Health Blog » Men’s Health

Is Soy Really Good For You?

Charlie — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:40:41 +0000

Soy is great for you. It can fight cancer. No, soy can be bad for you, especially if you’re a guy. It can lead to growth of breasts or lower testosterone levels. These are some of the conflicting statements about soy and its by products. But what is the low down on soy? Is it really good for you or not?

According to Karen Collins, M.S., R.D., C.D.:

A study of children fed soy protein formula for more than six months showed no hormonal effects. A study of men in their 50s and 60s found that the men who ate soy foods twice a day for three months showed no change in testosterone levels, but had a 14 percent drop in levels of PSA (an indicator of prostate growth used in screening for prostate cancer).

She goes on to say that all the noise about the negative effects of soy on men is actually NOT based on sound scientific research. However, she also says that the idea that soy and other soy based products can prevent prostate cancer has NOT really been proven yet.

Another interesting thing that Collins points out is how different types of soy products can have different effects:

Fermentation may change how easily our bodies absorb isoflavones, which means that fermented soy foods (miso, tempeh, natto) may have a different effect on prostate cancer risk than non-fermented soy foods (soy milk, tofu and edamame). Some studies suggest that the effect of soy foods may depend on its interaction with other food compounds; the lycopene from tomatoes is one such interaction under study.

The bottom line is that you SHOULDN’T fear soy foods. If you like it, go ahead and eat it!

Nuts……. Lots of Healthy Nuts

JW18 — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:52:23 +0000

People are now more health conscious than ever before and who wouldn’t with the dozens of infectious diseases and health risks that we face each and everyday. Life has gotten a lot healthier with respect to how commerce has changed and adjusted preferences to make them healthier. More and more people are opting for the healthy lifestyle as they begin to realize the advantages of good health that can take them well after their prime.
From proper exercise, diet and living, seems we all been bit by the health bug. Mother nature has produced for us some of the healthiest and most powerful healing plants that are enough to rival a pharmacy. Herbal cures for aches and pains have long been known to our ancestors and are again today being called upon by modern medicine as the primary source of our best drugs. From the common cough and cold, to immunity boosting food we are beginning to realize they have much to offer.
Anti-oxidants that eliminate free-radicals, particles that causes cells in the human body to die off prematurely hastening aging process. Rediscovered food crops known to ancient man are once again called upon and are only now being recognized for the huge amounts of vital minerals and vitamins they have always contained within them. Sadly, most of the world’s virgin forests are declining at an amazing rate that many of mother nature’s hidden gems may never be found. Let us all take up the cause of preventing the destruction of such vaults, of knowledge and life by supporting environmental movements. Check out One Big Health Nut where some of the best and healthiest nuts on the net can be found. For life and for health.

Heads that Ache…….. Really!

Charlie — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:52:47 +0000

Everyday, millions of people suffer from the dreaded headache sending you to grab that pill you oh so love to take away the pain. The fast paced lifestyle we all engage in doesn’t help and the stresses of the day just keep piling up leaving us weak and fatigued. Readily available OTC drugs may offer relief but that may not be the best solution for the dreaded headache. Your lifestyle may be the primary cause adding the stress you go through each and everyday, might be the culprit.

Men are less likely to suffer from chronic pain due to extreme activities than men due to the hormone testosterone which has been shown to help lessen the damage to muscles and tissue, thus leaving women to suffer more. Statistically, women suffer an average of 15 episodes that can lead to depression due to their biology, having them experience fluctuations in their hormonal levels each menstrual cycle.

Headaches, if they are persistent enough should be consulted to a health professional for it may be a sign of underlying disease, or it may just be you drinking too much coffee through the day to keep you awake at your boring desk job!?!

