I Choose...Men's Health with Dr. Cedrek McFadden
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You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garth. Hey, everybody. Welcome to I Choose Me. This is the podcast all about the choices we make and where they lead us.

Remember when I promised you guys that we would talk about some man stuff? Well, June is Men's Health Month. So I wanted to have a conversation dedicated to this important topic because I know we have male listeners out there. Hello, I love you. And we have a lot of women who have male partners or you just have a guy in your life that you care about. I have a certain man in my life and he gets

he gets me so riled up on this subject, the taking care of oneself subject. So he is going to join us for this episode. Hello, babe. Hi, honey. So yeah, we are kind of different when it comes to our health, you know, taking care of ourselves. And it has several times now, I think become just like a little rift between us.

It usually goes a little something like this. I say, "Honey, hey, you know, you should have that neck issue checked out maybe." Or, "Have you had a physical lately?" Or, "Oh, prevention, it's key." And you'll say, "Well, you know, my neck actually feels better. I'm feeling fine and who has the time to go to the doctor? It's too much." Okay.

Yeah. As you can see, this is why I get a little irritated because I care about you. And selfishly, I want you around in my life for a long time. And it would be incredible if you would put a little effort into staying healthy. Yeah. It's a very important subject, I guess. Okay. Hopefully our guest today can give me a little backup here.

You know what? I'm actually used to this with the girls. If I say something, sometimes they don't really hear it. But if someone else says the same thing, it's like a revelation. So babe.

Get ready for your aha moment. Our guest today is a board certified surgeon, a frequent guest on the Today Show. He is an associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. He specializes in treatments of disorders affecting the large intestines and is highly skilled in a range of procedures, including colonoscopies,

And you know, he's just a general wealth of health knowledge. Please welcome Dr. Cedric McFadden to the I Choose Me podcast.

Hi, Doc. Hi, Doctor. How are you? Oh, we are good. Believe me. We are so glad that you are here because this is like the age-old question. Why do men not go to the doctor as much as women? That's an age-old question with an age-old answer. There are many reasons for that. Let's face it. Women are more used to going to the doctor.

In fact, we kind of start women off as early as their late teens, kind of get into that habit of going for a yearly. And so it's embedded into the culture that women go to the doctor and men don't. When I was 18 or when I was 20, no one said you need to go for your yearly checkup.

It's just not something we're embedded to do. So I think that starts off the pattern. And I think because of the fact that women, when they are childbearing age and when they have children, it's already, you know, you're going to the doctor quite frequently during that time. And then afterwards it's built into coming back to the doctor for that. So, you know, we've created

created a space to where women are very welcomed and are expected to go to a doctor. And men, we just don't put that expectation there. Oh my gosh. There's no space that we do that. You're so right. How do we change that? You can't. Well, I think it starts by just making sure men understand where they're vulnerable. Right.

Right. It starts by understanding that we have to put these, whether it's pre-college, whether it's your home from college, or whether it's just, you know, you got a new job, you got to be checked out. We have to put some things in place that just allows men to know that this is the time to go. And by having conversations like we're having today, maybe it changes that one person at a time.

Right. Babe, did anyone ever have a conversation with you as a young man? It's time to go to the doctor. You need to go get a checkup. Did that ever happen for you? No, but it was sort of like...

you know, the stereotypical, my mom, if something, anything happened to me, my mom would take me to, you know, got to go to the emergency room right now or urgent care. Urgent care was big. I feel like I had a Z-Pak every month if I was sick or something like that. It was like, oh, you got sick? Oh, just take a Z-Pak. And that's how men get to the doctor when they have emergencies. But my dad, my father never went to the doctor at all. He still doesn't. And he's 76. Yeah.

He's like, nothing's wrong with me. What do I need? Yeah.

And that's how we find out the problems that, you know, you have that fall off of the ladder or you have that car accident. And then you get to the doctor. It's like, oh, we're going to do an x-ray. Oh, this is what we see. And then that often starts conversations about what happens next. So I like to say in whatever way you get to see me, we'll take it. And let's use that as a springboard to make sure that you're okay in other areas as well. That makes sense. How would you suggest that people,

women such as myself get their male counterpart to go to the doctor just for a general checkup. Like, I'm just curious. I want to make sure he's all good and that we're going to live all together in health and prosperity. I don't want to get anyone in trouble. Go ahead. It's okay. Get them in trouble, right? Yeah. So let's just, first of all, say that

it never serves well to preach, but I think we learn more by following the example. So if you are scheduling your yearly visit with your doctor,

Perhaps say, "You know, I scheduled my visit today. What day is good for me to schedule yours?" That's a great idea. It's very unassuming. It takes the onus off of him for having to make the call, but it also gets it done. So that's an easy way to do it to where it's just scheduled and it's not saying you need to do it. Say, "Hey, I did mine. When do you want me to do yours?" It keeps it open and it also makes him pick a day.

