Live Well: Men’s Health

Dignity Health Dr. George Kallingal treats patients with cancers of the urinary tract and male reproductive organs. While the primary focus is on combatting that cancer, the urologic oncologist also focuses on “treating the whole man in the context of his health and his overall goals.”

June is National Men’s Health Month – while the journey to good health is year-round, this month marks a time to encourage men to focus on actions that can support a healthy lifestyle.

For Kallingal’s patients, that can mean prostate health, energy, sex drive and intimacy. 

Two driving factors that can impact sex drive and intimacy? Kallingal recommends meditation and good communications habits. Meditation, he says, has been shown to improve energy and testosterone levels. And, those good communications habits are his key to improving intimacy with a partner – particularly when coping with an illness that can impact mood and physical performance, he says. 

The other elements that build wellness, Kallingal notes, are foundational: getting enough sleep, exercising and maintaining a good diet. “Studies have shown that men who get at least eight hours of sleep, get routine exercise and follow a healthy diet have better overall energy levels, sex drive and better overall health,” he says. 

Kallingal also screens for and treats diseases, helps patients maintain bladder health while aging and – in a dry climate – raises awareness of the risk of kidney stones and renal disease.

“In the Valley, especially in summer, dehydration can be common,” he says. “We often discuss ways to prevent kidney and urine problems, especially when it’s hot outside.”

As a surgeon who is treating patients’ complex cancers and removing tumors from their bodies, “to me there is no career more meaningful than this,” he says. 

Kallingal chose to be part of Dignity Health because of its commitment to and storied history of providing exceptional care in the Valley, which Dignity Health is building on with a new cancer center and a partnership with Creighton Medical School.

“At Dignity Health Cancer Institute, we are creating world-class center of excellence cancer care,” he says, “not only for the city, but for the whole region.”