You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garth. Hey, everybody, welcome to I Choose Me. This is the podcast all about the choices we make and where they lead us. Remember when I promised you guys that we would talk about some man stuff. Well, June is men's health month, so I wanted to have a conversation dedicated to this important topic because I know we have male listeners out there. Hello, I love you, and we have a lot of women who have male partners or you know, you just have
a guy in your life that you care about. I have a certain man in my life and he gets me so riled up on the subject, the taking care of oneself subject. So he is going to join us for this episode.
Hello, babe, Hi honey.
So yeah, we are kind of different when it comes to our health, you know, taking care of ourselves, and it has several times now I think, become just like a little rift between us. It usually goes a little something like this. I say, honey, hey, you know you should have that neck issue checked out maybe, or have you had a physical lately, or you know, prevention it's key, and you'll say, well.
You know, my neck actually feels better. I'm feeling fine, and who has the time to go to the doctor. It's too much?
Okay. Yeah, as you can see, this is why I get a little irritated because I care about you and selfishly I want you around in my life for a long time, and it would be incredible if you would put a little effort into staying healthy.
Yeah, it's a very important subject I get.
Okay, Hopefully our guest today can give me a little backup here. You know what, I'm actually used to this with the girls. If I say something sometimes they don't really hear it, but if someone else says the same thing, it's like a revelation. So, babe, get ready for your aha moment. Our guest today is a Board certified surgeon. A frequent guest on The Today Show. He is an associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine.
He specializes in treatments of disorders affecting the large intestines and is highly skilled in a range of procedures, including colonoscopies. And you know, he's just a general wealth of health knowledge. Please welcome doctor Cedric McFadden to the I Choose Me Podcast.
Hi, Doc, Hi, doctor, how are you.
Oh, we are good. Believe me. We are so glad that you are here. Because this is like the age old question, why do men not go to the doctor as much as women?
That's an age old question with an age old answer. The many for that. Let's face it, women are more used to going to the doctor. In fact, we kind of start women off as early as they're late teens, kind of get into that habit of going for a yearly and so it's embedded into the culture that women go to the doctor and men don't. When I was eighteen or when I was twenty, no one said you need to go for your yearly checkup. It's just not something that we're embedded to do. So I think that
starts off the pattern. And I think because of the fact that women when they are child bearing age and when they have children, it's already you know, you're going to the doctor quite frequently during that time, and then afterwards it's built into coming back to the doctor for that So you know, we've we've created a space to where women are very welcomed and are expected to go to the doctor, and men we just don't put that expectation there there's no space. Do we do that?
You're so right? Well, how do we change that?
You Well, I think it starts by just making sure men to understand where they're vulnerable, right. It starts by understanding that we have to put these whether it's pre college, where it's your home from college, or whether it's just you know, you got a new job, you got to be checked out for you. We have to put some things in place that just allows men to know that this is the time to go. And by having conversations like we're having today and maybe changes that one person out of talk.
Right, beib, Did anyone ever have a conversation with you as a young man, it's time to go to the doctor. You need to go get a check up. Did that ever happen for you?
No? But it was you know, it was sort of like, you know, the stereotypical my mom. If something anything happened to me, my mom would take me to you know, got to go to the emergency right now or urgent care. Urgent care was big. I feel like I had a Z pack every month if I was sick or something like that. There's like, oh you got sick, I'll just take a Z pack and that's.
How men get to the doctor when they have emergency.
But my dad, my father never went to the doctor, yeah at all. He still doesn't, and he's seventy six. He's like, nothing's wrong with me. What do I need?
Yeah, And that's how we find out the problems. And you know, you have that fall off of the ladder, or we have that car accident, and then you get to the doctor, it's like, oh, we're gonna do an X ray. Oh, this is what we see, And then that often starts conversations about what happens next. So I like to say, in whatever way you get to see me, we'll take it unless use as a springboard to make sure that you're okay in other areas as well.
That makes sense. How would you suggest that women such as myself get their male counterpart to go to the doctor just for a general checkup, Like, I'm just curious. I want to make sure he's all good and that we're going to livel together in health and prospero.
I don't want to get anyone in trouble.
I don't want to go ahead, It's okay, get him in trouble, right, Yeah.
Well, so let's let's just first of all, say that it never serves well to preach, But I think we learn more by following the example. So if you are scheduling your yearly visit with your doctor, perhaps say you know, I scheduled my visit today, what days good for me to schedule yours?
That's a great idea.
