“If menopause is the silent passage,” says author Gail Sheehy, “Male menopause is the unspeakable passage. It is fraught with secrecy, shame, and denial. It is much more fundamental than the ending of the fertile period of a woman’s life, because it strikes at the core of what it is to be a man.” When...Continue reading
Am I Boring My Child? Probably Not.
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a stay-at-home father and I’m committed to being very involved in my son’s life. He just turned one and we usually have a great time together, but I’m starting to get worried that he’s going to think I’m boring. What do I do to keep him entertained? A: This is definitely...Continue reading
How to Find the Right Dog Breed for Your Temperament
Not every dog is every man’s best friend. To find the right one, you have to be honest with yourself about what your personality and lifestyle are like, and then you’ll need to do some research to find a dog that has a temperament to match yours. If you don’t, you could end up with...Continue reading
Permission to Exercise Is Granted (to Yourself!) How to Overcome Misplaced Guilt.
This article was originally published at OlderBeast, whose mission is to help 40+ guys “double down” on body-and-soul health for the 2nd half of their life. Taking care of yourself, to maximize the second half of life, is a constant challenge. It keeps reappearing in different ways – no matter how healthy and motivated you are....Continue reading
Taking the Infertility Licking with Hope
They were in their early thirties and had been trying to conceive for 5 years. He was diagnosed with azoospermia and had a thorough evaluation in New York near where they lived. Genetic testing was negative and he was told that there was no clear reason for him to be infertile. About 1 year prior to his visit, he...Continue reading
Male-Type Depression: The Second Hidden Cause of Mid-Life Marriage Meltdown
I have a particular interest in preventing mid-life marriage meltdown, a problem that is becoming I increasingly prevalent today. My first marriage came to an end when I was 33 years old. We had two children and had thought our marriage would last forever. I healed the wounds of love and loss and eventually fell...Continue reading
Failure to Launch: When Adult Kids Won’t Move Out
Dear Mr. Dad: Our 28-year-old daughter lost her job a while back, and after burning through her savings, moved back in with me and my husband. That was nearly nine months ago. In the beginning, I enjoyed having her around, but at this point, she’s definitely overstayed her welcome. Not only is she giving no...Continue reading
“Mid-life Crisis?” Nah…It’s Just the Starting Point for Your Longest Run.
My aspiration is to clearly see and courageously confront concerns appearing for me (and other 40+ guys, too) at the mid-life point and beyond. Concerns about staying physically vital. About not looking “old.” About warding off maladies that lurk in the shadows. Among all concerns, perhaps the biggest is the most subconscious and hardest to recognize: At or beyond life’s halfway marker, we’re uncertain what our life ultimately will have meant. This “Meaning of Life” concern is caricatured as the midlife crisis and the sports car in response. But in reality, it can be more of an awakening, a broadening of vision and spirit, a healthy challenge, and an opportunity. Intensifying your focus on fitness, nutrition and overall wellness — doubling down on overall body-and-soul health — helps maximize this opportunity and achieve whatever your definition of "Meaning" is.Continue reading
“C” Means See Your Doctor
As a doctor, there are certain things I’ve never said, and will never say, to patients. In the operating room, “Oops” is certainly verboten. “There is no hope,” is another. “Trust me, I’m a doctor” is a third. In some way, each of these violates the sanctity of the profession. Help Me Help You Patients...Continue reading
Feeling Fit: A Short Guide to Exercising With Chronic Pain
If you are someone who deals with chronic pain on a daily basis, you already know that exercise sometimes isn’t in the cards. If getting you to move requires taking 2 to 4 NSAIDs before and after, then something probably has to change. It may be that your physical activity routine is contributing to your...Continue reading