Hey, You Guys!

The whole month of June is Men’s Health Month so I’m starting the month off talking about men which is a subject most women love.  Like Women’s Health Week and Mother’s Day, Men’s Health Week precedes Father’s Day going from June 11th to 17th and International Men’s Health Week overlaps that a bit going from June 13th to 19^th this year.   

What do all these dates mean?  That people around the world know that men need to think more often about their health.  For Women’s Health week and Mental Health Month, I interviewed a women and mental health advocate.  Since I don’t know a men’s health advocate, I decided to take some tips from the well-known and trusted Dr. Mehmet Oz.  He didn’t have a shorter list so here are his top 25 tips for men’s health.

1.  Find a way to laugh, which eases stress, promotes social bonding and lowers blood pressure

2.  Eat breakfast and have some fiber in it, too

3.  Get seven hours of sleep a night to live longer, lower stress, sharpen your memory and reduce food cravings

4.  Check your poop and add fiber and water as needed

5. If you have back problems, bed rest weakens back muscles and prolongs the suffering, so get up

6.  Eat nine fistfuls of colorful fruits and vegetables each day

7.  Floss to get rid of bacteria that can increase your risk of heart disease

8. Take a deep breath through your nose until your lungs are full so they’ll fill with nitric oxide, a chemical found in the back of your nose that opens up blood vessels

9.  Try yoga for greater flexibility, less stress, lower blood pressure and a slower heart rate (and for meeting really flexible women!)

10.  Take a clue from women and make close friends and talk about your problems with them

11.  Instead of trying fad diets, lower your daily caloric intake by about 100 calories

12.  Be a smart patient—seek a second opinion before undergoing any procedure, keep a written medical history, and educate yourself about any family problems

13.  Lose the beer belly and keep your waist at less than half of your height

14.  Drink green tea because of its heart-boosting and cancer-stopping polyphenols

15.  Work up a sweat for one hour a week for a reduced risk of heart attack, better mood and lower blood pressure

16.  Save some money to combat stress related to finances

17.  Have as much sex as possible; it’ll keep you young

18.  Know your blood pressure (which ideally should be below 115 over 75), LDL cholesterol (under 100), resting heart rate (under 70), and fasting blood sugar (under 100)

19.  Spend 30 minutes twice a week lifting weights

20.  Eat nuts to temper hunger and get Omega-3s

21.  Check your testicles for bumps at least once a month

22.  Try dancing to keep you sharp

23.  Exercise to prevent impotence

24. Learn to cook so you can monitor what you eat

25. Take Vitamin D daily which may aid in fighting cancer, diabetes and heart disease

Sometimes the most important way you can help others is to raise awareness.  I hope the above tips are helpful to men everywhere, but there are other things to do to celebrate Men’s Health Month and Week.  For tips on what to do, go to http://www.menshealthmonth.org/ and make a man laugh today!