Saturday 12th October
As part of Men’s Health Awareness Week (June 14th-20th 2021), we want to share some key insights into men’s health.
Research shows that men are far less likely to seek medical help for any reason. Be that physical or mental illness. The purpose of Men’s Health Awareness Week is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of diseases among men and boys.
This one is for the men and the boys. Make sure not to just leave it or see how things go. If something comes up which you aren’t sure about or concerns you, ask for help.
This one is also for the women and the girls. Encourage safe spaces for these type of conversations. Talk to your friend, your partner, your brother and your dad.
Often, the first sign of a health in decline is an event. Typically, one of illness. Lifestyle related diseases are on the rise as people are moving less and eating more.
For men, if your waistline (at your navel) is 40” is more, it’s a good time to start looking at your nutrition. This is an important size as it means you are far more likely to have metabolic syndrome. Men are more likely to suffer cardiac events, so measure up.
Find simple ways to increase your daily movement and decrease your daily intake. This can be as easy as parking slightly further from the shop than normal and having one less beer a day (a beer is roughly equivalent to a donut).
If you are a man under 50, you are more likely to take your own life than ANY other cause of death. Men are three times as likely to commit suicide, report low satisfaction with life more often and are more likely to be involved in. If you feel like you may need some help, we would advise using the mind charity.
You can find out for about them here: https://www.mind.org.uk
Two vital things to get checked are vitamin D levels and testosterone levels. These can contribute to our mental wellbeing, as well as our perception of pain, recovery and energy levels. If you are low on energy or struggling with depression, these two components of your blood work could be a vital part of getting you back to health.
Speak to your GP if this is a concern for help. There are also private tests available.
Exercise
This is a great way to work out any stagnant energy within your body. With the average activity level decreasing, and mental fatigue increasing, it is important to work on the physical frame as well as the mental one! There are different ways to de-stress and exercise is one of the best ways.
Find something which you enjoy for lasting results.
