According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), about 25 percent of vets returning from the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq are suffering from PTSD. That’s about 500,000 veterans. If we include family members, that number more than doubles. Not surprisingly, returning veterans—particularly those with PTSD—have a higher divorce rate than non-veterans. And...Continue reading
Category: Family Issues
Pass the Salt: The Spice of Life Might Kill You
When you think of the top causes of death in this country, things like cancer, heart attacks, and diabetes come to mind. But what about salt? Yep, that seemingly harmless stuff that’s in practically everything we eat may be responsible for as many as 1 in 10 deaths in the US. And worldwide, excessive salt...Continue reading
The Tolerator: Is This Your Style Of Relating To Your Partner?
“I love you just the way you are…” croons this lover to the live-in partner who has just tracked in mud again on the new Berber carpet, and rear-ended a parked car trying a new paralleling maneuver. “Love me, love my shortcomings,” swoons the “Tolerator” partner. Their theme song echoes the ideal of unconditional love...Continue reading
Stressing about Low Sperm Count? That Might Just Be Causing the Problem
We all know that stress isn’t good for us. And if asked, we could probably do a pretty fair job of rattling off why: it increases your heart attack risk, can cause problems in at work and in your personal relationships, can lead to depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Now we can add one more:...Continue reading
Keeping Your Distance: American Men Deal With Intimacy
Intimacy is a scarcity for American men –if by “intimacy” we mean revealing and sharing what is innermost about us. Few men live by this creed. Intimate connection becomes an abstraction, a nice idea, a frustrated lack. The typical American male can’t grasp intimacy, having precious little real experience of it. Just mentioning the word...Continue reading
Too Much of a Good Thing, Part II: Bald Men Are More Likely to Succeed?
Despite all the talk about baldness and prostate cancer going gene in gene, not all the news is bad. In fact, being bald may give men some distinct advantages.
Bad Breath and Erection Problems? Yep.
Sound nuts? Maybe, but it’s true. Men who regularly brush their teeth are less likely to have bad breath and gum disease. And men with gum disease are three times more likely to have erection problems than those with cleaner mouths. (The fact that men with bad breath have more trouble getting dates, which leads...Continue reading
Don’t Let Your ‘Stache Turn into Nothing But Lip Service
So here we are, almost the end of November – or Movember, if you’re one of the many men around the world who’ve sprouted some facial hair as a way to give something more than lip service to men’s health. But growing a Fu Manchu or a goatee or anything else isn’t magic. Facial hair...Continue reading
When it Takes Three to Make a Baby
I’m a big fan of science and technology, but I’m not sure I’m completely on board with this recent development. Scientists in Oregon have just created human embryos using genetic material from three parents. Yep, three. The new technique was apparently developed as a way of helping babies avoid inheriting certain rare genetic conditions from...Continue reading
Coffee With Sam: Abigail Hirsch On Marriage and Divorce
I recently had the opportunity to have a virtual cup of coffee and chat with Dr. Abigail Hirsch, marriage specialist, practicing clinician, co-author of The Power of Two, and blogger. Dr. Hirsch has some great advice on marriage: how to make it work, keep it happy, and keep your partner satisfied (in all senses of...Continue reading