Dear Mr. Dad: As someone who has been overweight for most of my childhood and adult life, I am concerned about my son facing the same struggle. I am someone who has felt shame while at the same time being uncomfortable talking about myself as someone with obesity – which, in medical terms, I am....Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: My wife is due to give birth in a few months and I’m trying to work something out with my employer to take some leave after the baby is born. What’s a good amount of time to take off? A: Great question—one which, unfortunately, has no single answer that will work for everyone....Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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