Some men as they age do not feel as vital, youthful, and often feel sluggish with limited energy to go to the gym, if any. The effects of job obligations wear them down with work and life demands. Many people are moving to a more complementary and integrative approach to their healthcare adopting a more self-empowered approach to their health and well being. A man’s tendency is to seek healthcare in the event of a crisis situation with a view they are strong and healthy enough to skip their check-ups and neglect recommended screenings. According to the research, many men are less likely than women to seek help for healthcare related challenges, both on a physical as well as emotional level. Many men are raised with the idea they must be tough and independent by staying in control of themselves while hiding vulnerability. Therefore, they view themselves as invisible and almost protected from developing a disease process even if they are neglecting their health. Many men fear that friends and family will interpret their visit to the non-emergency healthcare provider as a sign of them being weak or unmanly. This is fueled from primitive times where any sign of weakness conveyed to a neighboring tribe could be a safety risk especially if the man is a primary protector of the clan or community. Even still, men often avoid healthcare if the men around them are also not participating.
If the man in your life is avoiding health care perhaps a holistic approach is the answer. We have a non-threatening and family environment where we listen to our practice members and guests. It is less intimidating with a softer more feminine approach. We appreciate the men in your life and are willing to educate, motivate, and empower them to live a healthy life. One of the things that we do not do is shame them for their life habits, and choices. Many men feel shamed for their lifestyle habits as well as their emotions, as a result, they tend to close off from their loved ones and do not communicate their health needs. We remove that barrier while encouraging them through simple, palatable, small steps. General preventative health screenings that are important for men to complete are the following: BMI – height, weight, and body mass index, blood pressure, prostate health, and colon screening. Evaluating healthy lifestyle issues such as smoking, drinking, nutrition, diet, exercise, and stress reduction are key to overall health. We encourage a visit to the practice as a guest, either for a class or a class to get a feel for the practice to see if it is a right fit for the men in your life, young or old.
All information contained in this blog post is intended for informational and educational purposes only, and is neither intended nor suited to be a replacement or substitute for professional medical treatment nor for professional medical advice relative to a specific medical question or condition.