It's very unassuming. It takes onus off of him for having to make the call, but it also gets it done. So that's an easy way to do it to where it's just scheduled and it's not saying you need to do it, say hey, I didn't mine, when do you want me to do yours? It keeps it open and it also makes him pick a day, and if it's ignored revisited, that's.
A great idea. I mean that's what happens with us. I go keep myself checked up. I'm very proactive about my health and about prevention, and I'm always saying to him, what are you doing? How can you make sure that you're healthy?
M m?
Yeah, And you know I go to the dentist regularly.
Okay, that's a good start.
That's a doctor that it's a doctor. But yeah, I think I'm just an example of many, you know, because I just turned forty three. You know, I don't think I've had a checkup since I was thirty eight, well, definitely before COVID, so thirty eight, thirty nine, somewhere around there. So you know, just especially you know, prostate conversations are out and about as you know, I mean, I have a lot of friends that you know. Now it's it's more of an open discussion. You can talk about your
health with your your male friends. And by the way, I hang out a lot of sixty year olds and so so.
There's a lot of how are you feeling? Yeah, how s your health?
But yeah, definitely, I mean it's definitely more open now for discussion than it probably was when I was definitely in my twenties or thirties even, you know, it's kind of come to the forefront.
That's great, that's such. That's that's that's great.
Now now easier said than done, because I haven't done anything.
You talk about it.
Yeah, but this is great, go preach it. Yes, everybody should do this.
Okay, so let's ask the doctor when should they start with their checkup? So tell us how they should go about doing this.
So I think as early as early twenties, it's a good time to establish a relationship with the doctor. It's kind of like wanting to get to know someone before you get really involved in that relationship, before you perhaps get deeper into that relationship. It's helpful to establish relationship because you're going to need to visit a doctor for
different things in life. If you need the antibiotic, it's helpful to have the relationship so you can pick up the phone and have a conversation about what do you need to be doing. So I think earlier then later, starting twenties, make sure you're up to date with any
medications that you need, any immunizations. If you're traveling, you know yourself certain and it's also depending on your family history, you may be at risk for other problems, right, so you know establishing you know what was the health of my parents, You know that have heart problems over there are a history of cancers that may influence when you start testing and looking for problems, and so that's important
to establish I think early on in your twenties. Now as you get older in your thirties and in your forties, those needs become a little bit more pronounced. Right you're likely gone at some point. If you have insurance, you have a job, they're going to probably say, hey, let's get some blood work, right, So you're gonna check for diabetes, You're gonna check your cholesterol levels, You're gonna be checking your blood pressure and perhaps even getting an EKG by
your thirties and certainly by your forties. And so it's progression, but it starts, I think, by establishing that relationship so that that can help dictate which way the conversation goes when testing and screening's done. And so you don't wait until the car breaks down. You're repairing small things as it goes along. So it doesn't add up on.
That makes that makes great sense, doesn't it. You got to repair your car, babe. It's rattling.
Yeah, you got a rattle. Yeah, I gotta I got no rattles right now, but I need to need to prevent the rattle.
We want to prevent. You want to change before there is a problem.
Yeah, get the all change the transmission looked at.
Let me ask you this question. You said, find a doctor in your twenties. For me, personally, it's always been overwhelming to find the right doctor.
Yeah, that's tough. It can be tough because now there are so many options now people have not even just locally, there are people that now because since COVID, we do a lot of virtual visits, mental health therapist, even just your family doctor. Many people do this as a form of practicing medicine like telehealth. Telehealth. Absolutely so I recommend number one, if you have insurance, to start with that
because obviously there's a network of doctors. Within that group, it shuts down and kind of creates a small pot to choose from. After checking within your network, asking your family and friends you know who you go to, who do you like? They may know your preferences that can help say where this big good fit for you. And in the age of Google or any of the other web searches, you know reviews are out there and spend
some time. Just like you look for a painter or look for a mechanic, sometimes looking through Google reviews or things like that can help you narrow down the search. And let's face it, the first doctor you can go to may not be the one that you have for the rest of your life. But I think starting that relationship allows you to identify those initial problems.
I mean do we have a doctor?
We don't have a doctor. I have a cardiologist, I have a guynecologist, or head hormones specialist, I have a brain doctorin yes, dermatologists, all the things, but not just at a general practitioner.
