Category: Basic Training

This November, you can also help “change the face” of men’s health. I’m participating in No-Shave November this year, not just by writing about the unique health issues of men, but by growing a beard for the first time ever. (Yep, that’s part of my face in the main photo!) Last week, I wrote about the rising suicide rates among men. This week is about cancer in general with more detail next week about two specific cancers unique to men. So Why This Year? I heard about the tradition of growing facial hair in November for men’s health issues, which follows October’s women’s health month.  However, I never participated until it became more personal for me this year in several ways. First, as a recent retiree, I recently read that on average, men worldwide die 7 years sooner than women. Also, I also read about the rise in anxiety and

If there was ever a time to grow a “Movember mustache” or even go full beard for No-Shave November, it’s this year. The pandemic of 2020 increases the importance of men’s health, especially suicide prevention, which is the focus of this post.   I’ve not participated in this movement in the past to grow facial hair that “changes the face of men’s health” but decided to participate in No-Shave November this year since the impact is a bit closer to home. My last two posts asked you to Join Me for Men’s Mental Health Month and explained Why Men’s Health Month is Important. Everyone: men and women, boys and girls, is stressed out by this COVID pandemic. Its become serious to our mental state. IMPORTANT: If the information in this post triggers suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor.

As I wrote in last week’s post, November is Men’s Health Month. Two organizations named “Movember” and “No-Shave November” are helping to change the face of men (pun intended!) to raise awareness of cancer and the rise rates of suicide among men. For the rest of this month, I’m going to provide information on each of these health issues, starting first with some important statistics about men’s health. I also encourage you to join me in supporting these causes on my No-Shave November page. Life Expectancy – Statistics & Facts Both men and women are living longer than ever though. But men’s health is in a crisis. Simply put, guys are dying way too young, which has a longer-term impact on our spouses and our children. According to Statista, life expectancy in the United States rose from 39.4 years old back in 1860 to 78.9 years old in 2020, Contributing