Men’s Health Week 13th June: Real Men Talk
Next week (13th-19th June, 2016) is Men’s Health week here in Australia, so now is a better time than ever to discuss men’s health issues. When we think of ‘men’s health’, we may think of a myriad of issues ranging from physical to psychological.
In Australia in 2010, the life expectancy of a male is 78.0 years while a baby girl born at the same time could expect to live to 82.3 years old. Right from the start, boys suffer more illness, more accidents, and die earlier than their female peers. Accidents, cancer, and heart disease account for the majority of male deaths.
And that’s not all: men take their own lives at four times the rate of women (that’s five men a day, on average, lost to suicide). One of the largest factors in many of these problems can be attributed to the fact that men tend to seek support services more slowly and less often than women.
Compared to women, men are more likely to:
- Smoke and drink
- Make unhealthy or risky choices
- Put off regular checkups and medical care
What makes this even more dangerous is that there are several health conditions that exclusively affect men such as prostate cancer and issues associated with low testosterone levels. It’s a shame, since many of the major health risks that men face – like colon cancer or heart disease – can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis.
While many of these issues seem to be intensively medical, there are many day-to-day concerns for men to take special note of. For instance, making a concentrated effort to quit smoking can make a huge difference in the bigger-picture medical issues playing a role in your life. And the higher risks for urinary tract infections (UTIs) for men can be reduced when you choose to drink more water during the day.
To stay healthy, men can try some of these easy tips:
- Quit smoking: Almost 17% of males versus 12% of women smoke daily .
- Drink more water for urinary tract health: UTIs are rare in adult males younger than 50 years but increase in incidence thereafter (Source).
- Understand your risk of cardiovascular disease. Each year, around 54,000 Australians suffer a heart attack. This equates to one heart attack every 9 minutes (Source).
- Take a closer look at your nutrition, or consider taking a multivitamin: Learn more <HERE>.
- Eat more vegetables: Men are significantly less likely than women to recognise the health benefits of fruits and vegetables, such as their role in reducing the risk of many cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes
- Speak your mind: If you’re experiencing depression or an ongoing mental health issue, you’re not alone. While it can be a social taboo to admit you have a problem with mental health, those around you are more likely to listen and show support than you may think, which can help you rebound quicker.
Many of the health and wellness issues that men face are better dealt with proactively than after diagnosis. There are many easy steps you can take today to better your health down the line. Not only will you find that most of it is actually very simple stuff, but these lifestyle changes for preventative health will also make you feel better today.
Are you looking to bring a healthy culture to your workplace? HSG offers Men’s Health Workshops). Our men’s health seminars will help your male staff take responsibility and start viewing their health as an important life issue. We aim to focus their attention on what they can do to safeguard their physical and mental wellbeing, and the workshop content can be designed to suit your wellness objectives and the realities of your industry. Call us today on 1300 889 073 to learn more.