Yeah, and that general practitioners like I've referred to before. It's like the quarterback. They're going to help dictate all the other pieces. So if you need to have that heart doctor, if you need to have the orthopedis that family doctor, that intern is, or that primary care doc. They're going to help you navigate the space because you mentioned it can be very confusing. Do I need to
see this kind Do I need to see that specialist? Well, that's the benefit of having that primary care team that's going to help you navigate that space that can be very complex.
We need a quarterback, babe, we don't have a quarterback. No, this is this is not going well. How can we play if we don't have a quarterback? No, okay, we got to get a quarterback. That's number one. I want to ask you about what are the silent warning signs that men ignore.
It's a good one.
Yeah, so there's several of them. I'm going to start with the ones that really get to us, the signs and problems of your heart. One of the signs that
men can sometimes ignore is just fatigue. You know, if you are finding that at the end of the day, or even before the end of the day, you're completely wiped out to where you don't have the energy to engage with your family the way you did before, that could be signed there's something going on, perhaps with your heart, perhaps with your thyroid, and so fatigue is one of those real signs that it's not just you're getting older
or you've had a busy day. It's the consistency that you're noticing on more and more fatigued and tired, give a sign of a name you maybe you're losing play that you're not saying. So fatigue is definitely a sign that you cannot ignore. Another is an easy one of just you know, you used to be able to walk up and fight the steps, and now when you do that, you're completely with it. Your short of breath, you know, exhausting to where you can't catch your breath, and so
that's the warning sign that something's not quite right. In my world, I'm a cold rectal surgeon, so one of the other side, or changes in your body right to narrow down on the cold regular space, changes in your stool, changes in your bathroom habits, whether it be stool or urination, Any change whether it be the frequency that you're going or the or the output that you're seeing, the consistency, the color, all those things, whether it be urine or
your number two activities, that's a that's a flag and that's something that you shouldn't ignore. Well.
Also a lot with gut help, right, that's kind of being talked about more when we watched the documentary on Netflix that was really interesting about just about your gut in general, that we really don't think about how it works, how much you know, your food goes through and then it you know, captures the good stuff and then filters out the bat. I mean, I think gut health is very important.
Especially for men.
Nothing more likely talked about now more likely talked about. I mean, we we we've seen a lot of talk about bloating, and we just always have just bloated. I think there's a whole TikTok craze about, you know, the bloated gut and people understanding now that it's okay to talk about it. It used to be an embarrassment. You know, I'm bloated of gas. It's so effected to who you are as people.
Did you talked about it last night? As a matter of fact, I believe what did we end up with you?
Yes?
Because as you get older, sayings change, and especially for women as you go through menopause. I believe that you know, digestion is such a huge symptom of menopause. Like I've been having new challenges. Let's just say, as I've gotten a little bit older that I never had before.
Always something.
But you're not alone. You are absolutely not alone. That is very common. I hear so many of my patients come in even after we've talked about the problem they wanted to talk about. We'll parlay, if not even from the cell, the family members that are with them, about their gut about you know, I'm having more gas, or I can't eat food the same, or I can't process it, or my bathroom habits have changed. I mean, that's very common, and I think we all realized how common it is.
It would be less taboo than it is right now.
Yeah, I think when we first got married, got together, we keep things very private. When it comes to that department, the digestion. Let's just say I have.
To go to a different restroom in the house.
We have he has his routine. Everybody knows about it, even though you think you're hiding it from everyone.
But very early, doctor, your routine is messed up. It's good to have a root. I like a routine. You know, most men, you don't want to break that routine. You break that routine gets broken somehow, then yeah, then we're talking to a doctor.
And so everybody has a different routine. So as long as you don't compare your routine and expect the same as yours, then you may be okay. But when you notice it's changing that routine, then you got to pick up the phone and say there's a problem something.
So we're looking at fatigue. We're looking for if your winded just doing normal activities that you would normally be able to do. We're looking at changes in your digestion, changes in your output absolutely and your routine. Changes in your digestive routine. Those are all pretty silent warnings.
And pains also, whether that be chest pain or shoulder pain or back pain. Now, these are your bodies sitting in you kind of red flags that there's something that's not right. Pain should not be ignored, it should be explained, and it should be understood.
I've been I've had a situation, you remember this where I was just doubled over in pain and I thought, oh, there's something terrible is happening to me. I'm having an appendix thing or something ruptured inside the way. Yes, and it was just gas, like trapped gas under inside my organs.
Yeah, and so but again, just understanding that allows you to live a life. But if you have that pain and we don't know why you're having that, good, we don't know what's happening here, right, And that's when we took the danger zone.
