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Movember — Changing the Face of Men’s Health

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During the month of November, you may notice more men than usual growing mustaches. Many of these men are participating in the annual, world-wide event known as Movember to promote awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide prevention. But you don’t have to grow a mustache to be part of the movement to get — and stay — healthy. Here are some steps all men should take:

See Your Doctor:
Even when they’re sick, 70% of men report putting off a visit to the doctor. If it’s been a while since your last physical, now’s the time to make an appointment with your doctor, who can help determine how often they should see you based on your risk factors for disease. Exams might include baseline measurements for blood pressure, diabetes and body mass index. Your health care provider will also help you decide whether and when you need to be screened for prostate, colorectal or lung cancer, and what adult vaccinations you need to stay up to date.

Stand Up:
Do you spend a lot of time sitting? Whether at a desk or just lounging around, Americans spend between eight and 13 hours a day sitting. And all that sitting is bad for your health. Studies have linked sedentary behavior with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, including colorectal and lung cancer. If you have a desk job, break up stretches of sitting with standing. Move around to get your limbs moving and blood flowing for improved cardiovascular health. Go for a walk during your lunch break or walk to your lunch destination. The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report found a 30-minute brisk walk, six days a week, substantially counters the increased health risks of prolonged sitting. The more exercise you can do — and the higher the intensity you can do it at — the better. A study of more than 1 million adults found those who get 60 to 75 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily eliminate their risk of early death caused by sitting too much.

Check Yourself:
Testicular cancer is the leading cancer among men age 15 to 44, according to the American Cancer Society. Men who detect this cancer while it’s still in their testicles — a lump or swelling is a telltale sign — before it spreads, have a 99% survival rate. While uncommon, each year testicular cancer kills 400 men, and the American Cancer Society reports that the incidence rate has been increasing in the U.S. for several decades. Checking your testicles could make a big difference. By the time you feel pain in your groin, abdomen or lower back (all signs that the cancer has spread), testicular cancer is harder to beat. Movember’s Know Thy Nuts provides a step-by-step guide to performing monthly self-exams.

Focus on Mental Health:
Men die by suicide at nearly four times the rate of women, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Male veterans are also 1.3 times more likely than male non-veterans to die by suicide, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. If you’re in suicidal crisis or dealing with emotional distress, reach out for help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline operates 24/7 through telephone counseling at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or via text through Lifeline Chat. Undiagnosed depression can have ripple effects on your life. Compared with depressed women, depressed men are more likely to report sleep disturbances and feeling more tired. For men, mental health issues can show up as physical symptoms, such as a racing heart, constant headaches or digestive issues, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. If you’re struggling with emotional issues, your doctor can offer treatment options to help manage your depression.

This Movember, recommit to your health. Whether you decide to embrace your inner lumberjack is up to you.

Top Health Issues for Men

Men are at a higher risk of dying from certain diseases than women and one reason for this is lack of awareness. Combine that with unhealthy work and personal lifestyles, men’s health has declined. Men are also less likely than women to have an annual physical with their doctor. Read more here about the top health issues for men and how to prevent them from happening in the first place.
Heart disease
More than one in three men have heart disease and it’s the leading cause of death for men across most racial and ethnic groups. Half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms. Even if they have no symptoms, they may still be at risk for heart disease.
Key risk factors for heart disease are:
High blood pressure
High LDL cholesterol
Smoking are key risk factors for heart disease
Other risk factors that can contribute to heart disease are diabetes, poor diet, lack of physical activity and excessive alcohol use.
Stroke
Strokes are the fourth leading cause of death in men. Certain heart conditions — such as atrial fibrillation, which causes the heart to pump less efficiently than it should, can also cause clots that lead to strokes. Other contributing factors in stroke include:

  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • High cholesterol

Preventative measures include:

  • Exercising for at least half an hour on most days of the week
  • Eating right — preferably a diet low in saturated fat (such as that in processed meats) and high in fruits and vegetables
  • Maintaining a healthy weight
  • Not smoking — smokers are twice as likely to have a stroke

COPD and other respiratory diseases
About 85 to 90 percent of all COPD cases are caused by cigarette smoking. What you breathe every day at work, home and outside can play a role in developing COPD. Long-term exposure to air pollution, secondhand smoke and dust, fumes and chemicals (which are often work-related) can cause COPD.
Stopping smoking can help prevent COPD and also slow the progression of the disease if you’ve already been diagnosed. If diagnosed early enough, you can save most of the lung function you have left.
Alcohol Consumption
Men consistently have higher rates of alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations than women.

  • Among drivers in fatal motor-vehicle traffic crashes, men are almost twice as likely as women to have been intoxicated (i.e., a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or greater).
  • Excessive alcohol consumption increases aggression and, as a result, can increase the risk of physically assaulting another person.
  • Men are more likely than women to commit suicide, and more likely to have been drinking prior to committing suicide
  • Excessive alcohol use can lead to impotence, infertility, and the reduction of facial and chest hair. Alcohol consumption also increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, and colon in men.

Alcohol abuse is the most common cause of liver disease in North America. In chronic alcohol abuse, fat accumulation occurs in liver cells affecting their ability to function.
Cirrhosis is a late-stage of liver disease where the scarring of the liver and loss of functioning liver cells cause the liver to fail.
Depression
Both men and women get depression. But men can experience it differently than women. Men may be more likely to feel very tired and irritable, but have difficulty sleeping. Men also tend to lose interest in their work, family, or hobbies. Though women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are more likely to die by suicide.
Because many men are less likely to talk about how they are feeling, they rarely acknowledge their depression, let alone seek help for it. Depression is treatable and most men can overcome it and get back to their regular way of life with work, family and hobbies.
Contributing factors in depression usually include a combination of these factors:

  • Genetics
  • Brain chemistry and hormones
  • Stress

Diabetes
90% of cases of type 2 diabetes could be prevented simply through a healthier diet and plenty of physical activity.
Symptoms may include:

  • increased thirst
  • increased hunger
  • fatigue
  • frequent urination, especially at night
  • unexplained weight loss
  • blurred vision
  • sores that don’t heal

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, talk to your doctor to get tested.
Skin Cancer
In a recent survey, just 51% of US men reported using sunscreen in the past 12 months, and an alarming 70% did not know the warning signs of skin cancer. In 2012, twice as many men died of melanoma than women. Family history also plays a role in your chances of developing skin cancer.
Using sunscreen, wearing proper clothing, and avoiding the sun during peak daylight hours are keys to prevention.
Only 30% of men are aware of the signs of skin cancer. Monthly self-screening is important to prevention, so it’s important to know what to look for.
Follow the ABCD rule to recognize abnormal growths:

  • A is for Asymmetry: A mole that has an irregular shape, or two different looking halves.
  • B is for Border: Irregular, blurred, rough or notched edges may be signs of skin cancer.
  • C is for Color: Most moles are an even color – brown, black, tan or even pink – but changes in the shade or distribution of color throughout the mole can signal melanoma.
  • D is for Diameter: Moles larger than ¼ inch (6 mm, the size of a pencil eraser) across may be suspect, although some melanomas may be smaller than this.

Regular check-ups are important so your doctor can stay in-tune with you and your health. But an even-bigger key to good health is taking care of yourself by eating right, exercising, not smoking, and limiting alcohol intake.

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