Contact Us
Simple, accurate health tests for the home and the workplace.

Men’s Health Week: Put Your Health First

 

men's health

Men’s Health Week focuses on providing useful health information to boys and men to raise awareness for both physical and mental health. From encouraging early detection and treatment of diseases common among men (e.g. Prostate Cancer) to emphasising the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and wellbeing, this week provides a catalyst for men to start managing their health more actively. 

 

Find out how you can start living your life more mindfully with our Men’s Health and Wellbeing tips today! 

 

  • Men’s Health Week 
  • Men’s Health Week 2024 Theme: P for Prostate
  • Men’s Health Tips
  • Men’s Wellbeing Tips
  • Take Care of Your Health This Men’s Health Week

Men’s Health Week 

Men’s Health Week was created to encourage men to start taking care of their health. From physical health to mental wellbeing and early detection of diseases, there are a range of topics that Men’s Health Week covers. This year Men’s Health Week will be held between 10th-16th June. 

Men’s Health Week 2024 Theme: P for Prostate

Each year, Men’s Health Week focuses on a different topic. The theme of 2024 is P for Prostate. Inspired by King Charles, who earlier this year shared his own story of having a problem with an enlarged prostate, the P for Prostate theme encourages all men to educate themselves on prostate cancer. 

 

Here’s prostate cancer in a nutshell so you can have a better understanding of the symptoms and the process of identifying prostate cancer. 

Symptoms of Prostate Cancer 

The main symptom of prostate cancer is an enlarged prostate that is large enough to affect the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder and out the penis). This can cause symptoms such as:

 

  • An increased need to pee
  • Staining whilst peeing 
  • Feeling your bladder is not fully emptied after peeing 

 

Although these are symptoms of prostate cancer, having these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have prostate cancer. These symptoms could be a sign of prostate enlargement. 

How to Test for Prostate Cancer 

There is no one test that is used to detect prostate cancer. However, some common tests of prostate cancer include:

 

  • Blood tests
  • Physical examination of the prostate – a digital rectal examination (DRE)
  • MRI scan 
  • A biopsy 

Prostate Cancer Treatment

As with many illnesses, early detection can prevent the disease from progressing. For some people with prostate cancer, you may not need further treatment if you are in the early stages of cancer. If your symptoms are not causing any major issues, your doctor may advise you to wait but keep an eye on your symptoms, a form of active surveillance. 

 

If you require treatment, the most common methods are to surgically remove the prostate or radiotherapy, potentially combined with hormone therapy. 

Men’s Health Tips

Although each year’s theme focuses on a specific topic, Men’s Health Week also emphasises the need to take care of all aspects of one’s health. From getting an MOT to spending more time on one’s physical health, take a look at our top tips for taking care of your health this year. 

Give Yourself a MOT

Just like a car, it is important to get yourself checked up every year to ensure everything is functioning as it should in your body and mind. From a DIY Man MOT to get an NHS Health Check, you should prioritise your health this year by getting a full check! 

 

In the meantime, if you have any health concerns, make sure you see your GP or use NHS 111. 

Keep Your Dopamine Levels Consistent 

You’ve probably heard of dopamine before! Dopamine affects your mood and can influence motivation and the feeling of reward. To keep your dopamine levels consistent, you could try:

 

  • Eating a protein-rich diet
  • Reduced the amount of saturated fat you consume 
  • Practice better sleeping habits
  • Regularly exercise 
  • Listen to some music 
  • Reduce screen time 
  • Meditate 

Eat a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet contributes to lowering your risk of diseases and can improve your health generally. Some essential vitamins to ensure you are consistently getting in your diet include:

 

  • Vitamin D: You can get vitamin D from milk, egg yolk, or fatty fish. 
  • Folate: This form of vitamin B can be found in spinach, asparagus, nuts, and beans. 
  • Calcium: Commonly found in milk, yoghurt, and cheese. 
  • Vitamin C: You can get your dose of vitamin C from foods such as oranges, pineapple, broccoli, and peppers. 
  • Potassium: Commonly found in mushrooms, bananas, sweet potatoes, and tuna. 
  • Magnesium: You can source magnesium in leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. 
  • Zinc: This vitamin can be found in a range of foods, including red meat, seafood, poultry, beans, and whole grains. 

Physical Health is Important Too

Daily physical exercise is important for your physical health and mental wellbeing. For example, simply going for a walk each day can improve your blood circulation and breathing and reduce stress. 

Men’s Wellbeing Tips

Mental health is a common theme of men’s health. With 76% of suicides in England and Wales being men, it is crucial we beat the stigma of talking about mental health to help those in need. Here are a few tips to get you thinking about your mental health and wellbeing during Men’s Health Week. 

Men and Mental Health

Only 36% of men are recorded to be using talking therapy services, with 40% of men stating they would only seek help if they had suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm. By encouraging men to talk about their mental health, we can reduce the stigma that surrounds it, creating a more positive space for men to share their feelings. Why not start the conversation with someone you trust today?

Tips for Managing Stress

Sometimes, stress can build up and become a bit too much. To help manage your stress, you could try some breathing exercises, such as the 4-5-8 method. This technique focuses on breathing in for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 5 seconds, and then breathing out slowly for 8 seconds. By repeating this technique in stressful situations, you can bring some peace to a stressful environment.

Trouble Sleeping?

Everyone has trouble sleeping from time to time. Most of the time, this is caused by stress in your daily life. To help improve your sleep, why not try:

 

  • Creating a regular sleeping pattern 
  • Exercising regularly 
  • Avoiding caffeine in the evening 
  • Keeping a sleep diary
  • Creating a wind-down routine
  • Writing down your thoughts before you go to sleep 

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness can be a useful tool to help you be more in the moment. When you complete a task, you can dissect each action and feeling you have to fully appreciate the moment. For example, when you are eating your lunch, you can focus on looking at the colour of each element of your food, feeling the texture of the food, and concentrating on how it feels. 

Take Care of Your Health This Men’s Health Week

Take some active steps to manage your health this Men’s Health Week! At Home Health, we understand the importance of men’s health in the UK, which is why we have a collection of health information guides to equip you with the knowledge you need to put your health first. Be proactive about your health this year! 

FAQs

What is Men’s Health Week?

Men’s Health Week encourages men to be more active in taking control of their health. From understanding the symptoms of prostate cancer to encouraging men to talk about their mental health and emphasising the importance of going to an NHS Health Check, Men’s Health Week provides vital health information to everyone. 

What is the theme for Men’s Health Week 2024?

This year, Men’s Health Week’s theme is P for Prostate. However, like every year, it is also important to focus on all aspects of physical and mental health, such as regularly exercising, eating a balanced diet, and focusing on mental health. 

How to support Men’s Health Week?

Get involved in Men’s Health Week this year! You can educate yourself on prostate cancer and use some of the tips listed in this guide to show your support and actively manage your health. You can also find more health information guides at Home Health. 

Related Articles 

Men’s Health

Prostate cancer

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and Impotence