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Bringing Awareness to Men's Health
Men are you making your health a priority? If the answer is no, then there’s no time like the present to start. As June is Men’s Health Month, we’re going to focus on keeping boys and men happy and healthy.
Did you know that men on average have shorter life spans than women; in fact, the life expectancy gap is roughly a difference of 5 years. Most of these determinants are due to poor health habits, lack of health insurance, failure to seek medical attention, and dangerous occupations.
Guys, there’s no reason to neglect something as important as your health. Taking control of your health by visiting your healthcare provider regularly, eating right, exercising, getting adequate sleep, quitting smoking, and keeping good mental health all contribute to a better quality of life.
Regular health screenings are a necessity. Certain diseases and conditions may not have symptoms, so checkups help identify issues early or before they can become a problem. Your doctor will talk with you about tests and/or screenings you need based on your individual risk factors and age.
Examples of tests men should have done include:
- Blood pressure screening
- Cardiovascular screening
- Colorectal cancer screening
- Prostate cancer screening
- Testicular cancer exams
Establishing with a medical provider at an early age for regular checkups, particularly for boys and young men, helps establish a guideline to go by for your future health in the event something serious happens down the road.
Besides seeing a medical provider regularly, here are several other things you should be doing to prevent critical health concerns at any age.
- Making healthy food choices. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. And limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol.
- Staying active. Exercising regularly can improve your balance, help keep you mobile, improve your mood by reducing feelings of anxiety and depression, and contribute to better cognitive functioning. It’s also an important part of managing some chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, breast and colon cancer, and osteoporosis.
- Getting adequate sleep. Without enough sleep, your brain and body systems won’t function normally and can dramatically lower your quality of life.
- Quitting smoking, vaping, and chewing. Eliminating nicotine can reduce the risk for many adverse health effects including poor reproductive health outcomes, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cancer.
- Take care of your mental health. Too often mental health issues aren’t addressed the same as physical health issues due to concerns of societal stigmas, but it’s important to know that your mental health plays a big part of your overall health and what affects one, can affect the other. By maintaining good mental health it can help reduce potential diseases and disorders from occurring.
Men make your health a priority, because your actions today lead to healthier tomorrows for not only yourself, but for generations to come.
At SIHF Healthcare our medical providers at each location are ready to assist you with maintaining your health and wellness needs at any age. Click here to find a SIHF Healthcare health center near you and book an appointment today. Your provider will take the time to listen to your health concerns and offer the best treatment that is right for you.