Men’s Health in Omaha – July 2022

We dedicate two separate features to women’s health and men’s health each year to discuss with local professionals the struggles that women and men face in their health journeys and the available services that can assist them with reaching their goals. Rather than consolidating this information into one feature, we split it up because there are a multitude of health differences between men and women. For example, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, women are more likely to die following a heart attack than men are. Another example is depression: while women are diagnosed with depression at nearly twice the rate that men are, the disease is far deadlier in men. Examples like these are why it’s important to know health recommendations specific to you so that you can appropriately take care of yourself and know what to look for. Keep reading to learn what our local experts have to say in the area of men’s health.

Stretch it Out

Wouldn’t it be ideal to receive amazing health benefits without doing the work? At Stretch Zone Legacy (stretchzone.com/locations/legacy), it’s possible! Stretch Zone offers 1-on-1 assisted stretching, helping individuals overcome pain and regain their bodies’ natural range of motion.

“Over time, without a commitment to stretching and exercising, your body loses its God-given intended range of motion,” explained Owner Randy Baylor. “This loss of movement can result in further injury. Our method of practitioner-assisted stretching can help you to increase mobility, muscle function, and active range of motion, which
helps to make daily movement more efficient and effortless. Our method and equipment are copyrighted and patented because they are unique. Different from massage, yoga, and other stretching modalities, the Stretch Zone Method does not seek to make muscles more flexible or elastic. Instead, Stretch Zone works to re-educate the nervous system to increase active range of motion efficiently and effortlessly.”

Randy acknowledged that these days, everyone is busy – which is why appointments at Stretch Zone are designed to take no more than 30 minutes so that you are in-and-out the door. They’re open seven days a week and can accommodate their clients to nearly any time of day – 7 a.m., over lunch, or late evening. There’s always a friendly, skilled practitioner waiting for you at Stretch Zone!

“I encourage you to set up a completely free half-hour stretch and consultation by calling (402) 885-8805 or visiting stretchzone.com,” said Randy. “We will find what ails you and get to work on it, right then and there! Many clients feel benefits from their very first stretch, and benefits increase as you commit more time to it. Your only job is to lay back, relax, and breathe. We do all the work, you get all the benefits.”

Self-Care for Men

Harmony Med Spa (harmonymedspa.net) offers a wide array of health and wellness services for men to better themselves, ranging from skincare treatments to bodysculpting to sexual health. Harmony Med Spa provides men’s facials, back facials, Alastin skin care products, and mineral sunscreen for daily skin maintenance and protection. They have estheticians who offer waxing for all areas of unwanted hair, in addition to laser services as a permanent option for hair reduction. Their wellness injections and IV hydration promotes health from the inside, including B12, Skinny Shots, and hydrations focused on sleep cycle, energy, and boosting the metabolism.

“Our bodysculpting will strengthen and enhance the muscles of the abdomen, pelvis, arms, and legs,” shared Tamara Doehner, MD. “A combined modality on the EmSculpt NEO, a non-invasive body shaping procedure, allows for fat reduction and muscle gain of up to 25% of the treatment area. Improved core strength from abdominal treatments can enhance sports performance and lessen back discomfort.”

Harmony Med Spa also offers resurfacing and IPL (intense pulse light) for treatment of rosacea, sunspots, spider veins, and overall sun damaged skin changes. Their tattoo removal services are also popular for pigment reduction and preparation for a new overlay tattoo. Finally, Harmony Med Spa offers an Emsella chair that supports men’s sexual health through pelvic floor strengthening. This is also beneficial for urinary urgency or frequency following a prostatectomy, improving quality of life by decreasing the symptoms of urinary incontinence.

“Skin is the largest organ of the body, yet it is often overlooked and under prioritized by men,” shared Tamara. “Men’s self-care is important for their health and wellbeing inside and out. Failure to participate in self-care and wellness activities may lead to premature aging and a less-than-optimal quality of life. It’s important to fi nd time and a safe space to engage in self-care – we want to help you discover your pathway to ‘your best self’!”

Superior Supplements

At Any Body Supplements Omaha (anybodysupplements.com), they offer a variety of products for men’s health ranging from testosterone support and hormone balance to weight loss designed for men, multivitamins, and even vitamins for better sleep. They have extremely knowledgeable staff available to help you choose which products are right for you and your body.

