Sporting my mo for the cause.
For the last eight years, November has been hijacked by the folks from “Movember,” a mustache-themed not-for profit that uses the month to raise awareness for prostate cancer and other men’s health issues.
What started out with humble beginnings in 2003 has blossomed into an amazingly powerful fund raising campaign. According to Movember’s CEO Adam Garone, his organization managed to raise $81 million in 2024, which makes it the largest prostate cancer fund raiser in the world. All by the power of the flavor savor.
Since Movember is all about raising awareness about health issues that affect men, let’s take a look at some of the most concerning and what we can do to prevent or minimize our chances of suffering from them.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women. However, nearly twice as many men as women die from cardiovascular illnesses. While there is sometimes a genetic component to heart disease, men can prevent it with two major strategies: stop smoking and lose weight. If you have chronic health problems like high blood pressure and diabetes, it’s important to stay on top of your treatments.
Cancer
There are several cancers that target men in particular, including prostate cancer and colorectal cancer. Men are particularly resistant to doctor visits, be it a misguided form of male pride or plain old-fashioned fear. One of the most important tools in surviving cancer is catching it early, which comes with regular visits to your family doctor.
Other preventative measures ring true across the board in male health issues: eat right, exercise, and don’t smoke. Your diet is particularly important, since healthy fruits and vegetables have been shown to help minimize cancer risk.
Stroke
Stroke is often brought on at no fault of your own, in that you may have inherited risk from your family genes. Other than genetics, the risk factors for having a stroke are very similar to heart disease and cancer. According to the National Stroke Association, up to 80 percent of all strokes are preventable. Moderate alcohol intake, stop smoking, and watch your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
Diseases that affect the lungs, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis, are among the top health problems that strike men. Smoking is the main cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the most deadly of the chronic lower respiratory diseases.
How to avoid CLRDs? Stop smoking (notice a trend here?). You should also avoid secondhand smoke and other pollutants.
Go to the Movember website for more information on their fundraising effort.