Yeah, okay, we want to talk a little bit about colon cancer because it is the number one cause of cancer death for men under fifty. What do you have to say about that? Should men start looking at their colon health at what age and how.
So recently that that age changed? Everyone always remember a fifty as that magic age. But we were starting to see more younger patients, younger people with colon cancers, and not just colon cancers, but advanced colon cancers. So that recommendation is now, at the age of forty five, you
should have your first screening for corectal cancer. Unless there's a family history of these problems, then you're probably going to start that testing, maybe even as early as ten years before that family member started having their problems.
Interesting talking about these things as men. You know, I'm sitting here listening about the screening and stuff. I'm coming up on forty five. I've got it, like the screening process. So even just hearing that as a man, you go, no, no, no, you don't need to screen me. I don't even know what that is. I don't even know how I'm gonna get screened.
What's a screen?
How do you screen?
Oh? My god, it's not as hard as you think it is. And there are many ways in which we screen. I mean, most people think about the colonoscopy. There's a lot of videos and TV shows they made fun of the colon It's kind a bad rap. It's one of the easiest tests you'll ever do, one of the best maps you'll ever have.
Oh it's so good. Yeah, I've had a colonoscopy and I quite enjoyed it.
I did okay, Yeah, see, I had I had something in my head that when I was little, I had to get you know, I had to drink the chalk, to put a camera down to look at my stomach, YadA, YadA, YadA, and like even like thinking about a screening for colon I mean, that.
Doesn't sound like a good time to you.
And then but here's the other thing. If if you are an average risk, meaning you don't have family history of colon problems, where you're not having symptoms, et cetera, there are other tests that may be allowed. I mean, you've seen the camercials. Now for the poop in the box test.
Wait what go back?
What?
Wait?
Poop in the box?
You just take a little box, a little thing you put in your toilet, You take a specimen and you send it to the company and they for colon cancer. And so there is no colonoscopy. And again that's for persons who are average risks, who don't have symptoms that you can poop in the box.
Oh my god, I'm going to make you poop in the box later.
Ben, you know, yeah, well not later, so tomorrow morning, keep it on the routine.
He actually he actually may want the colonoscopy.
Now, Yeah, now that we hyped it up so much.
Yeah, we actually have new new tests coming out now where there are I think we're going to get to the point where screening is like a blood test, like you check for your cholesterol. That a part of that screening could become, you know, just checking your blood to see whether or not you are having signs or potential
changes that could indicate you're r at risk. And so I think there are lots of options, but it starts by having that conversation with idocrat, like I don't want to have the colonoscar or I don't want to do the prep, but you may not have to. Maybe other things we can do. Let's just talk about it.
Okay, So you're we're talking about colonoscopy, We're talking about colon and pooping in boxes. Is all very very good information.
Stuff.
I want to know. Is the prostate check different than the poop in the box or coolonoscopy?
So the prostate check is a little different now. Most people traditionally think that the finger in the bottom filling for the prostate, right, and it's a small glen, it's at the base of the bladder. But here's the key screening for prostate cancer doesn't necessarily involve the finger in the bottom, so many people don't go to get the exam because they don't want to have to finger in
the bottom. If you're getting screened prostate cancer, recommendations from the American Neurological Association is a blood test ASA.
No coffee, so no, no, turn your head and cough anymore.
Oh no, no, no no, that's not necessary to look for prostate cancer. So if that's holding.
You back, I bet that's holding a lot of people back.
Yes, for sure.
And with all these cancers, the sooner we find it, the better you are, the better the outcomes are. So you know, it just starts by having that conversation with you doctor.
That's the key, though, right, don't you think, doctor Rufaden. It's it's prevention. It's knowledge and prevention because there's so much we can do now with modern medicine.
And there's so much information out there, and a lot of information it is good. A lot of information is good, whether it be from social media or whether it be from the you know, well known sites over the Internet. But a lot of information is not good, and so it's important to identify kind of the good sites the reliables for evidence based or the sites that you know that you can take to the bank, as opposed to just one person's experience that then becomes dogma.
I feel like this is good information right here, people that we're giving you take key. Yes, yes, I feel so lucky to have you here. This is a crazy subject. Can we talk about a rectile dysfunction?
It's not a crazy subject.
I guess you're saying, we got to talk about it, right, We got to.
