Men S Health

The makers of the erectile dysfunction medication Cialis (tadalafil) on Thursday got the Food and Drug Administration's blessing to market their popular drug for an affliction that affects more than half of all men older than 60:benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. So now, when he can no longer urinate without fits and starts , a man can score a prescription for Cialis and, if he's lucky enough to have health insurance with a drug plan, get it paid for by insurance.

If the world of primary-care physicians had a supreme wizarding council that only weighed in on screening tests and pills promising to head off disease, it would be called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. On Friday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against routine prostate cancer screening for men using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, saying that patients are more likely to be harmed by anxiety and aggressive treatment prompted by ambiguous test results than they are to reap benefits such as better health or longer life.  The practice of medicine in the United States is buffeted daily by a swirling mix of commercial interests, politics, tradition and consumerism.

More than 9 million American men--about one out of 10--have gone at least five years without visiting a doctor, according to a national survey reported in Men's Health magazine. Among their reasons for not seeing a doctor for a routine checkup: * cost (64%); * lack of time (37%); * the belief that only sick people go to the doctor (36%).

The makers of the erectile dysfunction medication Cialis (tadalafil) on Thursday got the Food and Drug Administration's blessing to market their popular drug for an affliction that affects more than half of all men older than 60:benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. So now, when he can no longer urinate without fits and starts , a man can score a prescription for Cialis and, if he's lucky enough to have health insurance with a drug plan, get it paid for by insurance.

"Male Menopause" By Jed Diamond; Sourcebooks Inc. $22.95 357 pages Jed Diamond, a California psychotherapist, advances the theory of male menopause by noting the many changes that men endure between 40 and 55. These include: a drop in hormone production, diminishing sexual vigor and mood swings. Perhaps most comforting to readers are the stories Diamond tells about real men struggling with midlife issues.

Shari Roan, in her article on "Working On a Cure for Unequal Medicine," accepts the assumption that we have viewed "women's health as an afterthought or of secondary importance to men's health." She is aware that "women's health care amounts to two-thirds of the nation's annual health bill" but finds nothing noteworthy in spending two-thirds of our resources on the "afterthought." I do not mean to suggest that all of women's concerns are unfounded or that we should not vigorously search for more effective ways to treat diseases that afflict women.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that many states might be able to close gaps in their budgets by placing a tax on soda and other sugary drinks. The health advocacy group released a study this week that estimates budget-strapped states -- including California -- could generate a combined $10 billion a year by levying a tax of 7 cents per 12-ounce can of Coke or other beverage. Currently, 25 states impose special taxes on sugary drinks. The group, which is lobbying for such taxes and has suggested a national excise tax on sugared drinks, said raising the price of the beverages would reduce consumption.

In this haven of hard drinking and heavy smoking, where vices are still valued as the measure of a real man, a little political correctness tried to elbow its way into 1998 New Year's parties: The inaugural edition of Men's Health magazine in Russian hit newsstands with musings on the virtues of vegetables, suave conduct at business lunches and tips for tasteful selection of a New Year's gift for the boss.

How does this play in Peoria? Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) is taking an unconventional approach to promote a new healthy lifestyles campaign, flaunting his chiseled chest on the cover of the new Men's Health magazine, which declares him "America's fittest congressman. " Schock, who represents central and western Illinois in the House, already had the distinction of being the first U.S. congressman born in the 1980s. The Huffington Post declared him "hottest freshman. " Now, Men's Health says that he's the first politician to ever appear shirtless in the magazine.

Men's Maintenance Manual, a free comprehensive directory of health resources for men, is available by calling (800) 955-2002 or by sending a postcard with your name and address to Men's Maintenance Manual, Rodale Press, 14 E. Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098. The manual, written by the American Academy of Family Physicians and editors at Men's Health magazine, is also available at General Nutrition Center outlets (GNC) during June.

How does this play in Peoria? Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) is taking an unconventional approach to promote a new healthy lifestyles campaign, flaunting his chiseled chest on the cover of the new Men's Health magazine, which declares him "America's fittest congressman. " Schock, who represents central and western Illinois in the House, already had the distinction of being the first U.S. congressman born in the 1980s. The Huffington Post declared him "hottest freshman. " Now, Men's Health says that he's the first politician to ever appear shirtless in the magazine.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest believes that many states might be able to close gaps in their budgets by placing a tax on soda and other sugary drinks. The health advocacy group released a study this week that estimates budget-strapped states -- including California -- could generate a combined $10 billion a year by levying a tax of 7 cents per 12-ounce can of Coke or other beverage. Currently, 25 states impose special taxes on sugary drinks. The group, which is lobbying for such taxes and has suggested a national excise tax on sugared drinks, said raising the price of the beverages would reduce consumption.

"Male Menopause" By Jed Diamond; Sourcebooks Inc. $22.95 357 pages Jed Diamond, a California psychotherapist, advances the theory of male menopause by noting the many changes that men endure between 40 and 55. These include: a drop in hormone production, diminishing sexual vigor and mood swings. Perhaps most comforting to readers are the stories Diamond tells about real men struggling with midlife issues.

In this haven of hard drinking and heavy smoking, where vices are still valued as the measure of a real man, a little political correctness tried to elbow its way into 1998 New Year's parties: The inaugural edition of Men's Health magazine in Russian hit newsstands with musings on the virtues of vegetables, suave conduct at business lunches and tips for tasteful selection of a New Year's gift for the boss.

Men's Maintenance Manual, a free comprehensive directory of health resources for men, is available by calling (800) 955-2002 or by sending a postcard with your name and address to Men's Maintenance Manual, Rodale Press, 14 E. Minor St., Emmaus, PA 18098. The manual, written by the American Academy of Family Physicians and editors at Men's Health magazine, is also available at General Nutrition Center outlets (GNC) during June.

More than 9 million American men--about one out of 10--have gone at least five years without visiting a doctor, according to a national survey reported in Men's Health magazine. Among their reasons for not seeing a doctor for a routine checkup: * cost (64%); * lack of time (37%); * the belief that only sick people go to the doctor (36%).

If the world of primary-care physicians had a supreme wizarding council that only weighed in on screening tests and pills promising to head off disease, it would be called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. On Friday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against routine prostate cancer screening for men using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, saying that patients are more likely to be harmed by anxiety and aggressive treatment prompted by ambiguous test results than they are to reap benefits such as better health or longer life.  The practice of medicine in the United States is buffeted daily by a swirling mix of commercial interests, politics, tradition and consumerism.

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain may soon drop out of the race after an Atlanta woman said on national television that she carried on an extramarital affair with the former Godfather's Pizza CEO for 13 years. Cain denied that he and Ginger White were anything more than friends but acknowledged to top aides that the accusation - following several claims of sexual harassment stemming from his years at the National Restaurant Assn. - could drain support for his campaign.

Shari Roan, in her article on "Working On a Cure for Unequal Medicine," accepts the assumption that we have viewed "women's health as an afterthought or of secondary importance to men's health." She is aware that "women's health care amounts to two-thirds of the nation's annual health bill" but finds nothing noteworthy in spending two-thirds of our resources on the "afterthought." I do not mean to suggest that all of women's concerns are unfounded or that we should not vigorously search for more effective ways to treat diseases that afflict women.