And if it's ignored, revisit it. That's a great idea. I mean, that's what happens with us. I go keep myself checked up. I'm very proactive about my health and about prevention. And I'm always saying to him, what are you doing? How can you make sure that you're healthy? Yeah. And, you know, I go to the dentist regularly. Okay. That's a good start. That's a doctor. That is a doctor. That's a doctor. But yeah, I think I'm just an example of

You know, because I just turned 43. You know, I don't think I've had a checkup since I was 38. Well, definitely before COVID. So 38, 39, somewhere around there. So yeah.

you know, just especially, you know, prostate conversations are out and about as, you know, I mean, I have a lot of friends that, you know, now it's more of an open discussion. You can talk about your health with your male friends. And by the way, I hang out with a lot of 60-year-olds. And so there's a lot of, how are you feeling? How's your health? Yeah.

But yeah, definitely. I mean, it's definitely more open now for discussion than it probably was when I was definitely in my 20s or 30s even, you know, it's kind of come to the forefront. That's great. That's such that's that's

That's great. Now, easier said than done because I haven't done any of that. You talk about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But you don't do it. This is great. Go preach it. Yes, everybody should do that. Okay, so let's ask the doctor. When should they start with their checkups? Tell us how they should go about doing this. So I think as early as early 20s, it's a good time to establish a relationship with a doctor.

It's kind of like wanting to get to know someone before you get really involved in that relationship, before you perhaps get deeper into that relationship. It's helpful to establish a relationship because you're going to need to visit a doctor for different things in life. If you need the antibiotic, it's helpful to have the relationship so you can pick up the phone and have a conversation about what do you need to be doing. So I think earlier than later, starting 20s,

make sure you're up to date with any medications that you need, any immunizations, if you're traveling, you know, if you have certain, and it's also depending on your family history, you may be at risk for other problems, right? So, you know, establishing, you know, what was the health of my parents?

parents, you know, did dad have heart problems or were there a history of cancers? That may influence when you start testing and looking for problems. And so that's important to establish, I think, early on in your 20s. Now, as you get older, in your 30s and you're

40s, those needs become a little bit more pronounced, right? You're likely going to at some point, if you have insurance, you have a job, they're going to probably say, hey, let's get some blood work, right? So you're going to check for diabetes, you're going to check your cholesterol levels, you're going to be checking your blood pressure, and perhaps even getting an EKG by your 30s and certainly by your 40s. And so it's progression, but it starts, I think, by establishing that relationship

So that that can help dictate which way the conversation goes with testing and screenings done. And so you don't wait until the car breaks down. You're repairing small things as it goes along. So it doesn't add up. That makes that makes great sense, doesn't it? You got to repair your car, babe. It's rattling.

Yeah. You got to rattle. Yeah. I got no rattles right now, but I need to prevent the rattle. We want to prevent. We want to prevent the rattle. You want to get the oil changed before there is a problem. Get the oil changed. Get the transmission looked at. Let me ask you this question. You said find a doctor in your 20s. For me personally, it's always been overwhelming to find the right doctor.

Yeah, that's tough. It can be tough. Because now there are so many options now people have, not even just locally. There are people that now, because since COVID, we do a lot of virtual visits, mental health therapists, even just your family doctor. Many people do this as a form of practicing medicine. Like telehealth? Telehealth, absolutely. So I recommend, number one, if you have insurance,

to start with that because obviously there's a network of doctors within that group. It shuts down and kind of creates a smaller pot to choose from.

after checking within your network, asking your family and friends, who do you go to? Who do you like? They may know your preferences that can help say whether this would be a good fit for you. And in the age of Google or any of the other web searches, reviews are out there and spend some time just like you look for a painter or look for a mechanic. Sometimes looking through Google reviews or things like that can help you narrow down the search.

And let's face it, the first doctor you go to may not be the one that you have for the rest of your life. But I think starting that relationship allows you to identify those initial problems. I mean, do we have a doctor? Who's our doctor? We don't have a doctor. I have a cardiologist. I have a gynecologist. Orthopedic. I have a hormone specialist. I have a brain doctor. Skin. Yes. Dermatologist. All the things, but not just a general practitioner. Yeah.