Talk about it because you know, let's face it, by the time men are in their fifties, you know that percentage maybe up to fifty percent of manual experience some form of rectile dysfunction. And I think the misnomer is that it's immediately just the problem with the penis. And in reality, when we have a rectilis function, one of the first things that your doctor should be looking at is what else is happening with your body? Right? Is this a sign of having a problem with your heart? Right?
We need blood flow to perform, but if there's an issue with blood getting to where it needs to perform, that may be the problem that we need to identify and address. Wow.
I never thought there.
Are signs of symptoms, take the focus I think from that area to what's happening with your body? What else is going on that can be consured. But it's quite common, but it doesn't always mean that it's you know, a terminal event.
Okay, that's good, that's good. I like that message. What about a lot of conversations about receiving hairlines? Is there anything you can do from a medical standpoint, or maybe it's a supplementation or diet to sort of help with that.
Well, the first thing to do is to recognize it early. Many of the treatment options that are available, they will tell you the results may be better if initiated early in the process. So I mean, I shave mind. So this is exactly that.
Looking nice by the way, but if you.
Start from this and wanted to get where he is, we're going to have some challenge, right, So you have to when you initially see that either there is balding on the crown or there is thinning up the hair or receiving hairline, that's the time there to initiate some form of treatment, and there are many. There's some over the counter options that you can do that don't require a prescription that sometimes take six to twelve months to see results, and it can be effective at allowing here
to regrow and perhaps become more full. And then there are prescriptions and there are procedures that people can do, whether it be implants, whether it be you know, a whole list of things that dermatologists and other specialists can help you with. But the key here is to identify
it early and to act on it early. But know that it's very common obviously is you get older, it's gonna happen to most men and women by the fact that women will also have some degree of thinning as they get older, and so it's a part of life. But as we choose ourselves, like you're the title of the podcast, it's one of those things that we're going to say, this is important to me, Let me seek and let me know identify options that can help.
I love that. Tell him that what you always say about your.
Hair, Oh, like why I think I have good hair? Yeah, because you know, yeah, I have big hips so and I was blessed with a high crack so and you know, to counterbalance that I got good hair.
So he thinks it's one or the other, Like, yeah, he got the big hips. So he's gonna have good hair.
Yeah yeah, yeah, then I have a high crack. They used to call me high crack in baseball in college. So I mean, I so you know that that's my theory.
Where did this come from?
This is his theory.
I have a theory that you can't have it all. You can't have it all. You just can't have it all. So you know, Brad Pitt's got something wrong with him. We just don't know, like you know. So you know, so I've got some bigger hips down there, and I've had you know, I can't you know, I could never sag in high school.
But you have good hair.
But I have decent hair. Yeah yeah, so I have decent I was blessed with decent hair. Also my grandfather. I think it comes from your grandfather, your mother grandfather's side.
Yeah that's a myth, isn't it?
Is that a myth?
Yeah? I mean I've certainly heard that. I know that genetically, if if your father has experienced part of baldness, you are I think one number I saw it was, you know, five to six times more likely to have that as well. So there is a genetic link to it in some way. But hey, if you're blessed, you know, we take blessings of all shapes.
Maybe I'm maybe I'm gonna go maybe I'm going to go bald.
That's okay.
Ill, my dad is definitely receding victim.
That's okay, that's okay. I would ask, what is one piece of advice that all men should take away from this conversation today.
So I think the biggest piece that I want men to take about take away from this conversation is that I want them to understand the importance of just talking about their problems, talking about not only just the physical problems. We've talked a lot about mental challenges that we can have. It's often one of the things that men suppress and don't share as much. But being open to talk about problems.
And that's why I like establishing relationship with a doctor because to me, that is just the great foundation that helps us sustain our lives and have a really longevity,
have longevity with our lives. And so just talking about it with the doctor that you're comfortable with that you can talk about your what your hip to hear ratio or you're pooping in the bogs, or your mental health job having those types of conversations early and throughout your life can really help you have so much fulfillment data.
I think the mental health, I think that's just huge, yeah right now, especially with men, especially with older men. Like I said, you know, I spend a lot of you know a lot of time with you know, guys in their fifties and sixties, like off of these these people, and you know, to see even those men talk about mental health and just discuss it is it's wonderful to see and just how are you feeling, how are you doing?
How you really feeling?
How are you really feeling? And it's more of like, you know, not great today, and then that conversation goes further, you know, So it's that's really nice to see. And it's you know, as you said by example.
But they're also not suffering in silence. Yeah, it's it's it's it's a community that allows them to not feel alone and help them feel connected so that they can be well.
