There are several national health observances for the month of June, and one of them is National Men’s Health.

Guthrie County Health Services Director Jotham Arber says that there are many things to keep in mind regarding men’s health, especially in rural areas like Guthrie County. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio one of the big topics he likes to cover when it comes to men’s health.

“The one thing I always like to hit on is melanoma. We really need to make sure that as men, that when we’re going outside, we’re using skin protection, we’re putting the sunscreen on, we’re protecting our skin, because a lot of folks don’t think that. It’s important. And exposure to the sun time after time can really cause some likelihood of melanoma.”

Arber mentions that some of the other big things for men to do to take care of themselves is to get their regular check up done, as the yearly physical can catch health issues like cancer, cardiac problems, high blood pressure and cholesterol. He adds that men also naturally have a higher chance of cardiac issues, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems, so it is very important to try and catch them before they become a major concern.