Men's Health Month: Top Causes of Death for Montana Guys

June is National Men's Health Month. Yawn. Boring, right? I know how you feel. It seems like we hear it from all sides--we should eat better and drink less. We need to get more exercise, more sleep, take more supplements, drink kombucha, and in our spare time, maybe take up meditation, counseling or yoga.

If we accidentally slice off a toe with a chainsaw while cutting firewood, we'll go to the hospital. But what about that annoying little pain, located in your fill-in-the-blank body part, that doesn't ever really go away? And what about that little voice in your head that keeps popping up, whispering reminders that maybe you should go get that thing checked out? Do we listen? Usually not until it's too late. I can thank my spouse for encouraging me to schedule necessary appointments. Otherwise, I'm just as bad as the next guy when it comes to visiting a doctor.

Men's Health Month organizers state "the purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys." Early detection. That's a key point. Many of the top killers of men in Montana are preventable.

WorldLifeExpentancy.com is a slick website for data geeks. Utilizing CDC data, the site breaks down the cause of death by sex, age, and state. It's interesting to see the differences between men and women in Montana. While there are some common similarities, there were also some noticeable differences in the causes of death.

Men - Top 10 Killers in Montana

Coronary heart disease
Lung disease
Suicide
Lung cancers
Stroke
Diabetes
Prostate cancer
Liver disease
Road traffic accidents
Colon-rectum cancers

Women - Top 10 Killers in Montana

Coronary heart disease
Lung disease
Stroke
Lung cancers
Alzheimers
Breast cancer
Diabetes
Hypertension
Influenza & pneumonia
Falls

You'll notice suicide is #3 for men and not even in the top 10 for women. If you are struggling and have been finding yourself in a dark place, please be man enough to make a phone call. The Montana Suicide Hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK. You can access online resources HERE.

Remember guys, it's okay to see a doctor. Schedule that physical.