November marks the beginning of Movember, a movement to raise awareness of men’s health issues. This month, men are reminded to care for their bodies, get check-ups and take care of their mental health.
According to Robert Henry, a Physician Assistant at BSA Urgent Care Center, men are at risk for a wide-variety of chronic illnesses including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, elevated cholesterol and prostate, colon and skin cancer.
“Screenings should be based on age, risk factor, lifestyle and family history,” Henry said. “Listen to your body and if something is bothering you, take the time to get it addressed sooner rather than later.”
Henry encourages men to work on their overall health to prevent health issues from occurring.
“Men should get regular checkups and follow-ups for chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension,” Henry said. “Family members can help encourage men to get these checkups.”