Are men lagging behind in the health stakes? 6 common issues and what to do about them

Compared to women, men not only have a higher risk of contracting almost any disease, they also die earlier …

Being a man is bad for your health. At least that’s what Jeff Foster says – and as a family doctor, male health specialist and even man, he should know.

“Men not only have a greater risk of developing almost any disease than women, they also die earlier,” says Foster, who has now authored the new book Man Alive: The Health Problems Men Face And How To Fix Them.

Part of the problem stems from the fact that, as they age, men “are generally encouraged not to take care of their health” – despite the abundance of self-help books designed to help them get six pack abs and the bodies of a hunk.

“But men’s health is more than just looking good,” says Foster. “As children we are told not to ‘cry like a girl’ and ‘man up’, and this internalization of health problems continues as we move forward.

“As adults, men today live in a confusing society where we are expected to look tough, have big beards and appear masculine, but at the same time like to cry and open up about our weaknesses and fears.

“Men are conditioned to develop health practices and habits that increase their risk of disease and make it difficult for them to seek medical advice when they need it.”

But it doesn’t have to be like that. “Bad health is not inevitable for men. The key is to give men the knowledge they need to understand their own mind and body.”

Here, Foster outlines six common men’s health problems and how to deal with them …

Dr. Jeff Foster

1. Testosterone deficiency or “manopause”

“Almost a million men have low testosterone levels, and the number is increasing every year. Testosterone deficiency, also known as andropause or ‘manopause’, mimics many of the symptoms experienced in women during menopause.

“However, men between the ages of 30 and 90 can be affected, there is no guarantee that every man will get it, and for many people the symptoms are played down or simply attributed to hard work or midlife crises.

“Symptoms are tiredness, falling asleep at the end of the day, decreased libido, increased body fat / decreased muscle mass, poor concentration / brain fog and irritability. In later stages, men may also experience night sweats and changes in cholesterol levels, and blood pressure, risk of diabetes, and osteoporosis (thinning of bones).

“Diagnosis is made with a simple blood test, which must be interpreted correctly and in the context of the entire patient. Treatment is to correct the cause or to do testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) which, if used correctly, can be lifelong.” -Change, reduce the risk of other serious medical problems, improve the quality of life and save jobs, marriages and families. “

A combination of social, psychological, and hormonal pressures mean that many men feel unable to open up to their mental health problems

2. Mental health

“Around one in eight men in the UK will experience mental health problems at some point, and male suicide rates remain higher around the world. Male attitudes towards mental health remain resistant to change, and while I now see many younger men with symptoms of depression or anxiety, it is still rare for a man over 40 to talk about his mental health.

“The reason for this is a combination of social, psychological and hormonal pressures that mean that many men do not open up to their psychological problems. But while it’s an uphill battle, there are things we can do. Let’s assume that all mental health problems are psychological in nature. Various medical problems can cause changes in the way we think and should be checked out.

“Second, and most importantly, we have to open up. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a doctor, but even a friend or anyone we can open up to. Of course, there are medications, conversational therapies, and a host of other options available, but the key to changing men’s mental health is giving men the tools and social acceptance to be able to say, ‘It’s okay to cry’ . “

3. Prostate disease

“If we live long enough, it is said that all men will at some point have some degree of prostate cancer. It is the most common type of cancer in men, accounting for a quarter of all cancer cases. But even so, we don’t have a national screening program that can do prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests, but when taken in isolation they are often useless. We are able to diagnose and monitor mild cancers, often none require aggressive treatment, but we often miss it or can do little for those that are rapidly growing and spreading.

“There are things you can do to reduce your risk of prostate cancer, including avoiding obesity, getting regular exercise, avoiding excess calcium, taking vitamin D, and regular health checkups.”

4. Erectile dysfunction (ED)

“About half of men will have ED at some point, but it remains a taboo subject. Men get ED for a reason; it can be neurological or metabolic (like diabetes), anxiety or stress, hormone deficiency or constriction leads to a heart attack). is a health barometer. Pills like Viagra can be very effective in treating ED, but only if you know the underlying cause. “

Men have higher rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and strokes, so regular exercise is essential

5. Cardiovascular health and obesity

“Despite all of the fitness, nutrition and wellness information available, obesity levels in men are still increasing every year. As a result, men have higher rates of hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and strokes. When it comes to long-term sustainable weight loss, the best advice is to avoid diets that restrict certain foods (paleo, keto) and those that radically reduce calories – we just don’t know the effects on long-term health.

“When it comes to sport, it’s a lot easier: everyone should do it. There’s no such thing as the best kind of exercise, but we’re not designed to be sedentary, and exercise has been shown to reduce the risks of virtually any illness. “

6. Hair loss and beard growth

“This seems like an odd topic, but both baldness and beard growth are increasingly being implicated as major causes of anxiety and depression in men. We are told to just accept going bald, but it really can affect someone’s identity and body image. ” The problems also apply to beard growth, with “beard fear” often seen in younger men who, like their celebrity idols, want to grow a thick, bushy beard. As a result, the market for lotions and pills that claim to aid hair growth is huge, but most of it is nonsense. There are established and evidence-based treatments for hair loss and hair growth, but always speak to a doctor to find the right one for you. “

Man Alive: The Health Problems Men Face And How To Fix Them by Dr. Jeff Foster is published by Piatkus, £ 14.99

Man Alive: The Health Problems Men Face And How To Fix Them By Dr. Jeff Foster

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/16/are-men-lagging-behind-in-the-health-stakes-6-common-issues-and-what-to-do-about-them/