Jonnie Irwin explains why he hasn’t told sons about his terminal cancer: ‘Let’s bury our heads in the sand’
Jonnie Irwin has opened up about why he hasn’t told his three children that he has terminal cancer. The A Place in the Sun presenter, 49, publicly revealed his diagnosis in November 2022 after his lung cancer spread to his brain. However, his young sons, who he shares with wife Jessica Holmes, do not know that their father is dying. Irwin says it would be difficult for them to understand his situation at this age: his eldest son Rex is four-and-a-half, while twins Rafa and Cormac are turning three this month. In a new interview with Hello! magazine ahead of Father’s Day, Irwin said: “I keep being asked, ‘Are you going to tell them?’ but tell them what? “It would be horrible news that they’d have to get their heads around. And it would confuse the hell out of Rex – he’s got a shocking enough day coming. Let’s bury our heads in the sand for as long as possible.” In the meantime, Irwin and Holmes are trying to give their children a sense of normalcy by continuing to teach and play with them. Holmes described the presenter as a “great dad and a big kid himself”, adding: “All the boys gravitate to him when they want to show off and get his attention. They’re aware that Jonnie needs his rest and can’t always jump up and play football for hours, but they’re more than happy snuggled up on the sofa, watching a movie. “Story time is a big thing at bedtime and that is something I know Jonnie treasures with them.” In November, when Irwin first revealed his diagnosis, he said Rex “doesn’t need to know” about his illness yet. “We make fun of my hair – he calls it my ‘spiky head’ – but as far as he’s concerned, his dad is normal and why would I shatter that innocence?” Earlier this month, Irwin was admitted to hospital to be “monitored” as his treatment continues. He shared in an Instagram post that he was admitted to keep an eye on a “changeover in my pain management regime”. In an appearance on the OneChat podcast by insurer AIG Life, Irwin said he had been close to dying “at least twice”. “You lose your memory, you lose your patience. I have got a very short temper. It’s not made me a better person, that’s for sure,” he admitted. However, Irwin emphasised that he prefers to think of his situation as “living with cancer, rather than dying from cancer”. Read More A Place In The Sun’s Jonnie Irwin admitted to hospital amid terminal diagnosis Jonnie Irwin says he’s been ‘close to death’s door twice, at least’ Jonnie Irwin says going public with terminal cancer diagnosis was day he began ‘living again’
2023-06-12 14:49
Sharon Horgan says she has PTSD from daughter’s health scare
Sharon Horgan has opened up about having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after her eldest daughter was diagnosed with meningitis as a baby. The Irish actor, who will star in the forthcoming BBC One drama Best Interests with Michael Sheen, said she drew on the experience in order to play her character in the new series. Horgan’s daughter survived the life-threatening illness, but it left an “aftershock” on her mother. “We were so unbelievably lucky and we know that,” the Bad Sisters star told The Times in a new interview, published today (Sunday 11 June). “But the aftershock – there’s definitely PTSD and I dealt with any of my second daughter’s illnesses with blind panic because you always think, ‘If it can happen, why couldn’t it happen again?’” Both of Horgan’s daughters, Sadhbh and Amer, are now teenagers. She shares them with her ex-husband, Jeremy Rainbird. Best Interests tells the story of Nicci (Horgan), a mother who sues the NHS after doctors decide her Marnie (Niamh Moriarty) should be taken off life support after her condition, muscular dystrophy, deteriorates. Horgan stars opposite Sheen, who plays Nicci’s husband Andrew. In the show, Andrew is torn between his love for Marnie and his unwillingness to support his wife’s case. The friction between Nicci and Andrew shows that they “had a real relationship that has difficulties”, Horgan said. “When things get really, really bad, the accusations are there, a certain amount of finger-pointing, which happens anyway, just even in normal parenting,” she explained. After her divorce from Rainbird in 2019, Horgan said the adjustment to co-parenting made her doubt if she was a good mother. During an appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2020, she told host Lauren Laverne: “I was fun mum for years. I entirely thought that was my role but that changes when you co-parent. “Everything changes and you take on a lot more roles and I am much more practical than I was, and I think that is a positive thing.” She continued: “It had some dips in the middle where I thought, ‘Oh, that thing I thought I was, which was a good mother, I am not entirely sure about’. “When you bring anything like that into your kid’s life it’s tricky, when you turn the roles upside down, but it balances out and everything eased back.” Read More Shapewear is booming, and body image experts are worried: ‘It’s really dangerous’ Chris Hemsworth thanks wife Elsa Pataky for her ‘forgiveness’ Kelis addresses Bill Murray dating rumours for the first time Sharon Horgan opens up about ‘aftershock’ after daughter’s meningitis Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’ Debate sparker over parent who wouldn’t give her daughter any birthday cake
2023-06-12 14:23
Rosamund Pike warns people are ‘being conned by the wellness industry’
Rosamund Pike has said that the wellness industry is a “con” that is “so seductive” because it claims to fulfil people’s desires such as youth, beauty and fitness. The Gone Girl star, 44, was asked about “satirical mentions” of Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness platform Goop in her new project, a BBC audio drama titled People Who Knew Me. She said: “I think we’re all being conned by the wellness industry. This idea that it’s no longer enough to be healthy and we have to be ‘well’ is something that needs to be interrogated. “Yet it’s so seductive because it’s in pursuit of things that people are ashamed to want, like youth, beauty and fitness.” Pike reflected on how the MeToo movement “gave women an opportunity to escape some of the demands put on them”, but nearly six years since the movement began, people are now “voluntarily flocking back to being controlled but in a different guise”. “It’s politicised our food, politicised our exercise, and I think it’s really dangerous,” she told the Guardian in an interview published today (Sunday 11 June). Pike’s forthcoming audio drama, which also features Hugh Laurie, follows her character Emily Morris, who uses the 9/11 tragedy to fake her own death and run away to California to assume a new identity as Connie Prynne. According to the BBC, Pike’s character is diagnosed with breast cancer 14 years later and must decide how to explain her secrets to her 13-year-old daughter Claire. In 2021, Pike launched a meditation app called Lumenate, which she claimed could help guide users “into an altered state of consciousness”. As the creative director of the app, she explained on Instagram: “Based on two years of research into the effects of stroboscopic light on brain function, the mobile app uses stroboscopic light sequences from your phone’s flashlight to neurologically guide you into an altered state of consciousness. “All you need in 10 minutes to yourself in a darkened room and the camera light on your phone… I promise. “Since I started using the app during its initial testing phase, I have experienced deep inner awareness through the totally incredible kaleidoscope of colours created by my subconscious.” Read More Sharon Horgan opens up about ‘aftershock’ following daughter’s meningitis scare: ‘There’s definitely PTSD’ Megan Fox hits back at US politician’s claim she ‘forced’ her sons to wear ‘girls clothes’ Oscar de la Renta and deli flowers: Inside Naomi Watts and Billy Crudup’s New York wedding Sharon Horgan opens up about ‘aftershock’ after daughter’s meningitis Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’ Gamer finds indent in head from prolonged headset use after shaving his hair
2023-06-11 21:17
Sharon Horgan opens up about ‘aftershock’ following daughter’s meningitis scare: ‘There’s definitely PTSD’
Sharon Horgan has opened up about having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after her eldest daughter was diagnosed with meningitis as a baby. The Irish actor, who will star in the forthcoming BBC One drama Best Interests with Michael Sheen, said she drew on the experience in order to play her character in the new series. Horgan’s daughter survived the life-threatening illness, but it left an “aftershock” on her mother. “We were so unbelievably lucky and we know that,” the Bad Sisters star told The Times in a new interview, published today (Sunday 11 June). “But the aftershock – there’s definitely PTSD and I dealt with any of my second daughter’s illnesses with blind panic because you always think, ‘If it can happen, why couldn’t it happen again?’” Both of Horgan’s daughters, Sadhbh and Amer, are now teenagers. She shares them with her ex-husband, Jeremy Rainbird. Best Interests tells the story of Nicci (Horgan), a mother who sues the NHS after doctors decide her Marnie (Niamh Moriarty) should be taken off life support after her condition, muscular