Men’s Health Month: Be His Support

June is Men’s Health Month. It isn’t a coincidence that Father’s Day is also celebrated in June. Plus, wear blue is the Friday before Father’s Day to help heighten awareness about the importance of preventative health, early detection and proper treatment of health conditions.

We all have at least one man in our life. Whether it is your husband, partner, dad, grandpa, uncle, co-worker, friend, brother or son, each of us can provide encouragement to take better care of ourselves. Making healthy decisions isn’t easy for everyone. The important part is getting started and sticking with it! Setting goals and working on them together holds everyone accountable. 

Here are the facts:

There are several things you can do to get started. Before we review those, let’s look at some statistics about men’s health.

• 12% of men aged 18 and over are in fair or poor health.
• 15.7% of men aged 18 and over currently smoke cigarettes.
• 36.6% of men aged 20 and over are obese.
• Leading causes of death for men: heart disease, cancer and accidents.

Making it happen:

On average, men die five years younger than women! There are quite a few things we can do to help dad (or other men) and ourselves! [Recommendations from the CDC and ODPHP.]

• Get a physical.

Prevention is key! This starts with seeing the doctor on a regular basis. Check-ups are an opportunity to get benchmark numbers for things like blood pressure and cholesterol. If there are issues that arise, they can be caught early and properly treated.

• Increase activity.

The benefits of physical activity are numerous! It helps to keep us at a health weight and decreases risk of heart disease. We all know this is good for us, but do we make the time to do it? Probably not. Our days are busy and it may be hard to find the motivation to get started. This is a great way to spend more time with your dad. Walk with him on a regular basis or pick him up on the way to the gym. Adults should get 2 1/2 hours of activity per week. Simple concept! Definitely not easy!

• Eat healthy.

A balanced diet is important for overall health. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals. Foods high in calories, fat, sugar, salt and alcohol can all have direct correlation to increased weight, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The foods we put into our mouth are just as important as our physical activity.

• Stop smoking.

There are both immediate and long term effects for people who quit smoking. Not only does smoking impact the smoker, it can also cause health problems for family members through second-hand smoke. Encourage him to have a conversation with his health care provider about ways to quit.

• Reduce stress.

Stress can come from many different sources. It is important to recognize stress and be able to manage it. A support network, exercise and eating healthy can all help reduce stress.

There is no doubt the men in your life are special to you in their own individual way. You are important to them as well. The support you provide one another is powerful and influential. Set an example for them and watch the positive outcomes for both of you unravel.

Men tend to be less likely than women to carry health insurance. With the most common causes of death for men being heart disease and cancer, not having health insurance can be costly. Still, 12.2% of men under the age of 65 do not carry health insurance! Our trusted, insurance professionals are happy to provide you with your options so you can make an informed decision. All you have to do to get started is fill out a quick questionnaire by clicking on the image below.

With that, Happy Father’s Day and Happy Men’s Health Month!