For the past 11 years, the month of November has been christened with a new name – Movember. What started out as a humble gathering of 30 moustachioed men has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, and we at The Best You are unashamedly jumping on the bandwagon. Movember is a fantastic cause, one that has grown awareness about men’s health issues all over the world, while giving something very serious a fun and whimsical edge. This month, men can wear their mos as badges of honour.
For some reason, whether it’s a question of machismo or whether men are just more embarrassed, “Men are less aware of their symptoms than women, and are more reluctant to seek help.”—this according to Peter Baker, Chief Executive of the Men’s Health Forum. Although men’s health is a very broad spectrum, testicular cancer seems to have become the poster malady for the issue. This might seem strange, as it is relatively rare, accounting for only one per cent of cancer in men. However, it is also one of the easiest cancers to detect and has one of the highest recovery rates, with 96 per cent of men who detect the disease in its early stages making a full recovery. The fact that there is such a promising recovery rate is probably why it has such a high profile in the world of men’s health – there are so many inspirational stories. We feature one such tale in our new “Their inspirational stories” feature, which we started last month. We chat to Ben Bower, a two-time testicular cancer survivor who now works at raising awareness through the Movember organisation.
But this month isn’t all about men’s health. Friday, November 14th is World Diabetes Day. With poor diets and obesity continue to be widespread, Type 2 Diabetes is a growing problem all over the world. Libby Dowling from Diabetes UK gives us some tips on how to reduce your chances of developing this dangerous and often-fatal disease. We also look at the bullying epidemic by raising awareness for Anti-Bullying Week. Although bullying is something we associate with schoolyard antics, it is important to remember that it can take place in the adult world too. People are bullied by their employees, colleagues and even friends and family. Don’t ever be a doormat and be forced into doing something you aren’t comfortable with. We need to stand up to these bullies and make this cruelty a thing of the past.
“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” – Harvey Fierstein
