Blue November: how can men be more careful?

Talking about men's health, when compared to the space that women's health has in the media, is not something that happens as often as it should.

What does blue November mean?

The campaign began in 1999 in Australia. In Brazil, Blue November was brought by Side by Side for Life Institute in partnership with the Brazilian Society of Urology.

Each year, the awareness movement gains more followers and the prejudice against the physical examination, which has always been a target of aversion among men, decreases.

Created with the aim of preventing and raising awareness of prostate cancer, the campaign also helps to break male taboos.

The Blue November campaign also helps to show that with early diagnosis, the patient has more than 95% chances of being cured.

Worldwide, men die, on average, 6 times more than women. Many of the causes of death are due to health neglect.

Simple habits such as maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, not smoking and exercising can help prevent or delay health problems, such as cancer.

In the following topics we will give suggestions for habits that can help you maintain your health.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a tumor that affects the prostate, a gland located below the bladder and that surrounds the urethra, the canal that connects the bladder to the external orifice of the penis.

This disease is silent and only presents symptoms in the most advanced stages, which is why preventive examinations are extremely important.

According to the Brazilian Society of Urology (SBU), from the age of 45, every man should consult a urologist annually for an examination.

This visit to the doctor changes for men who have a family history of cancer, and for black men, who have two to three times more chances of developing the disease.

Men who fit into these situations should start taking exams at 40 years of age.

Prostate cancer can manifest itself in difficulty urinating, back pain, constant fatigue or drastic weight loss with no apparent cause.

In addition to the physical examination, there is a blood test. However, 20% of prostate cancer cases cannot be diagnosed through a blood test (PSA). Therefore, the physical examination is essential.

Blue November: habits that can help men

It is a fact that eating a healthy diet, exercising and visiting the doctor regularly are great ways to prevent diseases.

However, there are many men who do not do any of these practices. However, there are other habits that are essential for a healthy life.

In the topics below, we list some of these topics.

Avoid alcohol and cigarettes

According to a survey carried out by the Surveillance of Risk and Protection Factors for Chronic Diseases by Telephone Survey (Vigitel), high consumption of alcohol and tobacco, which is more common in men, increases the chances of malignant urological diseases.

For example, bladder cancer and kidney cancer, in addition to being able to contribute to the occurrence of sexual impotence.

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Taking care of genital hygiene

Men with poor hygiene tend to be more likely to develop cancer or other infectious complications. Chronic inflammation caused by the accumulation of secretions in the penis can have a carcinogenic effect.

Care in sexual life

Of course, taking due care during sexual intercourse is not exclusive to men, as using a condom is a safety measure for both men and women.

The purpose of condoms is to prevent AIDS, syphilis, HPV, other infections and sexually transmitted diseases.

Regular visits to the doctor

As already mentioned in this article, men are more resistant to seeing a doctor and end up not paying due attention to their own health.

Early diagnosis of some diseases, such as prostate cancer, is essential for effective treatment.

If a man only seeks professional help when symptoms are more severe, it is possible that he already has an advanced stage of the disease.

Prostate cancer prevention

This issue was addressed throughout the text, but it is worth reinforcing the importance of routine exams and annual exams for cancer prevention.

Awareness campaigns have had a great impact in recent years and more and more men are seeking to undergo periodic assessments.

We hope that the number of men who put prejudice aside will increase even more, so that the number of cases of prostate cancer will decrease.

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Take the opportunity to read too Blue November: learn about the campaign and its importance.