Mindfully mustachioed: Men's Health Awareness Month
Every year, as October comes to a close, guys all over the world start talking about growing mustaches. They pull out pictures of wispy whiskers from years past or point to ballplayers and celebs who are trading in lumberjack chic for trendy Tom Selleck.
But like so many significant others ask, why? And why now?
Despite the fact that mustaches have largely fallen out of fashion, November is a chance for mustachioed menfolk everywhere to join together to support an important cause: Movember.1
What is Movember all about?
Its name is easy to remember. But despite its humble beginnings, Movember's intentions are noble. Movember is when guys grow mustaches and raise money to support men's health issues. Specifically, it is a chance to support early detection of prostate and testicular cancer and highlight mental health and suicide prevention.
Movember originated in Australia in 2003. "Mo" is Australian slang for mustache, and friends Travis Garone and Luke Slattery wanted to bring back the facial fashion trend. So they sought out 30 other guys to make it happen. The following year, Movember became a charitable event as 480 participants raised more than $40,000 for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. By 2020, almost 7 million men and women—affectionately known as Mo Bros and Mo Sisters—from 21 countries had participated in Movember. The movement has funded more than 1,250 health-related projects in that time.
June is officially Men's Health Month2 in the U.S., but the global efforts and popularity of the Movember movement have unofficially made November Men's Health Awareness Month. The Movember goal is simple: bring awareness to men's health and ask men and their support networks to take action to address health problems.
What are the most common health issues in men?
If you know a guy who takes better care of his car, computer, garden, or musical instrument than he does of his body, you're not alone. Whether it's due to society, psychology, or biology, men often ignore health concerns until they become health problems. According to Harvard University, men die younger than women and they experience more illnesses during life.3 And the problems are getting worse.
Heart health statistics:4
- More than 1 in 3 men have cardiovascular disease
- More than 3 million men every year suffer a stroke
- 12% more men than women have high blood pressure in the U.S.
- High blood pressure—or "hypertension"—is a primary cause of both stroke and heart disease
Cancer statistics:5
- Prostate cancer is the #1 cancer risk for men and the #2 cancer killer (behind lung cancer)
- Lung cancer claims \~70,000 male victims each year and sees \~120,000 new cases diagnosed
- Testicular cancer is diagnosed in \~9,500 men each year (440 deaths), but numbers have been rising for decades
- Skin cancer affects 30% more men than women, and men are 44% more likely to die from it
Mental health statistics:6
- 75% of all people who die by suicide are male
- 6 million men live with depression each year
- More than 15% of people with mental illness report substance dependence or abuse
- 1 in 5 men develop an alcohol use disorder during their lives
How can men improve their health?
Conditions like testicular cancer and erectile dysfunction are unique to men and require specific treatment. But for other medical issues, there isn't a magic cure. It's the same information and same recommendations you've always heard.
First, go to the doctor. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) research shows that women are 33% more likely to visit a doctor than men, and 100% better at getting regular screenings and preventative care.7 Regular checkups for simple things like blood pressure, skin cancer, and prostate cancer can make a world of difference in the long run.
Second, eat something healthy. Type 2 diabetes accounts for around 95% of cases in the U.S. Being overweight or obese is a primary risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes and men are twice as likely to have the condition.8 It's no wonder when you consider women are 50% more likely than men to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Finally, guys, exercise. Statistically speaking, men are more likely to exercise than women, but neither gender does it enough. If you want to lose weight and avoid heart disease, diabetes and even improve mental health, shoot for 30 minutes of physical activity every day. The Mayo Clinic recommends a combination of aerobic and strength training as the best long-term treatment.9
The bottom line on men's health
Movements like Movember do a great job of raising awareness for men's health. It's fun to see the medley of mustaches make their annual appearances. But the key to staying healthy is doing the work. Your body is your vessel, and it's the only one you're ever going to get. Eating right, exercising, and getting regular screenings will keep you in tip-top shape and let you enjoy your life for years to come.
If you've recently been diagnosed with cancer or you're struggling with mental health, you're not alone. Surest is here to help.
1https://us.movember.com/ 2https://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/content.aspxID=10238#:\~:text=June%20is%20Men's%20Health%20Month,as%20exercising%20and%20eating%20healthy 3https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/mars-vs-venus-the-gender-gap-in-health 4http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heartpublic/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_319573.pdf 5https://www.cancer.org/cancer.html 6https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/men-and-mental-health 7https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_13/sr13_149.pdf 8https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/101/10/3740/2764924 9s://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916