With summer here, it’s a great opportunity to take time to relax and create heathy habits. Kick off the summer by celebrating Cancer Survivorship Day (following appropriate social distancing guidelines) and form healthy habits during National Men’s Health Week!
Cancer Survivorship Day: June 7th
National Cancer Survivorship Day is a day dedicated to honoring and celebrating cancer survivors. The recognition from this day extends throughout the month not only to celebrate survivors, but also to support and provide outreach to those diagnosed with cancer [i]. Here’s how you can you get involved:
- Consider joining networks such as the Cancer Survivors Network to share your experiences and connect with others [ii].
- Fuel your body! Nutrition plays an important role in survivorship [iii]. Learn more about healthy eating for cancer survivors here.
- Consider making a Survivorship Care Plan to monitor and maintain your health [iv].
- Watch these videos from the American Cancer Society to learn more about coping with the emotional and physical challenges that survivors may face [v].
National Men’s Health Week
Men’s Health Week is celebrated June 15th-21st, but can be recognized throughout the month! This effort aims to raise awareness of preventative health issues and encourage males to take part in screening and detection of diseases. It also aims to promote wellbeing through healthy lifestyle changes and preventative measures [vi]. Find out how you can participate below:
- Get active! Aim to take part in 150 minutes (or 2 ½ hours) of physical activity each week [vii]. Consider trying yoga or strength and cardio workouts.
- Focus on healthy eating including unprocessed foods with whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Check out these ideas for recipes and flavor inspiration!
- If you smoke, takes steps to quit to help lower your risk of negative health implications [vii].
- Be sure to visit your doctor regularly for checkups. Visiting your doctor can help with disease prevention and detection [vii].
Learn more about Cancer Survivorship Day and National Men’s Health Week initiatives here.
References:
[i] Official National Cancer Survivors Day 2020 Logo Revealed. Retrieved from: https://www.ncsd.org/news-1/official-national-cancer-survivors-day-2020-logo-revealed#:~:text=National%20Cancer%20Survivors%20Day%202020%20will%20take,Sunday%2C%20June%207%2C%202020
[ii] Cancer Survivors Network. Retrieved from: https://csn.cancer.org/?_ga=2.30278779.512468054.1592522709-72894003.1590182050
[iii] Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After Cancer Treatment: Answers to Common Questions. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/staying-active/nutrition-and-physical-activity-during-and-after-cancer-treatment.html
[iv] Survivorship Care Plans. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/survivorship-care-plans.html
[v] Survivorship Videos from The American Cancer Society. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/survivorship-videos.html
[vi] Men’s Health Week. Retrieved from: https://www.menshealthmonth.org/week.html
[vii] National Men’s Health Week. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/nmhw/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Ffeatures%2Fhealthymen%2Findex.html
