Men's Health Week June 14th-20th

June 14th-20th, 2021 is International Men’s Health Week and Premier Patient Housing is dedicated to the health of our guests and their loved ones. The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. This week gives health care providers, public policy makers, the media, and individuals an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. Here are some ways you can encourage the guys in your life to seek early and preventative medical treatment as well as help them engage in an active and healthy lifestyle.

Have a conversation

Compared to women, men are more likely to put off regular check ups and medical care. So how can you help your husband, brother or son get the checkups he needs? Make sure he knows that while we all like to feel that we’re in control of our lives, health problems have a way of creeping up on the best of us. Blocked arteries and high blood pressure, for example, are just two of the things that can be silent killers in men and can cause devastating damage before a man is even aware of them.

While it may seem obvious to you that you’re coming from a place of love and concern, it’s important to say that as a frame for the conversation. Avoid lecturing or guilt tripping to help the man in your life feel more at ease with the conversation rather than getting defensive when talking about his health. There are several reasons a man may be avoiding a trip to the doctor, a prevalent one being the fear of hearing bad news. Let them know it’s okay to be nervous or scared and remind them to focus on the benefits of seeing a health professional. Also remind him that you want him around for a long time so it’s important for him to keep his health not only for his sake, but for yours as well.

Help Him Focus on a Healthy Diet

According to eatright.org, a healthy diet for men includes:

• At least 2 cups of fruits and 2½ cups of vegetables each day for vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals.
• Whole grains. Eat at least half of all grains as whole grains each day. Replace refined grains with whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta, brown rice or oats.
• Anywhere from 25 to 34 grams of fiber per day for younger men; 28 grams of fiber per day for men older than 50.
• At least two to three servings of fish per week.
• Unsaturated fats such as oils, nuts and oil-based salad dressings in place of saturated fats such as full-fat dairy foods, butter and high-fat sweets.
• 3,400 milligrams a day of potassium from fruits, vegetables, fish and dairy.

Food is more than just fuel. A healthy diet can help fight disease! If the man in your life doesn’t understand how or what to change in his eating habits, start by helping him research tips and tricks to healthy eating. Even offering to to change parts of your diet along with him may give him the extra support he needs to stick with the new changes. Eventually, these small changes can have a large, and positive, impact on his overall health.

Help Him Maintain a Healthy Weight

Men’s weight, waist size, and the amount of weight gained since their 20s can have serious health implications. These factors can strongly influence a mans chances of developing diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Make sure they are accurately keeping up with their weight and understanding how their diet and exercise are impacting their number on the scale. Some tips to help them get started include,

• Limit portion size to control calorie intake
• Be as physically active
• Drink the right fluids- including water
• Count calories

Get Him Moving!

Lots of people struggle to get enough physical activity and men are not exception. If you think the guy in your life needs to be more physically active, ask what you can do to be supportive of this goal. Remember, any physical activity is better than none and they should feel encouraged for their efforts, big and small. Suggest activities you can do together such as a walk or fitness class you both would enjoy. Make it part of yours, and his, regular routine to be active for at least 30 minutes a day to help cut down on his risk for health concerns such as diabetes and heart attack. Remind him of the benefits of exercise, not just for his body but for his mind as it helps to improve his mood and lower his risk of developing depression.

This International Men’s Health Week, Premier Patient Housing hopes you take the opportunity to encourage the men and boys in your life to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. Together, we can stop the stigma of masculinity norms and encourage men to seek out and live a healthy lifestyle.