Loneliness kills. According to former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, isolation and weak social connections “are associated with a reduction in lifespan similar to that caused by smoking fifteen cigarettes a day and even greater than that associated with obesity.” Even when it’s not fatal, loneliness makes life a lot less pleasant. We’ll talk about...Continue reading
Dear Healthy Men: Do women really find men with beards more attractive than clean-shaven guys? A: According to the old story, in 1860, Abraham Lincoln grew a beard in response to a suggestion from an 11-year-old girl who said it would make him a more attractive presidential candidate. She was right. About 140 years later, another...Continue reading
Men and boys continue to have a higher death rate in nine of the 10 leading causes of death. Why? To start with, the overall healthcare system is inherently unfriendly to males. And, in some health care situations men tell us they do not feel welcome at all. There are other systemic concerns, including insufficient...Continue reading
“I Love You, But I’m Not in Love with You.” What Does It Mean? I’ve been a marriage counselor for fifty years now. I’ve heard these words from both women and men. Whether you’re a man hearing them from your spouse or a woman hearing them from yours, the feeling is devastating. Most of the...Continue reading
You may be convinced that you are not very well endowed in your private parts. Certainly, using the Internet to figure out where you stand on size won’t help you feel any better about yourself. And, you can always find someone who will promise to make you bigger and better in any number of ways....Continue reading
We all want real, lasting, love. Yet, too many of us end up getting blown apart by the Divorce Bomb. True, some marriages should never have begun and some should end, but too many good marriages end up on the rocks because we have a faulty love map. Here I will give you some tools to...Continue reading
Most of us believe that our genes determine everything from the levels of testosterone we are born with to how long we will live. But the new science of epigenetics shows that we can take back control of our lives and actually change the way our genes work. That’s good news for everyone, but particularly...Continue reading
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it...Continue reading
You appreciate a nice cold glass of water. And you rely on a steady flow of electricity to your home and work. Many of us also admire how modern technology keeps us not only engaged and productive but also organized. But when is the last time you reflected upon the most precious natural resource in...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I’ve read several of your columns that have touched on the health of men and boys, but you haven’t spent much time talking about mental health. Is male mental health different than females’? A: Very different. Within the broader men’s health crisis, which, as you mention, I’ve written a lot about, there’s one...Continue reading