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: Fatherhood
How Much Are Your Balls Worth?
At one point or other, most of us have said something like, “I’d give my left nut if I could….” That always seems like a pretty safe comment. After all, chances are pretty slim that we’d actually have to sacrifice a testicle for whatever it is we want. And even if we did, we’d still...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
Lessons To Teach Your Son
When asking myself the lessons a father must teach their son, I had to break this down into two groups. There are both primary lessons and indirect or secondary lessons that fathers must teach their children. The primary lessons I feel are the most important and the secondary ones are what fathers can teach children...Continue reading
Sometimes Getting a “D” in Nutrition is Exactly What You Want
Three recent studies highlight growing recognition of the importance of vitamin D. First, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that pregnant women with low levels of vitamin D are more likely than those with normal D levels to give birth to low-birthweight babies. That’s especially important because, babies born at less-than-optimal birth weights are...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
On the Fence about Whether Your Kids Should Have Flu Shots? Just Do It—Now
Between August 1, 2004 and May 5, 2012, 829 children in the US died from the flu, according to a new study by researchers at the CDC. And a third of those kids died within three days after symptoms first appeared. Unfortunately, by then it’s often too late. The solution? Make sure your kids get...
Want Grandchildren? Make Sure Your Sons Aren’t Overwieght
Researchers at the University of Buffalo found that obese boys between 14-20 have 50 percent less testosterone that boys the same age whose weight is normal.
Men and Suicide: Much More Than a Mental-Health Issue
Anyone who’s ever looked at suicide statistics knows that men are 3-4 times more likely to kill themselves than women are (women, however, attempt suicide more). But what a lot of people don’t realize is that men in lower socio-economic groups—especially men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s—are significantly more likely to commit suicide than...Continue reading
Birth control for men? We’re getting closer…
Until now, men who are concerned with unwanted pregnancy (and that, contrary to stereotype, would be just about all men) have had two basic options: vasectomy and condoms. But that may be changing soon. Researchers are now investigating a gel that, when applied to a man’s skin, drastically lowers his sperm count. That also lowers...Continue reading