This month, clean shaven men everywhere are setting their razors aside to grow beards and mustaches to put a spotlight on men’s health. Some are just raising awareness, others are partnered with charities and gathering sponsorships to help raise money for research. In support of their efforts, here are some of the issues that men specifically face and are at higher risk for:
-Movember started with awareness for prostate cancer. It’s said that every man who lives long enough will develop prostate cancer, but most will have a benign, ignorable form. The concern is finding those aggressive forms early, and getting early treatment, and then informing and comforting men about how common benign prostate cancer is. Benign swelling of the prostate can interfere with quality of life, with a constant urgency to urinate but an ironic and frustrating difficulty. Every man should start supporting their prostate health (ideally in midlife) with a supplement like Regeneration USA’s Prostate Health.
-Testicular cancer is another concern hanging over men; unlike prostate cancer, which is heavily indicated by age, weight, and diet, testicular cancer doesn’t discriminate by age. While weight, smoking, history, and what you eat play a role, at all age men should watch for swelling and lumps, It may be painless but it’s a huge red flag that requires medical attention.
-October was breast cancer awareness month. While breast cancer rates aren’t high in men, they’re still at an increased risk because they’re not likely to do breast exams for early detection, and aren’t likely to speak up if they find a lump. Everyone should be in touch with their body, including the parts and problems that might spark discomfort. And talking with your doctor isn’t a step you can skip if something goes wrong, and the support you get from loved ones can be invaluable.
-And speaking about reaching out for help, men don’t just face physical problems, they’re at an increased risk of mental health issues like depression. Reaching out to the people in your life about how they’re doing (beyond “fine” or “good”) is important, as is encourage, modeling, and talking about getting help.
As Movember marches forward, support the men in your life by talking about men’s health issues, getting involved with cancer or mental health charities, or just directly supporting their health with men’s health supplements like Prostate Support.
Share your Movember story with us in the comments:
