Category: Basic Training

Shortly after my November series about “changing the face” of men’s health, a good friend reminded me that addictions also need our attention. As such, my next couple of posts will explain the brian chemistry of addictive behaviors, followed by the types of stimuli that often turn into an addiction, especially for men. My goal for these posts is to help you understand how these addictions develop and see how addiction impacts your relationships with friends and family. NOTE: Most of this information is based on The Addictive Brain, a book and Great Course class by Thad A. Polk, professor of psychology with the University of Michigan. Polk has done significant research on how brain chemistry impacts addiction.  Addiction 101 Addiction is a modern-day epidemic. By some estimates, roughly one in four Americans may be considered an addict. More than 500 people die every hour as a result of addiction-related

My previous post in this series about why I participated this year in No-Shave November was to encourage men to get tested for Prostate Cancer as we get older. In this post, I provide information about another cancer specific to men: Testicular Cancer, which is especially for younger guys. First, I have to admit, I shaved my beard now that November is over. After many years without any facial hair, it really started to bug me. It also didn’t help that my wife nicknamed last month, “No Kiss November”! But it doesn’t mean I’m no longer interested in helping educate guys about our serious health issues. While I’m not a physician, I do want to help us become better men so please keep reading! What Men Can Do to Live Longer As I wrote in previous posts, the latest CDC figures show the average American man lives 5 years less

I must first state that I’m not a medical doctor. However, I aim to help men become better men, which starts by maintaining our health. In this current series, I described why I’m participating in No-Shave November this year to help “change the face” of men’s health. My effort comes by writing about some serious health issues specific for men, but also by growing a beard for the first time ever! In my initial posts, I explained that organizations like Movember and No-Shave November tell why men’s health month is so important. I also wrote about the rise in suicide rates among men and about cancer in general. Now, I’ll explain some cancers specific to men, such as prostate and testicular cancer, and what we can do to help prevent those.  Why Men Die Earlier than Women On average in the U.S., women live 5 years longer than men. About