Today, we celebrate Father’s Day with the special men in our lives. I cherish each year I am afforded the opportunity to tell my dad “Happy Father’s Day“. Seeing him and the other men in my life healthy and strong is very important to me. Men’s Health is not limited to your doctor’s office visits or going to the hospital. It starts at home with daily steps and getting care when needed. In honor of all of the men and Fathers, here are 3 basic steps from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a safer and healthier life and ways to protect themselves from disease and disability. Check them out.
1. Stay Informed-
- Information on health news is available in many forms (newspapers, internet, tv, radio, etc. ). Keep in the loop on what’s going on for your body. Do you know your family history? Knowing your family history can influence your risk of developing heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer. Your doctor or nurse will assess your risk of disease based on your family history and other factors.
- Keep track of your numbers for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), and more. These numbers can provide a glimpse of your health status and risk for certain diseases and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
2. Pay Attention to Signs and Symptoms
- Discharge? Excessive thirst? Rash or sore? Problems with urination? Shortness of breath? These are only a few of the symptoms that males should pay attention to and see a doctor about if they occur. It could be a symptom for a sexually transmitted disease, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or other conditions or diseases. If you have symptoms, be sure to see your doctor right away. Keep in mind that a physical exam or screening test may be needed to correctly diagnosis and treat a problem.
3. Be Proactive Daily to Improve Health
- Get Enough Sleep-Insufficient sleep is associated with a number of chronic diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and depression. Also, insufficient sleep is responsible for motor vehicle and machinery-related accidents, causing substantial injury and disability each year. Drowsy driving and driving while intoxicated is also dangerous. Adults should get 7-9 hours of sleep per night, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
- Gear Up-When playing active sports or riding a motorcycle or bike, make sure you and your friends and family wear protective gear, such as helmets, wrist guards, and knee and elbow pads. Wear seat belts as a driver and a passenger.
- Eat What Counts-Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat, and alcohol. Choose healthy snacks.
- Get Physical Activity-Be active for at least 2½ hours a week. Include activities that raise your breathing and heart rates and that strengthen your muscles. You don’t have to do it all at once. Spread your activity out during the week, and break it into smaller chunks of time during the day.
- Be Smoke Free– Avoid smoking and secondhand smoke. Inhaling other people’s smoke causes health problems similar to those of smokers. Quitting smoking has immediate and long-term benefits. Within 20 minutes after smoking that last cigarette, your body begins a series of changes that continue for years. www.smokefree.gov
These few suggestions are simple and painless. Begin today and make the commitment to a safer and healthier life. Happy Father’s Day! Enjoy your day!
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Healthy Happy Steps For Dad To Live Long! was originally published on elev8.hellobeautiful.com
