mother of the groom shone in bright white, Camilla's son Tom's fiancee stole gasps in a panty-revealing miniskirt and the prince's fashion-plate niece Zara Philips wore Moschino with sassy knee-high black boots. Here come the guests!
--Emily Flynn
What's Hot In London
Drainpipe jeans may sound like something a plumber would wear. In fact, they're London's hot fashion item for spring and summer. Inspired by tight jeans worn by punkers in the early 1980s, drainpipes fit snugly from thigh to ankle. Kate Moss and her posse have been pulling on Sass and Bide's Frayed Misfits ($245; sassandbide.com for stores), while Keira Knightley is said to prefer Earl Jeans' 88 Straight Fit Jean (from $140; (www.earljean.com for stores). Warns British Glamour's Vanessa Gillingham, it helps to be long and lean to wear them: "These jeans are not for pear-shaped people, unless you pair them with a minidress to hide your hips." Point taken. We'll just wait for the "water main" version.
--Ginanne Brownell