dystrophy, deteriorates. Horgan stars opposite Sheen, who plays Nicci’s husband Andrew. In the show, Andrew is torn between his love for Marnie and his unwillingness to support his wife’s case. The friction between Nicci and Andrew shows that they “had a real relationship that has difficulties”, Horgan said. “When things get really, really bad, the accusations are there, a certain amount of finger-pointing, which happens anyway, just even in normal parenting,” she explained. After her divorce from Rainbird in 2019, Horgan said the adjustment to co-parenting made her doubt if she was a good mother. During an appearance on Desert Island Discs in 2020, she told host Lauren Laverne: “I was fun mum for years. I entirely thought that was my role but that changes when you co-parent. “Everything changes and you take on a lot more roles and I am much more practical than I was, and I think that is a positive thing.” She continued: “It had some dips in the middle where I thought, ‘Oh, that thing I thought I was, which was a good mother, I am not entirely sure about’. “When you bring anything like that into your kid’s life it’s tricky, when you turn the roles upside down, but it balances out and everything eased back.” Read More Michael Sheen says he finds it ‘hard to accept’ non-Welsh actors playing Welsh roles Megan Fox hits back at US politician’s claim she ‘forced’ her sons to wear ‘girls clothes’ Duchess of York moved to tears by Princess Eugenie’s baby name tribute Jamie Foxx’s rep addresses conspiracy Covid vaccine left actor ‘paralyzed and blind’ Gamer finds indent in head from prolonged headset use after shaving his hair Wes Anderson reflects on being an ‘old father’
2023-06-11 19:50
Ukrainians remember Bakhmut, city of salt and sparkling wine
Residents share memories of their city, before its destruction in Russia's full-scale invasion.
2023-06-11 07:58
Wes Anderson reflects on being an ‘old father’
Wes Anderson has reflected on being a father to his seven-year-old daughter Freya at the age of 54. The filmmaker lamented that he is an “old father” to his child, whom he shares with his partner, designer and author Juman Malouf. In a new interview published on Saturday (10 June), the Asteroid City director said he did not give his own mortality any thought until he became a parent. “I never used to think about having not much time left for this or that, or noticing how the time had disappeared so fast,” he told The Times. “It didn’t have an emotional effect on me whatsoever.” However, parenting a young child has made him think about it more often. “But now my daughter will be, well, I will be very old when my daughter is still very young,” he continued. “I am an old father. And maybe with modern medicine it’s better than it used to be, but you know…” Anderson, whose family home is in Kent, was reminded that he had once said he hoped to die at the age of 90 on a film set. He said: “Yes. That’s good. But I do feel a different thing now, which is somehow my family is more part of it now. And the only thing about [dying on] the film set is that they won’t be there. “But, you know, they don’t need to see me die. They have enough to worry about. They can just take my ashes.” Elsewhere in the interview, Anderson shared his thoughts about a popular TikTok trend that sees users creating short clips about their everyday lives in a film style similar to his. He revealed that he does not watch the TikTok videos and erases them “immediately” if someone sends one to him. Anderson and Malouf have been together for more than two decades, and she has collaborated with him on a number of his projects. The couple curated an exhibition at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum in 2018, comprising of 537 objects from the museum’s collection. It was titled Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and Other Treasures, and also exhibited at the Prada Foundation in Milan the following year. Read More Wes Anderson tells friends not to send him TikToks of people impersonating his style: ‘I’ll immediately erase it’ Asteroid City, Cannes review: Wes Anderson’s enrapturing cosmic comedy is an offbeat Close Encounters Wes Anderson on his new '50s-set film 'Asteroid City,' AI and all those Tik Tok videos Fans react to rumours that Kelis, 43, is dating Bill Murray, 72 Amy Schumer reveals the reason she stopped taking Ozempic Debate sparker over parent who wouldn’t give her daughter any birthday cake
2023-06-10 16:50
Amy Schumer reveals she tried Ozempic while calling out celebrities for not being ‘real’ about weight loss