Men And Osteoporosis

Charlie — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:43:10 +0000

Although osteoporosis commonly occurs in women, men are not totally exempt from this condition. If you are male and you want to ensure a healthy body even when you get older, then I suggest paying particular attention to the risk factors involved in osteoporosis. The National Osteoporosis Foundation lists down these risk factors:

• Prolonged exposure to certain medications, such as steroids used to treat asthma or arthritis, anticonvulsants, certain cancer treatments and aluminum-containing antacids
• Chronic disease that affects the kidneys, lungs, stomach, and intestines and alters hormone levels
• Undiagnosed low levels of the sex hormone testosterone
• Lifestyle habits:
1. Smoking
2. Excessive alcohol use
3. Low calcium intake
4. Inadequate physical exercise
• Age: Bone loss increases with age
• Heredity
• Race: Of all men, white men appear to be at greatest risk for osteoporosis. However, men from all ethnic groups develop osteoporosis

If you think about it, these risk factors are quite similar – if not exactly the same – as the risk factors for other diseases. The bottom line, then, is for men (and women as well) to try and live the healthiest possible lifestyle as early as possible. It is common sense, really, but I suppose that we do not really pay attention to these things until we feel that something is wrong with our bodies.

Whether we are talking about osteoporosis or any other condition, the moral of the story is that we should take care not to subject our bodies to undue conditions.

What Causes Alzheimer’s Disease?

Charlie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 01:41:45 +0000

As with every other disease that we know about, we want to know the exact cause (or causes) of Alzheimer’s. This knowledge would probably lead to the cure for the disease. At this point, however, the medical community does not know exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. In the course of their studies, though, researchers have discovered some significant things. They have discovered that Alzheimer’s:

-is not a part of the normal aging process
-is not gender specific – it affects both men and women
-is a disease that affects mostly old people; majority of the cases involve people over 65 years old
-is not related to the hardening of the arteries
-is not caused by stress.

I suppose that the last two points can come as a relief to some people but the others do not really give much information as to the nature of the disease. As such, researchers have been continuously stepping up their efforts in order to gain more understanding of Alzheimer’s. Some areas that they have been delving deep into are:

-Family history: so far, they have seen a clear relationship between family history and Alzheimer’s disease. This does not mean that the relationship is fully understood, however. For some people, the risk is higher while for some it is lower.

-External environment: researchers are trying to ascertain whether the cause may lie in one’s surroundings. Perhaps there is something in the natural environment that causes the diseases.

-Internal environment: it might be that the cause of the disease is a virus (albeit a slow acting one) or a change in chemical levels inside the body.

As you can see, there is no definite answer as to what causes Alzheimer’s. We can talk about risk factors, though, which may help give a better understanding of the disease. Let’s do that in the next post.

What You Might NOT Know About Your Sexual Health (Men’s Edition)

Charlie — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 04:59:37 +0000

In the last post, we took a look at some little known facts about women’s sexual health. It’s the men’s turn this time. Here goes…

Yeast infection. Yes, men can get yeast infections too. Untreated, male yeast infections can affect reproductive organs and sexual performance.

To be honest, I didn’t really know about this. I have always thought that yeast was mainly a woman’s problem. I guess I was wrong!

Biological clock. Men’s fertility has long been touted as an ageless concept. Studies now show that a man’s ability to reproduce actually goes down after age 35. Additionally, the genetic disorders linked to a woman’s age at time of conception now also applies to men. After age 40, men’s sperm shows more than twice the DNA problems than that of a 20 year old.

So it’s not just women who have to watch the clock. Then again, we have heard of countless men aged over 50 becoming fathers all over again, haven’t we? Still, the potential DNA problems are not something that we should brush off.

“Broken” penis. A man’s erect penis can actually be injured similarly to a broken bone. If while erect, the penis is pushed too forcefully into an object harder than the penis, the result can be a penile fracture that requires immediate medical attention.

Another thing that should not be disregarded. Though I don’t suppose we talk about this as much (I mean, who would want to talk about broken things?), since it is possible, we better watch out.

There, I hope you enjoyed this two-part post on sexual health.

Father’s Day Gift

Charlie — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 03:48:43 +0000

Do you make it a habit to give your father a gift every year at this time? Or maybe at least give him a call to tell him how much you love and appreciate him. This year, maybe it’s time for a different kind of gift – a gift of health awareness. If you are a father yourself, you should reward yourself with this kind of gift as well. I am talking about three key questions regarding prostate cancer , as presented by the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC).

The three questions are:

What could put me at risk for prostate cancer?
Is genetic testing for prostate cancer available?
If I decide to have genetic testing, what should I expect?

