It's Movember: the time of year when men grow mustaches in an effort to raise awareness about men's sexual health. All too often, it seems as though men's sexual health gets pushed to the back burner. Movember, however, helps raise that important awareness, including information about prostate cancer and testicular cancer.
What is Movember?
Movember is an awareness campaign that helps spread information about men's sexual health, including prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Unfortunately, 60% of men avoid going to the doctor until they have no other choice. This means that many problems, including prostate and testicular cancer, may go without being identified until they become much more serious.
During Movember, men grow mustaches, not just in support of their brothers who have undergone cancer treatments but also to help start an important conversation. "Why are you growing a mustache?" "Because I want to support men's cancer awareness." It's a conversation starter that each man carries with him -- and it's a chance to spread the word and raise awareness. Movember as a program also offers support to men struggling through prostate cancer treatment.
The sexual struggle after cancer treatments
Currently, 80% of patients who undergo treatment for prostate cancer struggle with long-term sexual dysfunction after those treatments. Not only does this impact patients on a physical level due to the lack of function, but it can also cause a number of emotional struggles Patients may feel as though they're letting their partner down, or that they aren't as much a "man" as they were prior to those treatments. Not only that, patients may lack the information they need to understand the full recovery process after treatment for prostate and testicular cancer.
TrueNTH aims to change many of the problems related to recovery after prostate cancer. Instead of focusing on merely ensuring the patient's survival, TrueNTH acknowledges the importance of continuing to genuinely live life following cancer treatments. This program helps patients maintain quality of life after cancer treatments, including offering the support men need to improve their odds of returning to normal sexual function after treatment. While the ten-year survival rate for prostate cancer is now over 78%, men want to know that they will have a high quality of life following those treatments -- and at last, steps are being taken to make it happen.
One strategy getting a lot of attention? Continuing to schedule and engage in intimate time with their partner, even if it doesn't end in penetrative sex or orgasm. That intimacy can help build relationships and support both men in recovery after cancer treatment and their partners. It makes them feel more connected and helps restore some of the normalcy stolen by cancer and cancer treatments.
How to improve your sexual health
While there's no guarantee that you can prevent prostate cancer, one of the key focuses of Movember is the importance of sexual health for all men, regardless of potential risk factors. Sexual health is about much more than improving male sexual performance. In fact, in many cases, sexual health has little to do with performance at all. Consider these key elements of men's sexual health:
1. Frequent ejaculation can help stave off prostate cancer
Men who ejaculated 4.6 to 7 times per week, according to a Harvard's Health Professionals Follow-up Study, were around 36% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who ejaculated an average of only 2.3 times per week. That includes both ejaculations from intercourse and ejaculations from masturbation -- so increasing sexual frequency can go a long way toward helping keep yourself healthier.
2. Prostate massage can also help maintain sexual health
Prostate massage, including both internal and external stimulation, isn't just a pleasurable experience. It can also help maintain overall sexual wellness, including helping with firmer erections, more intense ejaculations, and long-term prostate wellness. If you're interested in prostate massage, a great starting point is the ultra-slim, bendable Molto. Designed by doctors to mimic professional prostate massage, Molto bends to direct powerful stimulation directly to the prostate. It's great for beginners because it's only the width of one finger. If you prefer something a little larger, there's the award-winning, bendable Crescendo 2, which is the width of two fingers, and a fun couples vibrator for both partners to use.
If it's your first experience with prostate massage, take it slow. Plenty of anal lube and a heightened degree of sexual arousal can make the experience more pleasurable. Adding vibration can help take that prostate massage to the next level. Experiment with what you enjoy most - and remember, it's not just about enhancing sexual pleasure. It's also a commitment to your health.
3. Maintain your overall health, as it impacts your sexual health
You may assume that your sex life is entirely separate from the rest of your life, but the truth is, how you handle the rest of your health can have a big impact on sexual performance. A diet high in heavily processed foods, for example, can leave you feeling slow and sluggish--and if you're bloated and over-full, you're less likely to be in the mood anyway. Meanwhile, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins, and whole foods can not only impact your overall health, but can also help improve sexual function.
In addition to your diet, it's important to get moving, too! During Movember, you're encouraged to run or walk 60 miles to support men's sexual health awareness. You don't have to commit to hitting the trails, however, to get the benefits of regular exercise. Not only does it get your blood flowing, but it can also improve heart function, lung function, and more. You'll see the results in the bedroom as well as in other aspects of your life.
4. Take care of your mental and emotional health
While a number of physical factors influence your libido and your sexual function, it's not just the physical elements that impact a man's sexual health. A man who is excessively stressed or struggling with emotional disconnection from his partner may experience performance anxiety or have more trouble getting an erection. Worse, fear of continued erectile problems may leave men struggling to engage in the bedroom or make problems worse as stress rises. It's important to take care of your mental and emotional state and get therapy or help before it becomes overwhelming. However, during that process, you can still enjoy intimacy and ease performance anxiety with the help of the male wearable Tenuto 2. This vibrator is clinically proven to improve ED from performance anxiety, and stimulates a partner at the same time - so a win/win.
5 ways to support Movember
This month, you don't have to grow a mustache to show your support for men's sexual health - though that's one very obvious strategy that can help proclaim your support to everyone around you. There are several other things that both men and women can do to support Movember:
1. Donate
You can make a one-time donation, donate directly to a Mo Bro struggling with prostate cancer, or set up a monthly donation to Movember that will allow you to continue supporting this valuable program throughout the year.
2. Get moving
In addition to asking participants to grow a mustache to show their support for Movember, the foundation also suggests movement: covering 60 miles over the course of the month to help make strides for both your health and men's overall sexual health. This is a great way to focus on overall health and wellness alone or with your partner, encouraging greater overall health for both of you. Participants can walk or run, solo or with a team: it's all about building awareness and improving health. As a bonus, improving your physical health can also help improve your sexual health.
3. Go ahead and grow that mustache
Okay, this is one that most women will probably have a hard time with. Men, however, are encouraged to start clean-shaven on November 1, then grow out their mustache over the course of the month. The mustache is a symbol and a conversation starter: an opportunity to crack open some of the silence that surrounds men's sexual health and start talking about it.
4. Spread the word
Many men remain unaware of the importance of sexual health or how to maintain it properly. Your social media account is your personal platform: an open door for you to share more information about men's sexual health and the implications of testicular and prostate cancer. Movember is also the perfect time to spread information about suicide awareness. Share information, and keep sharing it. Don't be ashamed of your support for sexual health. It's an important topic - and you can be an important part of continuing the conversation this year.
5. Focus on your sexual health
This might be one of the most enjoyable ways to support Movember: take steps to focus on your personal sexual health. If you are struggling with getting and maintaining erections, or just want to improve erection strength, try Tenuto 2, designed to help you get harder and stay harder. Experiment with prostate massage, alone with your partner, or with Molto. You may be amazed by the changes that focusing on sexual health can bring to your life.
Takeaway
Movember is more than just about growing a mustache; it’s about sparking important conversations around men’s sexual health. Whether it’s raising awareness for prostate cancer or tackling the impact of cancer treatments on sexual function, the goal is clear: encourage men to prioritize their health. There are many ways to do this, from regular exercise to prostate massage and going to regular doctor appointments. This Movember, take action - and if you don't know where to start, start with these tips for prostate health every man should know.