Amy Schumer has opened up about the reason why she stopped taking Ozempic, as she urged celebrities to be honest about their weight loss. The 43-year-old actor and comedian appeared on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Thursday (8 June), where she revealed that tried taking the type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss last year. “Like a year ago, I tried it,” she told Cohen, before admitting that she stopped taking the FDA-approved medication because of its side effects. “I was one of those people that felt so sick and couldn’t play with my son,” Schumer explained, referring to her four-year-old son Gene, who she shares with husband Chris Fischer. “I was so skinny and he’s throwing a ball at me and [I couldn’t].” Although the Trainwreck star admitted that she was “immediately invested” before trying the drug, she ultimately decided that Ozempic wasn’t “livable” for her. However, Schumer did take a moment to call out celebrities who have been “lying” about taking the once-weekly antidiabetic injection for weight loss. “Everyone’s like: ‘Smaller portions,’” she joked. “Shut the f*** up. You’re on Ozempic, or one of those things.” Much like Ozempic, FDA-approved medications Wegovy and Mounjaro are also brand names for semaglutide – which work by mimicking a hormone that regulates appetite and creates the feeling of fullness. “Just stop,” Schumer added. “Just be real with the people.” The Inside Amy Schumer star even noted how she was open about undergoing liposuction for weight loss in January 2022. “When I got lipo, I was like, I got lipo,” she said. Ozempic, a once-weekly injection used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, has skyrocketed in use after people were reportedly prescribed the diabetes medication as an “off-label” weight loss drug. Meanwhile, Wegovy and Mounjaro are once-weekly semaglutide injections specifically approved for the treatment of obesity and weight loss. There are many side effects of taking medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the most common side effects of taking Wegovy include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and digestive disorders. The FDA has also warned against more serious complications that can occur from using Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumours,” pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking. Meanwhile, taking Ozempic can lead to possible thyroid tumours, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems. Amy Schumer isn’t the only celebrity to open up about taking certain medications for weight loss. Comedian Chelsea Handler previously revealed that she “didn’t know” she was on Ozempic because her doctor allegedly “hands it out to anybody”. During an appearance on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast in January, the Chelsea Lately star spoke candidly about the alleged widespread use of Ozempic in Hollywood and her concerns over its popularity. “So, my anti-ageing doctor just hands it out to anybody,” Handler claimed. “I didn’t even know I was on it. She said: ‘If you ever want to drop five pounds, this is good.’” She said she realised she was taking the type 2 diabetes drug for weight loss after feeling nauseous while at lunch with a friend, who was also on Ozempic. When her friend asked if Handler was taking the medication, which the comedian referred to as “semaglutide” during their conversation, her friend informed her Ozempic was simply a brand name for semaglutide. However, Handler said she stopped taking the medication after she realised what it was. “I’m not on it anymore. That’s too irresponsible,” she shared. “I’m an irresponsible drug user, but I’m not gonna take a diabetic drug. I tried it, and I’m not gonna do that. That’s not for me. That’s not right for me.” Read More Vanderpump Rules star Brittany Cartwright addresses rumours she’s taking Ozempic for weight loss FDA warns against using off-brand versions of Ozempic, Wegovy for weight loss Mark Wahlberg says he prefers to stay in shape ‘the old-fashioned way’ as he weighs in on Ozempic trend Debate sparker over parent who wouldn’t give her daughter any birthday cake Everything you need to know about hay fever How to protect pets from wildfire smoke amid air quality alert
2023-06-10 06:00
Amazon Echo Buds (2023) Review
The $49.99 Amazon Echo Buds (2023) differ from the $119.99 2nd-Gen Echo Buds (which are
2023-06-10 05:58
Sarah Beeny tearfully insists ‘I’m just not gonna die, you do know that’ in cancer documentary
