Dear Heathy Men: You’ve mentioned several times in this column that men don’t go to the doctor as often as women and that they live shorter, sicker lives than women. I’m sure that’s true. But what I really want to know is why? Why don’t men take better care of themselves? A: There are a number...Continue reading
Recovery-Friendly Workplaces
Dear Healthy Men: As a man in recovery, one of my main concerns is keeping my job as I work on healing—I need the income to support my family. I’m making good progress, but want to avoid pitfalls that might derail me. What, if anything, should I expect regarding my recovery on the job? Also,...Continue reading
Healthy Gut Improves Healthspan
You often hear the word, “longevity” listed as one of the top goals for men. Longevity refers to the number of years you live. However, there’s a more important concept that many men overlook: healthspan, which refers to the number of years you are living free of disease and disability. Healthspan is a much better...Continue reading
Key Alzheimer’s risk factors affect men more than women, study shows
U of A scientists find an unexpected sex difference in how a particular gene and vascular health interact to affect memory loss. January 20, 2023 By Ramona Czakert Franson Scientists at the University of Alberta have discovered that important risk factors in Alzheimer’s disease affect males and females very differently. “Two types of risk for...Continue reading
Real Benefits of Male Hormone Replacement
Is testosterone therapy really all it’s cracked up to be? Does it really help your sex life? Does it actually help you live longer? Is testosterone the medicinal Holy Grail for men? And how, pray tell, have we come to believe that anabolic-suffused competitive bodybuilders, those (spray) tanned Adonis’ with ripped, ballooned muscles everywhere, are truly “healthy”...Continue reading
Men Who Became Fathers Thanks to a Second Opinion
Second opinions are commonplace in law, business, building and construction, and car repair. However, the idea that “two heads are better than one” really began in medicine. Second opinions should be considered when the diagnosis or treatment is unclear or when a treatment hasn’t worked. If the answer to “what should we do now?” is...Continue reading
Vaccine Access: How Race, Sex, and Class Impact Health Equity in the Pandemic Age
Pandemics have a way of shining a harsh light on inequities in our society. In recent years, we’ve seen global outbreaks that required rapid vaccine dissemination. But those vaccines often reach some communities more slowly than others—the same ones that are struck hardest by the pandemic and have the greatest need for healthcare intervention. Disparities...Continue reading
Understanding Detransitioning
Dear Mr. Dad: As the parent of a child who identifies as trans, I appreciate your evenhanded approach to talking about sexual identity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. My child, who’s 10 and hasn’t stated puberty yet, socially transitioned a year or so ago and everyone in the family has gotten used to the idea....Continue reading
Fatherhood, Folate, and Epigenetics
Dear Healthy Men: My wife and I are planning to start a family and her doctor suggested that she start taking prenatal vitamins to prepare her body for pregnancy. When I asked the doctor whether there was anything I should be doing to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby, she just laughed—which...Continue reading
Why Guys Need to Man Up to Flu-22
Dear Healthy Men: I’ve already had my COVID shot and two boosters, but my wife is bugging me to get a flu vaccine. I say that the COVID shots will protect me. She disagrees. Who’s right? A: In two words, she is. Many people, particularly guys, are trying to decide whether to get a flu...Continue reading