“Led by the Men’s Health Network, International Men’s Health Week, June 11-17, was created to increase awareness of male health issues, and develop policies and health services that meet their specific needs on a global scale”, said Paula Curtiss, Founding Director for Healing Hands School of Holistic Health (Healing Hands). “In support of these endeavors, we are asking all Healing Hands students to encourage the men in their life to be more proactive about their holistic health”, she added.
In support of International Men’s Week, Healing Hands Faculty offers the following self-care strategies for men. By adopting these 8 holistic health strategies, men can reduce their risk of cardio-vascular and other chronic diseases that can shorten their lives.
Holistic Self-Care Strategies for Men
#1 – Practice Safe Sex! With HIV/Aids and so many Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) out there, ie: HPV, preventing sexually transmitted diseases is an essential self-care activity for men. Using a condom can greatly reduce chances of getting or spreading a STD. Other risk reducing strategies include: a reduction in sex partners, mutual monogamy, and Hepatitis B & HPV vaccinations. Get treatment immediately If you suspect you may have contracted an STD.
#2 – Know Your Health Numbers! Keep track of important numbers such as your Blood Pressure, Blood Sugar levels, LDL & LDH Cholesterol, and Body Mass Index (BMI). If any of these numbers are higher than normal, speak with your doctor for suggested life-style changes.
#3 – Tune in to How You Feel! Be sure to get regular health check-ups and any medical screening tests you feel may be needed. Tune in to yourself and notice signs and symptoms of disease such as: pain in the chest, arms, shoulder, neck, jaw, or back. Notice if you experience excessive thirst, shortness of breath, feeling light-headed or faint. If you experience any of these signs or symptoms, don’t wait; seek help from your doctor or neighborhood urgent care facility right away.
#4 – Say Nighty Night! Adult men need a minimum of 7 to 8 hours of sleep nightly. Simple strategies to help men get the sleep they need include: turning off computers and electronic gadgets that emit sleep inhibiting blue-light; adhere to the same bed-time and morning wake schedules; keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and temperature controlled; and avoid large meals or exercise right before bed-time.
#5 – Reduce Stress! – A prolonged bout of stress affects your health as well as your emotional wellbeing. To keep your worries in perspective and reduce stress, make it a point to take good care of yourself. Eat well, get plenty of sleep, exercise, laugh, play, and treat yourself to a Therapeutic Massage regularly. Just one hour of Massage can substantially reduce stress hormones and increase happy hormones positively impacting mood.
#6 – Let’s Get Physical! At a minimum, adult men need 2.5 hours of moderate to intense aerobic activity each week. In addition, muscle strengthening activities two or more days a week will help maintain strong, healthy and flexible muscles and joints. Regular exercise can substantially reduce the risk of chronic or cardio-vascular diseases that cut a man’s life-span short. Just a ½ hour walk daily can reduce one’s risk of obesity by 50 % and positively impact one’s physical health and sense of emotional wellbeing.
#7 – Eat to Thrive! A healthy diet is one that provides essential nutrients and contains food from all the basic food groups. There should be a balance between calories-eaten with calories-burned, so daily activity is key to keeping your weight low. You should also limit high sugar food items or those that are high in salt, fat, alcohol and calories. Best choices are fresh, un-processed foods such as green leafy vegetables, whole grain products, colorful fruits, and lean protein such as Chicken, Fish, or Pork. To learn more about recommended guidelines visit: http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.
#8 – Stop Smoking! Smoking raises your risk of serious illnesses including: Heart Disease, Stroke, Lung Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, Blindness, and many types of Cancers. If you smoke, do your health a huge favor…seek support to stop smoking. For more information go online to: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/.
Healing Hands School has been serving residents in SoCal for over 24 years. Learn more about Healing Hands’ Certifications here. Boasting more than 80 Massage and Holistic Health courses and two Certification Programs, no other school offers a better opportunity for success than Healing Hands. Click here to see all courses offered. Our top-notch Faculty has prepared more than 7,000 students for rewarding careers as Professional Massage Therapists and can do the same for you! Learn more on-line at www.HealingHandsSchool.com or click here to let us know your name and which location you’re interested in, and we will contact you.