Your Health

Take this quiz—no matter your gender—to test your knowledge about common medical issues facing today’s men and health-promoting strategies

1.    True or False: Most men fail to see their physician annually for preventive checkups.
True. According to a survey by the CDC, 22.6 percent of men have not seen their physician in the past year. And men are half as likely as women to go to the doctor over a 2-year period, despite the fact that prompt, pre-emptive care can be a major contributor toward good health and long life.

Slow and dancelike, tai chi is a graceful way to relax, exercise and improve physical balance. To find out more about this Chinese martial art, we spoke to Jan Diepersloot, Bay Area tai chi teacher and author of Masters of Perception (www.warriorsofstillness.com), for a firsthand account of his development as a serious tai chi practitioner.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh green beans, trimmed
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely minced red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

With the new year approaching, it's prime time to safeguard your health

Never underestimate the benefits of your annual checkup: It’s your chance as a patient to get one solid block of time alone with your doctor, when you can ask all the questions about your health that you’re wondering about and get a personalized care plan that can keep you healthy. According to some medical experts, those annual visits also improve the detection of early illness, which could help prevent complications down the line.