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While we’re already thinking about the fathers/father figures in our lives this week, let’s not forget to remember a more pertinent recognition to all men than Father’s Day celebrations. This week marks National Men’s Health Week, and at Fountain Hills Medical Center we want to call attention to some of the most serious health issues endangering men today, as well as tips for prevention.

Topping this sobering list is heart disease.

Officially called atherosclerosis, the hardening of arteries is the top cause of death in men and women in the world. And unfortunately, men suffer this fate earlier and at a higher rate than women. There are a handful of factors that contribute to this condition including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, tobacco use, and inflammation from various diseases.

Tips for prevention of heart disease include smoking cessation, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet that is rich in produce, fiber, and healthy fats, and keeping blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.

Next up is cancer, and the ones most common for men include lung, skin, colorectal, and prostate.

Cancer doesn’t always announce itself to people afflicted when it starts to grow, but there are ways to detect it. Getting regular screenings for a variety of cancers is the best way to combat a diagnosis. Fountain Hills Medical Center will soon feature a Fountain Hills oncology center where we will provide screenings, education, and care for those diagnosed with cancer or at risk for diagnosis.

Some cancer prevention tips we often give our patients include eating a diet high in antioxidants, whole grains, and lean protein, avoiding processed and/or fatty foods, wearing sunscreen, and quitting smoking.

A third prevalent condition that endangers the well-being and health of men is depression.

While depression actually tends to affect more women than men, it’s worth a mention in this list for two big reasons: men experience a higher suicide rate than women, and depression in men often goes undiagnosed.

The stereotypical symptoms of depression of crying, fatigue, lack of motivation, and changes in eating patterns are not how many men typically display depression. Rather, men tend to express depression with anger, irritability, acting in potentially-dangerous ways, overeating, and feeling physical aches and pains. Due to this discrepancy, depression in men will often go undiagnosed, leading to lack of treatment and/or medication, and thus possible self-inflected death.

Sadly, despite the recent rise in mental health awareness, men are approximately 15% less likely to seek out counseling than women and 10% less likely to request or take medication for depression. At Fountain Hills Medical Center we recognize the widespread severity of mental health and our providers are prepared to screen for depression, discuss treatment and/or medication options, and refer to trusted, vetted, and qualified Fountain Hills mental health professionals if needed.

While this discussion is neither fun nor pleasant, it’s an important one. During this National Men’s Health Week, we encourage you to reach out to the men in your life of all ages and make sure they’re doing what they can to stay physically and mentally healthy. An important first step in maintaining good health is simply coming in to FHMC for a check-up, and establishing a medical relationship with one of our professionals. Either by walk-in or appointment, our staff of medical professionals is ready to provide you with quality and expert care, close to home.

SOURCES:

• WebMD
• MayoClinic.org
• Mission Health
• Loud Cloud Health
• NAMI