Yeah. And that general practitioner is like, I've referred to before, it's like the quarterback. They're going to help dictate all the other pieces. So if you need to have that heart doctor, if you need to have the orthopedist, that family doctor, the internist or that primary care doc, they're going to help you navigate the space. Because you mentioned it can be very confusing. Do I need to see this guy? Do I need to see that specialist? Well, that's the benefit of having that primary care team involved.

It's going to help you navigate that space that can be very complex. We need a quarterback, babe. We don't have a quarterback. No, this is not going well. How can we play if we don't have a quarterback? No. Okay, we got to get a quarterback. That's number one. I want to ask you about what are the silent warning signs that men ignore? That's a good one.

Yeah, so there's several of them. I'm going to start with the ones that really get to us,

signs and problems of your heart. One of the signs that men can sometimes ignore is just fatigue. If you are finding that at the end of the day or even before the end of the day, you're completely wiped out to where you don't have the energy to engage with your family the way you did before, that could be a sign that there's something going on, perhaps with your heart.

perhaps with your thyroid. And so fatigue is one of those real signs that it's not just you're getting older or you've had a busy day. It's the consistency that you're noticing that I'm more and more fatigued and tired. Give me a sign of anemia. Maybe you're losing blood that you're not seeing. So fatigue is definitely a sign that you cannot ignore. Another is an easy one of just, you know, you used to be able to walk up a flight of steps.

And now when you do that, you're completely winded. You're short of breath. You know, exhausting to where you can't catch your breath. And so that's a warning sign that something's not quite right. In my world, I'm a colorectal surgeon. So

One of the other signs are changes in your body, right? To narrow down on the colorectal space, you know, changes in your stool, changes in your bathroom habits, whether it be stool or urination, any change, whether it be the frequency that you're going or the output that you're seeing, the consistency, the color, all those things, whether it be urine or your number two activities, changes

that's a flag and that's something that you shouldn't ignore. Well, also a lot with gut health, right? That's kind of being talked about more. When we watched the documentary on Netflix, that was really interesting about just about your gut in general, that we really don't think about how it works, how much your food goes through and then it captures the good stuff and then filters out the bad. I mean...

i think gut health is very important yeah especially for men and i think more likely talked about that

More likely talked about. I mean, we've seen a lot of talk about bloating. And we used to always say, oh, someone's just bloated. I think there's a whole TikTok craze about the bloated gut. And people understanding now that it's okay to talk about it. It used to be an embarrassment. I'm bloated, I have gas. It's so connected to who we are as people. It's so true. You talked about it last night, as a matter of fact, I believe. Here's the thing.

What did we end up with? Pepto? Pepto, yes. Because as you get older, things change. And especially for a woman, as you go through menopause, I believe that digestion is such a huge symptom of menopause. I've been having new challenges, let's just say, as I've gotten a little bit older that I never had before. Always something. But you're not alone. You are absolutely not alone. That is very common. I hear...

so many of my patients come in, even after we've talked about the problem they wanted to talk about,

We'll parlay, if not even for themselves, the family members that are with them about their gut, about, you know, I'm having more gas or I can't eat food the same way, I can't process it or my bathroom habits have changed. I mean, that's very common. And I think we all realized how common it is. It would be less taboo than it is right now. Yeah, I think when we first got married, got together, we keep things very private when it comes to that department.

the digestion, let's just say. I have to go to a different restroom in the house. Yeah.

We have, he has his routine. Everybody knows about it, even though you think you're hiding it from everyone. I'm very early, doctor. We'll know if your routine is messed up right away. It's good to have a routine. I like a routine. You know, most men, you don't want to break that routine. You break that routine, gets broken somehow. Then you're in trouble. Then we're talking to a doctor.

And so everybody has a different routine. So as long as you don't compare your routine and expect theirs to be the same as yours, then you may be okay. But when you notice a change in that routine, then you got to pick up the phone and say, there's a problem. Something's changed.

So we're looking at fatigue. We're looking for if you're winded, just doing normal activities that you would normally be able to do. We're looking at changes in your digestion, changes in your output. Absolutely. In your routine, changes in your digestive routine. Those are all silent warnings.

And pains also, whether that be chest pain or shoulder pain or back pain. These are your bodies sending you kind of red flags that there's something that's not right. Pain should not be ignored. It should be explained and it should be understood.

I've been, I've had a situation, you remember this, where I was just doubled over in pain and I thought, oh, there's something terrible is happening to me. I'm having an appendix thing or something ruptured inside of me. That was a while ago, right? Yes. And it was just gas, like trapped gas.

- Under inside my organs. - Yeah, I mean, and so, but again, just understanding that allows you to live a life. But if you have that pain and we don't know why you're having that, then we don't know what's happening here, right? And that's when we get into the danger zone. - Yeah.

