June is recognized as Men’s Health Month and throughout the 30-day period, men are encouraged to take charge of their overall health and well-being by implementing good habits and getting rid of harmful ones.
This week, especially since today is Father’s Day, let’s recap some things men can do for all-round better health.
Get active
Exercise is a huge mood booster. Endorphins are no joke. You don’t have to hit the gym and throw around a bunch of weights, or run a 10K, unless that’s your thing. You can just take a walk, or go for a brief jog. You can beat up a punching bag, swim a couple laps in the pool or simply get some work done in the yard. The point is to move your body. Getting active will keep your body and your mind in a positive place.
Vary workouts
The body gets very comfortable when you always do the same workout. You have got to keep varying your exercises, and they have to be an age-appropriate mix of aerobics, muscle training, and stretching.
Eat to thrive
Getting enough nutrition is crucial. It is more important than anything else except maybe sleep. Focus on nutrients rather than calories and eat a variety of healthy foods. You can’t achieve optimum nutrition with limited choices.
Prioritise sleep
Get at least six hours of sleep every night. That’s not something you should compromise. Some men think they can overcome sleep deprivation by exercising but that is a bad idea.
Check your head
Mental health is really important. Think about several things: Are you drinking too much? Are you paying attention to signs of depression or bipolar disorder, which often get missed? If you have a family history of mental illness, suicide, and/or substance abuse, you really need someone to help you review the signs and symptoms.
Care for the prostate
The prostate grows as you get older. You’ll almost certainly have symptoms, like urinary problems. A really healthy, low-fat diet will reduce the likelihood of prostate growth and may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. If you are 55 or older, visit your doctor for screening.
Enjoy yourself
Look forward every day to doing something for yourself; whether it’s a run or listening to an audiobook or practising meditation or even yoga. Don’t save up all of your fun for vacation.
Chill out
Many times we are so busy with phone calls, texts, DMs, emails, family, and meetings and they can get overwhelming. Carve out some time for you every day. Even if you do it in small increments – five minutes at a time. Take a moment or two every day to centre yourself. Take some deep breaths. Realise that you cannot do it all in a day sometimes, and that is fine. You don’t have to always be hustling to be successful in life.
Take charge of your health, mates. The sooner you do it, the better.
