Men's Health Month

Father’s day is this month.  Let’s take this month to focus on men's health, an often overlooked topic.  Culturally men typically don't focus on their health until a condition advances to severity.  Whereas, it would be most productive to start with preventative care, along with paying closer attention to changes to in health and address issues at early onset.  Moreover, for men to know it's okay to seek expert advice if there are concerns.  Self-care is not only for you but benefits your loved ones too.  Here are a few of many areas of concern for men's health.  

• Cardiovascular Disease — Heart disease is still a leading cause of death amongst men.  The basics tenets of over all health are good for heart health.  These include a balanced and healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, sustain a healthy weight and get a good night's sleep.  Have regular check-ups and lab tests to test for diabetes (a major risk factor for heart disease), a lipid panel to check cholesterol and triglycerides, and check blood pressure.


• Reproductive and Sexual Health — Hormones and cardiovascular health play important roles in reproductive and sexual health. Eat an antioxidant rich diet and maintain a healthy weight as excess fat can alter hormones in the body, being overweight or obese appears to reduce sperm count.  Low testosterone levels can lead to fatigue, erectile dysfunction, low muscle mass, infertility and loss of bone mass.  See your medical professional to check for underlying causes of low testosterone.  Obesity, aging, stress, medications, poor diet, lack of exercise and poor sleep can affect testosterone levels.


• Stress Management — Stress can lead to many health issues from heart disease, weight gain, digestive issues, to poor memory and concentration.  Find ways to de-stress with work-life balance especially if you're a workaholic.  Seek a therapist or counselor if you're unable to address this on your own or with your support system.  If you're coping with stress with risky behaviors- having excess alcohol or overeating it's time to seek help from an expert.  Find ways to develop a healthy relationship with yourself by treating yourself well with a balanced diet, regular exercise, moderate or no alcoholic beverages and allowing time for quality sleep.


• Exercise Performance — While exercise is great for mental and physical benefits, manage the temptations of becoming the weekend warrior; overexerting on weekends and needing the week to recover then repeating the pattern the following weekend.  Try to moderate your exercise with a combination of cardio on most days, and strength training all the muscle groups at least twice a week.  You'll be less prone to injury, and make more progress in fitness and performance by doing some cross-training and taking the time to progress.  Allow your body to gradually adapt to build muscle and adjust to a new sport or exercise.  Performance will improve with patience.


• Weight Gain or Loss — Eating the appropriate number of calories for your body type and activity level helps you achieve a healthy weight.  Calorie needs can vary depending on muscle mass, exercise habits and metabolism - addressing the correct intake level with the right combination of protein, carbs and fat can make a big difference in pounds gained or lost, body mass and your overall health.


• Seek Professional Help — If you're not sure where to begin, consider seeking help from a qualified professional.  Whether it's a nutritionist, personal trainer or health coach, find a professional that will listen to your needs and you can collaborate with.  Even if you already have knowledge in these areas, having a clear plan and following through on it, can make a meaningful difference.

Free introductory 15-minute appointments are also available.