It’s Movember again! And because we can’t grow magnificent beards like our male friends, this is our way of contributing to this month of raising awareness for prostate cancer.
What is the prostate?
The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. It sits underneath the bladder and its main function is to produce fluid which protects and enriches sperm. In younger men the prostate is about the size of a walnut. It is doughnut shaped as it surrounds the beginning of the urethra, the tube that conveys urine from the bladder to the penis. The nerves that control erections surround the prostate (this is why it feels good to massage it).
As men get older, the prostate often gets larger which can cause discomfort or even incontinence. There are however more severe conditions that men can develop, scarily often enough without noticing any symptoms until it’s too late for effective treatment. Apart from prostate cancer, there are other areas which can affect the prostate from discomfort and having to get up often at night to developing life threatening conditions.
Read more about the prostate and potential disorders:
http://www.prostate.org.au/articleLive/pages/The-Prostate-%252d-What-is-it%3F.html
How can you protect your prostate?
To the surprise of nobody, exercise and a healthy diet are important. Ramping up your walking by 3 hours a week for example can reduce the risks by up to 10%. Tips and exercises can be found here:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/377935-how-to-exercise-for-prostate-health/
And something else: Get checked out! Yes boys, it may be a bit scary to have someone check you out ‘up there’ but please, don’t be such babies. A pap smear and ultrasound twice a year ain’t the funniest things in the world either, yet most of us girls still get it over and done with. Better safe than sorry, no?
Prostate massage – Why? And how?
This is the fun bit: massaging the prostate can ease discomfort of an enlarged prostate. Massages increase blood flow to the area as well as release fluids and toxins. You can ask your partner to help you, incorporate it into your play or just enjoy some me-time by using your finger or a round ended object. Inserting approximately 4-5 inches into your rectum and gently massaging has the most beneficial effect. One of the most common items used is a dildo, plug or vibrator as they are used to stimulate internal parts of both the male and female sexual organs.
Make sure to start with your fingers first if you have never tried it before and slowly build up to using toys. You can find more hints on massaging your prostate here: http://www.lelo.com/news/five-questions-about-the-benefits-of-prostate-massaging
To start with we recommend something a little less..er..intimidating such as these shiny plugs and anal stimulators: https://www.butterflyb.com.au/for-him/ But of course there is also the classic vibrator ‘Billy’ by Lelo for men who like something a little more substantial.
And with that, boys, I say enjoy growing your beards and look after yourself!
The girls
