June is Men’s Health Month. This June in celebration of Men’s Health Month wear blue and show a man in your life that you care about his health. We all know at least one man in our life that stays as far away from the doctor’s office as possible, but is that really the best thing for his health? NO, it’s not! Well he’s not alone men between the ages of 18 and 44 are 70% less likely to go to the doctor than women, according to the US Dept. of Health and Human Services. That’s an astounding number and the difference can be attributed to multiple factors including lack of access to healthcare, barriers to health education, and holding onto that “tough guy I’m OK” mentality and only going to see a doctor when there’s an absolute medical emergency. Overall, both men and women hold off visiting the doctor, but preventative health screenings and health maintenance are extremely important to living a healthy fruitful life.
Many of the leading causes of death for men are silent killers. The #1 leading cause of death for men is heart disease. More than 50% of men who develop heart disease have few or no symptoms. Which means the first time a man may have chest pain it could be the sign of a major cardiac event like a heart attack. The causes of heart disease vary from hereditary and lifestyle factors, to cholesterol, blood pressure, alcohol intake, smoking, and obesity. The 2nd leading cause of death in men is cancer. Lung, colon, and prostate cancer are the leading causes of cancer death in men. Quitting smoking is a great way to decrease your risk of lung cancer, and getting a colonoscopy is the gold standard for colon and rectal cancer screening. Why not sign up your dad or uncle for a screening colonoscopy today? The 3rd leading cause of death in men is unintentional injuries ranging from motor vehicle accidents to accidental death from drug overdose or poisoning. Men are 2x as likely to die from accidents compared to women. Perhaps one of the reasons is due to the fact that men are 10% less likely to wear seatbelts while driving than women.
So, this June make a pledge to help a man in your life live a healthier lifestyle. Why not join him in a 30 day challenge .. to perhaps quit smoking, exercise more, stop texting while driving, or even have one less beer at happy hour. It may mean the difference in life and death.