Men’s Health in Lincoln, NE – 2019

While men and women should be treated equally on virtually every front, there are a few health considerations that are specific to gender. Even common diseases look different in men and women. The fact of the matter is, men and women have biological and behavioral differences that effect their physical and mental health differently. In an article titled “Women’s Health, Men’s Health: Why Gender Matters,” published in Consumer Reports on Health (November, 2016), we learned about some eye-opening statistics about how illnesses differ between sexes. For example, while depression is more common in women, it is deadlier in men. The article also noted how conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and colon cancer generally onset earlier and develop faster in men. A scary layer to this is that, while both men and women are recommended to get tested at age 50 for things like colon cancer, many people put it off because they are either scared or embarrassed. As a result, serious conditions aren’t found till later on or, in some cases, until it’s too late.

It is all too common for people to push their health to the side until something hits the surface. Lance Schroeder, the franchise owner of Lincoln’s two CBD American Shaman locations, can relate to this. It wasn’t until Lance began to suffer from chronic pain caused by colitis in his lower intestine that he made his health one of his top priorities. After trying different methods and remedies to health his condition, Lance stumbled upon CBD oil and now enjoys a pain-free and colitis-free life. This is what inspired him to bring CBD American Shaman to Lincoln. We spoke with Maxx Claassen, who has been with Lance at CBD American Shaman since the beginning. Maxx is very knowledge about the CBD world.

“The hemp plant has been around for thousands of years to treat various types of pain, but the medical community has only recently begun to explore all of its many benefits,” Maxx informed us. “CBD is derived from the hemp plant. CBD is known to help people with arthritis manage their pain, reduce the levels of spasticity in persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), ease smoking cessation and drug withdrawal, regulate anxiety, treat acne and other skin conditions, and combat serious prognosis such as type 1 diabetes and cancer. Plus, research has found that people who take CBD products for these conditions don’t tend to build up a tolerance to the effects of CBD, so there isn’t a need to increase dosage continually.”

“CBD is known to support and bring relief to the body and mind,” Lance added. “This includes relieving stress, maintaining focus, pain management, and much more. We follow only the best industry standards, making our Hemp Oil the most effective and the highest quality on the market today. We offer a wide variety of the highest quality CBD or Cannabidoil on the market. Our CBD is organically extracted with CO2 from 100% organic, gluten-free, non-GMO hemp that is terpene-rich. We carry products such as water solubles, sublingual oil tinctures, cloud/vape, edibles, capsules, topical serum, anti-inflammatory topical cream, and even skin care products.”

It’s important to note that CBD oil is not marijuana, it does not contain the part of cannabis plant that is responsible for causing a “high.” It is made from a cannabis compound called cannabidiol (CBD), which is found in all cannabis plants. “Your body has CBD receptors in your endocannabinoid system, which is a neurotransmitter that regulates the bodies normal homeostasis,” Maxx explained. “As the environment around us affects our body’s normal state of balance, the endocannabinoid system keeps our bodies leveled. The body needs CBD! Micro dosing CBD daily and as needed is the new trend.”

“I’ve noticed that more and more men of all ages are trying CBD,” Maxx shared. “They are replacing pharmaceutical pills with CBD for most conditions. We have a lot of repeat customers tell us their doctors are telling them to keep up the CBD use because their test results are coming back so much more positive. Some customers are even able to get off prescription pills completely just using CBD.”

Incorporating CBD into your daily routine doesn’t have to look any different than what you’re already doing. At either of the two CBD American Shamann locations in Lincoln, you’ll find that CBD comes in the form of candy, gummies, popcorn, almonds, honey, brownies cookies, tea, and gum! Who knew being healthy could be so easy and even tasty!

When it comes to achieving a healthy lifestyle, it is usually always easier said than done. It takes a lot of motivation from within and self discipline to stay active and choose vegetables over mash potatoes every now and then. When we look at someone who is overweight, many of us are quick to label that person as lazy. This isn’t always the case, though. Gym anxiety is a thing, and there are many men who struggle with it.

