What is International Men’s Health Month?
International Men’s Health Month is an initiative to raise awareness for the prevention, treatment, and early detection of preventable illnesses in men and boys. Let’s face it, we all have that one person in our lives that’s reluctant to seek medical care when their sick, much less get a regular health checkup. Among men, this problem is much more common than you might think. According to the Men’s Health Network, “There is an ongoing, increasing and predominantly silent crisis in the health and well-being of men. Due to a lack of awareness, poor health education, and culturally induced behavior patterns in their work and personal lives, men’s health and well-being are deteriorating steadily.” The International Men’s Health Month movement is helping to change these statistics by raising awareness for this issue with screenings, health fairs, media appearances, and other health education and outreach activities.
So, what can you do to help?
4 ways to spread awareness for Men’s Health Month
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Educate and encourage the men in your life.
Whether it’s your father, son, best friend, or boyfriend encourage each man in your life to get a physical and health screening this month. If you’re a male reading this, GET TO THE DOCTOR, it’s worth it.
Why? Because according to the National Center for Health Statistics men are at a higher risk for 8 out of the 10 leading causes of death in the US some of which include heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and even accidents. This doesn’t include other non-life-threatening conditions such as high blood pressure, depression, gout, alcohol abuse, and many other conditions. Take this chance to educate yourself, or your loved ones and encourage them to schedule a wellness exam.
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Get active.
Pause the Netflix binge for half an hour or so and get active. Get out of the house and onto your feet with the men in your life. Regular Exercise is listed by The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) as one of the best ways to prevent chronic disease as well as avoiding tobacco use, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating a healthy diet. Everyone can benefit from a little healthy living. Get a group together and go for a walk, ride a bike, or hit the gym, just make sure you’re getting in your minimum of 30 minutes of daily physical activity.
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Wear blue.
Step casual Friday up a notch and organize a Wear Blue Friday party at your office. Men’s Health Month.org is encouraging the public to sport blue all day Friday, June 14th this year to raise awareness for the risk of major men’s health issues. So put on that stunning blue dress, those killer blue suede shoes, or even a blue ribbon to show your support.
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Donate.
The final and most impactful way to make the most of Men’s Health Month is to give. Each donation made to the Men’s Health Network (MHN) directly helps enrich men’s health and wellness through many culturally sensitive national screening and educational campaigns. The MHN partners with local religious institutions, health care providers, retailers, fraternal organizations, workplace health programs, and other private entities to educate people around the world. There is no donation minimum requirement, so you can donate as much or as little as you would like.
For more information on how to take action visit Men’s Health Month or to donate to Men’s Health Network head over to http://menshealthmonth.org
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