Its Men’s Health Awareness month so we wanted to take a closer look at men’s health and what you can do to keep yourself healthy.

Keep an eye out this month for articles on mental health, erectile dysfunction and andropause – the male version of the menopause. Yes fella’s – its a real thing!

Today however, we are going to talk about testicles – how to care for them, potential issues and how to check yourself properly and hopefully circumvent any problems.

So, the science bit… the testes are two oval shaped organs located inside the scrotum but outside of the body and are responsible for the production of male hormones including testosterone which affects sexual characteristics, muscle development, and overall health.

They also produce spermatoza, (sperm) – the male reproductive cells necessary for fertilization, and like us ladies and our breasts, they have to be looked after and checked on a regular basis.

Below are a few top tips to help keep your testes in tip top condition!

• Keep It Loose

We all know a tight little pair of boxer shorts or jeans can look rather nice, but actually, from a health point of view, it can create ongoing problems for the wearer. Clothing that is too tight actually restricts the flow of air around the genitals. This can create problems with general hygiene and cause irritation and infection. If clothing is too tight, it can hold moisture and bacteria against the skin which runs the risk of discomfort and potential infections.

• Keep It Clean

This is a no brainer for everyone. The groin area should be washed and dried thoroughly once a day with a gentle soap and a clean towel. Harsh chemicals, deodorant and aftershaves are not recommended as they can cause irritation which can lead to infection.

As with the rest of the body, the groin area also houses good bacteria. This bacteria helps to keep the balance right and reduce the possibility of infection. If overcleaned, this can remove the good bacteria, leaving you vulnerable to harmful fungi which could result in infection.

• Keep it Healthy

What you put in your body has a huge impact on testicular health, never mind the rest of you. Processed foods not only fill your body with a whole host of unhealthy ingredients such as salt and sugar, fatty acids and saturated fats, but will also contribute to obesity, heart conditions, diabetes and cancer.

From your testicles point of view, studies on the physical effects of processed foods range from a lower sperm count, ejaculation delay and lower sperm motility rate to testicular and penile cancer.

As with everything, a healthy diet makes a huge difference.

Some of the key, recommended nutrients for testicle health are as follows:

Vitamin D – We all know this is weather dependant but if you can’t rely on the sunshine then vitamin D can also be found in foods such as salmon, rainbow trout, tinned tuna, mushrooms, egg yolks and swiss cheese.

Mushroom omelette anyone?

Antioxidants such as lycopene, vitamin C, E and beta-carotene can help to protect the testicles from oxidative stress. This occurs when there is an imbalance of antioxidants and free radicals in your body which can result in damage to organs and tissues.

Treat yourself to leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach, a handful of nuts and seeds, some citrus fruit or a sprinkling of delicious berries to help reduce the risk and maximise testes health.

Magnesium helps to relax muscles and reduce stress. The good news – its found in dark chocolate! The reduction in stress can help with the production of testosterone amongst other things so bring on the chocolate!

Everything In Moderation is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. Nobody is saying don’t drink or treat yourself, but what research tells us over and over is that we should keep alcohol to a minimum, and this counts for testicle health as well.

• Keep It Safe

From being at school, we are told all about the importance of protection, and whilst we may not always want to bring it up, not only does it protect you from the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy but all the potential diseases that go along with that. This makes condoms a hugely important part of looking after your testicles.

Whilst nobody wants to really consider the potential of infection, untreated STD’s can have a huge impact on you physically. When left long term, they can result in serious physical complications such as infertility, blindness, liver damage and dementia to cancers.

Stay safe and stay covered.

• Keep On Checking

Nobody likes to hear the C word, and although testicular cancer is not particularly common, regular checks on the testes are vital to help reduce the chance of this condition. Just like with breast checks, there are countless tips online for how to do this in the right way to ensure that nothing is missed.

Check out the video below if you aren’t too sure of the best way to do it.

When it comes to lumps and bumps, no matter whether you are male or female, there is always an element of embarrassment involved. Its vital though that anything that feels abnormal is checked immediately because although it may be nothing to be concerned about, its better to be safe than sorry.

Anything that causes concern should be checked out by a medical professional as quickly as possible, and to be able to recognise those changes, you need to get to know your groin health in more than just the fun way.

One day, that knowledge could save your life.