Unveiling the "Third State" of Men: Causes of Sub-health, High-Risk Groups, and Self-Examination [i]

The state of "sub-health" is common among busy men. Many people take "sub-health" lightly, thinking that they can get better with rest. This is a misconception. "Sub-health" also needs attention and care[i]. In daily life, some men often complain like this: "I feel easily fatigued, powerless, and listless. When I get home from work, my first reaction is to sit on the sofa or lie down on the bed. I just don't want to move." "Recently, I have been restless, anxious, fearful, and depressed." "I haven't been sleeping well these past few days. I have difficulty falling asleep at night and am reluctant to get out of bed in the morning." "I often experience headaches, dizziness, tinnitus, forgetfulness, body aches, and excessive sweating." "I often feel soreness and numbness in my neck and limbs." People who have these complaints are likely already in a state of "sub-health"[i]. For a long time, people's understanding of health has been limited to not being sick[i]. The objects of medical research are "disease" and "patients"[i]. However, in recent years, some scholars have proposed a "third state" that is neither a patient nor a healthy person, but rather a state between the two [i]. The third state is characterized by: feeling unwell, frequently suffering from illness, but being unable to find a diagnosis, and trying treatments that are always ineffective and worsen the condition [i]. According to a sample survey of nearly 10,000 people by relevant institutions: only 5% to 15% of the population is in a state of physical and mental health; 40% to 50% of the population is in a state of mild imbalance and latent chronic disease, i.e., a sub-healthy state; 17% to 20% of the population has already shown early symptoms of chronic diseases; and 15% of the population has entered a state of chronic disease [i]. The proportion of sub-healthy people is higher in coastal cities than in inland areas, and the proportion of sub-healthy people among intellectuals and business managers in cities is higher than that of the general population [i]. About 78% of people over 40 years old are in a sub-healthy state, of which about one-third are also affected by or caused by psychological abnormalities [i]. At present, tumors, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, respiratory and digestive system and metabolic diseases have become the main "killers" threatening people's health [i]. Many of the aforementioned diseases have a developmental process, and this slow, gradual process provides people with ample room for prevention[i]. However, many people miss this "prevention space" because they are unaware of the problem, leading to advanced illness and regret[i]. Sub-health urgently needs sufficient attention[i]. For this state of "sub-health"-a state that is neither healthy nor unhealthy, neither disease nor not disease-it is important to understand its causes and its diverse external manifestations so that people can prevent it in daily life and enhance their health awareness[i]. Clinically, sub-health is often diagnosed as fatigue syndrome, endocrine disorders, neurasthenia, menopausal syndrome, etc. Its specific psychological manifestations include lethargy, low mood, slow reaction, irritability, anxiety, and easy startling; physiologically, it manifests as weakness, shortness of breath, and lower back and leg pain[i]. In addition, symptoms similar to cardiovascular diseases may also appear, such as palpitations and arrhythmia[i]. The causes of sub-health are generally as follows: (1) Overexertion and mental stress leading to "overdraft" of energy and physical strength [i]. In today's increasingly competitive society, work pressure is increasing. If one cannot establish an effective recovery mechanism through good habits or appropriate relaxation, the main organs of the body will experience low efficiency, functional decline, and temporary functional impairment under long-term excessive load [i]. This is the most common cause of sub-health [i]. (2) Natural aging of the human body, manifested as insufficient physical strength and energy [i]. (3) Poor lifestyle habits or adverse environment induce early symptoms of certain diseases [i]. Many early symptoms of certain diseases, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and cancer, are induced by long-term poor lifestyle habits or adverse living environment [i]. In the early stage of the disease, the lesion will cause some systemic functional abnormalities or disorders, but it is difficult to accurately detect the cause by physical examination [i]. This is the sub-health that really needs to be taken seriously [i]. In addition, the following ten types of people are most prone to sub-health: (1) people who are addicted to smoking; (2) people who are narrow-minded and easily angered; (3) people who have irregular lifestyles, binge eat, or have unbalanced diets; (4) people who are alcoholics; (5) people who take excessive medication for minor ailments, taking countless medications and injections; (6) people who endure illness without seeking medical treatment and let things take their course; (7) people who indulge in excessive sexual activity and have promiscuous sexual behavior; (8) people who are listless, depressed, and despondent; (9) people who are lonely and have no friends; (10) people who never exercise [i]. Typical manifestations of sub-health include: restlessness, palpitations, and insomnia; excessive sweating and frequent colds; red tongue with thick coating, bitter taste in the mouth, and dry stools; dull complexion and dark circles under the eyes; swollen limbs and under-eye bags; abnormal nail appearance; premenstrual chest swelling and breast nodules; spitting out sticky substances, hiccups, and abdominal distension; abnormal body temperature, fatigue, and weakness; blurred vision, headache, and dizziness [i]. Men, please check this out. If you are already part of the "sub-healthy" group, then you must start adjusting your lifestyle and work habits and learn to regulate your stress [i].