“Something like a testosterone booster or multivitamin for men can provide a full spectrum of benefits such as boosting your testosterone levels, leveling your hormones, increasing your libido, and protecting your muscle gains, even helping with digestive enzymes which will affect energy levels,” shared Augusta Schartz, who owns the business alongside her husband Matt Schartz. “For weight loss, we provide a wide variety of supplements that have been designed for men that have nutrients that are specifically formulated to target multiple aspects of weight loss, including appetite stabilization (no longer overeating), improved metabolism, fat blocking, insulin control, blood sugar stabilization, and fat utilization.”

Augusta explained that when men do not take care of their bodies, it’s so much more than just gaining a few pounds; they can see a decrease in testosterone and slower metabolism that leads to major health problems such as heart disease that can cost thousands of dollars or missing time with family. Stress, medical complications, and energetic living can all create a greater need in your specific body for very specific minerals or vitamins. Supplementation can also help correct deficiencies in the very food you are eating.

“It seems like everyone is always on the go and being pulled in different directions, whether from big things like family or work or simple things such as mowing the lawn,” said Augusta. “Taking just 20 minutes a day to take care of your body can assure a longer, healthier life. We want to encourage men to take that 20 minutes a day – shorter than the typical lunch break – to move and do something for themselves such as ride their bike or go for a walk. Taking the best supplements goes hand in hand with taking care of themselves. Here at Any Body Supplements, we have outstanding products specifically for men that can help promote health, support metabolism, and provide great energy to get through the whole day.”

Men’s Mental Health

Clearwater Counseling, PC (clearwatercounselingpc.org) is a private practice co-owned by Kayla Leddy, CEO, MS, LIMHP, LIPC and Nikki Bauer, COO, MS, PLMHP providing outpatient mental health services at locations in Grand Island and Omaha. They utilize various evidence-based therapeutic techniques and theoretical approaches to serve clients in the following specialties: addictions, anger management, anxiety, co-occurring disorders, depression, divorce/blended family issues, grief and loss, life adjustments/stress management, major mental illness, parenting and attachment trauma, relationship/codependency, self-esteem, trauma and PTSD, and work/life balance.

Many people experience mental health struggles at some point in their life. Mental health battles may vary from anxieties, behavioral, life transitions, depression and stress, all of which can affect our mood, thoughts, and behaviors. Clearwater Counseling knows change can be scary, which is why they are here to help guide you through those changes in life. While positive change is sometimes hard to identify, they strive to help clients identify positive change that is happening in their lives.

Clearwater Counseling offers an incredibly helpful and insightful blog on their website titled “In Clear View” where they cover topics ranging from self-care to mental health to bullying to handling FOMO (fear of missing out). We strongly encourage you to check out their blog as it can help you learn more about and better understand so many different aspects of your life and the lives of those around you. While most of these blog posts pertain to both men and women, we would like to highlight a specific blog post since we are focusing on the topic of men’s health. They’ve shared a detailed post covering mental health in men, which can be found at clearwatercounselingpc.org/understanding-men-and-mental-health. It lists several statistics about men’s mental health, such as the amount of men suffering from a mental health problem and factors that may put an individual at a higher risk. It also shares that men are less likely than women to seek help for depression, substance abuse, and stressful life events. This is likely due to social norms, reluctance to talk, and the downplaying of symptoms. The staggering statistics mentioned in this blog further signify the importance of promoting mental health awareness for ALL. All people can be impacted by mental health problems. Check on the men (and women) in your life, and don’t be afraid to talk about mental health. It’s the only way to truly #EndTheStigma.

Sports Medicine

See The Trainer (seethetrainer.com) is an orthopedic, sports medicine facility dedicated to keeping a diverse population functioning through a variety of bracing and support products. They offer a full line of in-stock bracing, home health, and rehabilitation products. They are dedicated to improving your quality of life, and their knowledgeable staff will do its best assisting you in selecting the appropriate product to best fit your individual needs.

“We have products for common injuries – whether it’s plantar fasciitis, an injured ankle, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, or more – so that you can quickly recover and get back to your regular routine,” shared Owner Kristie Egan. “If exercise is being newly incorporated into your lifestyle, then you may run into some obstacles as you adjust and learn the best approach for you. This is where we can help you out. We carry products to help you protect yourself while exercising and recover afterwards.”

No matter where you are at in life, living a healthy lifestyle can always be accomplished – and sometimes you just need the guidance of some experts. Reach out to these local professionals to get started on your health journey!