Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride – Raising Awareness for Prostate Cancer and Men’s Mental Health

In today’s post, I would like to talk about the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, as well as discuss two critically important men’s health issues – prostate cancer and men’s mental health.

Our focus at Linden Botanicals is on helping you optimize your health. Here, I’ll talk about the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride, as well as discuss two critically important men’s health issues – prostate cancer and men’s mental health. These two issues aren’t discussed nearly enough, in part because they’re often considered uncomfortable or taboo.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride

We at Linden Botanicals sponsor a friend of ours here in Denver who participates each year in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride.

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride began as a goodwill event in 2012, and today it’s a global fundraiser. Each year, tens of thousands of distinguished gentlefolk in hundreds of cities worldwide don cravats, tweak their mustaches, press their tweed, and ride their classic and vintage-styled motorcycles. Their goal? To raise funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and men’s mental health.

On September 24, 2017, 330 men and women in Denver participated in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride. It was truly a sight to see. [The video above was taken in River North (RiNo) Denver on Walnut Street near Crema Coffee.]

Prostate Cancer Awareness

The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride brings awareness to prostate cancer and raising money to support prostate cancer research. Prostate health is critically important, but some men aren’t comfortable talking about it. And some men aren’t aware of the dangers of undetected prostate issues. In this case, ignorance isn’t bliss, and what you don’t know can kill you (yes, you can literally die from embarrassment).

The prostate is a gland found only in men that wraps around the urethra (the tube that drains the bladder). Its main function is to produce semen (the carrier fluid for sperm). After men reach age 50, it’s common for the prostate to grow in size, which can constrict the urethra and cause weak urine flow. This condition, called prostate hyperplasia, isn’t by itself a sign of prostate cancer. (Beta-sitosterol found in Phyllanthus niruri can help with benign prostate hyperplasia.)

The first line of defense is to have your medical practitioner determine the health of your prostate through a digital rectal exam. This exam is a source of embarrassment for many men and a big reason that many early warning signs go undetected.

Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride: Suicide Awareness and Prevention

Influenced by the tragedy of losing one of their ride hosts to depression, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride added funding for men’s mental health programs to its fundraising goals.

In the United States, 33,000 men commit suicide each year, making suicide the 7th leading cause of death for American men. What’s more, suicide ranks as the second most common cause of death for men aged 10 to 39.

Making it to your 40s doesn’t signal an all clear. Suicide rates for men aged 45 to 64 have jumped by 43% over the last decade and a half. The major risk factors include serious depressive episodes, feelings of hopelessness, or feelings of being trapped in one’s circumstances.

Generally speaking, if someone close to you is going through a depressive episode and is feeling hopeless, reach out. And don’t be shy about asking if they are thinking about suicide – or about getting them the help they need.

With All Due Respect, Get Over Yourself

We’ll investigate men’s mental health and prostate health in greater depth in later posts. In the meantime, and I mean this with love and respect, get over yourself. Your life is far too precious to toss away over a bit of embarrassment or discomfort. Talk with your doctor about issues like painful urination or bladder control, erectile dysfunction, or unexplained weight loss. And talk to friends, family, or your doctor when you’re feeling depressed.

You’re not Superman. You’re human. So take care of yourself. And remember that knowledge is power. Learning how your body works and how to optimize your health will make you stronger. And it just might save your life.