June is Men’s Health Month! If you have been following our wholesome health tips without practice, now is a good time to put them into practice. Yes, we’re challenging you to prioritize your overall health this month—and never stop!
Sometimes, we get the question, “Is June Men’s Mental Health Month? No, it’s not. Men’s Health Month is not to be confused with Men’s Mental Health Month, which comes up in November.
This month, the focus is on “all of YOU.”
Not sure how to celebrate Men’s Health Month? No problem, we’re happy to help you with many ideas that would set you on the right track to being the best of you: Mentally sound and physically fit.
This is a great month to adopt the can-do spirit and put in the extra effort to work out more, do all the necessary health tests, get more fresh air, and generally take a holistic approach to improving your health.
But before we get into all that, how and why did June become Men’s Health Month?
The History of Men’s Health Month
There are different versions of how June became Men’s Health Month. Some versions of the origin indicate that it all started in 1992, some in 1994, and others in 2002. However, one thing is consistent across all the versions: June is Men’s Health Month.
Unlike most observances that started with individuals or organizations deciding to observe certain months for certain reasons, the official history of Men’s Health Month in the U.S. started in the House of Reps and the House of Senate.
On March 26, 1994, the Senate Joint Resolution 179 (SJR 179) passed the U.S. Senate and was substituted for House Joint Resolution 209 (HJR 209), which was an identical bill. The resolution called for the president to designate June 12 through 19, 1994, as a “National Men’s Health Week.”
On May 31, 1994, President Clinton signed the bill, officially making National Men’s Health Week a national observance.
Thanks to the success of the first national observation of men’s health week, the practice was sustained until it evolved into the Men’s Health Month that it is today.
So, anytime someone asks, “When is Men’s Health Month?” You can confidently say June is Men’s Health Month, bearing in mind that it is co-sponsored by 238 legislators and institutionalized by a U.S. president.
Why Men’s Health Month?
Today, Men’s Health Month gears towards shedding more light on men’s health as a consequence of almost every action we take. The actions include what we eat and how we approach disease prevention, physical health, and mental health.
Men’s Month is a call to acknowledge that great health is achievable when we take a holistic approach to improving our health.
During this observance, many organizations publish many resources and schedule activities to encourage men to pay more attention to any factor that could affect their physical and mental well-being. Men are encouraged to seek medical advice often, learn more about preventive healthcare, and get their physicals.
When National Men’s Health Week was presented to the house for consideration, there was an exhaustive list of 16 reasons why Men’s Month was a worthy consideration.
In summary:
- Men continue to have a shorter lifespan—seven times shorter than women’s—despite advances in medical research and technology.
- The risk of prostate cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, and testicular cancer is getting higher, and while early detection and medical treatment are available, many men continue to die unnecessarily from these conditions.
- Men are not seeking proper healthcare. As of 1994, women seek medical help 150% as often as men do. Therefore, women are far more likely to detect diseases at an early stage.
- If men do regular health checkups, the survival rate for conditions like testicular cancer and prostate cancer could be 100%.
- Men are often reluctant to seek medical help for a number of reasons, including cost factors, fear, and lack of information.
- Men who understand the value of preventive health can make intentional efforts towards prolonging their lifespan and keep being available and productive for their families.
Menshealthmonth.org succinctly merges these points into four themes: Awareness, Prevention, Education, and Family.
Is June Men’s Mental Health Month?
Is June Men’s Mental Health Month? Although June is Men’s Health Month and is set aside to encourage men to take care of their overall health, it’s not considered Men’s Mental Health Month.
But because June is Men’s Health Month, some people get confused if it is also Men’s Mental Health Month and air this confusion with that one question: Is June Men’s Mental Health Month?
So, what month is Men’s Mental Health Month? November is Men’s Mental Health Month. Due to the stigmas and poor perspectives held on men’s mental health, it was deemed necessary to set a month aside to address men’s mental health specifically.
With that out of the way, let’s get on with how to celebrate Men’s Health Month.
How to Celebrate Men’s Health Month
There are many ways to celebrate men’s health in June. Here, we will be looking at how to celebrate Men’s Health Month at home, at your workplace, and in your community.
Here are some great ways you can celebrate Men’s Health Month:
At Home, for Yourself
1. Get Your Physicals
You’re at the phase where you should get your physicals at least once a year. And you should take that seriously as it’s crucial for early detection and prevention/cure of some health conditions that could be overwhelmingly grave when they manifest.
For starters, do a full body scan, which should examine your body to detect any anatomical abnormalities that may indicate cancer or other signs of diseases in your lungs, spine, pancreas, kidneys, colons, heart, and liver.