Gym anxiety can be fueled by many things, including fear of judgment from other gym goers or uncertainty involving equipment or classes. Things like these might discourage someone from joining a gym. Well, if this is you, know that you’re not alone. If you go online to the Right Foot Forward Fitness website, you’ll find pictures of Owner Jeff Madsen before he turned his life around and committed himself to an healthy exercise regime.

“One day, I made the decision that I wasn’t going to be winded going up a flight of stairs anymore,” shared Jeff. “I wasn’t going to live with a shoulder and hip that were barely functioning and constantly hurting. What I didn’t and couldn’t know at that time was all the other areas of my life that were going to change as a result of that decision—my view of myself and my relationships with others, from my coworkers to my friends and family. I didn’t know that regaining my fitness would lead me to a place of mental focus, more peace, and better acceptance of circumstances beyond my control.”

Jeff told us that it is important for him to be open about his story, including sharing his “before” pictures with the world, because he knows that without this type of transparency, his encouragement can make people feel intimidated. He wants the people who choose to be members at Right Foot Forward Fitness to know that he hasn’t always been so dedicated to fitness—there was a point when he had to look at himself in the mirror and overcome the fears, doubts, temptations, etc. that were standing in his way of being a healthier version of himself.

As a member of Right Foot Forward Fitness, you can come as you are and feel accepted. Reach out to Jeff before you visit the gym to let him know your story and your goals. He’ll help you come up with a plan that works for you while making sure you know that you are a valued part of the Right Foot Forward Fitness family.

One final key consideration for men’s health is quality of sleep. Sleep quality affects our mental and physical health, including productivity, emotional balance, brain and heart health, immune system, creativity, and weight. Even if you are someone who always sleeps through the night, it doesn’t necessarily mean you slept well. Your mattress matters.

Experts on the topic will tell you, a good mattress is an investment…kind of a like car! Obviously mattresses don’t cost as much as most cars do, but they can still be a high-dollar ticket item. This is because good mattresses are professionally engineered to bring you support and comfort that you will benefit from throughout your life. The shelf life of a good mattress is about seven years, after which they start to lose some of the support they initially provided and there is no way to measure the amount of dead skin cells and dust mites accumulated during that time. You’ll get more for your money by buying new.

At LUSSO Mattress, mattresses are made with three layers of premium foam, perfectly designed and tested for the ultimate feel and performance. Each layer interacts with the next, resulting with just the right amount of give that cradles your body, relieving pressure points with responsive bounce that keeps you from sinking. LUSSO’s dense, adaptive core support foam supports sleepers of all size, adding strength and overall structure without feeling too firm on top.

Some issues sleeping may require more attention and care than what a good mattress can provide, though. While we think chiropractic care is beneficial to all people, regardless of gender or age, men can greatly benefit from having their spine looked at if they are experiencing bodily discomfort.

There is a quote by Joseph H. Pilates that goes, “A man is as young as his spinal column.” Neurologically based chiropractic care for men is more than just alleviating and eliminating pain. A misaligned spine leads to nerve interference at the vertebral level, which can result in a variety of health problems. By using the Torque Release Technique, Dr. Ashley and Dr. Troy Hayes at Express Life Chiropractic can identify problem areas and potentially reduce the symptoms for common male health problems such as acid reflux, erectile dysfunction, and urinary incontinence.

“Most men have come to me with back pain complaints,” Dr. Troy Hayes noted. “We then use state-of-the-art technology to get an exact assessment of their nervous system. This is when we can identify any underlying problem areas that they may not have been unaware of. This information allows us to not only address the back pain, but also other areas of the patient’s overall health that are being affected too. The reason for this is our bodies are controlled by our central nervous system, which is our brain and spinal cord. If any part of this pathway is under stress or disrupted in any way, it will affect other functions of our body because, without the right signals from our brain, our organs cannot function properly. At Express Life Chiropractic, we look at what is happening with your nervous system to get to the root cause of not only your aches and pains, but other symptoms you may be suffering from so that we can increase the overall function of your body.”

Whatever the hurdle may be, get the right people in your corner to help you overcome it and start making decisions that will lead to a long, happy, and healthy life. There is nothing manly about being unhealthy.