Posts Tagged ‘Men’s Health Week’

The celebration has begun! June 9th is the start of Men’s Health Week, a time for all men to make their health a higher priority and take the necessary steps to become healthier and happier.

It’s never too late to improve your health, no matter what your age or your current health status. Here are a few easy things you can do every day to improve your health and stay well:

Get Moving: Simply walking at a brisk pace for 2 miles can decrease your risk of conditions such as hypertension or diabetes and could reduce your risk of experiencing a heart attack. Don’t worry, you don’t have to do it all at once. Breaking the walks down into smaller sessions throughout the week is just as beneficial.

Can’t walk 2 miles a week? No fear. Just putting one foot in front of the other and making progress everyday will eventually result in improved health!

Eat Healthy: Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables daily can give you energy and may lower your risk of certain diseases. Fruits and vegetables are a source of many essential vitamins and minerals that can improve your overall health.

It is important to limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, and fat.  Food that is high in salt content is often found in fast foods, processed meats, and canned foods. Instead of eating foods like these, try to eat healthy meals and snacks by focusing your diet on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free milk products.

Get enough sleep: Lack of sleep can affect your mood and well being. Try to practice good sleep habits such as only associating your bed with sleep (turn off the lights and television when you go to sleep), avoiding stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol too close to bedtime, and establishing a regular, relaxing bedtime routine.

Toss out the Tobacco: Stopping smoking has both immediate and long-term benefits which will lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and lung disease (just to name a few).

It is also important to avoid secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke inhalation occurs when you inhale smoke from a person who is smoking around you. Secondhand smoke can also cause health problems similar to those experienced by smokers.

Stay on Top of Your Health: See your doctor for regular check-ups and routine screenings. Ask about screening tests for certain diseases and conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Certain conditions may not have symptoms, so check-ups help discover issues early or before they can become a problem.

You can be involved in your health, as well, by keeping track of your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose. Bring your numbers with you to your appointments and if they are high or low, your doctor or nurse can explain what they mean and suggest how you can get them to a healthier range.

Kick off Men’s Health Week by completing some of these tips to help men maintain good health and long lives!

http://blog.usa.gov/post/24960648644/mens-health-week-2012-prevention-tips-to-stay-healthy

http://www.cdc.gov/Men/nmhw/index.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/HealthyMen/

http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-tips-for-celebrating-mens-health-week-201206144885