7 Ways to Improve Men's Health
June is Men's Health Month – a month dedicated to encouraging men to focus on their mental and physical wellbeing.
Ignorance is Bliss…or is it?When it comes to men and their health, a recent study found that 49% of men in the U.S categorized their health status as excellent – a 7% increase since 2007. This seems like a decent trend, until you learn that 48% of men in 2016 were diagnosed with one of the following conditions: hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and/or heart disease.
Overall health is more than just physical.It’s been proven that our minds and bodies are connected, but how often do men seek professional help for physical and mental health? According to Integrisk Health, roughly 60% of men don’t see a doctor regularly. And mental health checkups are even less common – with only about 11% of men seeking mental healthcare each year.
Why does this matter? To put it simply: our minds and bodies are connected. It has been proven in studies that suffering from poor mental health can affect how well our bodies function physically. Depression, for example, can lead to poor sleeping habits, which can lead to a weakened immune system, which ultimately can result in any one of the conditions listed above.
7 Ways To Improve Men's Health
1. Mental Health
“Inactive men are 60% more likely to suffer from depression than those who are active.”
Exercise has been found to be helpful for overall mental health. It is recommended to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity.
2. Sleep
“Men who sleep 7-8 hours a night have about 60% less risk of fatal heart attack than those who sleep 5 hours or less.”
Researchers have suggested that a limited amount of sleep can cause problems in underlying health conditions and biological processes like inflammation, glucose metabolism, and blood pressure.
3. Drinking
“Those who consume more than 10 drinks a week are at almost double the risk of type 2 diabetes.”
When a person consumes large amounts of alcohol, it reduces the body’s sensitivity to insulin. This can trigger type 2 diabetes. Alcohol also contains a high amount of calories which can also increase your chance of becoming overweight, which can lead to chronic discomfort.
4. Nutrition
“Getting the recommended 5-7 servings of fruit and vegetables is as simple as 5 pieces of broccoli, 1 stalk of celery, half an avocado, half a grapefruit, and 1 apple.”
In most cases, women are significantly more likely than men to recognize the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, such as their role in reducing the risk of heart disease, many cancers, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
5. Activity
“Men who climb 50 stairs or walk 5 city blocks a day may lower their risk of heart attack by 25%.”
A sedentary lifestyle is among the 5 major risk factors for cardiovascular disease (with high blood lipids, obesity, and smoking). Many scientific studies show that reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease decrease the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
6. Lifestyle
“Only 30% of a man’s overall health is determined by his genetics. 70% is controllable through lifestyle.”
This statistic proves to us that we have a lot of control over our overall health. We can choose what we put into our bodies and how active we are in our daily lives.
7. Habits
“Men live 9 years in poor health, mostly preventable by making small lifestyle changes.”
Oftentimes, small changes can make a big difference when it comes to our overall health. Lifestyle choices have a huge impact on the risk of chronic disease. Reducing risk factors such as smoking, physical inactivity, excess weight, risky drinking, and high blood pressure can be essential in a person’s overall health.
How would you rate your overall health and wellness?
If discomfort is keeping you from exercising, sleeping, or living a healthy lifestyle, Signal Relief can help you get on the right track to overall wellness!
Sources:
https://www.aafp.org/dam/AAFP/documents/media_center/charts-graphs/MensHealthExecSummary.pdf
7 Health Facts that Men Need to Know. Link Health and community. June 12, 2018. https://www.linkhc.org.au/7-health-facts-men/
https://www.linkhc.org.au/7-health-facts-men/