And also with even on the you know, physical side too, a lot of men, you know, if something's hurting them, they'll just prolong it, not say anything, probably not to tell their spouse because if if I tell you Oh, I've got something wrong with me. What are you going to do? Just kind of hammer it, hammer it, hammer it? So what's just not say anything at all? So I think that that is another hurdle.
Wait what do you mean by hammer? Hammer?
Hammer?
And I'm confused? What do you like if you tell me something's wrong with you?
Yeah, and then I'm like, oh, well this is hurting me. You're going to be like, well you need to get that checked out. Well, no, it's not that serious.
So then you're still going nagging.
Not no, And I didn't mean it like that, but you're going to.
I just want to help the people that are hearing this, because this is not just a conversation that you and I would have.
Right, I think that across the landscape of you know, in a relationship, and you know you're very concerned about me if something's.
Hurting you, I'm sure you to go be proactive.
To absolutely, But sometimes I'm just telling you I don't really need to go or I don't want to go. But I also think that that's that's what this conversation is about.
So yeah, So so I think in that case, an option could be maybe making a mental note of that complaint, maybe circling back around, maybe not in that moment, just listening, okay, my back a sorry. Maybe it's a week later you say, hey, are you having more back pain? In very just sort of conversational manner following up on whatever that complaint was, because there are certain issues that you'll have just for a day. Some of you have for a few days.
But if something's experienced for a week or two months, six months, then we know we're dealing with something more serious. So maybe just coming back around to it to say, no, you mentioned last week your backwards sty you still have any problemts with your back, and just leaving it open.
Do you think that men should take supplements or vitamins or think about their diets.
That's a good one. A daily vitamin, is that?
Yeah? So I think diet and what we put in our bodies super important, right It connects our gut health and all the things that we've talked about. I think if our diets are are balanced, if what we're eating is I don't think we have to focus as much on the supplements right now. There are many examples of medical conditions that require supplements. Right if you've had certain surgical procedures. We have other medical issues, they may say, you know, you need to have the B twelve, you
need to have the vitamin D, et cetera. So your medical history may dictate what you need. But for the average risk person, the average person, I think just a balanced diet, eating the colors of the rainbow, eating a balance of you know, your fruit, your veggies, all of those things, more vegetables than meat. You know, those things will allow you to get those nutrients, those vitamins in them without having to spend a whole lot on extra supplements.
The times they're necessary and useful, but I think we tend to rely on them more than just eating well.
On that, I have a question about that. I remember a lot of people I still do it, the interminute fasting. What are your thoughts on that? I mean, I tried it for a while and I actually liked it, and I'm still kind of on this, Like I don't really eat between like eleven, or I eat from eleven to seven, and I don't really try to eat at night.
You're on a camera right now and microphone, so I just want you to know.
That I'm lying. He's like, but definitely, I like I try I try to eat from eleven to seven. I try to keep it in that range and try to eat sensibly. But is is that another kind of wisetail with the fasting or.
Fasting has many benefits. I think to rely on it though, however, as the maintenance plan is probably not I think realistic in the long term. You know, if you're people use fasting for seasons or periods for for you know, health, but to rely on it for every single day for the rest of your life may not be practical because as you travel, as you go and there's gonna be times you're going to need to you're a different time
zone and you're eating. You have to have that flexibility to know that it may be a part of what you do. I mean, I know several people that will, you know, several times a year they'll do a fast for either spiritual reasons or for just the mental component of it. And so it may be a part of your routine, but now it may be it's not the basis of your routine. That becomes just sort of a branch of what you do to maintain your health.
May I ask you some of our listeners questions, Yes, okay, great, Mackenzick would like to know what would you suggest to counteract the effects of falling testosterone levels in older men?
So there are you know, I always start with talking with your doctor to see kind of what are the other variables and factors with your health, right, that's the first thing we should establish. And there are several medications that can be provided, prescription medication. I know you can find a lot of these commercials either in you know, on the internet or on television about taking these testastrum supplements.
Those may not be regulated by the FDA. So asking your doctor about are there prescriptions and are they're balancing or are they checking my labs to make sure I'm responding appropriately, because if they're checking blood work, they should see changes. Are we getting the right dose in the right you know way? Do I need an injection? Do I need a pill? Do I need a crane? All of those things and in what ways is that low testosterrum influencing my life? Am I fatigued? Do not have
the stamina in the gym or at home? I mean, all of those things will influence Am I on the right does and am getting in the right way with the right frequency.