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Okay. We want to talk a little bit about colon cancer because it is the number one cause of cancer death for men under 50. What do you have to say about that? Should men start looking at their colon health at what age and how? So recently that age changed. Everyone always remember 50 is that magic age, but we were starting to see more younger men

patients, younger people with colon cancers, not just colon cancers, but advanced colon cancers. So that recommendation is now the age of 45. You should have your first screening for colorectal cancer, unless

there's a family history of these problems, then you're probably gonna start that testing maybe even as early as 10 years before that family member started having their problems. - Interesting. - Talking about these things as men, I'm sitting here listening about the screening and stuff. I'm coming up on 45. I've got like the screening process. So even just hearing that as a man, you go, "No, no, no, you don't need to screen me.

I don't even know what that is. I don't even know how I'm going to get screened. What's a screen? How do you screen? Oh, my God. It's not as hard as you think it is. And there are many ways in which we screen. I mean, most people think about the colonoscopy.

There's a lot of videos and TV shows. They made fun of the colonoscopy. First of all, it's kind of bad rap. It's one of the easiest tests you'll ever do. One of the best naps you'll ever have. Oh, it's so good. Yeah. I've had a colonoscopy and I quite enjoyed it. Okay. Yeah. See, I had something in my head that when I was little, I had to drink the chalk

They had to put a camera down to look at my stomach, yada, yada, yada. And like, even like thinking about a screening for colon, I mean, oof. That doesn't sound like a good time to you. And then, but here's the other thing. If you are an average risk, meaning you don't have a family history of colon problems or you're not having symptoms, et cetera, there are other tests that may be allowed.

I mean, you've seen the commercials now for the poop in a box test. Wait, what? Go back. Poop in a box? Yeah, you just take a little box, a little thing you put in your toilet, you take a specimen and you send it to the company and they screen for colon cancer. That's it? And so there is no colonoscopy. And again, that's for persons who are average risk, who don't have symptoms.

that you can poop in the box. Oh, my God. I'm going to make you poop in the box later, babe. You know, yeah. Well, not later. Tomorrow morning. Got to keep it on the routine. Come on. He actually may want the colonoscopy now. Yeah, now that we hyped it up so much. Yeah. We actually have new tests coming out now where there are –

I think we're going to get to the point where screening is like a blood test. Like you check for your cholesterol, that a part of that screening could become, you know, just checking your blood to see whether or not you are having signs or potential changes that could indicate you're at risk. And so I think there are lots of options, but it's

It starts by having that conversation with your doctor. I don't want to have the colonoscopy or I don't want to do the prep. Well, you may not have to. There may be other things that we can do. Let's just talk about it. Okay. So we're talking about colonoscopy. We're talking about colon and pooping in boxes. This is all very, very good information. Great stuff. I want to know, is the prostate check different than the poop in the box or colonoscopy?

So the prostate check is a little different. Now, most people traditionally think that the finger in the bottom is for the prostate, right? It's a small gland. It's at the base of the bladder. But here's the key. Screening for prostate cancer doesn't necessarily involve the finger in the bottom. So many people don't go to get the exam because they don't want to have the finger in the bottom. No.

If you're getting screened for prostate cancer, recommendations from the American Urological Association is a blood test. It's a PSA. No coughing? No turn your head and cough anymore? No, no, no. That's not necessary to look for prostate cancer. So if that's holding you back,

I bet that's holding a lot of people back. A hundred percent. Yeah. Yes, for sure. And with all these cancers, the sooner we find it, the better you are, the better the outcomes are. So, you know, it's just starts by having that conversation with your doctor. That's the key though, right? Don't you think Dr. McFadden? It's, it's prevention. It's knowledge and prevention because there's so much we can do now with modern medicine. And there's so much information out there.

And a lot of the information is good. A lot of information is good, whether it be from social media or whether it be from the well-known sites over the internet, but a lot of information is not good. And so it's important to identify kind of the good side

sites, the reliables for evidence-based or the sites that you know that you can take to the bank as opposed to just one person's experience that then becomes dogma. I feel like this is good information right here, people, that we're giving you. Take heed. Yes. Yes. I feel so lucky to have you here. This is a crazy subject. Can we talk about erectile dysfunction? Yes.

It's not a crazy subject. I guess you're saying we got to talk about it, right? We got to talk about it because, you know, let's face it, by the time men are in their 50s, you know, that percentage may be up to 50% of men will experience some form of erectile dysfunction. And I think the misnomer is that it's immediately just a problem with the penis.

