This Men's Health Week Look Out For Other Men

Value, and care, for other men this year

Every year the second week of June is Men's Health Week, a week chosen partly as it leads up to and includes Father's Day. Since Father's Day is a day we celebrate and look to other men, I thought it appropriate to do the same in regards to Men's Health Week. Normally we would be speaking to the importance of being aware of your own health and especially men's health issues, instead, for this year, we want you to look at your friends and family and help them be aware and reach out in ways to help everyone around you. We want you to reach out to your fellow man and help them be healthy.

In our annual Men's Health Week post, we list the 7 top health concerns specific to men which include Suicide, Type 2 diabetes, Stroke, Chronic lower respiratory diseases, Accidents, Cancer, and #1 Heart disease. Use that post and its information as a way to see the signs not in yourself, but in others and if you see them help convince them, since men need convincing, to seek help in improving their health.
Five of the seven are general health issues, many ones we are or should already be aware of, but two are a little more . Suicide is a tricky one that usually starts with depression, know and recognize its signs and act on them, more information can be found here. In the case of accidents, which may or may not be surprisingly found at the number 3 spot, make sure other men know that it is the manly thing to do to be safe and prepared: wear protective gear, do things the right way.

There are other ways to be proactive in helping others. Two that go hand in hand, to continue the reaching out analogies, are signing up for organ donation here, and giving blood. Giving blood is a simple act, it takes little time, no money, and yet it can help so many in such an impactful way. The Blood Center of Wisconsin reports that despite this, fewer than 5% of people who are eligible to donate actually do. Since the resolution and recovery of many of the health concerns above require blood, one of the best ways to help others with those issues is to give blood. There are many other ways to help others this week- volunteering, donating, and more - but we ask that each of you take the step to donate blood not only this week but as often as you can throughout the year.

While this week every year we focus on Men's Health, this year, instead of - or in addition to - looking at your own health, reach out and help make other men aware of staying healthy for you and the others in their life.