Hello world, I am excited to be back to express my thoughts on how to help yourself be a better you. Especially when it comes to your health and emergency preparedness :-)
My thoughts today spruced up from a conversation I was having with some friends recently and I would like to share it with you and get your thoughts...
As a woman, we've known as long as we can remember how to take care of our bodies and how and when to take preventative measures to keep our "womanly" core as healthy as possible. We hear this from our mothers, aunts, grandmothers, and doctors throughout our lives. However, recently, I have realized that not only are we taught differently than men but we are told different preventative measures as well. Of course, there are many measures that have nothing to do with the opposite sex and need not to be discussed on both ends but there are some that do and should be addressed more frequently than not.
Here's an example, the Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a well known virus that has been, in the past 10 years, a hot topic. If you look at the commercials that promote prevention from HPV they are geared more towards females. Telling females how to get tested and they can help prevent it at a young age. However, I think that it does not target the male population like it should. Yes we know that men are susceptible to the virus but it is not as highly motivated for them to take HPV seriously as women. For me, this is unacceptable because HPV is just as harmful to men as it is to women. Genital cancers/warts and oral cancers are free game. There is no gender specific situation here.
So, men and women, get tested and make it a part of your blood test as your REGULAR virus & STD testing. Know yourself and ask your physician what tests you should be taking as a sexually active individual. Be your own preventative method, request blood work, get screenings, and do not just wait for the doctors to tell you it is time.
You cannot prevent everything, but lets do our best to help prevent what we can...
Peace & Blessings,
M. D. Martin
