June is
Men’s Health Month
Kick it off starting with Men’s Health Week June 9 to Father’s Day, June 15.
Men’s Health Week heightens the awareness of preventable health problems and encourages early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. While awareness and funding efforts have successfully addressed numerous health challenges over the years, men’s health issues receive significantly less attention, despite statistics demonstrating clear concern.
- Men die an average of six years earlier than women due to preventable health issues.
- Prostate cancer and testicular cancer receive far less attention.
- Suicide rates among men are significantly higher, yet mental health initiatives often fail to acknowledge interventions that resonate with men.
June is Men’s Health Month. It’s the perfect opportunity for men to make their health and well-being a top priority. Also a great time to encourage the men in your life to take care of themselves by eating right, exercising, and making smart choices to prevent and detect conditions such as obesity, heart disease, depression, and cancer.
Improving overall health can increase longevity, happiness, and quality of life. Here are eight simple ways for guys improve their well-being:
-
Exercise regularly: Find something you enjoy that gets your heart pumping for 30 minutes a day.
-
See your doctor: Stay on top of your health, medical issues, and recommended screenings. It can be difficult to remember concerns or questions in the moment, so a great tip is to write any health questions down and take the list to your appointment.
-
Get cooking: Plan and cook healthy meals with your family. Shop for the ingredients together from your local store or farmer’s market and make it a family event.
-
Spend quality time with family: Turn off the screens and spend time catching up while you go for a walk, play cards, or get out an old favorite family board game.
-
Educate yourself: Health fairs and physician-led community talks are great ways to learn about important topics like blood pressure, cholesterol, prostate and colon cancer, and maintaining a healthy weight.
-
Get some rest: A good night’s sleep is essential and can improve health and wellness across the board. Getting eight hours of sleep can help your mind and body recover after a long day.
-
Try something new: Sign up for a yoga class to increase flexibility, or try meditation to deal with stress. Join an intramural sports team in your community. Pick up that instrument you’ve always wanted to play. Learning new things will not only make you feel good about yourself, but it has been proven to slow the effects that normal aging can have on the brain.
-
Inspire others: It’s easy to start new programs but can be difficult to keep the momentum going. Include friends and family in your plans and activities, and encourage each other as you venture on to a healthier future together.
Please make routine appointments with a healthcare provider to ensure that you are maintaining good health. Here are some guidelines below.
20s
-
Every year – a physical exam, blood pressure analysis, blood test and urine analysis, rectal exam, STD testing, self-performed testicular exam
-
Every 5 years – TB (tuberculosis) skin test
-
Every 10 years – tetanus booster
30s
-
Every year – a physical exam, blood pressure analysis, blood test and urine analysis, rectal exam, STD testing, self-performed testicular exam, electrocardiogram (EKG) for heart abnormalities
-
Every 5 years – TB (tuberculosis) skin test
-
Every 10 years – tetanus booster
40s
-
Every year – a physical exam, blood pressure analysis, blood test and urine analysis, rectal exam, STD testing, self-performed testicular exam, electrocardiogram (EKG) for heart abnormalities, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, hemoccult test
-
Every 5 years – TB (tuberculosis) skin test
-
Every 10 years – tetanus booster with physician’s discretion for chest X-ray and testosterone screening
50s
-
Every year – a physical exam, blood pressure analysis, blood test and urine analysis, rectal exam, STD testing, self-performed testicular exam, electrocardiogram (EKG) for heart abnormalities, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening, hemoccult test
-
Every 5 years – TB (tuberculosis) skin test
-
Every 10 years – tetanus booster with physician’s discretion for chest X-ray, testosterone screening, and bone density screening
Other resources:
