Gifts for Him

June Is Men’s Health Awareness Month

Whether the man in your life is a dad, uncle, grandpa, brother, husband, or just a friend, you wish a long and healthy life for them. June is Men’s health awareness month and the perfect time to get those routine exams and tests done and be proactive about their health.

Potential Health Issues with Age

Many men may face the simple consequences of aging such as diminished vision or a loss of hearing, but there are other significant issues that face men. Men are more susceptible to prostate and colorectal cancer than women not to mention the risk of heart disease. It’s because of these potentially life-threatening conditions that we must regularly see our physicians and be completely honest with them about what’s going on in our lives and our bodies. You should never assume any symptom is just minor, since it can be a signal of something more serious. That’s for the healthcare professionals to determine!!

Preventative Maintenance

Taking precautionary measures can head off any potential problem, such as heart disease or colorectal cancer, before it manifests itself as something severe. For instance, men should start having a digital prostate exam at the age of 40 and at the age of 50 a blood test should be administered for a prostate specific antigen. After that your doctor may prescribe a colonoscopy in order to make sure your colon is clear. Usually this occurs at age 50, but men that are at higher risks may have their doctor suggest an earlier age. Family history and lifestyle may necessitate this early age. For instance, a Stage II cancer growth has a 55-80% survival rate as opposed to a Stage IV cancer tumor which only has a 10% survivability rate. It’s easier to deal with these polyps than with any cancerous growths. I’m sure smokers have heard this before, but health risks increase if you don’t stop smoking!! For men who have a family history of heart disease an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, or even a stress test may be prescribed by your doctor in order to take care of any problems before they arise. The need may arise for even a cardiac catheterization which is a procedure that involves sending a catheter into your heart to see what’s going on. Staying away from saturated fats and other unhealthy foods is one way to not only improve overall health, but it can help with diabetes and heart problems. Avoiding processed carbohydrates and ingesting more fruits and vegetables can help your dad or husband’s health overall, not just in June but all year-round. You can also stay on top of your heart rate with a heart rate monitor. You can ask your doctor what your ideal heart rate should be and let him know if your results are not in the normal range. Take control of your man’s health at home!!

Age Brings Wisdom and Issues

As we age, our bodies are not as nimble or spry as they used to be. Many times as we get older our eyesight or hearing may not be as sharp as it once was. Combating these maladies can require a little help. Many men enjoy reading and when our eyesight takes a hit our reading ability can become a problem. The use of a magnifier can help your husband or dads read his favorite daily paper or crossword puzzle and keep his mind sharp. If dads hearing is not quite what it used to be, an amplified phone can keep dead connected to the rest of the family. When us men age we tend to lose not just our hearing OR our vision, but luckily they seem to go in tandem. Yay, for us!! Dad may need to use a phone with a large screen or talking numbers to assist with placing a phone call.

Keep Dad on Track

As the man in your life ages, they are more susceptible to disorders like arthritis or diabetes. The possibility increases of having to deal with taking medications or even testing your blood glucose daily for diabetes. Whenever a medication is prescribed or if a diagnosis of diabetes has been made, the best way to achieve positive results is through compliance. Making it easier for your husband or dad to maintain a healthy blood glucose level is with the use of a blood glucose monitoring system. Many are available with large, easy to read numbers to keep our loved ones on track and minimize some of the terrible effects of diabetes. If a daily medication routine is necessary, a pill organizer makes it simple and easy to see when his pills need to be taken and if they have been forgotten. Since our memory is one of the usual victims of aging, anything to help us remember is beneficial!! Another issue that may become problematic is high blood pressure. Monitoring our blood pressure daily can help us stay healthy and a blood pressure monitor is simple to use and easy to read in the home to make sure we keep an eye on any dangerous blood pressure levels.Many times nutrition can even be supplemented with protein shakes or even ameal replacement shake in order to properly ingest the calories and nutrients we need. There is a plethora of ways to keep the man in your life healthy.

Objects in Motion Tend to Stay in Motion

One of Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of physics is that objects in motion tend to stay in motion and the same can be said for our bodies. Staying active and fit can have a huge positive effect on our health. Maintaining muscle mass can help stability and balance, therefore minimizing the chance of a fall and a broken bone or fracture. Something as simple as a pedal exerciser can help maintain or strengthen our leg muscles which are important for a healthy gait. If dad is a weekend warrior, aches and pains as well as minor injuries can be common. Using a cold therapy system will help get him back out there faster. Many times during hot weather our loved ones may not even realize they are experiencing health issues like heatstroke, so the use of a sports cooling vest can keep the men in our lives cool and safe while working outdoors during the heat of summer. These are ideal for those who suffer from multiple sclerosis, since heat can be a trigger. Exercising in a pool is a great workout. The buoyancy of water minimizes the impact on the body’s joints and the resistance of the water helps build and maintain muscle tone. To further enhance any aquatic workout, water walkers add to that resistance to enhance any lower body workout. The stronger and sturdier our base, the safer we are!! When a family travels, dad loves to be part of the group and for those who might suffer from diminished mobility; the addition of a travel walker allows him to keep up with the pack on those family vacations.

Maintaining Mobility

Our mobility is not always a constant. Sometimes men need a little assistance getting around and even doing the everyday activities that maintain our quality of life. Something as simple as dressing we can be difficult as we age. To help with this, a dressing stick can helpgetting dressed for the day simpler. For those with diminished mobility, the bathroom is a very dangerous space. Showering and toilet use can be hazardous for those with impaired balance. A toilet to tub sliding transfer bench can make transferring from the toilet to the bathtub/shower safer and easier, not to mention maintain a sense of independence and quality-of-life. As we get older, your husband, dad, or even grandfather may require the use of a wheelchair in order to maintain his mobility in or out of the home. The options are almost limitless in the options that are available and you should work with your doctor or physical therapist to find the right one for each individual patient.

There are a whole variety of maladies and disorders that can affect the men in our lives.While good health needs work through the year, in June let’s put the focus ontheir health and get proactive. Let’smake sure we help them overcome any issue they may develop and maintain their quality of life.

 

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