LET’S FACE IT, as men, we find time for a round of golf, making a run to a home improvement store, or spending a Sunday afternoon with our family. But taking care of our health? It ranks low on the list of priorities. This year marks the 21st anniversary of when President Bill Clinton declared June as the month to acknowledge the importance of men’s health.
That’s great, but what can we do now to make a conscious effort to make our lives healthier? Any individual can opt to be unhealthy, but it takes a man to acknowledge the importance of his health and move into action.
Here are three steps to better health:
1. Make healthy eating choices: Begin with small steps like avoiding super-size portions, and don’t skip meals like breakfast.
2. Get exercise: Instead of parking close to a building, find a spot farther away. It is a quick and easy way to get some walking in. Or, if able, take the stairs rather than the elevator.
3. Schedule an appointment annually with your physician: Don’t wait until there’s a problem or symptom that will not go away. There are a host of conditions that can be prevented with early detection. Get screened on a regular basis for high blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and make sure you undergo a prostate cancer screening.
This column is sponsored by Good Shepherd Hospice. At Good Shepherd Hospice, every day is devoted to educating our patients and keeping them as comfortable as possible in the place they call home. We are dedicated to ensuring that patients and their families are able to make educated decisions about important healthcare matters. For more information, please call 1-800-544-3280 or visit us at chaptershealth.org/hospice.
CREDIT
column by DR. JOSE FERNANDEZ-SEMIDEY
BIO: Board certified in family medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, Dr. Jose Fernandez-Semidey received his medical degree from Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara in Guadalajara, Mexico, completed his internship and residency at Southwest Georgia Family Medicine Residency in Albany, Georgia. along with a fellowship in palliative medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2009, Dr. Fernandez joined Chapters Health and serves the Polk County community as a physician with Good Shepherd Hospice and Chapters Health Palliative Care.