For the 'Movember' men's health drive, Bermuda's men are growing moustaches as a banner of support for men's health issues.

Men have a well-known tendency to neglect themselves and personal trainer Mark Raynor attributes men's dislike of regular check-ups to instinctive fear.

"A lot of men don't want to know there's something wrong," he said.

A general neglect of health, he said, boiled down to complacency. "A lot of men think they can thrive off their personality and forget that you've got to look after your health. Life's fragile. People take it for granted. Particularly with older men, they're married, they get contented, they forget to think about their health."

For a top ten men's list, we start with Mr Raynor's personal recommended five:

l Get a minimum of 20 minutes every day of vigorous aerobic activity. Aerobic exercise maintains a healthy heart and lungs.

l Alternate anaerobic workouts with aerobics like walking, jogging or swimming.

l Lower your sugar intake. We all like sugar but it's very dangerous, and we get a lot of it that we don't even know about in our diet. You can make a big difference to your health if you consciously lower your sugar.

l Definitely get regular physicals. Seeing a medical doctor for a physical check-up is recommended especially as you get older.

l Get plenty of water and make sure you get your rest.

Mr Raynor called these basics his own essential regimen.

The following lifestyle tips for men come from the Mayo Clinic's recommendations for improving male health:

l Cut out smoking. Smoking increases the likelihood of cancer, stroke and heart disease.

l Reduce high-fat foods from your diet, especially the 'trans' fats contained in popular fried foods.

l Limit your sun exposure. Wear sun-protective clothes and use sunscreen when swimming, golfing or fishing.

l If you drink alcohol, try to use moderation.

l Accidents are a leading cause of male death, especially motor crashes so don't speed, don't drink and drive and take care on the roads or out on the water.

lTo learn more about Movember and make a donation for men's health, look in www.chc.bm.