#GatekeepersofMen Series

 Health Concerns for the Middle-Aged Male

This week I was watching a movie and a quote resonated in my head for days. Then my wife sent me a message through Instagram about a 52-year-old marathon runner leaping of joy like a teenager. The caption of the picture was the same as the quote from the movie:  “We don’t stop playing because we are old, we grow old because we stop playing.” At this time, I knew…  I had to write about this. Many men find middle-age to be the prime time of their lives.   You’ve lived, you’ve made mistakes, and you’ve learned from them.  Your mind is still agile, and your body is strong enough to enjoy the fruits of your hard work.   A man in his middle-age years can take credit for his accomplishments and find time to enjoy the beginnings of well-deserved rewards for a lifetime of taking risks and working hard.

Then again,  the most important health concern for men over 40 is the threat of life itself.   Some start looking after themselves better, though sadly it’s often a time when other men don’t do that…     High cholesterol starts kicking in, high blood pressure, diabetes,  weight gain, fat accumulates in all the wrong places, our risks for cancer increase, and we start to struggle to maintain an erection.

That’s why I believe the middle-age male goes through a tougher time than men in their 30s or men above 65.    Why?   Most men in their 70s and 80s, in a sense,  expect the “decline” in their bodies. However, someone who is between 40 and 65 years old feels he is in his PRIME-TIME: strength, vitality, experience, maturity and wisdom all combine so you can make the most of your life.  For some men, though, there is a problem.  Something… is just… not right.

Your mind says it can and wants it, but your body doesn’t keep up.    And some might wonder, why is that?  Why do I feel like this?   Why am I struggling to stay awake in the middle of the day? What’s the reason for me waking up 3 or 4 times to urinate and have to strain in order to empty my bladder,  why can’t I find the energy to do things?  Why am I struggling to keep an erection and can’t satisfy my partner?

When we talk about men’s health, we try to find ways to optimize and reinvigorate our deteriorating bodies that are in a constant attack from our environment.  In the next few weeks, I will write about the major topics that encompass men’s health in a urologic practice:  BPH, prostate cancer, low testosterone, premature ejaculation, and erectile dysfunction.  Stay tuned!

Why GateKeepers of Men?

When Cain killed his brother Abel, God asked him “where is your brother?”, for which Cain responded: “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”.  A keeper looks after someone. However, a Gatekeeper not only looks after someone, but protects them from outside insults. Well, I imagine myself in my judgement day in front of the Almighty, and the All-powerful One  asking me what I’m doing on Earth.  I will proudly say: “I see myself as a Gatekeeper of Men”. In our office, we not only provide general urology care. We have a special calling to help men.  This is why we focus on men’s health.   Therefore, I will title this series of educational posts as  #GateKeepersofMen, because in our office, we not only look out for you, we take care of you. Come visit us. Stay tuned for more.