Fathers already look forward to June, but whether you are dad or not, this is an important time for all men. June is National Men’s Health Month, created by Congress in 1994 to increase awareness for preventable health problems, both physical and emotional, and to encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Currently, women live on average 5.1 years longer than men, and Men’s Health Month seeks to address that discrepancy.
The Men’s Health Network organization helps to coordinate events during the month. Previous events have included educational lectures, free health screenings, health fairs, and seminars hosted by community organizations or groups. Duke University in North Carolina has hosted a day-long conference, while a Pennsylvania Harley Davidson plant previously organized health screenings for its workers.
How can you celebrate this important month?
• Take applicable risk assessments online and consider taking appropriate action based on your results. Make sure you’re up to date on all screenings and immunizations.
- Follow these helpful tips from the Harvard Health Blog to improve your health. This chart also lists foods thought to be beneficial to male health.
- Exercise is perhaps the quickest fix. Try gathering friends or coworkers for an after-work round of your favorite game, or try a few of these exercises, thought to have particular benefits for men.
