Being there for the people you love starts with taking care of your own health.

“I’m too busy.” “It’s too expensive.” “I feel fine. I don’t need to see a doctor.” Sound familiar? These are just a few reasons why many men tend to avoid getting routine medical checkups. But the truth is, avoiding routine screenings and checkups puts the health of men at risk in more ways than you may think.

1. Reduce the risk of serious illness with regular checkups

One of the most important reasons to get a checkup now is to find out if you have any underlying problems before there are any symptoms. With screenings, conditions can be detected early, when they’re most treatable.

Your health care provider will screen for common conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, anxiety, and depression as part of every checkup. They’ll also help you learn how to keep your immune systems strong.

Preventive care, including annual physical exams and screenings, is more important now than ever. Men want to be as strong as they can be for their families, and regular checkups are an important way to ensure they are doing all they can to be healthy.

2. Save money with regular checkups

If you don’t have health insurance, health care can be really expensive. Even if you do have insurance, your premiums, copays, and other expenses can add up quickly. That’s why many people avoid seeing their doctor and end up going to the ER when the problem gets worse. 

Vecino’s Get Care program removes those barriers to health care. If you don’t have insurance, we offer discounts on a sliding scale so that you can afford the care you need. If you do have insurance, but are concerned about the costs of tests and immunizations, you can rest assured that we minimize those charges as much as possible. That means when you come in for a checkup, there aren’t those additional annoying charges for a flu shot or onsite tests.

Studies show that people who have a health care home like Vecino Health Centers have lower health care costs than those who only use the emergency room or go to specialists. That’s because regular checkups with your primary doctor can detect conditions early, when they’re more likely to be treatable.

3. Take charge of your health with regular checkups 

Let’s face it: many of us don’t get checkups because we’re afraid to find out that something’s wrong. Being anxious about the “what ifs” is common. But keep in mind that the earlier something is detected, the earlier treatment can begin. And the earlier treatment begins, the greater the chances are for success.

Most diseases that threaten men’s health, like heart disease, prostate cancer, colon cancer, and diabetes, can be prevented and treated early on. So, regardless of what you learn at your checkup, you will walk out confident that you’re in charge of your own health, and you won’t have to keep worrying about those troublesome “what ifs.”

Regardless of your role—be it father, husband, brother, son, or friend—you probably want to be as strong and healthy as you can be. After all, being there for the people you love starts with taking care of your own health first.