Oftentimes, you may notice that men are too relaxed about their health and rarely prioritize it, which can cause issues down the line. Having said that, June is Men’s Health Month, which coincides with Father’s Day on June 17, making it the opportune time to encourage dad, and any other men in your life, to be vigilant about their health. It’s as simple as inspiring them to make healthy choices by eating right, working out, and attending regular checkups with their doctor. After all, we want the men in our lives to be around for as long as possible. It’s important to be your own health advocate year-round, but
Men’s Health Month is a great opportunity to bring awareness to preventable health issues men commonly face
and encourage them to take action in order to detect and prevent problems early on.
[tweet_box design="box_10"]Did You Know -- Men are half as likely as women to go to the doctor over a two-year period.[/tweet_box]
Have you ever ignored a health concern or consistently put off your annual appointment with the doctor? If so, you’re not alone. According to 2014 survey data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
men are half as likely as women to go to the doctor over a two-year period. It’s easy for men to come up with all kinds of reasons to avoid the doctor, some of them being that they are too busy, they feel insecure or uncomfortable with body exams, or they fear what could be wrong.
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So what do you do if you find yourself in the same boat? Many men have found success by relying on family members to push them to go see the doctor or making it a team effort by asking family members to accompany them. Both are helpful solutions, but there are a few more tips the men in your life should know to eliminate bad health habits so they can successfully live a healthier and more active lifestyle.
The Best 5 Healthy Living Tips for Amazing Dads
Tip One: Maintain a healthy weight.
There are many benefits that stem from improving and balancing your diet and nutrition, like maintaining a healthy weight. When you eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, you are more likely to maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States according to the CDC. You can also lower your risk of stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
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Many men struggle with managing their weight and find it to be a really daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! Living in the digital age has its perks given all the helpful resources available to us, like health and fitness apps. So encourage dad to put his smartphone to good use by downloading your favorite health app. Utilizing health and wellness apps is a great way to stay on track with nutrition and keep off unwanted, extra pounds. A lot of apps allow you to track your calories or macros, measure your progress, count your steps, and even track your sleep. If you really want to hold yourself accountable for your weight, enlist the help from family or friends and share data with them - you can even make it a friendly competition between family members. By sharing your progress you are able to receive positive encouragement from people close to you and are less likely to make excuses or poor dietary choices.
Tip Two: Adopt a regular fitness routine.
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Show your dad some love and gift him new workout gear for Father’s Day. He’ll be thankful and feel encouraged to be more proactive about developing or maintaining a regular fitness routine. According to the
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
, less than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day. You won’t achieve a healthy lifestyle by following suit. Put in the hard work, get up a little earlier, and start the day right with exercise that focuses on functional strength, flexibility, and balance. If you need some help staying accountable at the gym, find a workout buddy or train with the Nike+ Training Club app. Once you get into a regular routine you will start to see results, feel stronger, and reap major health rewards.
Tip Three: Reduce stress and anxiety.
Prioritizing your mental health is just as important as prioritizing your physical health.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
, 40 million adults are affected by anxiety disorders. The ADAA believes that the number of men struggling with generalized anxiety is much higher, but many don’t report it to their doctors, which is similar to their physical health.
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In order to reduce stress and anxiety, men should make a point to visit their doctor or schedule an appointment with a therapist to have an open discussion about anxious feelings. Developing healthy coping habits with lead to a happier life. Some other ways to combat anxiety and stress is through meditation, yoga, ample rest, and allowing time to recharge from stressful situations.
Some men might feel uncomfortable joining a yoga class on their own, so offer to sign up for a class with them or encourage them to practice yoga and meditation at home. Again, there are many helpful apps available that provide guided meditation and step-by-step tutorials for beginners, making calming your nerves easy, convenient, and private.
Tip Four: Perform regular self-checks.
Make it a priority to learn how to perform self-checks, and do them monthly. Self-checks could literally save your life by allowing you to detect and potentially prevent cancer, such as testicular cancer. This is a concern for men because according to the
Testicular Cancer Foundation (TCF)
, testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among males ages 15 to 34. Luckily, testicular cancer is 99% survivable when caught early.
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The TCF partners with many companies who support and prioritize men, like Tommy John. Their support extends beyond their partnership with and generous donations to the TCF. Tommy John built their brand to put men’s health first and developed products, like their
comfortable base layers
, to provide support year-round. They agree that the men in our lives deserve the best, just like you!
Tip Five: Visit your healthcare team regularly.
If you think missing a routine exam is innocent, think again. The price men pay for avoiding and putting off seeing a doctor can be high, even life-threatening. When you miss an appointment, you miss out on potentially life-saving screening tests and exams, which are very important for cancer prevention.
Prevention is huge and attending regular checkups is an easy way to make sure you are maintaining healthy habits and routines. Don’t wait for a problem to worsen before you visit your healthcare provider. You’ll ease your mind by getting guidance from a professional and also develop a relationship so you feel more comfortable at appointments. Developing a relationship with your doctor will allow you both to better understand your health and stay on top of diseases and health concerns you may be at risk for.
In Conclusion...
These tips will help you and the men in your life improve quality of life by maintaining healthy habits needed for a healthy lifestyle, and will save you time and money in the long run by making it easier to manage diseases that are caught early on. Remember, always play it safe by being proactive about your health so you can avoid negative consequences--your friends and family will thank you! Here’s to celebrating and supporting the men in our lives during Men’s Health Month, on Father’s Day, and throughout the entire year!
Author Bio:
Shannon is a community manager by day and a bookworm by night. She enjoys reading about and researching disruptive consumer brands. On the weekends she enjoys classes at soul cycle and exploring the beautiful city of New York.
Sources:
- Why Men Don't Go To The Doctor
- HHS.GOV
- ADAA.ORG
- TesticularCancer.ORG