Men only – Pass it on!

Men’s Health Week aims to get men more aware of their own health, and to take action when it’s needed. These health stories could make a difference to you, or someone you know, so pass them on:

Increased health risks for men with chronic insomnia

A ten year study of over 1,700 men and women followed found that men with insomnia and short sleep duration were almost five times more likely to die than men who had normal sleep. Short sleep duration was defined as less than six hours uninterrupted sleep per night, chronic insomnia as lasting more than one year and poor sleep as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up excessively early in the morning.

Promoting prostate health

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in England, causing about one in four of all new cases. Unlike many cancers, prostate cancer can grow slowly and show no symptoms, however a minority are fast-growing and have to be treated quickly and aggressively. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to tell which is which so that the key factor lies in monitoring your own health and having regular check ups.

Known risk factors are being over 50, a family history of it, being of African-Caribbean or West African descent, being overweight and having a high-fat and high-dairy diet.

Top 3 Tips for a healthy prostate:

1) Dietary sense. Research suggests that diets containing foods with antioxidants may reduce the risk of prostate cancer as well keeping your diet low in red meat, dairy products and saturated fats as these all can increase the risk. To lower your risk eat more tomatoes, soy foods and fish. Include green tea as it contains compounds that can block the actions of an enzyme that promotes prostate cancer. Include a daily multivitamin with good levels of antioxidants, particularly selenium, and vitamin D.

2) Exercise sense. To reduce your risk, start some form of regular aerobic exercise that you enjoy and will maintain.

3) Screen sense. To get early detection it is essential to have regular screening, particularly once over 50.

Prostate problems are the number one concern for men’s health and there have been some positive anecdotal reports on men with prostate cancer who have used natural progesterone cream. There is no clinical evidence, or trial, but much of John Lee’s work was based on his own patients’ responses so it might be worth investigating if you have concerns about your prostate health.

Laptops Linked To Male Infertility

Young men and computers are almost synonymous, but there is a hidden danger in frequent laptop use. Being a father might not be an immediate priority, but if it is a hope for your future then as well as avoiding hot tubs and wearing boxers instead of briefs you might want to limit your laptop use. These three factors all can reduce male fertility, but the laptop link is a new problem according to Dr Kavic, who is a reproductive specialist in Chicago.

The problem is that the heat generated from laptops can damage both sperm count and motility and therefore has an impact on fertility. Dr Kavic recommends placing laptops on desktops and I suggest if it has to be on your lap you need some barrier between you and it such as a cushion or what I use, which is a lap tray with a rigid top and beanbag base to provide a ‘safe zone’.