Movember - The Stache is Back!

The time has come for me to release my inner stache! This November, along with men (and women) from around the world, I will be improving my look by donning a moustache. 

"I...left the stubble on my upper lip for a moustache I planned to grow" ~P. Theroux

Now, I'm sure many of you are thinking: "of course you should grow a mustache - it is an all-time classic look", "Nice!" or "Great, I was thinking how awesome a stache would look on Jay". And for those kind thoughts I thank you, but this endeavor is about more than just looking awesome. The goal of the moustache is to celebrate Movember to and help raise awareness of health issues affecting men.

Napoleon Dynamite: How long did it take you to grow that moustache? Pedro: A couple of days. ~Quote from the movie: Napoleon Dynamite

The information listed below was taken from Movember.com. Please take the time to read it over and afterwards share it, or what you have learned, with someone you care about. Men are people too!

Thanks,

Jay

WHAT IS MOVEMBER?

Movember is the month formerly known as November, where men and women across the globe join together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues. Men grow a Mo (moustache) for 30 days to become a walking, talking billboards, for our men’s health causes - specifically cancers affecting men.

Men who support Movember, called Mo Bros, start by registering at Movember.com. Mo Bros start Movember 1st clean-shaven, then grow and groom their Mo, for the rest of the month, raising money along the way. Women who support Movember, called Mo Sistas, also start by registering at Movember.com. Mo Sistas champion the Mo by supporting their Mo Bros, organizing events, leading a team and spreading the important message of men’s health.

MEN'S HEALTH FACTS

• The average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (presently 77 years old compared to 82).
• 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and 1 in 3 women will be.
• Evidence suggests that about a third of the 571,950 cancer deaths expected to occur will be related to obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition and thus could be prevented.
• 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. 240,890 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed and 33,720 men will die.
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 34. 8,290 men will be diagnosed with the disease and 350 will die.
• Smoking accounts for at least 30% of all cancer deaths and 87% of lung cancer deaths. An estimated 115,060 men will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 85,600 men will die from the disease.
• While not as common, men can get breast cancer. About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men and about 450 men will die from the disease.
• The most common cancer in the US, skin cancer strikes 1 in 5 Americans. An estimated 43,890 men will be diagnosed with skin cancer and 8,080 men will die from the disease.
• An estimated 13 million adult men over the age of 20 in the US have diabetes- and a third do not know it.
• Approximately 50 million men and women in the US have high blood pressure- almost 30 per cent of them do not know it.
• About 1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure, and blood pressure tends to rise with age.
• 1 in 8 men who suffer from mental illness actually seek help (inspire.org).
• Four times as many men commit suicide compared with women.
• 24% of men are less likely to go to the doctor compared to women.

Let’s face it, men are known to be more indifferent towards their health, especially when compared to the efforts of women, who proactively and publicly address their health issues in a way not traditionally seen with men. As a result, today the levels of awareness, understanding and funding for support of male health issues, like prostate cancer, lag significantly behind causes such as breast cancer.

The reasons for the poor state of men’s health in the US and around the world are numerous and complex and this primarily due to a lack of awareness of the health issues men face. This can largely be attributed to the reluctance of men openly discussing the subject due to longstanding traditions, coupled with an ‘it’ll be alright’ attitude. Men are less likely to schedule doctors’ appointments when they feel ill or for an annual physical, thereby denying them the chance of early detection and effective treatment of common diseases.   

Studies show that many men don’t get regular health checks for the following reasons:

• Fear it will lead to a hospital visit.
• Embarrassed to discuss their health issues.
• Find it too hard to see a doctor because they just can’t fit it into their schedule.
• Just can’t be bothered making an appointment.

Statistics show that, on average, men die at a younger age than women – the average life expectancy for men is five years less than women (presently 77 compared to 82). That said, despite trailing the women’s health movement, things are beginning to change, but much more progress needs to be made to close the gap between the state of men and women’s health.  Established taboos and barriers relating to men’s health are gradually being broken down.
Movember aims to change the face of men’s health and reverse this way of thinking by putting a fun twist on this serious issue. Using the moustache as a catalyst, we want to bring about change and give men the opportunity and confidence to talk about their health more openly.

Movember's primary campaign objective is to raise awareness of men's health issues, specifically cancers affecting men. We want everyone to know that most cancers are highly curable if caught in the early stages - including prostate and testicular cancer.  Movember aims to increase early detection, diagnosis and effective treatment, as this will ultimately reduce the number of deaths from cancer.  It’s time men face the startling health facts.

It’s not all bad news! Maintaining a good diet, smart lifestyle choices and getting regular medical check-ups and screening tests can dramatically influence your health, Regardless of age, stay on top of your game by doing the following:

HAVE AN ANNUAL PHYSICAL
Find a doctor and make a yearly appointment each Movember for a general health check.  Getting annual checkups, preventative screening tests, and immunizations are among the most important things you can do to stay healthy.

DON’T SMOKE!
If you do smoke, stop! Compared to non-smokers, men who smoke are about 23 times more likely to develop lung cancer.  Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancer death in men.

BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
If you are not already doing some form of exercise, start small and work up to a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

EAT A HEART HEALTHY DIET
Fill up with fruits, vegetables, whole grains; include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and eat foods low in saturated fats, trans-fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

STAY AT A HEALTHY WEIGHT
Balance calories from foods and beverages with calories you burn off by physical activities.

MANAGE YOUR STRESS
Stress, particularly long-term stress, can be the factor in the onset or worsening of ill health. Managing your stress is essential to your health & well being and should be practiced daily.

DRINK ALCOHOL IN MODERATION
Alcohol can be part of a healthy balanced diet, but only if it’s in moderation, which means no more than two drinks a day. A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

KNOW YOUR FAMILY HEALTH HISTORY
Start a discussion with your relatives about the health issues they’ve had in the past. Be sure to learn about relatives that are deceased too.