Men’s Health Month: 5 ways to give the gift of health this Father’s Day
Giving your pops the lowdown on taking care of their health this Men’s Health Month.
For the month of June, men’s health is given some time to shine and people around the world are reminded and educated about men’s health issues. Awareness is focused on prevention, early detection, and early treatment for common health issues that affect men. And we think it’s pretty important!
To round off the month, Father’s Day is celebrated on the 18 June, have you felt stuck on how to show your appreciation to dad? Perhaps some sage health advice will do the trick. Now, we know dads can be stubborn and stuck in their ways (you didn’t hear it from us) but it’s important to educate them on how to look after themselves!
1. Book a check-up
As we all know, prevention is always better than cure! Remind your dad that he needs to go for his annual health checks – no ums or buts. If a suggestion isn’t going to cut it, why not schedule the appointment on his behalf? The purpose of these check-ups is to screen for any potential issues, monitor future health risks, and coordinate a health plan to regulate any weak points.
A standard medical examination should cover all the necessary bases, but just in case, make sure that your dad is getting tested for all the following:
- Blood pressure
- Cholesterol and heart health
- Colorectal cancer screening
- Prostate cancer screening
- Lung cancer screening
- Diabetes
- Dental exam
- Eye exam
- Testicular health
With Oneplan (that’s us), your dad won’t even have to worry about dipping into his savings to afford all these check-ups! We have a range of plans that cater to every budget, and starting at only R15 extra, you can add the excess buster so that you never have to worry about paying an excess on the claims he submits!
2. Encourage sleep
We know our dads love a good snooze on the couch during the cricket, but is your pops getting deep, rejuvenating sleep? Bad sleeping patterns can wreak havoc on your immune system, increasing the chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, and anxiety.
Why not treat your dad by downloading a meditation app onto his phone? (We think Headspace is a great place to start). Alternatively, you could introduce him to some relaxing herbal teas to incorporate into his bedtime routine.
3. Get moving
Get up, get out, and get active! That’s the energy we’ve been bringing into 2023 and we encourage you to get your dad on the bandwagon.
We all know that even just 20 minutes of exercise per day can do wonders for your health. Even if your dad used to be a super fit ballie, it’s easy to let go of your physical passions once you start to get a little older. We aren’t asking dad to train for the comrades again, some gentle movement will suffice!
Get your dad excited about moving his body by taking the opportunity to spend some time together going on walks, planning gym sessions together, stretching at home, or going for a dip in the ocean. You could even decide to go for a scenic hike around your province.
On the days he can’t get out these easy at-home exercises which will get the blood pumping.
4. Eat well
If your dad is a carb and red meat guy, he needs to catch a wake-up call before his diet negatively impacts his health. Your dad may have been the one telling you to eat your veggies, but the roles are reversed this Father’s Day!
The best thing to do is to get him excited about interesting, nutritious meals that are easy to make but packed with all the right vitamins and minerals.
If you want to make healthy foods easier for your dad, why not buy him a smoothie blender and encourage him to try some of these immune-boosting smoothies?
5. Stress less
Stress is one of the leading causes of a ton of illnesses because of how badly it affects your immune system. When you are stressed, your body loses the capacity to fight off illnesses and disease. So, why does dad stress so much?
Generally, our fathers put enormous pressure on themselves to make sure their families are well-provided for. Whilst men generally feel that they can’t open up about their mental health, it’s important for your dad to know that he can speak with you about what’s on his mind.
Spending time with family, friends, and loved ones is a great stress-reliever, so why not get all your dad’s favourite people together in one place on Father’s Day? More than that, make sure he knows about different ways to cope with stress: yoga, meditation or therapy.
From the Oneplan Health Family to yours, have a wonderful Father’s Day and make every day with dad even better.
Your Health Insurance Family,
Oneplan
