It is Men’s health week from 13-19 June. Time to consider how you can manage your own mental and physical wellbeing.
Heart disease - most common cause of death in men.
Men can play an active role by minimising their risk factors- healthy balanced diet, stop smoking, alcohol< 21 units per week, staying active, reducing stress levels and taking any prescribed medication regularly.
Use this tool to check your risk:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/check-your-heart-age-tool/
Cancer - second most common cause of death in men Skin, Prostate and Lung
Men can reduce the risks by wearing sunscreen, stop smoking, limiting processed and red meat, maintaining a healthy weight , keeping active and reporting any worrying symptoms to their GP.
Use this tool to check your risk:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/cancer-risk-health-quiz
Diabetes - Men have a higher risk of developing diabetes at a lower weight, partly due to the distribution of fat around the belly and this then increases the risk of other medical conditions.
Use this link to check your risk:
https://preventing-diabetes.co.uk/Know-your-risk-dtc/
Erectile dysfunction is common in men especially over 75years. Treatments such as medication can help. Stopping smoking and limiting alcohol may improve the situation too. This symptom can be associated with other conditions, e.g. diabetes or raised blood pressure, so it is a good idea to have a check up.
HPV and other STIs - Men can develop medical problems associated with HPV- penile and mouth cancers so good idea to get it checked out. HPV vaccines can help prevent these conditions in the future. If you have any symptoms, then get them checked out. Using a condom for sexual intercourse will help minimise the risk of infection.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/
Depression - Men’s’ mental health and risk of suicide is a serious cause for concern, as men do not seek help for depression, anxiety and other mental health challenges. This has been highlighted by the Covid pandemic and is even more important now. It is important to access support from your GP or NHS website links.
https://www.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk/health-and-wellbeing/helpful-links/mens-health-week