There's a lot of conversation around menopause right now, thank goodness, and a lot of talk about estrogen and adding estrogen supplementation. It's quite a controversial subject. Is it kind of the same thing for testosterone for men?
Yeah?
Low T, Yeah, low T.
It doesn't get the same attention. I've seen several advertisements on television regarding low T. Now we're having the conversation more. But it is equally important. It is equally important because it can influence, just like menopause, so many aspects of your life that aren't just what you think it's about. It's about the way you feel, the way your energy is, the way you're processing throughout the day mentally. So you're right, it absolutely is just as important.
And the best way to find out if you have low testosterone is a blood test.
It's a blood test, right so your doctor kid can can order and they can follow it to see if your body is responding to the administration of whatever supplements they may be providing for you.
Very interesting, Okay, you want to read this one.
Yeah, that's a good one. At MPa seven eight one one. How long should I let pass between checkups?
Everybody has a different frequency. There's some of my patients that I want to see them every three months. There's something I need to see yearly for just all comers average risk at least every year or two, and depending on what the problems may may not be, that frequency may need to be increased. So you may need to see them once a year or twice a year, but
at least on average every year or two. You need to be checking in for just a physical exam, blood work, looking for a low blood counts, looking for your cholesterol numbers, may be checking your heart the things that you're not going to perhaps see right away, checking your thyro levels and making sure you're up to date with all the screenings where they we prostate lung cancer, all those types of things, making sure you're up to date with those.
Okay, someone would like to know Ray Ruez three three eight, would like to know what is better sauna or steam room and are there benefits to either.
Yeah, so there are some published reports about how sitting in a sauna can help lower blood pressure, how obviously it can help with the muscular skeletal system, but the benefits are widely researched and published. I think there's probably a preference of which you prefer whether you want to sit in moisture or do you want to sit in
dry heat and create that moisture. I think after a workout there's definitely some you know, relaxation of just having them lifted or run and just having a moment to just decompress. But there are some help benefits that are published with infrared saunas. But I think it's probably a preference of which you prefer of sitting in sort of the steam versus singing dry heat.
I have a side question on that, doctor, I've been looking into cold plunges. Do you have any knowledge on that? I mean I've heard.
Everything everybody's talking about the cold.
Yeah, like the circulatory system, you know, the benefits inflammation cox Yeah, because I've for me personally, I've had, you know, some neck stiffness in the next and you know, I think it was a lot of stress and then hurting myself. But what do you think about I heard someone told me and then I looked them up like a cold plunge with do you write what what are your thoughts?
Yeah? Yeah, I mean you I saw what was that video? Was that Lebron dump them? Yeah? Yeah? And you can find cryo therapy facilities popping up everywhere everywhere. I think it can be a part of the equation. As always, I always say talk with your doctor before you make any decision like that. But I don't think that done in you know, a frequency of one time a week, one time a month, whatever that frequency may be, that
you're in any danger. But the published report talk about the release of toxins and getting rid of the oxidative stresses in your body. I don't think it's going to be the cure all to all the problems. But I also don't think it's going to really hurt, right facilitate its use to actually use it.
Yeah, I'm not doing it. I'm telling you right now. I'm I don't want to go in cold water. It's just not I did that was for show. I had to do that, But I don't think I'll ever do that again.
I was just gonna fill the baths up up with some ice.
That's a lot of ice. Yeah, give it a shot. How about you ask him this one.
Oh, this is a good one. Doc at Diamond Dot photog, how do we get our wives to let us play more golf for our mental health without guilt?
I think he is at diamond photo.
I mean, I mean, this is a great question. A lot of men want to know. I know I'm one of them.
Well, and so let's substitute golf for any activity that you enjoy, that you provide that provides you some mental benefit. We lead stressful lives and we have to have outlets to release that stress, to recenter, and also to have time with friends. That's very important. And the balance comes and I'm sure my wife's listening to this, it's going to shake her head. The balance comes because you have to I'm just gonna say he didn't say that out loud,
but I didn't know. The balance comes is you have to take care of all of it, right, So you have to have that balance with your friends and be able to play golf or run or swim and whatever your activity. But also you have to come back around to your partner and be able to balance that with their time. And so I think if you can manage
you know, we've spent our date night Friday night. I said date night Friday or your Wednesday or whatever that time is, and now I need the time to have with my friends or to realize it's a part of your health, right, you have to fill your tank and you have to be able to have that friendship which is super important for your own mental health. Yeah.
Yeah, do you like that answer?
