men’s health – TYPiNG ouT oF THe BLue

November isn’t just another month. It’s when the world slows down a bit to remember health, kindness, awareness, and learning. Six causes share the spotlight—each one real, each one worth your time.

💙 Diabetes Awareness Month

Too much sugar isn’t just about sweet food—it’s about silent danger. Millions live with diabetes every day, balancing meals, medicine, and hope. This month calls us to move more, eat better, and get tested early. Sometimes one small lifestyle change saves a lifetime.

🤍 Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Every breath matters. Lung cancer remains one of the world’s deadliest, yet it can often be prevented or caught early. Avoiding smoke, keeping air clean, and going for checkups are small steps that protect lungs—and lives.

💜 Epilepsy Awareness Month

People with epilepsy fight more than seizures—they fight stigma. Some still fear it or misunderstand it. But knowledge kills fear. Learn how to help someone during a seizure: stay calm, protect their head, wait it out. Respect begins when we understand.

💙 Men’s Health Awareness Month (Movember)

Beards grow, conversations start. Movember is more than a moustache trend—it’s a movement. Men everywhere are reminded to talk about their mental health, get screened for cancers, and drop the “I’m fine” act. Real strength means knowing when to ask for help.

💛 Children’s Month (Philippines)

Children are the soul of tomorrow. The Philippines dedicates November to them—to remind everyone that kids deserve safety, care, and opportunity. Support their dreams, protect their rights, and listen when they speak. They’re not just the future—they’re already the present.

📚 National Reading Month (Philippines)

Stories build nations. November in the Philippines also celebrates the joy of reading—opening minds, shaping values, and keeping imagination alive. Whether it’s a child discovering a book or an adult finding wisdom in words, reading connects us all.

November isn’t just filled with posters or hashtags—it’s a quiet call to remember what matters most: life, health, growth, and compassion. Even one small act—one checkup, one book shared, one kindness—can change someone’s story. 🌤️

⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ

Last time, I wrote something about World Menopause Day.

This time, I ended up researching its male counterpart—andropause.

When we get older, we become a little paranoid, so maybe that’s why I did the research. Maybe I just wanted to know what really happens—or if “andropause” is even a real word. Turns out, it is.

Andropause is like the male version of menopause, only slower and quieter. Instead of a sudden stop, it’s a slow fade. It happens when testosterone—you know, the hormone that keeps a man’s energy, focus, drive, and even confidence steady—starts to dip. Not crash, just drop a little every year.

At first, you don’t notice. Then, small things start to change:

• You wake up earlier even when you didn’t plan to.

• Coffee hits different—it’s more comfort than kick.

• You notice small aches that used to go away faster.

• Nights get quieter, but thoughts get louder.

• You look at younger people and think, “They’ll learn.”

• You crave peace more than excitement.

It’s not an illness, just a shift.

The body starts changing pace, and the mind learns to keep up.

Maybe slowing down isn’t loss at all—man, maybe it’s life giving us space to notice what really matters.

—

I wrote this back in 1989—when I thought life was already sad, even with little experience. I didn’t know that years later, I’d feel that same sadness again, but differently.

Before, sadness felt like loneliness.
Now, it feels like reflection—quiet, calm, and strangely full.