Men’s health is more than a yearly thing.
June is Men’s Health Month. If you did not know this I wouldn’t be surprised.
Men, when it comes to our health, we are losing the battle. Today, there are more negative influences taking us away from what is most important, our health.
Without our health, mobility, and strength how can we, to the fullest extent, be the protector (self, family, country, etc.) or the provider (for self, family, etc.) or contributor to society if we are unhealthy, unfit, or unable.
Unfortunately, there is not much helping us out. Even our government doesn’t take the initiative in promoting Men’s Health. Yet, there is a U.S. government website for women’s health. Visit womenshealth.gov. But as of today, there is not one for men. Why is that?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, the top most common cancer among men is prostate cancer, followed by lung and colorectal cancer (CDC, 2016).
Not a great topic to cover, but when it comes to our health, we must take an active role despite the lack of support.
What can we men do to prevent or decrease our risk of developing these cancers?
First, lets discuss our environment for a second. Never before in the history of civilization have there been more toxic chemicals in our environment then there are today. These chemicals negatively impact our bodies in such a way that can disrupt the efficient functioning of our human cells.
Everyday we are inundated with chemicals that our bodies are consistently trying to eliminate. Fortunately, our bodies are very good at this when given the proper resources to do so.
In the book, Anticancer: A New Way of Life, Dr. Servan-Schreiber explains cancer will only grow when there is a prime area to do so. When cancer fighting white blood cells are strong they can withstand and eliminate cancer from the body (2009).
The way we can keep our immunity strong is by giving our body nutrients in order for our body to sustain the constant battle on eliminating toxins and destroying cancer cells.
Other ways you can decrease your risk of developing cancer are:
- Avoid smoking, including second and third hand smoke
- Maintain a health body weight
- Maintain physical daily exercise
- Limit alcohol consumption
There are some people who have a genetic predisposition to certain cancers and chronic diseases. When considering genetics and environmental factors in the development of these cancers and chronic diseases, the environment plays a greater influence.
The environment in which you live, work, and play in, contributes to your overall health. Earlier I mentioned we live in a very toxic environment. We are exposed to these toxins everyday from the foods we eat, the air we breathe, the lotions we use, and the furniture we sit and lay on.
What does this all mean? Men’s health is more than just a once a year thing. We have to take an active role in our health. The more you know about the things that are causing cancer in men, the more you can take action to prevent cancer, or at least, to decrease your risk of developing cancer.
Source:
CDC. (2016). Cancer Among Men. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/data/men.htm
Additional reading:
Prevention of Chronic Disease by Means of Diet and Lifestyle Changes