June is Men’s Health Month
Since 1992 the month of June is designated to bringing awareness to health issues men face. As the wife of a man’s man and 4 boys, I’m keenly aware of the importance of their health and wellness. Men have the dubious reputation of not going go the doctor and keeping up with yearly exams. Did you know that men, on average, die almost five years earlier than women? Part of the reason is that men are more reluctant to go to the doctor, according to menshealthmonth.org. In fact, studies show that women go to the doctor twice as much as men. For women, we know that our yearly pap smear and breast exams are not options. Men are different. Men sometimes have tendencies to put off what is needed to maintain optimum health. If you are a wife or mother, sister, daughter – encourage the men in your life to put themselves first and put their health care in rotation.
Recently a doctor-friend and I had a conversation about the high rates of prostate cancer among men of color – particularly African American and Hispanic men. Treated early, prostate cancer can be cured. The doctor said anyone over 45 should be screened for prostate cancer.
Men’s Health Network advises: Even if your guy doesn’t feel sick, it is important to see the doctor regularly and schedule annual exams. Here are some of the screening tests recommended by Johns Hopkins for men 65+:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Blood pressure
- Colorectal Cancer
- Depression
- Diabetes mellitus, type 2
- Lipid disorders
- STD
