Wear Blue! It is Men’s Health Month – a time to heighten awareness of preventable health problems and encouragement for early detection and treatment of diseases that affect men and boys.
Deaconess Faith Community Nurse Ministries joins the work to make men and boys healthier. Do you know that men die higher rates than women from the top ten causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and strokes. One of the issues is that men tend to avoid screenings and delay treatment. However there are simple steps that men (and women can encourage) to take to make their lives healthier.
First, get the proper annual screenings for testicular and prostate cancer. A primary care physician can provide proper screenings at the right age. Spouses and partners can encourage screenings be done on a regular basis.
Secondly, know your numbers – blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and heart rate. Knowing what your numbers are and having routine screening can prevent and early treat many problems. Faith Community Nurses can and do provide these simple screenings.
Thirdly, move more and lose the stress. In these beautiful June days and nights, it is easy to find the place to walk and enjoy the day with another. Talking and walking can provide an outlet for the day to day stress that occurs. Moving just 30 minutes a day and talking with another about the day’s events can decrease the stress and add years to one’s life.
For more tips and how a faith community nurse can help with celebrating Men’s health month, contact Rev. Donna Pupillo, at dsmith-pupillo@eden.edu.