Men’s Health Awareness advocates have renamed November to Movember. They encourage men to retire the razor a month and grow out their mustaches and beards in hopes of motivating conversations about men’s health. Across the world, women live longer than men, and in the United States, it averages an extra five years of life. Take a dive with us through the testosterone waters to find out why.
Who are you?
Men are twenty-percent less likely to have seen a medical provider in the last year than women. Is it because they’re healthier? Nope.
On average, men have their first heart attack around age 65, while a woman’s first heart attack happens later around age 72. (Although women are still more likely to die from a heart attack than men.)
Men are twice as likely to develop Type 2 diabetes at a younger age and lower BMI than women.
Men are more likely to develop, and die from, cancer than women.
Men are three times more likely to die from suicide, although more women are diagnosed with depression than men.
All of these diseases are most easily prevented and treated in their early stages. Preventative treatment and screenings can identify risks before the illness strikes — but only if the patient seeks out that treatment. Additionally, men are less likely to follow a treatment plan than women.
Enter Movember
Raising awareness increases conversations between men about their physical and mental health. The more men talk about health screenings and their mental health, the more they realize they aren’t alone.
Celebrate Men’s Health Awareness Month by scheduling a yearly wellness check-up with your medical provider. If you have health insurance, this wellness visit is usually covered 100%. This exam includes checking your blood pressure, a key measurement for determining heart disease.
Keep the celebration going by scheduling your necessary health screenings:
- Prostate cancer screening after age 40 with a family history; after age 45 for African American men; after age 50 for all men.
- Colonoscopy at age 50.
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm screening between ages 65-75 if you’ve ever used tobacco.
Don’t be afraid to talk to someone about your mental health, including a counselor or therapist if needed. More and more men are talking about their mental health including celebrities such as Ryan Reynolds, Dewayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Love, Micheal Phelps, Chris Evans, and many more. If they’re not afraid to open up about depression and anxiety, you shouldn’t be either.
Finally, follow your wife/sister/daughter/friend’s example and do some self-care work. Exercise. Drink plenty of water. Find a hobby you enjoy. Try to eat a little healthier. Stop smoking.
Your life is valuable and we need you around for many years to come.
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