Something I've come across from studying internal martial arts is the difference between "western" and chinese medicine. I've come to think our obsession with/against sex and the more mundane biological processes is a huge problem in our culture. Colon Cancer kills as many people in the west as heart disease, just behind lung cancer. Many men will have prostate problems in later life, testicular cancer is a real risk, and our internal or sexual health still have a huge stigma attached. After the AIDS years, the issue of sexual health and protection is more out in the open, and fortunately, women's health is much more acceptable in our society. Most women will have breast checks and smear tests regularly, but how many men know how to check for testicular cancer, or know anything at all about their prostate? Just because some health issues relate to sexual or other bodily functions, they're a no-go subject in polite conversation. One thing I've found from IMA practice is the importance of the internal organs. When an exercise massages your internal organs you get a definite effect on your digestion! But I still felt like a prude for being uncomfortable talking about the shape and colour of my bowel movements to a doctor (even though this is an important part of traditional diagnosis). Potty jokes and sexual innuendo are all you'll get when you want to talk about this kind of thing, but these are real problems that are causing real problems to health in our culture!
Actually, truth be told, orgasms decrease the change of men getting prostate cancer greatly. Soooo...women, be nice to your men.
There was a study once that predictably showed that men are more likely to joke about their possible health problems than to go to a doctor and explain their worries to him/her, which is a shame because testicular cancer (for example) has a very very high survival rate if caught early. It's because of our culture and it's taboos and gender differences that men don't go to the doctor as often and get stuff like this checked out.
To be fair, the post that spawned this thread was complaining about woodrow posting rubbish training tips, not using 'taboo words'.
Not to downplay the significant dangers of colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, etc, but the number of deaths caused by heart disease greatly exceeds them by a wide margin. In 2001, more people died of heart disease in the US alone than colorectal cancer worldwide in 2002. Roughly ~ 700,000 versus ~ 530,000. In the EU alone, there are roughly 600,000 deaths each year due to coronary heart disease. Data from WHO, American Heart Association and American Cancer Society. I agree with the intent of the post completely though. Being bashful about these things can only bite us in the ass (pun intended).
maybe it's because men don't know how to check for symptoms of prostate cancer. women can touch and feel their breasts- i don't even know what to touch, where to touch, and what to feel. also, at what age should you get a check up? i'm relatively young so i don't think i need to worry about it yet. i mean, if early detection of prostate cancer can cure it, and i go for a checkup when i'm... say 35, and i found out i have it- i couldn't have gotten it any longer than, 1-2 years right? so i'm still safe?
Cant help you with how to check for prostate cancer , but I suggest you find out how to do it. No-one else can identify changes in your own body as quickly as you can. As far as risk according to age, I dont know about prostate cancer, but a friend of mine was recently diagnosed with colon cancer (generally considered to be more of a risk in older people) on his 25th birthday. I'm not saying panic, but just be aware that although the chances of you developing it are much lower, unfortunatley it doesnt mean it wont happen.
As a member of the medical profession, heres a tip. If you want to control an awful lot of these problems, control your weight. People who are within 10% of their ideal weight have less problems with almost everything you discussed, colo-rectal cancer, heart disease, blood pressure problems, diabetes, prostate cancers, the list goes on and on. Obesity will be the number one health problem in america in 15-20 years. It is incredible the number of "clinically obese" patients who come into the clinics I work at day to day. Patients always say, "well I could use to lose a few pounds. " I suppose if 30-50 pounds is a few..... People worry way to much about cures and not near enough about prevention in the first place. One company I work with will pay any employee $250 and pay for the medicine if the employee will give up smoking. Almost all of those offered turn it down saying its not worth it. That, is the state of health in the US today.
The things we aren't really allowed to talk about in the west definitly affects our willingness to do necessary things (such as doctor check-ups) in a negative way. Take me for example, I'm an american, and I was laughing the entire time I was reading the replies to this thread (of course, that probably has to do with the fact that I'm 15 as well).
I'm taking a Human Sexuality class this semester and one of the assignments was actually to give yourself a testicular self-exam (women did breast self-exams) and then write about your experience. Since it wasn't covered in class, the professor gave us a website to look it up. It turns out that 90% of the males in the class looked at the website to find out how to do it, and the other 10% didn't turn in the assignment (there are 112 in total). These are all 20-23 year olds, those most at risk for testicular cancer. I think it's important to get the information about these things out there, but in our society, grabbing one's testicles is immoral and discussing it is simply taboo. I think as a society we perpetuate these medical issues often because we're too embarrassed to just take the necessary steps to prevent them...
