You're going to die. Trust me; I'm a physician--I'm an expert on these things! But you don't have to go to medical school to know that the mortality rate for men is holding steady at 100 percent.

Intellectually you agree, but you probably don't act like you believe it. The 17th-century English poet, dramatist and literary critic Edward Young hit the coffin nail on the head when he said, "All men think all men are mortal but themselves." That is what gets men in trouble. We think we can cheat the grim reaper by ignoring him, but it doesn't quite work that way.

To perfect a good jump shot, you have to work hard and know the basics of the game. It's the same with your health--you can take the game of life into overtime by working hard at the fundamental elements of healthy living.

Why bother? "When your number's up, your number's up," you might say. "I'm not afraid of death." Me neither. I just don't want to be there when it happens! I want to delay the inevitable as much as possible.

Living longer should be your priority, too. It's a matter of godly stewardship, and you owe it to your "home team." Statistically, your wife will live five to 10 years longer than you will. If you die first, she will have to battle loneliness. She will probably have to move from your home, and will be at a much higher risk for depression, poverty and serious illness.

Your presence is also important for your children and grandchildren. They need your Christian influence in their lives. Many men work so hard to get to retirement--so they can spend more time with their families--that they don't live long enough to see retirement. Don't let this happen to you.

So how do you beat the odds and get extra playing time in the game of life? First of all, plan a good strategy. It sounds trite, but the longer you live, the longer you will live. If you manage to live to 65, your life expectancy becomes 79 years. If you live to see age 75, your life expectancy increases to 85 years. Make it to 85 and you will probably live to be 90.

So, like breaking a game down into quarters, develop a 10-year strategy for each segment of your life. What do you need to be doing now to delay being put permanently on the bench?

Second, scout the opposition like a basketball coach. What are you up against? How are you going to defend against a 7-foot center and shut down that shooting guard, dropping threes from the corner and wanting to put you in a casket?

Here's the scouting report on death's starting lineup--the five leading causes of death for men.

The post player trying to dominate the key is (01) HEART DISEASE. He slam-dunks one out of three guys. He cuts off their coronary arteries with atherosclerotic plaque so the heart muscle doesn't get oxygen and dies. Heart disease likes to penetrate early. One-third of all men feel its effect by age 60. If he scored on your dad, uncles or brothers, you're even more likely to have an early heart attack.

Recognize heart disease's signature move. Watch for fullness, pressure or squeezing pain that goes down your arm or up your jaw and lasts longer than a few minutes. It is often accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath or cold sweats. You have to counter this move immediately. Don't wait, CALL 911. If you get to the hospital fast, new clot-busting drugs can open up closed coronaries, and keep you and your heart muscle from dying.

The best way to beat heart disease is to "double down" on him. Find out your cholesterol, sugar level and blood pressure from your healthcare coach (your physician). Exercising, dieting and taking medications when needed are the fundamentals you need to master. This takes discipline, but you can get this ball back in your court.

First, move your feet. Find an exercise you like, and do it at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Play tennis, walk the dog, swim or jog. Do some weight work so you can push this guy around. Know your ideal body weight and get there.

As you change your eating habits, avoid cholesterol-laden foods. If your cholesterol or blood pressure is high, take medications to get them into normal range. At age 50, it's time to scrimmage to see how you're doing. Get a treadmill test to check for signs of heart disease.

(02) CANCER is the point guard with the great crossover dribble. He is sneaky and fast. You have to play good zone defense, or this guy will blow past you and score. Catching "the big C" early is key to getting into overtime. Men have more cancer than women, and they often catch it late.

The No. 1 weapon of the big C is prostate cancer, which has few symptoms until it is too late. Thirty percent of men with cancer have this one. To keep prostate in the backcourt, you need to have an annual prostate exam and a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test every year, starting at age 50. Eating lots of vegetables and fiber also decreases your risk.

