There was once a feature article about "sick" gems being cured. The feature said that at a depth of eighty feet below the surface of the clear, blue waters of the Adriatic Sea is a cage. This unusual cage was made by experienced divers in the face of the rock that formed the cliff near the Castle of Miramar. Inside that almost natural cage are some of the most magnificent pearls in the world, belonging to the Archduchess Rainier. The beautiful pearls was placed there because they had become "sick", meaning, they were losing their brilliant color. Gem experts were unanimous in declaring that the only way to restore their original brilliance was to submit them to a long immersion in the depths of the sea, where they naturally belong in the first place. There they laid for a number of years.

The male physique is a wonderful machinery. It can accomplish so many things—from the gentlest of motions to long bouts of endurance. However, like the pearls in the feature article, over time, the body’s magnificence can also fade away through over use and misuse. When this happens, illness and disease creep and attack its delicate parts, such as the heart, lungs, even muscles. To prevent such a negative scenario, hard-working males should set aside some of their payday advances as well as their time to get a thorough medical checkup. This could be a bit expensive, with all the test and doctor’s fees, but it is well-worth it.

Unfortunately, medical tests are no fun, especially for the male specie of society. For some well-kept reason, men do not like going to hospitals or clinics for tests—unless they already have the aches and pains. In some cases, people end up with inadvertently skewed results. But not to worry, there are some simple, do-it-yourself prep work that would guarantee the numbers are accurate and the tests will be one-take wonders.

Part of any basic medical checkup is a blood pressure check. This helps monitor the risk of heart disease and stroke, especially for men who are susceptible to it. What throws this simple check off is anxiety. Unnecessary worry over a visit to the family physician can increase the systolic blood pressure by five points and the diastolic by 3.5 points. To prevent this, men should go to the bathroom first. According to research, urination reduces blood pressure.

Another fairly common test during medical checkups is the treadmill stress test. This is good for measuring men’s heart fitness and identifies signs of possible heart disease. The test would turn up inaccurate if, during the exam, there is any interference between skin and the electrode (like chest hair). So, before men take this test, they should be careful to clean themselves in the morning. Skip body lotion or powder because it weakens an electrode’s grip on the heart’s electrical signal.

It’s time to take charge of one’s medical checkup. These may be tedious and expensive but, in the long run, a thorough medical checkup, done accurately, can save one’s life.