Many men do not prioritize their health. A common approach is – if I feel fine, there's no need to see a doctor. As men age, however, waiting for symptoms or something to go wrong before seeing a doctor can be detrimental.

During Men's Health Awareness Month, healthcare workers like Moda Wellness Advisor, Colin Igarta, are promoting proactive care to show why it's important for men to take control of their health.

"Men's health often takes a low priority for different reasons," said Colin. "It's important to heighten the awareness of different preventable health problems for men. Sure, age can be a risk factor in certain conditions, but instead of dismissing issues by blaming your age for all your medical issues, we look at what are the healthy habits and behaviors we can do to counteract the symptoms that come with age."

Colin says getting an annual checkup and going in for routine screenings can help detect issues early. And studies show health issues are more treatable when they are caught in early stages.

"It's easy to think that unless something happens, you're doing fine," he said. "The reason preventative care is so important is it allows you to know what your risks are or what potential medical problems could be happening. An annual exam and screenings help you understand how to better handle a potential issue, sometimes before it's an issue."

Barriers to preventive care

Colin says one of the barriers to preventive care for men is they're afraid they will be told they need to change their habits and lifestyle.

"Men can have a hard time talking to their doctor," he said. "If they're told they have high blood pressure they may be told that they need to change their eating habits. They simply don't want to hear that they need to change all these things. Because of these and other reasons, it can be difficult to demonstrate to men that seeking preventative care is so important."

Part of Colin's work at Moda is to educate members about why it's important to be proactive about their health.

"We're always looking for ways to best support members and inspire men to be proactive about their health," he said. "We encourage early detection and treatment among different diseases for both boys and men. We look at how we can practice and implement healthy lifestyle behaviors into men's lives, the different aspects of their health and well-being and how they can continually improve that."

The importance of mental health

Colin said his team looks at health and wellness through six different pillars – movement, nutrition, sleep, mindset, financial and social – which can all affect our physical and mental health. He said over the past year, he's seen a shift in men recognizing that both physical and mental health matter.

"When it comes to health and wellness, men tend to only focus on their physical health," Colin said. "After COVID-19 and everything we've been through, it's becoming clear how important mental health is to our overall health and well-being. Prioritizing our mental health can help us better manage our stress and cope with our emotions during difficult times."

Through his experiences in healthcare, Colin shared some advice on what men can do to achieve better health and wellness. They include:

• Go to annual checkups and regular screenings: Making your health a priority by seeing your doctor once a year and getting screened is a big part of living a healthier and happier life.
• Have a well-balanced diet: Nutrition can be easily ignored by men. We look at maintaining a healthy, well-balanced diet that is high in vegetables and rich in fruits, among other things. Adding these into your diet promotes healthy eating.
• Prioritizing your mental health and self-care: A lot of times with men, it's easy not to think about their emotions or self-care. But it's important to work on ways to cope with stress, whether that's counseling, meditation or mindfulness practice.

Positive changes

For many of us, living a healthier lifestyle doesn't mean you have to give up your favorite things. Oftentimes, says Colin, it's about adding healthier things to your life.

"We know that cutting out your favorite things is difficult," he said. "But in many cases, it's not about cutting things out, it's about adding healthy habits like fruits and vegetables to your diet and moving a little more to create positive changes for a healthier and happier you."

Moda Health Months: Our personal health stories

To read more personal health stories, please visit our Moda Health Community page.