And in reality, when we have erectile dysfunction, one of the first things that your doctor should be looking at is what else is happening with your body, right? Is this a sign of having a problem with your heart, right? We need blood flow to perform. But if there's an issue with blood getting to where it needs to perform, that may be the problem that we need to identify and address. Wow, I never thought of that. So, there are signs of symptoms.

Take the focus, I think, from that area to what's happening with your body. What else is going on that can be contributing? But it's quite common, but it doesn't always mean that it's, you know, a terminal event. Okay, that's good. That's good.

I like that message. What about a lot of conversations about receding hairlines? Is there anything you can do from a medical standpoint, or maybe it's a supplementation or diet to sort of help with that? Well, the first thing to do is to recognize it early. Many of the treatment options that are available, they will tell you the results may be better if initiated early in the process.

So, I mean, I shave mine. So this is exactly. That's looking nice, by the way. But if you start from this and wanted to get where he is, we're going to have some challenges. Right. So you have to when you initially see that either there is balding on the crown or there is thinning of the hair or receding hairline.

That's the time there to initiate some form of treatment. And there are many. There's some over-the-counter options that you can do that don't require a prescription that sometimes takes six to 12 months to see results. And it can be effective at allowing hair to regrow and perhaps become more full. And then there are prescriptions.

And there are procedures that people can do, whether it be implants, whether it be, you know, a whole list of things that dermatologists and other specialists can help you with. But the key here is to identify it early and to act on it early, but know that it's very common. Obviously, as you get older, it's going to happen to most men.

and women by the fact that women walls have some degree of thinning as they get older. And so it's a part of life, but as we choose ourselves, like your title of the podcast, it's one of those things that we're going to say, this is important to me. Let me seek and let me, you know, identify options that can help.

I love that. Babe, tell them what you always say about your hair. Oh, like why I think I have good hair? Yeah. Because, you know, yeah, I have big hips. So, and I was blessed with a high crack. So, and, you know, to counterbalance that, I got good hair. So he thinks it's one or the other. Like he got the big hips, so he's going to have good hair. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I have a high crack. They used to call me high crack in baseball in college. So,

So, I mean, I so, you know, that that's my theory. Where did this come from? This is his theory. I have a theory that you can't have it all. You can't have it all. You just can't have it all. So, you know, Brad Pitt's got something wrong with him. We just don't know. Like, you know, so, you know, so I've got some bigger hips down there and I've had, you know, I can't, you know, I could never sag in high school.

But you have good hair. But I have decent hair. Yeah, yeah. So I have decent hair. I was blessed with decent hair. Also, my grandfather, I think it comes from your grandfather, your mother's grandfather's side?

Yeah, that's a myth, isn't it? Is that a myth? I don't know. Yeah, I mean, I've certainly heard that. I know that genetically, if your father has experienced male partum baldness, you are, I think one number I saw was, you know, five to six times more likely to have that as well. So there is a genetic link to it in some way. But hey, if you're blessed, you know, we take blessings of all shapes. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe I'm going to go bald pretty soon. That's okay. I'll still love it. My dad is definitely receding big time. Yeah.

That's okay. That's okay. I would ask, what is one piece of advice that all men should take away from this conversation today? So I think the biggest piece that I want men to take about, take away from this conversation is that I want them to understand the importance of just

talking about their problems, talking about not only just the physical problems, we've talked a lot about mental challenges that we have. It's often one of the things that men suppress and don't share as much.

but being open to talk about problems. And that's why I like establishing a relationship with a doctor, because to me, that is just the great foundation that helps us sustain our lives and have a really longevity, have longevity with our lives. And so just talking about it with a doctor that you're comfortable with, that you can talk about your hip to hair ratio or your pooping in the bogs,

or your mental health challenge, having those types of conversations early and throughout your life can really help you have so much more fulfillment. I think the mental health, I think that's just huge. Yeah. Right now, especially with men, especially with older men, like I said, you know,

i spend a lot you know a lot of time with you know guys in their 50s and 60s i play golf with these these people and you know to see even those men talk about mental health and just discuss it is

It's wonderful to see. And just how are you feeling? How are you doing? How are you really feeling? How are you really feeling? And it's more of like, you know, not great today. And then that conversation goes further, you know. So it's really nice to see. And it's, you know, as you said, by example. But they're also not suffering in silence. Yeah. It's a community that allows them.

to not feel alone and to help them feel connected so that they can be well. And also with even on the physical side too, a lot of men, if something's hurting them, they'll just prolong it, not say anything, probably not to tell their spouse. Because if I tell you, oh, I've got something wrong with me, what are you going to do? Just kind of hammer it, hammer it, hammer it. So

Let's just not say anything at all. So I think that that is another hurdle. Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean by hammer it, hammer it, hammer it? I'm confused. What do you... Like if you tell me something's wrong with you. Yeah. And then I'm like, oh, well, this is hurting me. You're going to be like, well, you need to get that checked out. Well, no, it's not that serious.

