What’s the best gift you can give your dad this Father’s Day? Schedule his next doctor’s appointment.
There are plenty of excuses people make to avoid the doctor’s office — they don’t have time, they don’t have a primary care physician or they’re scared of a diagnosis. And studies suggest men are the biggest offenders when it comes to ignoring their health.
That’s why, during Men’s Health Awareness Month, two surgeons are embarking on a cross-country road trip in the hopes of getting men to the doctor more often. Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, and Sijo Parekattil, MD — both urologic robotic surgeons in Orlando, Florida — launched the Drive for Men’s Health campaign in 2014. Each year, they drive more than 6,000 miles from Florida to California in an electric Tesla car, raising awareness in 10 different cities.
The doctors will be stopping in Philadelphia on Sunday, June 12, at Anytime Fitness, 1640 Fairmount Ave, from noon to 1 p.m. There, they will be joined by Neil Nandi, MD, associate program director of the gastroenterology fellowship at the College of Medicine, who will help spread the word about how men can take better care of themselves.
Nandi knows colonoscopies and inflammatory bowel disease don’t exactly scream “sexy,” but he’s passionate about getting men to take control of their health.
“Men are still dying younger than women. And it seems to be that men don’t take care of themselves. If men don’t stop to ask for directions, they’re certainly not going to stop to get a colonoscopy, take care of their prostate or get their cholesterol checked,” Nandi said. “This is still the mindset in 2016, despite the health revolution that’s hit America.”
But his message isn’t just for men over 50. Digestive health and nutrition is important for all age groups, Nandi said.
“Obesity is still rising at an alarming rate,” Nandi said. “And when you eliminate obesity, all of these other issues go away — high blood pressure, coronary disease, stroke, diabetes and even cancer.”
He’s hoping the campaign, Drive For Men’s Health, will help spread health information to Philadelphia residents and convince more men to visit their primary care physicians.
For those who have already made the step to get their colon checked, here are some tips from Nandi on how to prepare for a colonoscopy:
