June is Men's Health Awareness Month, a time for men to focus on taking control of their health and preventing and detecting health issues early.
This includes regular checkups with their doctor and adhering to proactive lifestyle choices such as eating healthy, exercising and getting enough rest.
One man who's taking the necessary steps to get fit is John Caswell. In his nearly 30 years of sanitation work, Caswell neglected to care for himself because he was always focused on providing for his family. However, with the encouragement of his daughters, Adrian and Alexis, he joined the gym and saw the results of his hard work, gaining energy and self-confidence.
The CDC reports that heart disease, diabetes and cancer are among the leading causes of death for men nationwide.
Since Caswell had a complete change of heart - he no longer takes medication. Thanks to his recent lifestyle change, his A1C has decreased.
“It was a 7.2 right before I came to (a personal trainer). In three months, it's down to 6.2. I'm now off of my diabetes medicine. Along with that, my blood pressure was high before I was on blood pressure medicine. That's down to a 110 over 74, and I'm off of that as well,” said Caswell.
What You Need To Know
- Get regular checkups with your doctor to detect and prevent health issues early
- Make proactive lifestyle choices such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest
- Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and other health issues
- Manage stress through relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises
In addition to his daughters, he works with Jordan Sanders, a personal trainer he met through his daughter Alexis. Sanders' philosophy is to hold his clients accountable and push them to achieve their full potential.
“I’ve never had an individual who can say, 'Hey, listen, I went to the doctor, and I'm no longer on ABC and D. And, you know, I'm no longer taking this. My levels were here and there, now this. That goes to show me that, man, you're doing the right thing,” said Sanders.
Caswell's goal is to continue improving his life by maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and following a disciplined routine. He has curbed his urge to drink soda and chooses healthier alternatives.
“Counting the calories, eating the right things, you know, a lot of proteins, little carbohydrates, a lot of vegetables. Look, a little bit of fruit, a ton of water. I mean, that's all I drink now is water,” Caswell said.
His story is a reminder that it's never too late to take control of your health and make positive changes in your life.
By making proactive lifestyle choices, men can prevent and detect health issues early and live longer healthier lives.