While many of us celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday in June, we have another excuse to pamper the guys in our lives all month long because June is Men’s Health Month, and the week leading up to Father’s Day is International Men’s Health Week. The official symbol for the month is a blue ribbon.

These awareness periods exist thanks to Senator Bob Dole, Congressman Bill Richardson, and the Men’s Health Network. Men’s Health Week legislation was passed by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994. In the late 1990s, Men’s Health Week was expanded to include the entire month of June.

Today, Men’s Health Month heightens awareness of preventable physical and mental health problems, and encourages early detection and treatment of disease among both men and boys.

Men’s Health Week (June 14-20, 2021) is also still celebrated as “a special awareness period recognized by Congress and the President,” and is commemorated around the world as International Men’s Health Week.

Adventure Fitness Athletic Club supports all efforts to help men and boys live healthier, happier lives. We encourage you to do things that are good for your body and soul like taking a long nap, playing some golf, and getting a massage! Read on for some of the many other ways you and your loved ones can commemorate Men’s Health Month, from making sure everyone sees their doctor regularly to working out at our gym in Thornton, CO.

Important facts about men’s health from AFAC Gym

Men’s Health Month is all about calling attention to the preventable health problems that men and boys face like heart disease, cancer, and depression. The goal is to encourage early detection and treatment of these diseases and hopefully avoid them by eating right, exercising, and going the doctor for checkups. The following sobering statistics show us why Men’s Health Month is as significant as ever.

Heart disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men in the United States, claiming the lives of 357,761 men in 2019, or about 1 in every 4 male deaths. Heart disease refers to several types of conditions including heart attack and coronary artery disease. Half of men who die suddenly of coronary artery disease had no prior symptoms. The good news is, there are many lifestyle tweaks you can make to pursue better heart health.

Cancer

Each year, more than 700,000 men are diagnosed with some form of cancer, and almost 300,000 perish from this disease. In their lifetime, 50% of all men will be diagnosed with cancer at least once, compared to 1 in 3 women. The majority of cancer cases strike people 55 and over. Tragically, most of these cancer deaths could have been prevented because:

One-third of cancer deaths are linked to smoking.
Another one-third of cancer deaths may be caused by lack of exercise and/or poor diet.
The two keys to winning the battle against cancer are reducing risk and early detection.

Some of the most common cancer types found in men include gastric cancer, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. Many men also are diagnosed with breast cancer, but since this is largely regarded as a women’s disease, men who get breast cancer tend to ignore the signs until it’s too late.

Obesity

More than 70% of men are overweight or obese. This can raise their risk for serious health problems including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease, some cancers, kidney disease, and osteoarthritis.

Not making health a priority

In addition to the health issues that face men and boys, another factor that makes matters worse is their underuse of healthcare resources. For example, according to the Cleveland Clinic:

Over half of men (53%) say they don’t think about their health.
40% of men don’t get annual checkups.
Only 42% of men go to the doctor when they fear they have a serious medical condition.
Only 12% of men would consult a doctor first if they had a health issue.
Most men don’t know the right age to be screened for various health conditions.

Taking charge of men’s health through screenings

Men’s Health Month is here to remind us that it’s time to be proactive. One of the principal ways we can improve men’s health and wellness is to make sure everyone is aware of the guidelines for health screenings. While recommended health screenings can vary depending on a man’s age, here are some general suggestions to follow:

Physical exams — Even if you don’t feel sick, it’s important to see your doctor regularly to get an exam and discuss both your physical and mental health. These exams are recommended every year for men 50 and over, every two years for men ages 40-49, and every three years for men ages 20-39.
Blood pressure — Make sure to get your blood pressure checked at least annually at any age.
Blood tests and urinalysis — Should be done every year for men 50 and over, every two years for men ages 40-49, and every three years for men ages 20-39.
Colonoscopy — Every 3-4 years for men 50 and over.
EKG — An electrocardiogram to test for heart abnormalities should be performed at age 30 and then every two years for ages 40-49, then every year for men 50 and older.
Self exams — Should be performed monthly to find lumps, skin moles, and other signs of cancer throughout the body.

This is not a complete list of all the health screenings recommended by health professionals, so make sure to talk to your doctor about what’s best for you.

Living a healthier lifestyle

Getting regular checkups and health screenings will go a long way in advancing the cause of men’s health, but another step we can take is to encourage a healthier lifestyle among men and boys.

Get enough exercise (our gym can help!)

Men should get at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, per week. They should also engage in muscle-strengthening activities like weightlifting at least two days per week.

Older men should add balance activities like tai chi or yoga to their aerobic and strength training to maintain function and help prevent falls and injuries.

There are many daily exercises that men can add to their routines to increase strength and function. Some of these include squats, lunges, planks, treadmill or elliptical training, body-weight resistance exercises, and functional training.

Follow a healthy diet and burn calories to lose weight

Being overweight or obese raises your risk of several serious health conditions. Losing excess weight usually involves a combination of:

Making healthy food choices to get proper nutrition (think lean proteins, good fats, lots of fruits and veggies, and replacing sugary soda with water).
Controlling your calorie consumption.
Burning calories through exercise, especially aerobic exercise.

When it comes to weight loss, calorie control is the biggest part of this equation. If you’d like to lose weight, there are several free apps like My Fitness Pal that will help you count your calories, track your activities, and provide you with goals that will result in weight loss over time.

AFAC offers many exercise options to help you maximize calorie burn including spin bikes, a StairMaster 10G Gauntlet, VersaClimbers, Jacobs Ladder, and rowing machines. You can also use our MyZone app to track your calories burned, heart rate, and time spent for all your exercise both inside and outside the gym.

Weight maintenance is a lifelong effort that is challenging for most people, both men and women. The owner of AFAC gym, Susan Schaffner, holds monthly Bariatric Support Group Meetings that are free and open to the public. At these meetings, Susan offers many tips on how to lose and maintain weight.

Quit smoking

If you don’t smoke, that’s great! Make sure not to start. If you do smoke, get the help you need to quit.

Know your blood pressure

High blood pressure is well known as a silent killer, so make sure to get yours checked at least once a year. There are also many free blood pressure machines available at pharmacies that can help you keep an eye on this important health metric.

Get tested for diabetes and high cholesterol

Having diabetes or high cholesterol puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke. Ask your healthcare provider about whether you should be tested for these conditions and how often.

Limit alcohol and lower your stress levels

To lower your risk of heart disease and other diseases, limit your alcohol consumption to one drink per day and find healthy ways to cope with stress.

Wear Blue Day – Friday, June 18, 2021

Another way you can help during Men’s Health Month is to participate in Wear Blue Day. This year, Wear Blue Day falls on June 18, 2021.

Wear Blue Day is a time to show your friend, father, brother, spouse, boyfriend, or boss that you care about them and their health by wearing blue. It’s normally held on the Friday of Men’s Health Week, but if that date doesn’t work for you, you can pick any other day of the year to start a Wear Blue Day at work.

Wear Blue Day raises awareness about the need for men to seek regular checkups and take all the other steps necessary to live healthier, happier, and longer lives.

Every Month Is Men’s Health Month at AFAC Gym

At Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, we champion men’s (and women’s!) health every day of the year by supporting our members as they work to live better lives through regular physical fitness. That’s why we’re the best gym in Thornton. If you’d like to learn more about our workout equipment, fitness classes, and cryotherapy chamber, please speak to a member of our team for assistance. Feel free to stop by and visit us or contact our gym owner, Susan at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club for assistance.

To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.