Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

June is national MEN’S HEALTH month. This month is all about encouraging the men in your life (including YOU, men out there!) to take care of their bodies by eating right, exercising, and working to prevent disease. The official symbol of the month is a blue ribbon and the purpose of Men’s Health month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases including cancer, heart disease, and depression.In addition to getting the COVID-19 test and a general health physical examination, men can observe this month by doing the following easy routine activities:

· Tweak your diet

This month is a great opportunity to change the way you eat. Cut back on alcohol this month or up your intake of healthy fermented foods like sauerkraut and kefir. You can do anything for a month, and if you do it for a month, you can do it for life.

· Set some goals

Use this month to take stock of your health now and think about where you want to be. Do you want to lose weight? Gain muscle? Simply eat more vegetables? Set small and achievable goals and work with your doctor to make them a reality.

· Get educated

Take this opportunity to read about the common health issues that are specific to men and how you can prevent yourself from getting hurt. Check out the CDC for information on health issues that men face.

Remember that National Men’s Health is important for several reasons, such as…

· A conversation starter

A focus of Men’s health Month is to get people started talking about health, which gets people acting positively toward health practices. Gyms get joined, physical appointments get made, and resolutions and promises are fulfilled. It can become a beautiful and more healthy experience for the men themselves, as well as for their families and friends.

· Decease stress levels

If you are stressing about a symptom- a busted knee, a persistent headache-it can be easy to get in a cycle of worrying about it rather than doing something about it. Nonetheless going to the doctor can do two incredible things: one, it can help you to figure out what is wrong, but two, it can keep you from worrying! Men’s Health Month encourages you to get yourself checked out so you can feel better-and stop worrying.

· An excuse for pampering

Lots of things that are good for your body are also good for your soul! Play some golf, get a massage, take an extra-long nap. It’s all healthy, and if anyone asks what is the occasion, you got an answer ready: “Men’s Health Month”!