Men’s Health Awareness Month: How to keep Yourself, and those around you Safe and Healthy.

Movember

The month of November is the time to spread awareness about men’s health awareness month. Movember is an annual event involving the growing of moustaches during the month of November to raise awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men’s suicide. They are a non profit organization that funds research towards men’s health. Their website features stories from mental health and cancer survivors, advancements in science, and organizations that their fundraising supports. 

Men’s health is in danger. Men are dying on average 5 years earlier than women, and for largely preventable reasons. According to Movember, “A growing number of men – around 10.8M globally – are facing life with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Globally, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men. And across the world, one man dies by suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 75% of all suicides.” These numbers, although extremely alarming, can be significantly reduced by educating men on ways to recognize this issue, and protect themselves from these odds.

Here are ways that you can help improve your own health, and help others around you.

Reach out for help

We know this is much easier said than done, but it is very important to reach out for help and it is not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength and self love. “Male deaths represent 79% of all US suicides.” This percentage is far too high and can be preventable if we educate ourselves and loved ones on reaching out when you feel like you need help. Your friend, co-worker, loved one, or partner, would so much rather have a tough conversation on the phone with you, rather than having to cope with the pain of finding out something happened to you and you did not reach out for help. 

You can also help do the same for others! Whether you are reading this as a loved one, or someone just looking to give support, it is also extremely important to notice when someone needs some help getting by. One way to help men become comfortable with reaching out for help is by clearing the stigma against men that men should keep how they feel to themselves. It is our mission to break this wall down. The more often men are presented with these hard conversations about feelings and emotions, the more they will become accustomed to speaking about how they feel. 

Use the ALEC model to navigate a conversation with a man who might be struggling

Movember.com suggests “Spot A Bro Who’s Feeling Low,”. 

Although mental health cannot always be physical, if you see something, say something. Speaking about what you could have seen would be much easier then other consequences that can come from avoiding speaking to a bro who’s feeling low. 

A- Ask someone if they’re doing ok.

L- Listen without judgement.

E- Encourage them to take action.

C- Check in- Follow up with them.

Too many conversations have dead ends. You ask someone how they are feeling, and they respond with “fine” or “I’m good thanks” and there is no further conversation. The ALEC strategy helps dig a little deeper into the conversation and leads to an action, rather than ending abruptly. This can be done over text, although it is more effective over a phone call or a face-to-face chat where you can understand emotions and tones easily. 

Read real stories of people who have struggled with mental health. 

There are many more people than you’d think who have needed mental health guidance. Use these stories to understand that you are not alone. Celebrities like Michael Phelps, Leonardo DiCaprio, Pete Davidson, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson have all experienced struggles with their mental health. Sharing their stories publicly has proven to help many people realize that even the people that seem “perfect” still have issues that they have to deal with. 

Create more conversations about prostate and testicular cancers.

Along with mental health, cancer is a large contributor to men’s health issues. Prostate and testicular cancer are the two of the most common cancers in men. They are not discussed nearly enough, and there are very simple steps that can be taken to educate and protect men from these killer diseases. Read blogs about people’s experiences with their diagnoses and battles with cancer. It is easy to think that you are safe from cancer, so making yourself aware of the signs can save a life.

If more men know the signs, symptoms and risk factors for prostate cancer, they will be more likely to recognize the signs and take action early. This could potentially save a life. 

Here are some early symptoms and signs of prostate and testicular cancer:

1. Discomfort in the pelvic area or testes (inflammation, shrinkage)
2. Frequent urination or trouble urinating
3. Swollen lymph nodes in neck
4. Ache in lower abdomen
5. Shortness of breath or chest pain 

It is also important to keep yourself informed and take some time to do your own research. You know your body the best. If you feel like something is off, call a doctor, it is better to be safe than sorry. 

You are what you eat

A healthy diet can prevent obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers AND mental health. A clean diet without refined sugar, processed ingredients, and high fructose corn syrups can result in a clearer mind. Occasional intake of these “bad” foods is fine; everything is okay in moderation.

To boost your mental health, focus on eating fruits and vegetables, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. 

To learn more about Men’s Health Month, head on over to Movember.com for more information. 

Sources:

Movember

18 Celebrities Who Struggle With Their Mental Health – Brit + Co

Diet and depression – Harvard Health

SAVE: Suicide Prevention, Information, and Awareness

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