Med-Men Statistics?...Can we Change 'em?
I had the request to send out the results from the survey that I did for the Lexington Convention last fall. While scanning it, it dawned on me again… Even though Men tend to receive Far Greater Health Benefits from WLS, We tend to be far Less likely to seek out medical intervention….. So, I thought I’d share some more Babble…… And ask- What-cha- think? Men are leading in "Some Areas." If you ask almost anyone, in a comparison of Men & Women, Who is more likely to get cancer or to commit suicide, Considering all of the news about breast cancer, and the tendency to be "moody," A majority of people will say women. But the reality is – That Men lead Women in 14 out of 15 leading causes of death. Not only are men 29 per cent more likely to get cancer, They are 52 per cent more likely to die from it. Men's health researchers Dr. Don McCreary And Dr. Ross Gray surveyed 300 men and 300 women Between the ages of 40 and 60 and discovered That both sexes believed that men died from prostate cancer And women died from breast cancer. In fact, the number one cancer killer of both sexes is lung cancer. "That's great marketing," says McCreary, Editor of the International Journal of Men's Health, "but it distorts the truth so they're not paying attention to the other symptoms." Numbers don't lie The truth is pretty astounding: Men are 39 % more likely to die from diabetes than women, 55 % more likely to die from cancer, 64 % more likely to die from pneumonia and flu, 78 % more likely to die from heart disease, 4 times more likely to die from suicide, Twice as likely to die from accidents and so on. Why are We so vulnerable? One reason is that overall, Men pay less attention to health information And healthy lifestyle than women. Indeed, men are more likely then women to smoke, More likely to drink more and to binge drink, More likely to have a poor diet, More likely to be overweight, Less likely to wear sunscreen (but more likely to work outdoors) And less likely to make regular appointments With their doctors for check-ups. Where they are better off than women, Is that men report engaging in exercise more than women. But there's a drop-off: as men age, We exercise less-and We shouldn't. Doing what's expected!! Another reason why the statistics Are so different is because of the way boys are socialized. "One of the biggest aspects of the male gender role is toughness, Not displaying weakness," McCreary explains. "But also not being a woman, not being a girl." And it's a double-edged sword. Boys are taught to "take it like a man"; Health problems are seen as a sign of weakness And, at the same time, taking risks with health Is seen as being tough. Girls go to the doctor on a regular basis, And that's been socialized into them. The same is not true for boys. "The most likely cancer to kill men Between the ages of 15 and 30 is testicular cancer, But most physicians don't talk to boys About doing a testicular self-examination," he adds. Mental health issues among men, Says McCreary, are understudied and underreported. Depression and anxiety are major issues, As is evidenced by the suicide numbers, Yet many men don't want to see a doctor Or therapist for help because Depression is thought of as a 'woman's problem' And a sign of weakness. In light of this, The American Psychological Association And the National Institutes of Health Recently launched a health promotion campaign Targeted at Men about Depression. So Guys, Help our sons, grandsons, little brothers, etc… learn about healthy choices! One of the keys to making long-term changes Is to teach children proper health behavior Starting from a young age, McCreary adds, "Normalizing good health and prevention Without making it seem feminine or weak."
While men may be different from women in many ways, The same health rules apply to both: Don't smoke, Get regular exercise-and don't let it drop off as you age Take advantage of screenings available to you , Eat a healthy diet, Protect yourself from the sun, Drink in moderation, Maintain a healthy weight, AND BY ALL MEANS- See your doctor regularly- Particularly if you notice any change in your health. For so many of us who have recently taken our health into our hands and made the needed lifestyle changes through WLS, This is all like "Preaching to the Choir," Or "Closing the Barn-Door After the Horses are Out." The aspect of passing on to "Boys" however is the Key, I think. Who among us if given the opportunity to "Time Travel" back and visit our former selves, wouldn’t make sure that we convinced our past selves to drop the snacks and get more exercise AT ALL COSTS. For those of you with Sons, Grandson’s, Nephews, Etc…. How might you Convince them, Help them, Motivate them, To fight the weight while they still have their youth? Thoughts? Ideas? Best Wishes- Dx
One thing that you've missed is discrimination against overweight men, much of which could be occurring without them being aware of it. This isn't just an issue for men, but it is an issue. As for the kids, I have 4 kids spanning ages 1 to 8 years old. The best thing I can do for my kids now is show them that I make fitness a priority, and participate in as many physical activities with them as I can. I can also eat healthier, and emphasize that eating is not a contest.
Hitting the nail on the head as usual Dx. It's unfortunate, that so many wait far too long to seek medical advice. In my case, had I not had a scare and ended up in the ER, I would not have gone to the Doctor myself. That one episode was enough for me to get the ball rolling. If it had been a heart attack or a stroke, which my risk factors were extremely high for....it might have been too late as in TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, THE PARTY'S OVER! Let's face it, men are men and boys will be boys. I think the only thing we can do is be living examples and demonstrate day in and day out the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. And, when we get the opportunity to tell our stories, do so in hopes that it will resonate and encourage others to make the necessary changes. The thing is, I don't want to hit people of the head with WLS, or proper nutrition, or exercise...these things (just like my relationship with the man upstairs) are ares where I feel uncomfortable in sharing without being asked. I myself didn't want anyone to say anything to me....it was a tremendous blow to an already battered self-esteem. One thing I think makes a difference...physical fitness and activity have been such a critical part of my success thus far as a WLS post-op. It's so important that the physical activities people choose are ones they enjoy. There are so many options out there - there's virtually something for everyone and should be little to no excuse not to exercise regularly (barring physical limitations that is). Why is it that so many people choose those activities that to them are like torture? If you don't like to run, then walk - if you don't like to walk, then swim - if you don't like to swim, then lift weights - if you don't like to lift, then yoga or pilates - no yoga or pilates, then Tai Chi or Taekwondo. Finding something they enjoy doing will make it more likely they will continue the activity...and if we can instill this at an early age, then maybe just maybe it can make a difference in the long run. Cards Fan
Dale, Everyone in my house lost weight from my surgery. Because Dad wasn’t bringing home Ice Cream, pizza’ and bucket of Fried Chicken any more, it was amazing to see how much my wife and son dropped just by not having extra junk at home to eat. Neither of them were Obese, but just over weight. They’ve both dropped a good bit without even trying. Best Wishes- Dx
