June is National Men's Health Month

June is National Men’s Health Month and a time to encourage all men to take care of their mind, body, and their spirit. The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases including cancer, heart conditions, and mental illness. Many men feel they are invincible and are unaware of health issues, lack health education, and feel they must “man up” when they are sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the leading causes of death for men in the U.S. are heart disease, cancer, and unintended accidental injuries.

Seven health issues that may occur as men age:

The following health conditions may occur as men age. Many of them are preventable and are related to lifestyle habits, which can be altered by changes in behavior.

  • Heart Disease - according to the Centers for Disease Control, men are twice as likely to have a heart attack than women. Strokes also occur more often in men than women.

  • Prostate Cancer - this is the most common cancer identified in men and the second leading cause of death in men.

  • Lung Cancer - is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men.

  • Diabetes - men are more susceptible to developing Type 2 diabetes than women. Obesity is a high-risk factor for this illness and men have more visceral fat (abdominal) than women, who have more subcutaneous fat.

  • Depression and Suicidal Thoughts - men are more apt to suppress their emotions and demonstrate depression in anxiety and aggressive behavior. Men are less likely to seek help for depression and may cope with depression in other ways, such as drinking too much.

  • Colorectal Cancer - in the U.S. men of all ethnicity groups develop colon cancer at a higher rate than women. The most common sign of colorectal cancer is blood in the stool, which some men may attribute to hemorrhoids.

  • Erectile Dysfunction - occurs in men secondary to other diseases such as diabetes or vascular disease.

Tips to prevent the occurrence of these health conditions and create a healthy lifestyle!

  • Knowing your numbers to prevent heart disease, includes knowing your blood pressure, cholesterol level, and weight.

  • Increasing your exercise and activity level - the Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults should be engaging in physical activity for 150 minutes a week. This breaks down to 30 minutes, 5 days a week.

  • Eating a healthy and nutritious diet. Decreasing the number of fried foods and saturated fats and increasing whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

  • Stop smoking and tobacco use.

  • Have regular check-ups for prostate cancer.

  • Have regular medical screenings for colorectal cancer, including a colonoscopy.

  • Cultivate good relationships for companionship and intimacy.

  • Seek the assistance of mental health professionals for periods of sadness, loneliness, and depression when needed.

  • Establish a relationship with a primary care physician to schedule regular medical visits so that routine screening tests, including blood work and diagnostic tests, can be done as needed.

Feel free to contact us at Healthlink Advocates with any questions regarding this information about Men’s Health Month!