Oh, so then I'm hammering, hammering, nagging? No, I didn't mean it like that. But you're going to be... I just want to help the people that are hearing this because this is not just a conversation that you and I would have. Right. I think that across the landscape of...

you know, in a relationship and, you know, you're very concerned about me. If something's hurting you, I want you to go be proactive. Absolutely. But sometimes I'm just telling you I don't really need to go or I don't want to go.

But I also think that that's what this conversation is about. - Yeah, so I think in that case, an option could be maybe making a mental note of that complaint, maybe circling back around, maybe not in that moment, just listening, "Okay, my back is hurting." Maybe it's a week later, you say, "Hey, are you having more back pain?" - Right. - Very just sort of conversational manner, following up on whatever that complaint was.

Because there are certain issues that you'll have just for a day. Some of you have for a few days, but if something's experienced for a week or two months, six months, then we know we're dealing with something more serious. So maybe just coming back around to it to say, no, you mentioned last week your back was hurting. Do you still have any problems with your back? And just leaving it open.

Do you think that men should take supplements or vitamins or think about their diets? That's a good one. A daily vitamin. Is that? Yeah. So I think diet and what we put in our body is super important, right? It connects our gut health and all the things we've talked about. I think if our diets are balanced, if what we're eating is balanced,

I don't think we have to focus as much on the supplements, right? Now there are many examples of medical conditions that require supplements, right? If you've had certain surgical procedures, we have other medical issues. They may say, you know, you need to have the B12, you need to have the vitamin D, et cetera. So your medical history may dictate what you need. But for the average risk person, the average person, I think just a balanced diet

You know, eating the colors of the rainbow, eating a balance of, you know, your fruit, your veggies, all of those things, more vegetables than meat. You know, those things will allow you to get those nutrients, those vitamins in without having to spend a whole lot on extra supplements. There are times they're necessary and useful, but I think we tend to rely on them more than just eating well.

On that, I have a question about that. I remember a lot of people I still know do it, the intermittent fasting. What are your thoughts on that? I mean, I tried it for a while and I actually liked it. And I'm still kind of...

on this like i don't really eat between like 11 or i eat from 11 to 7 and i don't really try to eat at night you're on camera right now and microphone so i just want you to know that i'm lying he's lying uh but definitely i like i try i try to eat from 11 to 7 i try to keep it in that range and

try to eat sensibly. But is that another kind of wise tale with the fasting?

Fasting has many benefits. I think to rely on it, though, however, as the maintenance plan is probably not, I think, realistic in the long term. If people use fasting for seasons or periods for health, but to rely on it for every single day for the rest of your life may not be practical.

Because as you travel, as you go, there are going to be times you're going to need to...

you're in different time zones and you're eating, you have to have that flexibility to know that it may be a part of what you do. I mean, I know several people that will, you know, several times a year, they'll do a fast for either spiritual reasons or for just the mental component of it. And so it may be a part of your routine, but in that it may be, it's not the basis of your routine. That becomes just sort of a branch of what you do to maintain your health.

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May I ask you some of our listeners questions? Yes. Okay, great. Mackenzie would like to know, what would you suggest to counteract the effects of falling testosterone levels in older men?

So there are, you know, I always start with talking with your doctor to see kind of what are the other variables and factors with your health, right? That's the first thing we should establish. And there are several medications that can be provided, prescription medication. I know you can find a lot of these commercials,

either on the internet or either on television about taking these testosterone supplements. Those may not be regulated by the FDA. So asking your doctor about are there prescriptions and are they're balancing or are they checking my labs to make sure I'm responding appropriately? Because if they're checking blood work, they should see changes. Are we getting the right dose in the right

you know, way? Do I need an injection? Do I need a pill? Do I need a cream? All of those things. And in what ways is that low testosterone influencing my life? Am I fatigued? Do I not have the stamina in the gym or at home? I mean, all of those things influence. Am I on the right dose and am I getting in the right way with the right frequency? There's a lot of conversation around menopause right now. Thank goodness. And a lot of talk about

and adding estrogen supplementation

um it's quite a controversial subject is it kind of the same thing for testosterone for men yeah low t yeah low t it doesn't get the same attention i've seen several uh advertisements on television regarding low t now so we're having the conversation more but it is equally important it is equally important right because it can influence just like menopause so many aspects of your life that aren't just

what you think it's about. It's about the way you feel, the way your energy is, the way you're processing throughout the day mentally. So you're right. It absolutely is just as important. And the best way to find out if you have low testosterone is a blood test.

