Talking about preventative healthcare and getting annual checkups should be a regular thing for men, but unfortunately that isn’t the case. It’s because of this crisis that Men’s Health has one month a year (June) to be nationally recognized. The goal is to help heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.
Men’s Health Month is all about informing men (young and elderly) on health concerns they need to look out for, ways to stay healthy, and continue to encourage them to visit their nearest health facility for regular checkups.
A few facts about Men’s Health:
- Men are dying an average of 5 years younger than women.
- Men lead 9 out of 10 of the top causes of death.
- Men are at a greater risk for death in every age group.
- More males than females are born (105 vs. 100), but by age 35, women outnumber men.
- Men do not see physicians for a physical exam nearly as often as women.
It’s with facts like these that it’s important to not only be educated on the ways to stay healthy but also preventative health care.
Why Preventative Health Care for Men is Important
At minimum, no matter your age, men should at least have annual checkups (that’s one doctor visit a year). The best chance you have at avoiding health problems is prevention, self-examination, and regular visits to your healthcare provider. With regular screening you and your doctor are able to catch any health problems in its early stages when treatments are more likely to be successful.
Men should be talking with their doctor about the following health concerns:
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Disease
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Testicular Cancer
- Diabetes
- Skin Cancer
- Low Testosterone
- Colorectal Cancer
- Depression
- Lung Cancer
- Osteoporosis
Getting regularly screened for a range of diseases, such as listed above, is one of the best things you can do in preventative health care. If you aren’t sure which ones you should be screened for, talk it over with your doctor.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the #1 cancer among men according to the National Cancer Institute. Making sure you get regularly screened for it upon the proper age is crucial. The age to start prostate screening is 40 or above for men with a family history of prostate cancer and African American males, 50 or above for other men.
Click here for more information on the prostate, risk factors, and treatment options concerning prostate cancer.
Tips to Stay Healthy
Regularly visiting your doctor is only part of preventative health care, the other part is staying on top of your health! Here are just a few different ways you can stay healthy.
- Watch what you eat - That means eating a variety of proteins, whole grains, fruits, and veggies that will help your body stay fueled and ready to fight off any infections or diseases.
- Exercise – This will help keep your heart, along with the rest of your body, strong. Moderate physical activity five days a week for about 30 minutes a day is something to aim for if you aren’t doing so already. These activities can be things like walking, dancing with the family, swimming, or playing a sport!
- Take care of your mental health – The list above about health concerns wasn’t all physical, so your preventative care shouldn’t just be for your body but also for your mind! Getting enough sleep can help but also keep your eye out for signs of depression, suicide, or substance abuse.
- Take vitamins for nutrients – Not getting enough nutrients in your body can negatively impact your health and sometimes even result in chronic disease. Click here to see a list of what vitamins men need to make sure they are getting enough of, it even includes a list of 15 best multivitamins for men!
We know that preventative health care is time consuming and isn’t necessarily fun, but with it you can lead not only a healthier life but also a longer one.
Our mission at Orchard Hospital is to provide our community with superior healthcare. We strive to ensure that your experience at Orchard Hospital is as pleasant and comfortable as possible. Our priority is to provide you with the care you need when you need it, with skill, compassion, and respect.
