It’s Movember, a month-long annual awareness of men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, November 2, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Movember, or No-Shave November, is a month-long event to raise awareness about men's health. It is an undeniable fact that men in the United States have a life expectancy that is six years shorter than that of women and are more prone to die from eight of the top ten leading causes of death in the country. This emphasizes the crucial need for the initiative to prioritize men's health and well-being. Therefore, men must also take charge of their health and be their own advocates. The best way for men to take control of their health is to educate themselves, take an active role in their healthcare, and adopt preventive measures to stay healthy. By doing so, men can lead healthier, happier lives and contribute to creating a healthier society.

Men have many expectations of fulfilling various roles, such as being a provider, a good husband and father, balancing work with family, showing strength, and being confident. However, do these expectations necessarily include taking care of one's health? This is a question worth pondering.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, here are some statistics that indicate men may not always prioritize their health:

• Men are 24 percent less likely than women to have seen a doctor in the past year.
• Men are 32 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for long-term complications of diabetes and are more than twice as likely as women to
have a leg or foot amputated due to complications related to diabetes.
• Men are 24 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for pneumonia that could have been prevented by getting an immunization.
• Men are 28 percent more likely than women to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure.

Besides these concerning statistics, there are other influential factors why men, on average, die first:

• Men take more significant risks, contributing to shorter lives, such as driving too fast, smoking, or riding motorcycles without a helmet
• Men have more dangerous jobs
• Men die of heart disease more often and at younger ages than women
• Men commit suicide more often than women
• Men are less socially connected
• Men avoid doctors

Central health issues men face

Certain diseases tend to affect men more than women, and they can be some of the most serious health conditions. Here are some of the leading health issues men face:

• Cancer – It is alarming to note that one out of every two men is at risk of developing some form of cancer in their lifetime, and one in four of them is likely to die due to it. The most prevalent cancers that affect men in the United States are colorectal, lung, testicular, and prostate cancers.

• Depression, anxiety, and suicide – American men take their own lives four times more than women. The National Institute of Mental Health finds that men tend to disregard symptoms of poor mental health and, therefore, are not receiving the treatment necessary to address this
issue.

• Heart disease – The leading cause of death for men in the U.S. is heart-related events such as heart attacks, strokes, and coronary artery disease. Men who are overweight, smoke, have high blood pressure or have high cholesterol are at greater risk.

• Type 2 diabetes – It is alarming to know that nearly 37.3 million Americans - about one in ten - have diabetes, and shockingly, more than a quarter of them are not aware of their condition. Men belonging to African American or Hispanic ethnicity have a higher risk of getting diabetes, especially if they are overweight or obese and as they age.

Besides significant health issues, men face several lesser-known health concerns, including:

• Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia – This condition, also known as BPH, refers to the enlargement of the prostate gland. The prostate gland goes through two growth phases during a man's life. The first phase happens during puberty, when the prostate gland will double in size. The second growth phase begins around age 25 and continues to grow for most of a man's life. BPH usually occurs during the second phase of growth. Enlargement of the prostate gland eventually leads the prostate gland to press against the urethra, resulting in symptoms like urine leakage, reduced urine stream, and an excessive need to urinate frequently. Half of all men between the ages of 51 and 60 have BPH.

• Dyslipidemia – Abnormally high or low levels of lipids or fats in the blood are called dyslipidemia, a strong predictor of cardiovascular disease. The lipids that are usually measured in blood are cholesterol and triglycerides. Men with high levels of either type of lipid, diabetes, and obesity are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

• Gout – Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis in individuals with high uric acid levels in their blood. It can cause severe pain, redness, and tenderness when crystals form in the joints, particularly in the big toe. Gout attacks can happen suddenly when uric acid levels spike after consuming alcohol or other triggers. In the United States, gout is more common in men than women, affecting approximately 6 million men and 2 million women. Men are more susceptible due to higher levels of uric acid. Untreated gout can lead to joint damage and other health complications, such as skin nodules and kidney stones.

Preventative steps helping men live longer and healthier

Up to 60% of most individuals' health and quality of life correlate to their lifestyle.(1) This means that by positively changing his lifestyle, a man can significantly improve his health and prevent disease development.

To achieve good health, men should follow these essential preventative steps and make them a regular part of their daily routine:

• Eat a healthy diet – It is well-known that food plays a significant role in our overall health. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that we eat a balanced diet. Aim to consume at least 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Choose lean protein sources, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Incorporate low-fat dairy products and choose water as your primary beverage.

• Exercise most days of the week – It is vital men prioritize physical activity by actively engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, including a combination of aerobics, strength training, and flexibility exercises for a well-rounded routine.

• Don't smoke or chew tobacco – Did you know that one out of every five men smoke cigarettes? This unhealthy habit significantly increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease while also making other illnesses much more severe. Therefore, avoiding taking up this habit at all costs is crucial. Finding ways to quit as soon as possible is important for those who have already started.

• Have yearly checkups – It's vital to have routine checkups. By visiting your dentist, eye doctor, family physician, and urologist annually, these exams can save your life. For example, every man needs a baseline PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test beginning at age 40. The PSA blood test is a screening for prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Not only do annual exams monitor and manage any health changes, but they can also detect any minor health issues that need to be addressed immediately before they become major chronic health problems.

Reference:

1. Iran J Public Health. 2015 Nov; 44(11): 1442–1444.

Dr. David Samadi is the Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology Director at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board-certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City. He is regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at Robotic Oncology and Prostate Cancer 911.

David Samadi
Madison Urology
+1 212-365-5000
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