It's a blood test, right? So your doctor can order and they can follow it to see if your body is responding to the administration of whatever supplements they may be providing for you. Very interesting. Okay. You want to read this one?

Yeah, that's a good one. @mpa7811, how long should I let pass between checkups? Everybody has a different frequency. There are some of my patients that I want to see them every three months. There's some that I need to see yearly for just all comers, average risk, at least every year or two.

And depending on what the problems may or may not be, that frequency may need to be increased. So you may need to see them once a year or twice a year, but at least on average, every year or two, you need to be checking in for just a physical exam, blood work,

looking for low blood counts, looking for your cholesterol numbers, maybe checking your heart, the things that you're not going to perhaps see right away, checking your thyroid levels, and making sure you're up to date with all the screenings, whether it be prostate, lung cancer, all those types of things, making sure you're up to date with those. Okay.

Someone would like to know, Ray Ruiz, 338, would like to know, what is better, sauna or steam room? Interesting. And are there benefits to either? Yeah. So there are some published reports about how sitting in a sauna can help lower blood pressure. How

how obviously it can help with the musculoskeletal system, but the benefits are widely researched and published. I think there's probably a preference of which you prefer, whether you want to sit in moisture or you want to sit in dry heat and create that moisture. I think after a workout, there's definitely some, you know,

relaxation of just having them lifted or run and just having a moment to just decompress. But there are some health benefits that are published with infrared saunas. But I think it's probably a preference of which you prefer of sitting in sort of the steam versus sitting in dry heat. I have a side question on that, doctor. I've been looking into cold plunges.

Do you have any knowledge on that? I mean, I've heard everything. Everybody's talking about the cold. Yeah. Like the circulatory system, you know, the benefit inflammation toxins. Yeah. Cause I've, I've, for me personally, I've had, you know, some neck stiffness in the next and, you know, I think it was a lot of stress and then hurting myself. But what do you think about, I heard someone told me, and then I looked him up like a cold plunge would do you right? What,

What are your thoughts on that? Yeah, I mean, I saw, what was that video? Was that LeBron? He's got a dump in his head. And you can find cryotherapy facilities popping up everywhere. Everywhere.

I think it can be a part of the equation. As always, I always say talk with your doctor before you make any decision like that. But I don't think that done in frequency of one time a week, one time a month, whatever that frequency may be, that you're in any danger. But the published reports talk about the release of toxins and getting rid of the oxidative stresses in your body.

I don't think it's going to be the cure-all to all the problems, but I also don't think it's going to really hurt to facilitate its use, to actually use it. Yeah, I'm not doing it. I'm telling you right now. I don't want to go in cold water. That is just not a good time for me. Well, you jumped in the water in Alaska, but you were forced. I did. That was for a show. I had to do that, but I don't think I'll ever do that again. I was just going to fill the bathtub up with some ice. That's a lot of ice there. Just jump in there. Yeah.

Yeah. Give it a shot. How about you ask him this one? Oh, this is it. Oh, this is a good one, Doc. Yeah. At diamond.photog, how do we get our wives to let us play more golf for our mental health without guilt? I think he is at diamond.photog. I mean, no, but I mean, this is a great question. A lot of men want to know. I know I'm one of them.

Well, and so let's substitute golf for any activity that you enjoy, that you provide, that provides you some mental benefit. We lead stressful lives and we have to have outlets to release that stress.

to recenter, and also to have time with friends. That's very important. And the balance comes, and I'm sure my wife's listening to this and she's going to shake her head. The balance comes because you have to, she's going to say he didn't say that out loud, but I did. The balance comes is you have to take care of all of it, right? So you have to

have that balance with your friends and be able to play golf or run or swim or whatever activity. But you also you have to come back around to your partner and be able to balance that with their time. And so I think if you can manage

We've spent our date night, Friday night, I said date night, Friday or Wednesday or whatever that time is and now I need the time to have with my friends or to relax. It's a part of your health. You have to fill your tank and you have to be able to

have that friendship which is super important for your own mental health yeah yeah do you like that answer did you hear that answer i heard him i heard him loud and clear you got to fill your tank did you both hear the same thing or different things did you hear the balance part here's the thing with golf and i think for a lot of men i think it checks a lot of boxes and just uh like

four and a half, five hour timeframe. And then you're done. You check your social box, you check your activity, you check being in nature. And then there's some stigmas around it where people are drinking too much in excess and screwing around. But yeah, in all those boxes get checked with just one simple activity. Because you're right, you go out, you

you know, the social aspect that you are with friends. You are talking about a game. You're in nature. So, yeah, I thought that was a great answer, doctor. Now, if you're on a golf team, you need a little bit more, you know, time to practice and kind of, you know. He's a professional golfer. I don't know if you know. I'm not professional, but.

