June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. Men’s Health week is June 12-18. On Friday, June 16, join us by wearing blue to bring awareness to the men’s health concerns. The purpose of Men’s Health Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.
Prostate disease is one concern for men. Prostate disease may not be cancer. An enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy) is the most common prostate health problem in men over 50. The symptoms may include difficulty with urination, including weakened stream or frequent urination.
Prostatitis is the most common prostate problem in men under 50. It is inflammation of the prostate that may be caused by an infection.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, only 2nd behind lung cancer as the leading killer of men. It is generally very slow growing and most men die with prostate cancer (meaning that they die of some other cause) rather than from it.
While you may not be able to prevent prostate cancer, the following health guidelines may help. Eat healthy, including fruits and vegetables in your diet, watch your weight, exercise regularly and get regular check ups with your provider.