Men’s Health Is a Family Issue

June 13, 2022

June is National Men’s Health Month. For our men and boys, we would like to create awareness about healthy living habits that prevent diseases and promote wellness.

This year, Father’s Day falls during National Men’s Health Week, June 13-19. What better way to celebrate dad than by encouraging him to take care of himself? Throughout the week we will focus on physical health, hard exercise, a healthy diet, and regular doctor visits.

According to a recent survey, 1/3 of American men do not see their doctors regularly. Men are depended upon by wives, children, friends, and parents. A man’s health is not only important for himself, but also for the people who love him.

“Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue.”

Facts

In the United States, the average female lives five years longer than the average male. From early on, boys are more prone to illness, accidents, and death than their female counterparts – and this isn’t exclusive to Americans.

The following statistics are the most common causes of men’s issues:

• Prostate cancer is the #1 cancer affecting men and the #2 leading cause of cancer deaths (behind lung cancer) for men. Approximately 30,000 men in the U.S. die each year from prostate cancer.
• Cardiovascular disease - 70% of premature deaths from heart disease are male.
• Men have a higher death rate for most leading causes of death including cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
• 4 out of 5 suicides are male. Mental health is one of the most stigmatized issues affecting men.
• 60% of men are overweight or obese.
• Men are more likely to drink alcohol to dangerous levels.
• Men are twice as likely to have liver disease.

It is imperative that men become more comfortable discussing their health and well-being considering these statistics. Male children learn many of their habits based upon the men in their lives. With that in mind, it’s essential for men to set good examples when it comes to maintaining good health.

Game Plan

Eat healthy. Experts recommend starting small, such as controlling portion sizes and eating a healthy breakfast. Your appetite will remain satisfied with a high-protein diet. Aside from fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and healthy fats, choose low-sugar, high-fiber foods. Fiber helps lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and it protects against heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Head to the gym. Use Men’s Health Week to get yourself moving! Go to the gym, take a long walk, swim some laps, or take a bike ride. Your body will thank you, and just maybe it’ll be the start of a new habit.

Make Prevention a Priority. One of the best ways to celebrate Men’s Health Week is to make an appointment you’ve been putting off! Below is a list of the main physical health issues that men face.

• Testicular cancer, for instance, is a young man’s disease, striking as early as 15.
• Skin cancer is a particular concern because men are less likely to use it.
• While leaps and bounds have been made with prostate cancer awareness, the prospect of a rectal exam still keeps many men away from the doctor’s office (a simple blood test is all it takes for a correct diagnosis).
• That discomfiture carries over to colorectal cancer; the thought of a colonoscopy can be simply too much to bear even if the necessity is acknowledged.

The irony is that all these cancers have several obvious symptoms in their early stages when they are most easily and successfully treated, but the symptoms are either not recognized or not diagnosed in time.

Take Action

Now equipped with this knowledge, we hope you make better decisions for your overall health. Do it for yourself – and your family and friends.