Sarah Beeny has opened up about her gruelling treatment for breast cancer in a new documentary coming to Channel 4. The deeply personal one-off film, Sarah Beeny vs Cancer, sees the 51-year-old broadcaster and property expert explore the past, present and future of breast cancer treatment in the UK, while dealing with her own journey to recovery. She welcomed cameras into her home for the programme just two weeks after three lumps were discovered in her left breast. Speaking through tears at the start of the documentary, Beeny says: “I’m just not gonna die, you do know that. I’ve got a whole life. I need it. I’ve got four children. People need their mother. The truth is, I kind of needed my mother.” Beeny’s mother died of breast cancer at 39, when Beeny was just 10. Beeny says in the film that she had been waiting her whole life to hear that she had cancer. Her partner Graham Swift, an artist, says in the documentary that it was a huge deal for Beeny when she turned 40 as a healthy woman. In the show, Beeny is seen at various stages of chemotherapy. Her sons are shown cutting her hair short, and later Beeny sits in her car after doing the school run, pulling out clumps of her remaining hair. Cameras also follow Beeny as she gets a wig fitted by the NHS. Swift, who calls Beeny a “force of nature”, says he has been up at night worrying throughout the treatment. “F***yeah, there are sleepless nights,” he says. “It’s really hard. It’s horrible.” Beeny has now got the all-clear, and at the end of the documentary, she signs off with the words: “The chances of surviving breast cancer have doubled in the past 40 years, and that only gets better and better the more that is understood. “So many people are so scared. It’s that fear that keeps a lot of people away from going and checking things out and getting treatment. “So trust your body and go and get it checked out at a proper breast clinic. “If you get the diagnosis that I got eight months ago, my message would be, just, don’t be afraid. Because amazing people are doing amazing things and the outlook is getting better every day.” Sarah Beeny vs Cancer airs at 9pm on Channel 4 on Monday 12 June. Read More Sarah Beeny: Why I’m no longer scared of cancer Sarah Beeny shares health update after all-clear from breast cancer ‘I don’t want to be ashamed’: Sarah Beeny reveals she shaved her hair with dog clippers following cancer diagnosis ‘Fearful’ Shannen Doherty shares devastating cancer update Sarah Beeny shares health update after all-clear from breast cancer Breast cancer symptoms and survival rate as Amy Dowden diagnosed
2023-06-09 19:59
Broadcasting veteran Anne Diamond reveals breast cancer diagnosis
Broadcasting veteran Anne Diamond has revealed she has been diagnosed with breast cancer. The GB News presenter said she had received the diagnosis the same day as finding out she was to be made OBE. After beginning her career in regional news, Diamond went on to work for both ITV and the BBC, becoming a star of daytime TV in the 1980s and 1990s. She presented programmes like BBC One’s Good Morning with Anne And Nick, TV-am’s Good Morning Britain and TV Weekly. She joined GB News in 2022 to host weekend breakfast shows with Stephen Dixon, though has been off air for six months. Speaking to GB News’ Dan Wootton, she revealed she had undergone a double mastectomy in her “fight against breast cancer”, which she described as “a long journey”. “I haven’t been on a world cruise, which is what I know social media has been saying… because I’m well known now for loving cruises,” she said. “It’s been a fight against breast cancer. That’s what it’s been. It’s been a long journey. And five months later, I’m still not at the end of the journey, but I’m through it enough to come back to work.” Diamond recalled how she had learned the news on the same morning she was told via email that she had been awarded an OBE for her campaigning on cot deaths. She and her then-husband Mike Hollingsworth lost their son Sebastian in 1990 after he died from sudden infant death syndrome (Sids) – commonly called cot death. Diamond joined forces with the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID), now known as The Lullaby Trust, and the Department of Health to launch the successful Back to Sleep campaign. She was made OBE in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to public health and charity. “It was a wonderful moment and that was like 9.30 in the morning,” she told GB News. “But I knew then, because I’d already seen my GP, that I had to go to a breast cancer screening thing later in the morning. I thought I would just go for a mammogram, and a couple of tests and I’d be free in an hour. “I spent the entire morning at my local hospital where they did everything, biopsies, X-rays, CT scans, a couple of mammograms, everything, and by lunchtime I was still there. “And a lovely lady came with a lanyard around her neck that said MacMillan Cancer Care and I knew then it was serious.” Diamond added that