Did you hear that answer?
I heard them. I heard them loud and clear. You got to fill your tank.
Did you both hear the same thing or different things?
Did you hear the balance?
Here's the thing with golf, and I think for a lot of men, I think it checks a lot of boxes and just like a four and a half five hour time frame and then you're done. You check your social box, you check your activity, you check being in nature for your man, and you know, and then there's some stigmas around it where you know, people are drinking
too much in excess and screwing around. But yeah, in all those boxes get checked with just one simple activity because you're right, you go out, you you know the social aspect that you are with friends, you are talking about a game, you're in nature. So yeah, I thought that was a great answer.
Doctor.
Now, if you're on a golf team, you need a little bit more, you know, time to practice and kind of you know.
He's a professional golfer. I don't know if you know.
I'm not professional, but I'm on a team.
Where we're going to work on a balance.
Yeah.
Yeah, that that just brings me to my last question here from Jeordie Stevens ninety four. Mental health super important. Let's get men talking about it.
Yeah, let's get men. Men don't always show the same signs that they are having challenges for the mental health and women. They may not cry, but they may appear more angry. They may not lash out, they may become more reserved or withdrawn, and so it's balance and understanding the signs, and they may not even be aware of
the signs. As you get older, as life changes, you react, and whether it be as you get closer to retirement, or as your kids go off to college, or as wherever those things are, those things in your life can affect your mental health. So it's first letting men know that you are not alone, that creating a support system that can help get them through these moments, and then
seeking professional help. If these are spilling over into your life where you're not sleeping well, you're not performing well at work, you're lashing out at the family, all of these things can indicate that we need to seek more help and and and and not suffering silence, not suffering science. I think that's that's super important that men know that they have to support not only their families, but their doctors, mental health specialists especially.
Yeah, I think it's just so beautiful that the stigma is lessening now and that people are talking about it with each other, just having the conversations about how are you feeling and are you happy or are you feeling good about things?
You know?
I think those are just important conversations that we don't often have.
So sometimes it gets the way men that are brought up not show your emotion, be.
Tough men, don't cry, Yeah.
Don't cry. And in reality we create a culture where men are suffering in silence and we are tear in that away one conversation like this at a time. So so definitely thank you for bringing that one up.
Yes, oh my gosh, thank you so much for giving us your time and answering all of our silly questions and our serious.
Questions, great questions.
We appreciate you so much.
Thank you, doctor, Thank you for the opportunity.
Thank you, Bye.
Doctor mcvatt, Bye doctor bye.
He was a delight, he was great.
I love doctor mcvadden.
I want to hang out with him, Well do you.
I would love to go to South Carolina.
Maybe you could go golfing with him.
Yeah, thank you golfer.
So, honey, how did all that land for you?
I thought it was great. You know, I do need to take my health a little bit more seriously. I do need to be proactive preventative. We don't have a doctor. We have to find a doctor. And that's another thing. It's just taking time to better yourself, to get ahead of stuff. You know, I'm in my forties now. I didn't really need to think about that in my thirties, or I mean, I.
Guess I should have.
I think it's all good stuff that we need to break that stereotype for the mail, you know.
Yeah, yeah, I think that is great. You heard his messaging and it kind of resonated with you about it that it's important for you even you need to choose yourself sometimes.
One hundred percent. I love the colon Ascoby talk. I mean that got me fun stuff.
Got you excited?
Yeap?
Oh gosh, I'm sorry. I know it's rough being a man, isn't.
It so hard?
Well, mission accomplished, I guess right. Thank you, honey for coming on the pod and being so open to these conversations.
My pleasure.
Thanks for having me. Love you, I love you.
Again. A big thank you to doctor McFadden joining us today. I think that both Dave and I learned a lot, and I hope you did too. In honor of Men's Health Month, as we continue to choose ourselves weekly here on our podcast, I want you to mentally check in with your body. And I don't care what gender you are, may and woman, whatever you are, this is for all of us. Have you been ignoring a persistent ache or pain.
Have you been putting off a checkup appointment, Well, this is your friendly reminder to make sure you choose to listen and love your body, which means make sure it's operating in top shape. I love you and I want you to stick around for as long as possible. Thanks for listening to I Choose Me. You can follow us and doctor McFadden by checking out all of our social links in the show notes and hey, would you guys do me a favor make sure to follow rate and
leave a review for the podcast. I love seeing that, My bosses love seeing that, and you know what, I'll be right here. Next week, I hope you choose to be here too,