Men's Health Month with Corewell Health

Dr. Lauren Snyder, Primary Care Provider with Corewell Health joins us to discuss Men's Health Month, health related Father's Day gifts, and what types of screenings men should be going in for. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well Father's Day is on Sunday, and it's Men's Health
Month all month longer friends at core Well Health, they're
going to put those two things together that could involve
you helping dad. This is West Michigan's Morning News. I'm
Steve Kelly and joined by doctor Laurence Snyder, primary care
provider at Core well Health. Doctor Snyder, thanks for doing

(00:20):
this today.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Start with the strange phenomenon of dads of men not
going to the doctor. I recently saw a man motivational
speaker at one of my men's groups talked about getting
diagnosed with something he should have gone to the doctor
for months before that included some bizarre bleeding. What is

(00:44):
it with us, doctor.

Speaker 2 (00:45):
Well, we do know that men present as a doctor
leader for conditions that they're having, for symptems that they're having,
and because of that, they will get diagnosed there and
it's harder to treat these conditions. I think that a
lot of men are just feeling ashamed about asking for help.
They're so used to being self sufficient and having pride

(01:07):
in doing things on their own, and they feel like
it's a sign of weakness to ask for help. But
really it's a kind of strength to be willing that
they're not committing at avincible and asked to have someone
help coach them along your path to help.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Yeah, and the idea of getting with your primary care
physician and establishing a set of numbers that may be
unique to you, whether it's your blood pressure or whatever else.
Just knowing what that is in a normal way for
you helps should it go up or down.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
Right, Definitely, having that connection with your primary care doctor
and knowing what screamings are important for you is essential.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
So speaking of tools and speaking of a gift for
Father's Day, are there things that we can buy? Is
like a fit bit or something like that a good
idea for Dan to help in that whole process.

Speaker 2 (01:59):
So I think that the best healthy gift is something
he will actually enjoy and use. Healthy looks different for everyone.
So if your dad hates running, there's no point in
getting in the treadmill list just going to collect dust.
But if he likes to bowl, get him some opportunities
to go bowl and be active and move his body
that way, lean into those hobbies he already enjoys, or

(02:22):
better yet, you enjoy together finding a gift that will
help him spend more time moving and staying active with
friends and family. A lot of people are getting into
pickleball right now, and I love that because you're moving,
but you're also making those connections, and a lot of
men are struggling with a lack of social connection and
that can increase their stress and their risk of health

(02:44):
issues as well.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Yeah, we a couple of summers ago played with the kids.
That really sparked the idea. So make it an experience
and then maybe that'll light the fire under dad to
do something and then maybe inspire Dad to set those numbers.
Talk to us a little bit about some key screenings
that we can help reinforce with dad.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Screenings will depend a little bit on your personal risk
factors and family history, but in general, men should be
getting screened for high cholesterol, anti blood pressure every few
years in their twenties and thirties, and then every year
starting at age forty. They should be getting screened for
diabetes and colon cancer starting at age forty five. Pastic
cancer is another very important screening topic. Most men should

(03:30):
begin discussing this topic with a doctor around age fifty
or fifty five, but there are many other individual factors
that consider with prostate cancer screening, which is why it's
so important to have a primary care provider who understands
your values and can review these different screening guidsines in
more details. There's also screening that's important for older men

(03:51):
who are current or former cigarette smokers, where they can
be screened for lung cancer and checking for aerotic aneurysms.

Speaker 1 (03:58):
That is primary care provider with Core Well Health, doctor
Lauren Snyder. Thank you so much for your time today.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Thanks so much for having me