June: Men's Health Month

Lancaster, Calif. — June is Men's Health Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of preventive care and healthy lifestyles for men. With many common health issues affecting men, it's crucial to understand how to take proactive steps to maintain overall well-being.

According to Dr. Steven A. Lawenda, M.D., a Family Medicine physician at Kaiser Permanente Antelope Valley, regular checkups and screenings are essential for maintaining men's health. "First of all, it's important to visit your doctor for regular checkups and screenings, and to not ignore new symptoms or delay medical attention when new symptoms arise," he said.

Dr. Lawenda also emphasizes the power of prevention through a healthy lifestyle. "Secondly, there is no more powerful 'tool' for health than prevention with a healthy lifestyle – up to 80% of the most common and deadliest diseases are largely preventable with a healthy lifestyle."

However, many men in the Antelope Valley face challenges when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. "I see a tendency for men and their families to feel they either don't have time to cook, or that they don't know how to cook, and as such, too many patients rely on restaurants, often fast food, and/or packaged, processed foods, for their meals," Dr. Lawenda noted. "I also see many men not exercising enough – they might say the weather is too hot, too cold, or perhaps they have a physical ailment that might be limiting them."

Dr. Lawenda reminds his patients that exercise can be done just about anywhere and that equipment isn't always necessary. "However, what many don't realize is that exercise can be done just about anywhere, that equipment isn't required, and even if you are physically limited by an ailment, there are still seated exercises, or other ways of working around your limitations."

One of the most common men's health concerns Dr. Lawenda sees among his male patients is erectile dysfunction. "Approximately 40% of men over 40 have it, and 50% of men over 50 do, so it's very common," he said. "What most men don't realize is that erectile dysfunction is very often a precursor or warning of future heart disease, and furthermore, it's empowering to know that both erectile dysfunction and heart disease are largely preventable AND in many cases even reversible with a healthy lifestyle."

Consider the following tips from Dr. Lawenda for maintaining men's health:

• Schedule regular checkups and screenings with your doctor

• Don't ignore new symptoms or delay medical attention

• Focus on prevention through a healthy lifestyle

• Make time for cooking healthy meals at home

• Find ways to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, even with limitations

• Be aware of common men's health concerns, such as erectile dysfunction, and take proactive steps to address them

"By prioritizing preventive care and making healthy lifestyle choices, men in the Antelope Valley can take control of their health and reduce their risk of common diseases," Dr. Lawenda said.

Kaiser Permanente offers more information about men's health at https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/southern-california/health-wellness/health-encyclopedia/he.Mens-Health.center1027