It may sound morbid to some people but I think we should all think in practical terms. I never thought that we would have a case of prostate cancer in our family but my uncle died of this disease 2 years ago. He was married to my aunt so we weren’t related by blood but still, the fact that I personally know someone who died of prostate cancer is enough to make me want to answer those three questions above, especially since prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in American men.

Is testing going to help? According to Angela Trepanier, president of the NSGC:

Genetic tests for prostate cancer can help save lives, but they can also raise more questions than answers. It is important that someone who has expertise in genetics helps you understand and interpret your risks, options and the impact that test results could have on you and your family.

Photo courtesy of Melilotus

Top 10 Men Killers

Charlie — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 04:46:18 +0000

I am not talking about people killing other people here but health threats that are the most common. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has data from 2003 (the most recent they have) of the top ten health issues that threaten the lives of the male population most. And they are:

1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Unintentional injuries
4. Stroke
5. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
6. Diabetes
7. Influenza and pneumonia
8. Suicide
9. Kidney disease
10. Alzheimer’s disease

So why are men more susceptible to these diseases that ultimately lead to death? There is no clear cut reasoning but researchers think that one reason may be the lifestyle of most men. Take note, this is not a sweeping statement as different men have different lifestyles. However, it is a fact that even in the most modern of societies, there are certain behaviors that are more acceptable for men than women.

The article on MSN Men’s Health section states:

Socially sanctioned “male” behavior also may predispose men to premature death. CDC statistics show men are more likely to smoke, drink, use illicit drugs and engage in casual sex than are women — all of which can increase their risk of serious diseases. Males are also more likely to take risks and behave aggressively, which may partly explain why they have a higher risk of dying from accidents, suicide and homicide. Young men are especially at risk. In young men, accidents, suicide and homicide are among the most frequent causes of death. In young and middle-aged men, AIDS is on the top 10 list.

Men Are More Prone To Memory Loss

Charlie — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:23:44 +0000

Ask most any old married couple about memory loss and chances are that the women will tell you that this is true – the men tend to forget things more easily. That may not be very scientific but there is, in fact, scientific basis to this belief. Based on an article recently published on MSN Health, mild cognitive impairment in men is more likely to happen. The figures involve the ratio of one and a half.

Previous studies show the opposite however, Rosebud Roberts of the Mayo Clinic states:

These findings are in contrast to studies which have found more women than men [or an equal proportion] have dementia, and suggest there’s a delayed progression to dementia in men. Alternately, women may develop dementia at a faster rate than men.”

However, the new study shows the following results:

The study, expected to be presented Wednesday at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting, in Chicago, is based on interviews, examinations and cognitive tests conducted on 2,050 people — aged 70 to 89 — living in Olmsted County, Minn.

Overall, 15 percent of the group had mild cognitive impairment, which is when one has memory and other thinking skills somewhat worse than what can be expected based on the person’s age and education. The rate of mild cognitive impairment was the same, regardless of a man’s education or marital status.

What are the implications? Men should be pay more attention to food and practices that can help enhance and preserve memory over the long term.

Vaccine Against Prostate Cancer In The Works

Charlie — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 02:45:08 +0000

Prostate cancer is one of the biggest concerns for men all over the world. It is, in fact, a very unpleasant subject that many people do not really want to dwell on it. New research shows, however, that there could be a vaccine that would protect men in the long run against prostate cancer.

At this stage, though, the vaccine has only been tested in mice. According to Dr. W Martin Kast of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, “By early vaccination, we have basically given these mice life-long protection against a disease they were destined to have. This has never been done before and, with further research, could represent a paradigm shift in the management of human prostate cancer.”

So what does the vaccine do? The most significant factor in prostate cancer is PSCA, or prostate stem cell antigen. It is very much expressed in prostate cancer cells while the healthy tissue does not show significant amounts. The vaccine works by stimulating an immune response against PSCA. In the study, the vaccine was administered to mice which were already affected by the cancer. The results showed that the mice who had the vaccine responded well and had extended life spans.

Though the testing has been limited to mice and there is no solid proof that it would work on humans, researchers are quite excited over the promising results. Indeed, if this vaccine ever finds it way into the market, we should all line up for shots.