While research has shown that people of the female sex tend to live longer than the male sex, we often don’t talk about why this might be. For example, it could be attributed to the fact that, in the United States, men are more likely to use alcohol, smoke tobacco, make risky choices, and avoid seeing their doctor compared to women.
Considering that some men may not be as on top of their health as they should, it can be difficult to even know where to start. Check out these resources you can use to learn more about men’s health.
The Quintessential Man
TheQuintessentailMan.com is dedicated to everything a man could need to live his “best life.” This ranges from style to grooming essentials to wellness topics that help men make lifestyle changes that can lead to a more healthy lifestyle. If you’re looking for a place that addresses and rids itself of toxic masculinity while encouraging men to live well, plus offers extensive reviews on products that interest the average man, this is the place to go.
This site is a great place for any man to read up on stuff that men may not like to talk about, such as premature aging issues (what shampoo should you be using if your hair is thinning?), toxic masculinity, white male privilege, and healthy habits. This site is great for everyone from the 18-year-old man just starting out in life to the 60-year-old man thinking about or settling into retirement.
The Mayo Clinic’s Symptom Checker
The leading cause of death for men living in the United States is heart disease, which isn’t too surprising considering that over half (51.9 percent) of men over 20 have high blood pressure (hypertension) according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Putting your symptoms into a symptom checker can be a good way to help you learn what to watch out for when it comes to your health. However, it’s important to remember that a symptom checker (even one that is reputable like the Mayo Clinic) is in no way a substitute for regularly seeing your fam physician.
It’s also important to keep your risk factors in mind so you know when you’re at a higher risk for developing certain medical conditions. For example, knowing the aneurysm risk factors such as hypertension, being a smoker, having a family history of aneurysm (especially first-degree relatives), drug and alcohol use, head trauma, and certain health conditions such as polycystic kidney disease, Marfan syndrome, Fibromuscular dysplasia, or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome all put you at a higher risk for developing a cerebral aneurysm. Considering that roughly 25 percent of people who have a brain aneurysm die within 24 hours and the outcome for the other 75 percent isn’t great, knowing all your risk factors is always your best option.
Man Therapy and The Face It Foundation
While medical conditions plaguing the general population may pose the greatest risk to a man’s health and wellness, it’s important to not overlook mental health. Men’s mental health can often get overlooked because of unhealthy stereotypes that men are supposed to be “strong.” Unfortunately, because of these issues, men tend to not get help when issues that happen within every person’s lifetime, (such as grief, anxiety, and dealing with tough emotions) happen to them.
Luckily, there are online resources such as the Face It Foundation and Man Therapy specifically for men that can help you get more comfortable with what you’re facing. Both resources have fantastic information to help you start a much-needed conversation with your doctor and those closest to you about the help you may need.