Check for testicular cancer and other sexual health-related conditions like erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, and premature ejaculation, which may be affecting your overall quality of life. If you have low testosterone levels, get a testosterone treatment right away to prevent associated comorbid conditions.
2. Review Your Diet
We know that for many men, “celebration” looks like a pack of beer and juicy meat or whatever else fits.
One of the concerns legislators noted when proposing a national men’s health week was that men are three times as likely as women to be alcoholics and seven times more likely to be alcoholics.
Now is a good time to cut back on your alcohol intake and other unhealthy eating habits. You can take things a step further and visit a dietician to get a meal plan that fits you best, given your age and any condition you may have or are at risk of due to your family history.
It’s never too late to start eating more organic meals. A healthy diet can help manage your cholesterol, weight, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Eating healthy is a safe way to prevent some health issues you may be prone to.
3. Allow Yourself Healthy Times
When we say “me time,” we do not mean whatever Kevin Hart and Mark Wahlberg did in the 2022 movie with a similar title.
Think of enjoyable or relaxing activities that do not put your life in unnecessary danger. When was the last time you slept in or got a massage that made you feel born anew? Do you do at-home workouts?
Me time could also mean completing a personal task you have been postponing for a long time, say, adding a small patio to your house or whatever would give you great satisfaction when you do it.
The point is to relieve stress and be better mentally and physically.
In Your Neighborhood/Community
4. Extra Care for the Men in Your Life
Inform the guys (friends, brothers, father, father-in-law, life partner) about Men’s Health Month. Steer discussions towards health talks that men often avoid and encourage your guys to seek medical treatments or advice often.
Offer to accompany them to see a doctor. If they’re financially in a tight corner and you have some cash to spare, you could offer to pay for their physicals as a Men’s Health Month gift.
5. Spread Awareness for Men’s Health
Whether at the church, town hall, or city council, propose activities/actions that your community can work on collectively to celebrate men’s health.
They may include local media publications on men’s health, men’s health seminars, organizing sports or fitness activities (could be hikes, walks, or a cycling, softball, or soccer competition), and community health fairs.
The health fairs could be implemented by local healthcare providers, who would provide some common medical tests, such as screening for diabetes, blood pressure, prostate cancer, kidney issues, liver issues, and heart issues at subsidized rates.
You can also link up with other men’s organizations in your community to create brochures and flyers to distribute to men in your neighborhood.
At Your Workplace
6. Wear Blue
Why? Blue is the official color for celebrating Men’s Health Month. You can propose a “Wear Blue Day” to the management. On that day, your team, all the staff, or all the men in the office can wear blue to show support for and spread awareness for Men’s Health Month.
Wear Blue Day usually happens on the Friday before Father’s Day. This year’s will be on Friday, June 16, 2023. However, you could choose a day that is convenient for your workplace. It is a day to raise awareness and sometimes funds for creating awareness about health issues that affect men the most and the need for men to seek regular medical advice and checkups.
As part of Wear Blue Day, you could also get blue prostate cancer pins or ribbons to distribute at your workplace or neighborhood.
7. More Workplace Awareness for Men’s Health
Irrespective of the type of services or products your workplace offers, you can propose a mini health fair or men’s health seminar in affiliation with certified men’s health experts. Points for discussion could be topics in-between work-life balance to workplace safety.
Signs could be put up to show that your workplace is observing Men’s Health Month or week, and it would also serve as an opportunity for curious customers to learn more about men’s health from your organization.
Other things to do to celebrate Men’s Health Month at the workplace include planning a sports day and setting out a day for men at the office to go for medical checkups.
Generally
8. Get Active, Stay Active
For adults between the ages of 18-64+ years, the global recommended levels of physical activity are 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity.
This recommendation means that you need at least 30 minutes of physical activity every weekday to stay healthy.
Physical activity helps you stay functional, improves cardiorespiratory fitness, enhances your sleep quality, and reduces your risk of serious health issues. The WHO also recommends physical activity for adults living with a disability or living with chronic conditions like hypertension, HIV, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
The benefits of being physically active far outweigh the risks. As June is Men’s Health Month, it makes a great time to abandon the sedentary lifestyle and get going.
Start now and never stop.
Celebrate Men’s Health With Craft Medical
Since its inception, Craft Medical has always been about bettering men’s health. Thanks to our dedication and our client’s trust in us, we have been able to reach thousands of men across the U.S. and help them become better versions of themselves.
This month, we’re happy to celebrate men’s health with you. We have amazing offers on all our services so you can enjoy the preventive health care you need to improve yourself mentally and physically.
