Dear Red Hot Mamas- June 2023

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: June 13, 2023

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

                                                     – Mahatma Gandhi

Dear Red Hot Mamas,

It is important to encourage the guys in our lives to take the necessary steps to maintain their overall health and well-being. I bring this up now because June is “Men’s Health Awareness Month”. Each year in the United States we celebrate this important health observance that typically begins on Father’s Day and lasts until the end of the month.

During Men’s Health Awareness Month, it is a great opportunity for us to encourage the guys in our lives to discuss with their clinicians their health conditions, have routine screenings, medical care and to practice healthy habits.

Men need reliable information and other’s support. Supportive strategies usually provoke healthy outcomes. We all know that It’s often the woman, who will prod her guys to take better care of their health. So, I hope that during this month you can inspire your guys to pursue good health strategies. Encourage them to make good health their primary hobby. Afterall, if they invest in taking care of their health which include their bodies, mind, and spirit, it will lay the groundwork for enjoying everything in their lives more.

As women, I know that we can attest that many guys take better care of their cars than they pay attention to their health. Their cars go in for regular maintenance, but they don’t think about their own health maintenance. They appear to be strangers to their own healthcare, and on occasion they even ignore warning signs related to their health. Now and again, preventive medicine and early detection aren’t even on their radar screen! And we all know that some risks for major diseases can be prevented and treated if diagnosed early.

Are You Aware? According to National Center for Health Statistics:

Health status

• 13.2% Percent of men aged 18 and over in fair or poor health: (2021)

Source: Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2019-2021

Alcohol use

• 30.9% Percent of men aged 18 and over who had five or more drinks in 1 day at least once in the past year:

Source: Early release of selected estimates based on data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey, data table for figure 9.2

Physical activity

• 28.3% Percent of men aged 18 and over who met the 2018 federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity:

Source: Physical Activity Among Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020

Smoking

• 13.1% Percent of men aged 18 and over who currently smoke cigarettes: (2021)

Source: Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2019-2021

Obesity

• 40.5% Percent of men aged 20 and over with obesity: (2015-2018)

Source: Health, United States, 2019, Table 26 [PDF – 9.8 MB]

Hypertension

• 51.9% Percent of men aged 20 and over with hypertension (measured high blood pressure and/or taking antihypertensive medication): (2015-2018)

Source: Health, United States, 2019, Table 22 [PDF – 9.8 MB]

Health insurance coverage

• 11.5% Percent of males under age 65 without health insurance coverage:

Source: Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, 2022 [PDF – 726 KB]

Leading causes of death

• Heart disease
• Cancer
• COVID-19

Source: National Vital Statistics System – Mortality data (2021) via CDC WONDER

In closing, let’s support our guys and help them to equip themselves with the tools and knowledge about their health.

Good Health to You All,

Karen Giblin