I'm on a team. We're going to work on the balance. Yeah, yeah. That just brings me to my last question here from Jordy Stevens, 94. Mental health, super important. Let's get men talking about it. Yeah, let's get men. Men don't always show the same signs that they are having challenges with their mental health than women. They may not cry, but they may appear more angry.

They may not lash out. They may become more reserved or withdrawn. And so it's balance and understanding the signs. And they may not even be aware of the signs. As you get older, as life changes, you react and

And whether it be as you get closer to retirement or as your kids go off to college or as whatever those things are, those things in your life can affect your mental health. So it's first letting men know that you are not alone, that

creating a support system that can help get them through these moments and then seeking professional help if these are spilling over into your life where you're not sleeping well, you're not performing well at work, you're lashing out at the family. All of these things can indicate that we need to seek more help and not suffer in silence.

not suffering signs. That's super important that men know that they have to support not only their families, but their doctors, mental health specialists, especially. Yeah. I think it's just so beautiful that the stigma is lessening now and that people are talking about it with each other, just having the conversations about how are you feeling and are you happy? Are you feeling good about things? You know, I think those are just important conversations. Yeah.

That we don't often have. Because you go sometimes against the way men are brought up. Not show your emotion. Be tough. Stop crying. Men don't cry. Yeah. Don't cry. And in reality, we create a culture where men are suffering in silence. And so we are...

tearing that away one conversation like this at a time. So definitely thank you for bringing that one up. Yes. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for giving us your time and answering all of our silly questions and our serious questions. Great questions. We appreciate you so much. Thank you, doctor. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you. Bye, Dr. McFadden. Bye, doctor. Bye.

He was a delight. He was great. I love Dr. McFadden. I want to hang out with him. I would love to go to South Carolina. Maybe you could go golfing with him. Yeah, that would be nice. Sounds like he's a golfer. So, honey...

How did all that land for you? I thought it was great. You know, I do need to take my health a little bit more seriously. I do need to be proactive, preventative. We don't have a doctor. We have to find a doctor. And that's another thing. It's just taking time to better yourself, to get ahead of stuff. You know, I'm in my 40s now. I didn't really need to think about that in my 30s. Or I mean, I guess I should have. I think it's all good stuff.

we need to break that stereotype for the male, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I think that is great. You heard his messaging and it kind of resonated with you about that. It's important for you. Even you need to choose yourself sometimes. A hundred percent. I love the colonoscopy talk. I mean, oof, that got me fun stuff. Got you excited. Yep. I'm sorry. I know it's rough being a man, isn't it? So hard.

Well, mission accomplished, I guess, right? Thank you, honey, for coming on the pod and being so open to these conversations. My pleasure. Thanks for having me. Love you. I love you. Again, a big thank you to Dr. McFadden for joining us today. I think that both Dave and I learned a lot and I hope you did too. In honor of Men's Health Month,

As we continue to choose ourselves weekly here on our podcast, I want you to mentally check in with your body. And I don't care what gender you are, man, woman, whatever you are. This is for all of us. Have you been ignoring a persistent ache or pain? Have you been putting off a checkup appointment? Well, this is your friendly reminder that

to make sure you choose to listen and love your body, which means make sure it's operating in top shape. I love you. And I want you to stick around for as long as possible. Thanks for listening to I Choose Me. You can follow us and Dr. McFadden by checking out all of our social links in the show notes. And hey, would you guys do me a favor? Make sure to follow, rate, and leave a review for the podcast.

I love seeing that. My bosses love seeing that. And you know what? I'll be right here next week. I hope you choose to be here too.

That's F.

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For 25 years, Brightview Senior Living Associates have been committed to creating a vibrant culture and delivering exceptional services, making Brightview a great place to work and live. If you're looking for a rewarding opportunity to serve your local community and grow, we want you to join our team. Brightview Senior Living is growing and actively seeking vibrant associates to join our community teams, including directors, healthcare, activities, hospitality, and dining. Apply today at careers.brightviewseniorliving.com. Equal employment opportunities.

Text BVJOBS to 97211 to apply.

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