Men’s Health in Omaha, NE 2017

With men in particular, as a positive “sign of the times” so to speak, many have become more proactive in doing what’s necessary to maintain good health. Men in our society, young and young at heart alike, have indeed come a long way from the stereotypical, but once prevailing mindset, of stubbornness and an overall come-what-may attitude towards health and wellness. With many taking notice of the strong connection between taking good care of themselves and living longer, fuller lives, it’s become evident that the modern man is much more willing and apt to do the things that will benefit him – even if not always the most enjoyable.

There are plenty of recommendations to be made on how to achieve optimal health and wellness, or even just the small improvements you can make to your lifestyle with that goal in mind. In the scheme of things, nutrition is first and foremost in the discussion, because it is the foundation that supports the body functioning properly. Without good nutrition, one simply can’t sustain good health.

Men still have a shorter life expectancy than women, and among the factors that influence that statistic is a higher rate of obesity than their female counterparts. In relationship to that, they also undergo more obesity-related surgeries – knee and hip replacements, back surgery, open heart surgery, etc. – than women. Men are much less likely to watch what they eat or go on a diet, drink more alcohol on average, and when not working they tend to be more sedentary. These common behaviors are much to the detriment of their health when they become habit. However, it’s never too late to better yourself; with good nutrition and regular physical activity, improving your health at any age is possible. For every 10lbs you get closer to your healthy body weight, it drastically reduces your chances of experiencing a host of health complications that are directly linked to obesity. The good news for men is that you’ll lose weight twice as fast as those of the opposite sex almost across the board. The fact that men naturally have a larger percentage of body weight as muscle means their bodies will burn fat quicker.

For those looking to looking to establish a meal plan, lose weight, build muscle, or just eat healthier, Just Good Meat provides high-quality meat that’s an excellent source of protein in a well-balanced diet. You may not think of your local butcher as an expert on nutrition, but involved in the industry for decades and sourcing the best quality products on the market, bringing them from farm to table in most instances, along with helping many customers with special requests over the years has certainly positioned them to offer their expertise to those who are looking for guidance.

Meal planning is perfect for those people who are always in a hurry and need to avoid fast food options. Just Good Meat has plenty of meats that are already portioned out for consumers, such as buffalo, chicken, tilapia, salmon, ground meat, and many other healthy options. They even have a 7-day meal plan package already put together and ready for pick-up. Once you get away from processed food, you will notice results right away.

Having personal experience from his own weight loss journey, Sean Fuller of Just Good Meat advises to be aware of, and picky with, what types of food you buy. “Looking for all-natural products is more important now than ever before. For meat, in particular, do your research as to where it’s sourced, even down to how the animals are raised and what they are fed, because it makes a big difference. This idea is not necessarily new, but it’s always worth mentioning because what we put into our bodies is so important to our overall health.”

Important to take note of, related to nutrition among other things, is that men really need to focus on their testosterone. Testosterone is what makes men, men. It’s a great indication of how their bodies are functioning. A major contributor to healthy testosterone is the quality of foods you are putting into your body. Other factors include regular exercise and stress management.

Staying on track requires commitment and also being mindful of your health in all of the different scenarios you’ll encounter. While there’s often an intentional focus on what we’re doing in our personal lives, it’s important to keep health and wellness in mind while at work too.

In general, men tend to overlook or underestimate the importance of regular health screenings and reducing the physical strain on their bodies too. The old mentality of ‘tough it out’ or ‘no pain, no gain’ can lead to health conditions that become very challenging and costly to reverse or repair. Many health conditions can be managed and minimized if we are aware of the early warning signs. Rather than put off seeking medical consultation, it is far better to have a problem or question addressed early for the least amount of negative impact to your health.

Particularly when it comes to cancer screening, the earlier it is detected and the more you know, the better the outcome. Especially with prominent types of cancer affecting men, such as prostate cancer, you may not experience any warning signs until it is too late.

“We are the first in the nation to develop and apply proprietary MRI technology specifically for the detection of prostate cancer,” says Daniel Cinotto of FirstScan. “It’s a progressive, non-invasive procedure that can tell us a lot of information – location, size, the rate of growth, etc. – which greatly helps the patient in determining what the next step should be. It’s now commonly used for detection, active surveillance and monitoring progress of treatment.

In this day and age, it’s important for men to know the options that are available to them. When armed with as much knowledge as possible, you’re able to have the important discussions and advocate for yourself and what’s best for you personally. Healthcare is an area where breakthroughs are made all the time, with the propensity to positively affect so many lives. This is a perfect example; oftentimes once men are experiencing symptoms of prostate cancer it has already progressed very far. Statistically, 59% of men who have been diagnosed with clinically-significant prostate cancer showed no signs or symptoms beforehand, and that’s scary. In the other 41% who showed symptoms, it had already metastasized to other areas of the body and there was nothing that could be done at that point–also very scary. The prostate is located in the middle of your body, where you can’t see it or feel it like you would other types of cancers that appear as lumps or lesions. What we are trying to do is improve outcomes and drive down the statistics, which are currently that 1 in 7 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and for 1 out of 39 of those cases, it will be terminal. Until a cure is found, the best we can do is educate, and to find it early enough to be able to do something about it.

The procedure takes about 30 minutes, and there’s nothing uncomfortable or invasive that happens during that time. It really helps to alleviate the fear associated with screening that’s recommended based on age and family history. If a man who has an elevated PSA decides to come to us first, and we determine that it’s related to something else, the biopsy can be avoided. If it does need to be performed, we can provide detailed information that gives an excellent frame of reference regarding the area to target. FirstScan has one of the only fellowship-trained prostate radiologists in the Midwest on our team, who has studied with the foremost thought leaders on prostate MRI. As such, we are lucky to have access to such a fantastic network of contacts that we can consult for additional information or a second opinion on findings.

I urge men no to wait or put this on the backburner and avoid it. Guys tend to be stubborn about going to the doctor, especially in the age group when they need to be going regularly. It’s critical to follow the recommended intervals for health screenings. Also, so often these types of things go undiscussed, so I strongly advise getting educated, participating in shared decision making, asking questions, and talking about it with a trusted healthcare professional and with your loved ones. We’re happy to answer any questions and tell you about what we have to offer. Bring your printouts, your screenshots and online research, your questions and concerns; we welcome any of that. Open dialogue will be a critical part of your continued health and wellness.”

With more knowledge, awareness, resources, and support out there than ever before, there’s no excuse not to pursue anything that will help you maintain good health or improve your quality of life. Guys, we encourage you to stay on trend with becoming more proactive about your health and wellness, and there are plenty of qualified experts out there to consult if you have any questions or concerns. Stay healthy friends!