she did not have advice for others as she was “still going through it”, but added that she was “well enough” to return to work. The presenter said she has had a full mastectomy and a “load of radiotherapy”. “So it’s been a journey, but I’m not pretending for a minute that I am extraordinary, because I am fully aware that a quarter of women in this country are going through what I’ve just gone through and I don’t have any advice to give. Diamond will return to GB News on Saturday to host Breakfast with Dixon. Read More Chris Hemsworth thanks wife Elsa Pataky for her ‘forgiveness’ Mother sparks debate after ‘shaming’ parent who wouldn’t give her daughter a slice of birthday cake Prince Harry – latest: Duke lands in California after ‘last stay’ in Frogmore following bombshell testimony Everything we know about Jamie Foxx’s health condition 7 things fitness experts want you to know about exercise during a heatwave The £4 hay fever tablet that ‘cures all symptoms’
2023-06-09 18:17
7 things fitness experts want you to know about exercise during a heatwave
A heatwave is headed to the UK, with parts of the country predicted to be hotter than Marbella, Ibiza and Tenerife. With temperatures likely to soar to 28C, what does this mean for your exercise regime? If you’re tempted to ditch the workouts and head to the nearest beer garden or park instead – or just flop on the sofa with a fan on full blast – we don’t blame you. But if you are keen to keep active, it’s wise to consider how the heat might affect things, and what adjustments you could make in order to stay as comfortable and safe as possible… 1. Exercise early in the morning It tends to be a lot cooler early or late in the day. Omar Mansour, fitness coach and ambassador for audio fitness app WithU, says: “The heat can be really difficult to deal with, so switching your schedule around and making time for your workout in the morning is a good idea. “Whether it’s getting outside before the heat gets into the day, or getting into the gym ahead of the heat and the rush, avoiding workouts in higher temperatures can keep you comfortable, but on track.” 2. Do a home workout Steered away from home workouts now pandemic restrictions have lifted? When it’s mega hot outside, exercising in a cool room at home might make sense – plus you can jump straight into a refreshing shower afterwards. “You don’t always have to go to the gym to get your pump on. With increased temperatures and gyms becoming busier, home workouts are a sure-fire way of prioritising your fitness,” says Mansour. 3. Be a hydration hero Staying hydrated is always important during exercise – but even more so when the sun heats up, when you could be at greater risk of dehydration symptoms, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. “Keeping hydrated during workouts in the heat will help your body do its job, by sweating in order to keep you cool,” says David Wiener, training specialist at AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics. He suggests thinking about drinking water throughout your workout to “maintain your blood volume levels. This allows you to train and perform better due to the amount of oxygen being pumped around the body.” 4. Switch it up Intense cardio may not always be suitable in the heat, but if you still want the benefits of moving your body – switch things up. “Working out doesn’t always mean working up a massive sweat, and prioritising your mental health is equally as important as prioritising your physical health,” says Mansour. “There are a range of workouts, including yoga, stretching, barre and mindfulness, that allow you to prioritise your physical and mental health without overheating.” 5. Take the pressure off Wiener says it’s OK to make workouts “shorter and slower” when temperatures ramp up. Even with a 15-minute HIIT session, you’ll still be making those gains. 6. Go for cooling kit Fitness clothing needs to be adapted to the time of year – and when the heat is on, it’s all about maximising your ability to stay cool. Wiener advises opting for “breathable, lightweight and light-coloured workout attire that permits sweat to evaporate”. This will also help keep skin irritation and heat rashes at bay, he adds. “It’s also vitally important to wear a hat,” says Wiener – and don’t forget to protect your eyes if you’re out in the sun. 7. Call it quits if it gets too much It really is OK to call it a day early if you need to. As Wiener says: “Be sure to listen to your body. If you start to feel extremely tired, lightheaded, disorientated, or nauseous, you should stop exercising, grab some water and find somewhere cool to sit.” Speak to your GP if you have concerns about any of these symptoms.
