June is Men’s Health Month, a month designated to encourage men to take care of themselves. Men face some serious challenges when it comes to their health.
- Men die on average five years earlier than females
- Men die at higher rates from 9 out of the top 10 causes of death
- Men are less likely to have health insurance than women
- Men visit primary care doctors at lower rates than women
It’s important for men to take care of themselves for their own benefit but also for those around them who care for them. There are two very simple things men can do to start taking care of themselves: get a physical and get physical.
Making an appointment and going to the doctor to get a physical is something men should do. Establishing a baseline for their health and then following up is critical. Blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, and PSA should be checked and then routinely monitored. Checking these health parameters can be an easy way to catch potentially dangerous conditions early while they are still easily treatable.
Being physically active has an extensive list of benefits including weight reduction, blood pressure improvements, improvement in mood and mental health, improvement in stamina, and muscle strengthening. It is one way to reduce the chance of premature death. Men should be encouraged to be active most days of the week. It’s easy to start by asking him to take a walk, or going for a bike ride, hiking, swimming, playing tag with their kids, shooting hoops, dancing, or golfing.
Men and women experience obesity at equal rates, yet men seek bariatric surgery for weight loss far less often (20% men compared to 80% women). Men are encouraged to take being overweight or obese seriously and consider the potential effect on their health (type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, mobility problems, heart disease, risk of stroke, premature death). You can check your BMI here to see if you are overweight or obese.
Let’s use this June to encourage the men in our lives to get a physical and get physical. Encourage them to make an appointment for a physical with a doctor, encourage them to be physically active, and encourage them to seek treatment for obesity and not wait before it’s too late.
To make an appointment with Dr. Shillingford, MD, PA, a board certified surgeon specializing in weight loss surgery, call his office today at (561) 483-8840. Dr. Shillingford’s gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and lap band patients receive top-notch care at Northwest Medical Center’s Center of Excellence in Bariatric Surgery, where Dr. Shillingford serves as Medical Director. His patients find his Boca Raton office convenient for follow up appointments from local areas like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, Wellington, and Delray Beach. For patients who live farther away like Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville, Dr. Shillingford arranges for phone and video follow up appointments as well as an online remote support group. Don’t wait. Call for your free informational session today.
