As we age many things become more difficult. One of the hardest to deal with is maintaining proper dental care. Because our hands are less flexible and mobile as we get older, oral care becomes increasingly difficult – especially flossing. Flossing involves gripping the hand to hold a very thin piece of floss and getting...Continue reading
Month: August 2013
What Are the Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer?
What causes the 4th most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States? The jury is still out on the exact causes of bladder cancer, but researchers have discovered some important risk factors. Remember that having a risk factor, or even several, does not mean that you will get bladder cancer. Let’s explore the...Continue reading
The Danger of Skipping Breakfast and Midnight Snacks
We all know that a low-fat, high-fiber diet and plenty of fruits and vegetables is good for us. But assuming a healthy diet, when you eat may be more important than what or how often you eat. Leah Cahill—a researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health—and her team analyzed the eating habits of nearly...Continue reading
Recovery From Opiate Addiction Is Possible
No one deliberately sets out to become addicted to opiates, but it happens, sometimes as the result of medication prescribed following an injury or medical procedure. Opioids include morphine, OxyContin, codeine and heroin to name a few. Opiates are used to treat pain. Opium comes from the poppy plant.
Are Statins the New Miracle Drug?
If you’re between 40 and 60 and aren’t taking a statin drug, talk to your healthcare provider about getting a prescription. Statins are typically prescribed for patients who have high cholesterol or some other risk factor of heart disease. But a new report has found that middle-aged men who don’t have heart disease can benefit...Continue reading
Try Not Sitting
Have you heard about a new disease that affects almost half of Americans and is lethal if it goes unchecked? It’s called “sitting disease.” It’s real and it’s the new smoking. The Chair as Enemy Sitting is an example of a “sedentary” behavior. Either at work or at home as a couch potato, it is considered a “low fitness” activity. Some might...Continue reading
Pay More Attention to Young Men’s Mental Health
A recent report on the mental health of young men (ages 16-25) in Australia, is attracting a lot of attention from mental health professionals, parents, politicians, teachers, and, of course, the guys. One of the study’s key discoveries was that a fifth of young men say that life isn’t worth living and one in 10...Continue reading
Pass the “Playboy”—I Need to Relax
Years ago, I tried to explain to a girlfriend that looking at hot women was good for me—after all, I argued, a few minutes of fast breathing and increased heart rate every day would help lower my risk of having a heart attack or a stroke, just like doing aerobics or jogging would. That relationship...Continue reading
Beyond the “All-or-Nothing” Paradigm for Prostate Cancer, Part I
When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 2011, I was told unequivocally that I needed surgery or radiation. I spoke with four experienced prostate surgeons, and they all said that because of my high PSA level and multiple biopsy cores positive for cancer, radical treatment that either removed the entire prostate gland or...Continue reading
Fitting Into Your Genes
“Why Me? I take great care of myself.” I often hear this common question from men with low or no sperm counts who are unable to conceive. In fact, they usually are taking great care of themselves. The fact is, many cases of male infertility are actually genetic and have more to do with the cards that they were dealt. “But my brothers, sisters and...Continue reading