2023-06-09 16:50
Dr Hilary Jones: Men need to talk about erectile dysfunction
Dr Hilary Jones says it’s important that men talk about erectile dysfunction – as it could be a sign of other underlying health problems. The GP and TV medic wants to encourage people suffering from the issue to see their doctor, as it could be a symptom of diabetes, heart disease or other health problems that need to be properly treated. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is particularly common as men get older, and is believed to affect half of men over 40 and around 26% of men under 40. Yet it is often still a taboo, and as Jones – speaking as an adviser to the Eroxon ED Information Panel (EEDIP) – points out, men are “much less likely to go to see a doctor about something below the waist”. Here’s a look at some of the wider health issues that could be linked with erectile dysfunction… Heart problems Men’s health and sexual function specialist Dr Anand Patel says heart problems are a potential cause of ED, particularly for older men. “Doctors often say it is a heart problem until proven otherwise as you get older, due to the narrowing of blood vessels and damaging of nerves,” Patel explains. “The penis is a blood sac, if your heart isn’t working properly, you won’t be able to fill your penis.” Diabetes Jones says erectile dysfunction “can be a symptom of diabetes” in some cases. So, it’s important to get any warning signs checked out, especially if you have a family history. “We know that diabetes is often present for some considerable time before a diagnosis is made – the symptoms creep up on somebody, and through that time there is damage being done to circulation, blood vessels and nerves. The longer a diagnosis is delayed, the greater the risk of damage,” Jones explains. Mental health problems Erectile dysfunction can also be linked with mental health conditions, including severe and chronic stress. Certain mental health medications can also cause the problem, while ED itself can take a toll on a person’s mental wellbeing too. “There have been cases where men are tortured by their perceived failure to maintain erection, they feel emasculated. Some men find this very difficult to deal with or talk about,” says Jones, who notes that erectile dysfunction can trigger depression in some cases. Urging anyone affected to seek support, he reassures that ED “is eminently treatable – it is not something you need to suffer with in silence”. Obesity Jones adds: “Increasing age is a major factor, as is obesity. Men who are obese have a three times greater risk of suffering from ED.” Obesity can also be a risk factor for diabetes and heart problems, so it’s important to bear it in mind when it comes to overall health. Addiction Both drug and alcohol misuse could be causing ED, says Patel. Plus, there’s another addiction that may also be to blame… “We are now seeing the influence of porn,” says Jones. “For younger men, one of the reasons for this increase in ED is exposure to pornography over longer periods. A third of men are watching porn once a week, one in eight on most days, and in those aged 18-29 almost every day. “The Kinsey Institute has introduced this new classification, pornography-induced ED, which is due to unrealistic expectations in the real world, and huge pressure on men to perform ‘normally’. Pornography is not real,” he adds. If you are struggling with erectile dysfunction, there are numerous treatments available. Seek advice from your doctor. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Judy Murray: More needs to be done to protect athletes from abuses of power Nearly half UK adults believe LGBTQ+ representation important in storytelling – study What to wear to Glastonbury this year
2023-06-09 15:56