Men's Health

While the life-expectancy gap between men and women has decreased, it's no secret that men still need to pay more attention to their bodies. Several things work against men. They tend to smoke and drink more than women. They don't seek medical help as often as women. Some men define themselves by their work, which can add to stress.

There are also health conditions that only affect men, such as prostate cancer and low testosterone. Many of the major health risks that men face – like colon cancer or heart disease - can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat. It's important to have regular checkups and screenings.

For more information on men’s health, visit these sites:

Osteoporosis in Men (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

PROSTATE CANCER:

The prostate is the gland below a man's bladder that produces fluid for semen. Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages. It is rare in men younger than 40.

Levels of a substance called prostate specific antigen (PSA) is often high in men with prostate cancer. However, PSA can also be high with other prostate conditions. Since the PSA test became common, most prostate cancers are found before they cause symptoms. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include

-Problems passing urine, such as pain, difficulty starting or stopping the stream, or dribbling

-Low back pain

-Pain with ejaculation

Prostate cancer treatment often depends on the stage of the cancer. How fast the cancer grows and how different it is from surrounding tissue helps determine the stage. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or control of hormones that affect the cancer.

Detailed Guide: Prostate Cancer (American Cancer Society)

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer.html

For more information on prostate cancer, visit MedlinePlus at:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/prostatecancer.html

Let's Talk Turkey

Interesting Turkey Facts…

- 45 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas.

- The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about as big as a large dog.

- Eating turkey doesn't make you sleepy; it's the carbohydrates in the rest of your holiday dinner that do.

- The average American consumes about 17 pounds of turkey a year.

- Turkey is low in fat and high in protein.

- White meat has fewer calories and less fat than dark meat.

- Only male turkeys (toms) gobble; female turkeys (hens) click.

- Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Missouri, and California are the nation's top turkey producers.

(Sources: National Center for Health Statistics; National Turkey Federation; U.S. Department of Agriculture)

In my previous post, I provided links to safe food handling.  Make sure you check those out.  Here are some main points to keep in mind when preparing your holiday meals:

- Keep things clean.  Make sure you wash your hands frequently while preparing meals.  Also wash all surfaces and utensils touching food.

- Separate foods.  Make sure you use separate cutting boards and knives for cutting vegetables and meats.  It’s important not to cross-contaminate vegetable with the juices of meat or seafood.

- Cook thoroughly.  It is important to cook your food to the proper temperature to ensure that all the harmful bacteria are killed.  For a chart with cooking temperatures of all kinds of food, visit Safe Minimum CookingTemperatures from foodsafety.gov 

- Chill properly.  It’s important to store leftovers properly.  Refrigerate any leftovers immediately after the meal.  Refrigerators should be set at 37 degrees and freezers at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Check out the links in the previous post for more on food safety.

Holiday Food Safety and Nutrition

With the holidays quickly approaching and all the food and festivities that are a part of the tradition, it’s important to keep in mind food safety and healthy eating habits.  Below is a list of links that will provide very helpful information on various food safety issues and healthy tips for holiday eating.

FOOD SAFETY:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Poultry_Preparation_Fact_Sheets/

Poultry Preparation (Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/holiday_goodies1.pdf

Food Safety for Those Glorious Holiday Goodies! (Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Holiday_or_Party_Buffets.pdf

Holiday or Party Buffets (Dept. of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service)

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Lets_Talk_Turkey.pdf

Let's Talk Turkey–A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Roasting_Those_Other_Holiday_Meats.pdf

Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats

HEALTHY EATING:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/heart/prevention/nutrition/holidayeating12_01.aspx

8 Steps to Surviving Holiday Weight Gain (Cleveland Clinic)

http://www.dining.ucla.edu/housing_site/dining/SNAC_pdf/GiftOfGoodHealth.pdf

Healthy Eating for the Holidays (Regents of the University of California)

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/pubs/bibs/gen/holiday.pdf

Holiday Food and Nutrition Resource List (U.S. Department of Agriculture)

Diabetes Links

There is all kinds of information on the Internet about diabetes.  Since it can be hard to tell the reputable stuff from the questionable stuff, I want to provide some links to quality, authoritative information.  Check out these sites:

Type 1 Diabetes:

Diabetes: Type 1 American Academy of Family Physicians

Type 1 Diabetes Mayo Clinic

Type 1 Diabetes National Institutes of Health

Type 1 Diabetes Hormone Foundation

Type 1 Diabetes: What Is It? Nemours Foundation

Type 2 Diabetes:

Am I at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes? National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Fact Sheet: Type 2 Diabetes National Institutes of Health

Diabetes Type II Risk Calculator University of Maryland Medical Center

Type 2 Diabetes Mayo Clinic

Type 2 Diabetes American Heart Association

Type 2 Diabetes American Diabetes Association

Type 2 Diabetes: What Is It? Nemours Foundation

Type 2 Diabetes and A1c Hormone Foundation

Type 2 Diabetes Screening Hormone Foundation 

Surgery for Thyroid Diseases/Cancer

Your thyroid is a gland that is located in your neck.  It produces hormones that help your body function properly.  Surgery is used as a treatment for many thyroid diseases, including an enlarged thyroid, nodules, overactive thyroid, and cancer.

Depending on what condition you have, there are a number of surgical options: biopsy or lumpectomy, removing only a small part of the thyroid; lobectomy, removing half the thyroid; subtotal thyroidectomy, removing almost all the thyroid, except for a small part on each side of the neck; near-total thyroidectomy, only leaving a small part of the thyroid on one side of the neck; and total thyroidectomy, removing the whole thyroid gland.

You should ask your surgeon questions so you understand your options.  You should ask about the risks involved with the operation, as well as how much of the thyroid your surgeon will be removing.  Once you decide on the surgery, your surgeon will give you instructions you need to follow before your surgery.  You will also meet with an anesthesiologist before the surgery.  If you’ve had an allergic reaction to anesthesia in the past, make sure you tell the anesthesiologist.  This should be in your medical record.  Depending on what type of surgery you have, the surgery will usually last between 2-2 ½ hours.  Most people will be able to go home the day after the surgery and you will receive instructions on what to do to take care of yourself.

Thyroid Cancer:

Anyone can get thyroid cancer but there are certain factors that may increase your risk.  Women have a higher rate of thyroid cancer than men.  You are at a higher risk if you are between 25 and 64.  Having a family member with thyroid disease also increases your risk.  Also, if you are of Asian descent, you are at an increased risk.

You should see your health care provider if you have a lump or swelling in your neck.  They may order a variety of tests to diagnose the problem, including which type of cancer you may have.   If surgery is recommended, depending on what type of cancer you have and how far it has spread, you will have one of the surgeries described above.

For more information, check out these links:

Thyroid Surgery (American Thyroid Association)

Thyroid Cancer (PDQ): Treatment (National Cancer Institute)