June is National Men's Health Month
The month of June is dedicated to enriching men’s health and wellness through a broad spectrum of national screening and educational campaigns. Men’s Health Week is celebrated during the week leading up to and including Father’s Day and serves as a time to raise awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men. The week also includes ‘Wear Blue Friday’ on June 14: you can show your support and encourage your colleagues to wear something blue (dress, shirt, tie, etc.) to show concern for the health and well-being of men.
According to Health.gov, there are quite a few things you can do to help the men in your life all year. You can start here:
Encourage him to get a physical. Most of the factors that contribute to men’s shorter, less healthy lives are preventable. And that prevention starts with seeing a healthcare provider on a regular basis. Adult men in the United States visit primary care providers at lower rates than adult women. Establishing baselines for factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and PSA (a screening test for prostate cancer risk)—and monitoring how they change over time—will enable the provider to catch potentially dangerous conditions early, when they’re still treatable. You can download a helpful chart of recommended screenings at www.healthfinder.gov.
Encourage him to get physical. The benefits of physical activity on health outcomes are extensive, and many people find it difficult to get motivated for physical activity on their own. Rather than simply telling your dad to exercise and then hoping that he will, do it with him. Join a recreation league at your local community center, sign up for group personal training sessions to get fit together, or simply make a routine out of regular walks. Simple, yes, but not always easy.
Let him know you care. One reason men disregard their own health is that they’re too busy taking care of everyone else. What they don’t realize, however, is that if they die early, they’ll be hurting the very people they’ve worked so hard to protect. So remind him that you and your other family members love him and need him to be alive and healthy for as long as possible.
We hope the above list helps to get the men in your life to take their health seriously. We definitely want to do our part here at Well Adjusted Buckhead, so we are offering 50% off of an adjustment for all men who mention this article when booking their appointment. We may even have a special for those who WEAR BLUE on June 14. Keep up with my Instagram page for more details as the date approaches.
Helping you feel your best with health + humor,
Dr. Jess
Click the link below to schedule your appointment today!