THE MOUSTACHE, THE RIBBON OF MEN© 2016 Danièle Starenkyj www.publicationsorion.com
Why talk about mustaches in November? Could it be because, as Anton P. Chekhov said, "a man without a mustache is like a woman with a mustache"? No. It's because since 2003, the Movember Foundation (a contraction of mustache and November) has been determined to "change the face of men's health."
Really? How? By raising funds. In 13 years, in 21 countries, $759 million has been raised and invested in 1,200 projects aimed at preventing, screening, and treating prostate cancer, testicular cancer, men's mental health, and male suicide prevention. (According to the WHO, suicide will be the second leading cause of death among men in 2020, right after heart attacks, both of which are closely linked to stress and the resulting depression . Movember aims for a 25% reduction in deaths by 2030.)
Is this a truly effective movement or just another PR gimmick? In Paris, Movember has just been launched not with a sparkling blue illumination of the Eiffel Tower, but with an official shaving session in the back of an open-bed truck parked in front of the Eiffel Tower. Men were invited to get a clean shave and then grow their mustaches throughout the month of November.
Fact to remember immediately: The French National Cancer Institute does not agree to support or sponsor Movember. It protests against mass screening, particularly for prostate cancer, fearing, as is already the case for breast cancer and thyroid cancer, overdiagnosis, and of course, overtreatment with sometimes (?) harmful consequences. The Institute states that there is no certainty about the benefits of these tests, namely digital rectal examinations and PSA analysis – a protein in the blood that is specifically produced by prostate cells. The PSA test cannot be used to diagnose cancer; it can only indicate "a possible problem." Normal PSA values vary depending on age, recent sexual activity, and other causes such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis). You should also be careful of false positives.
Additionally, many prostate cancers are slow-growing and may not require surgery or other medical treatments. However, the side effects of medical intervention in these cases can include fear of recurrence, fatigue, distress, anxiety, depression, erectile dysfunction, and urinary incontinence. All of this also makes this male disease a couple's disease. This does nothing to promote male mental health or curb male depression and suicide.
What about testicular cancer? It's the most common cancer in men between the ages of 15 and 35. Its most common signs are nipple tenderness or enlarged breast tissue. Reassuringly, surgery is then indicated on the affected testicle. However, fertility remains with only one testicle. What about mental health and suicide? These heartaches and the mind are directly related to the consumption of alcohol, drugs, isolation, loneliness.
What can a mustache displayed for a month actually, concretely, intelligently do for all these ills? Isn't it another trick to short-circuit the individual and get him to put his health in the hands of professionals from whom he will wait for answers that will only come - we don't know when - with millions raised? A man, men, are men incapable of taking care of their own health? Should we, like women, also infantilize them and subjugate them to medical visits, tests, and medical interventions? Can't they, just like more and more women, embrace prevention? With the same positive results? So why not merge Pink October and Movember into a single, continuous prevention program for everyone? Shall we get started?
The ABCs of Prevention
- Every day, do 30 minutes of outdoor exercise; work standing up; move regularly by going up and down stairs; walk whenever possible.
- Drink plenty of water. Keep a large pitcher of water next to you and watch it empty throughout the day.
- Radically eliminate urinary tract irritants: alcohol, caffeine in all forms, sodas, spices.
- Opt for a diet based on unprocessed plant-based foods which “constitute a good preventive measure”.
- Avoid saturated fats (red meats and processed meats).
- Emphasize whole grains in all their forms, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables rich in selenium.
- Make sure you get plenty of sun or 2000 to 4000 international units of vitamin D3 every day.
- Eliminate dairy products (cheese and other dairy products). They are abundant in growth factors naturally intended for cattle, which grow very quickly. Humans, with their slow and prolonged growth, once they reach adulthood, do not need these growth factors, which will then promote the multiplication of cancer cells and the growth of tumors. (The Adventist Health Study – 1 (1974-1988) recalled these key results in 2008: Men in this cohort (34,192 men aged 25 and over) who consumed a lot of tomatoes (fresh, in homemade tomato sauce, in juice) reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 40%, and those who drank soy milk instead of cow's milk reduced it by 70%.)
- Spending time with men is vital for men's mental health. Social interaction between men is a source of fruitful exchanges for them and for others. Men talk, but they talk to each other by acting together, not by spending time on the phone or sipping herbal tea.
So instead of a pink ribbon or a mustache, for everyone, simply the banner of a daily lifestyle based on common sense, respect for the specificity of the sexes, and obedience to the laws of life, the same for everyone, always, without exception 2. ©2016 Danièle Starenkyj
1. Hart AD, MALE DEPRESSION – A Masked Suffering, Orion, 2002.
2. Starenkyj D., TOTAL HEALTH, Orion, 2009.
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