Too Proud for Prevention Why Men Need to Take Charge of Their Health by Sheila Julson
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ccording to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, men are 24 percent less likely than women to have visited a doctor within the past year. Stubborn social stigmas cause men to be reluctant to talk about certain physical symptoms. That, combined with a fear of diagnosis and being uncomfortable with exams, leads men to skip recommended screenings or even see a doctor when they’re having pain or symptoms. Natural Awakenings spoke with three healthcare providers to get their expertise on why men need to take charge of their health, and how they inspire them to do so. Dr. John Roland, a functional medicine doctor and owner of Evolution Medicine Dallas, observes that men have a hard time relating to health concerns Dr. John Roland and coming in to address them. He’s developed what he refers to as “functional medicine lite”, in which he just addresses a few issues at a time to get patients headed in the right direction. He’s found that his intravenous (IV) vitamin therapy has been a good way to open dialogue about men’s health issues. In conjunction with IV vitamin therapy, he gets patients’ medical histories and list of current medications. “That gives me some hints about their underlying medical issues. For instance, if somebody
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has peptic ulcer disease, I know that they aren’t as likely to process B12, so I put that in their IV and tell them I suspect that, based on the information they’ve given me, they’re vitamin deficient,” he explains. “If they get a response—and 40 percent of general public needs more B12, so they’ll likely get a response—I’ll follow up with them and often hear they had more energy and less muscle tenderness. I tell them about B12, but that’s just the first layer. I’ll suggest they come back to talk about other issues.” Roland doesn’t offer hormone therapy, but he will discuss testosterone with male patients over age 50 due to the endocrine disruption that occurs with exposure to insecticides, pesticides and stressful lifestyles. “They’ll often reply, ‘My sex life is fine,’ but I tell them that’s not the whole story. Testosterone also helps with cholesterol levels, muscle mass, bone mass and mental functioning. So, I’ll work that into the conversation. My goal is overall health. What man doesn’t want more physical and mental vitality?” Roland has found a slow, educational approach to be effective in having better discussions about health with men. “Some guys are fine with their daily lives of going to work, coming home, having a beer at night and getting to sleep, but there are other things going on that you need to pay attention to.”
Evolution Medicine Dallas 860 E. Ralph Hall Pkwy., Ste. 7, Rockwall 972-658-0928 EvolutionMedicineDallas.com
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Dr. Matthew Gutierrez, of Disc Decompression Centers of DFW, says approximately 85 percent of men over the age of 35 likely have a herniated disc, but often wait until Dr. Matthew Gutierrez the pain gets bad enough that it progresses beyond the back into the hips and legs. “They ignore it and just try to get through the day, and wait until the pain gets so bad they have difficulty working or even walking without pain. At that point, we can still help them, but it takes a little more work and effort than if they had come in when the pain had started to develop” he says. “Chronic stress over time damages the joints—sitting down in the same position for long periods of time, and physical things like bending, lifting or sports. But much of this damage can be preventable if you know how to maintain yourself.” The intervertebral disc is the region between each vertebra that provides support and cushioning to prevent rubbing of vertebrae, Gutierrez explains. The intervertebral discs contain a gel-like material called a nucleus pulposus (similar to the oil present in the shock absorbers of vehicles). It is responsible for reducing friction between the vertebrae and provides lubrication to aid in spinal movement. The rupture of the coverings through the outer layer of the disc surrounding this gel-like substance results in the herniation of a disc. With spinal decompression therapy, the patient lies on a special table that stretches and opens the spine to allow fluids and