You have to zone press cancer's second big weapon--lung cancer. You can keep this guy scoreless by just doing one thing: stop smoking. That lowers your risk of lung cancer 22-fold and greatly helps in preventing cardiovascular disease, stroke, bone loss, impotence, infertility, wrinkles and cancer of the esophagus, throat, mouth, pancreas, kidneys and bladder.

Smoking is like wearing lead shoes onto the court. You can't dribble, rebound or shoot your jump shot. You're almost sure to lose the game. Shut this guy down, or your game will be over early.

The big C's third weapon is colon cancer. He is a shot blocker and rebounder so he has a killer inside game. He shows up in the second half of life, starting around age 50. Watch out for changes in your bowel habits, blood in your stool or unexplained weight loss.

Defend this guy with lots of roughage, fiber and vegetables in your diet, and box him out with a colonoscopy at age 50 to look for polyps or an early tumor. Repeat that every 10 years.

These are the big C's big three, but he has a few other ways he drives to the basket. Younger guys should watch out for testicular cancer's fast break. Check monthly as you shower for a painless lump about the size of a pea on either testicle. Lance Armstrong found his and was cured.

Don't let skin cancer get the ball. Watch for new moles or changes in the color, size or shape of skin lesions. Always wear a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher to avoid sunburn.

The No. 3 man on the killer squad wants to hurt you ... bad. Like Dennis Rodman back in his prime, he likes to play rough and crash the boards. You have to play this guy smart.

One in every three visits to an emergency room is due to (03) ACCIDENTS, and men are 2-1/2 times more likely to suffer a fatal injury compared to women. The most common cause is motor-vehicle accidents, but firearm incidents, drowning and machine injuries are not too far behind.

The problem is that men like to take foolish risks to get an adrenaline rush. On the flip side--fools die young. Eighteen Americans die every hour due to injury.

Play hard, but don't play stupid and foul out. Don't be caught reaching in by not wearing your seat belt. Don't double dribble by drinking and driving. Use protective gear during sports activities, and understand your risks. For example, did you know one of the most dangerous forms of transportation per mile traveled is bicycle riding? That is why bicycle helmets and reflective clothing are so important.

Accidents are a problem for the young and old alike, but seniors tend to fall around the home and break their hips or other bones. Good lighting, removing loose rugs and other obstacles can help keep you from being put on the bench.

The small forward in the killer five is (04) STROKE. Stroke occurs when an artery that supplies blood to the brain bursts or is blocked by a tiny blood clot. The nerve cells in that part of the brain are damaged or die, and the area of the body controlled by that section of the brain no longer functions properly.

Play this guy one-on-one. A stroke attack is an emergency that needs immediate treatment. If you have numbness, weakness, paralysis, sudden vision problems, difficulty speaking, confusing or sudden severe headache ("the worst one I've ever had"), get to a hospital immediately. Most strokes are due to blood clots, and new drugs can dissolve these and reverse symptoms if you don't delay.

Most strokes are caused by clots that start where you have a crack in an atherosclerotic plaque in your carotid arteries or other blood vessels taking blood to the brain. Keeping your cholesterol and triglycerides in normal range prevents plaque development.

Another good technique to set a pick on stroke is to take an 80-milligram baby aspirin every day. This helps keep clots from forming.

The fifth man is the shooting guard, and he is murder--he will wear you down with three-pointers from all over the court. (05) RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS from flu to pneumonia get you late in the game of life.

Don't let this guy take your breath away! Obtain your flu shot each year after 65, and get immunized for pneumonia.

Get a hand in this guy's face by keeping your hands out of yours. Flu and other infections often pass from things your hands have touched to your face. Wash your hands often, and keep them away from your mouth and nose.

If you want to make it to the Final Four of longevity, get back to the fundamentals:

• Don't dig your grave with your knife, fork and spoon.
• Watch your weight--small caskets are cheaper, and you don't need them as soon!
• Get regular exercise--more than just moving from the TV to the fridge.

As Bear Bryant said, "It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference." So lace 'em up, and start practicing.

By David Stevens, M.D., executive director of the Christian Medical and Dental Society. For more information, visit www.cmdahome.org.