We are busy… and when you’re fighting for time you can be guilty of “mis-prioritising” things and your health may be pushed further and further down the list.
Over time, who can have the largest risk of developing problems?
Men.
Fathers. Sons. Uncles. Grandfathers.
According to the 2017-2018 National Health Survey the life expectancy at birth is greater for Australian females than males.
Although this has improved over the last 40 years due to advanced medicine and technology, safer working environments and improved health services men are still at significant risk for factors I’ll outline below.
Here are some of my blog posts which can help set you up for success and grab some quick wins:
FACT #1 – Women are expected to live 4.2 years longer than men, though the gap is narrowing. Around 40 years ago, the gap was 7.0 years (ABS, 2017-18).
FACT #2 – Ischaemic heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men, but has been overtaken as the leading cause of death for women by Dementia & Alzheimer’s disease (ABS, 2017-18)
FACT #3 – Women are more likely than men to have reported experiencing high or very high levels of psychological distress or a mood (affective) disorder such as depression.
There are a whole range of things that in combination can cause men problems.
⚠️ Lifestyle
⚠️ Behavioural choices
⚠️ Genetic profile
⚠️ Risk and safety tolerance
⚠️ Diet
⚠️ Exercise
Making these poor choices over time begins systemic changes in the body that produces chronic disease.
Looking at the long-term chronic health conditions, men are more likely to have –
❌ Ischaemic heart disease
❌ Heart stroke and vascular disease
❌ Diabetes
A big part of my longevity regime is WHY I do it.
You see In my family tree I have a very high chance of cancer, Type II diabetes and heart disease causing me problems.
So I made the conscious decision to jump in front of the curve and proactively manage my health.
If I had cancer, Type II diabetes or heart disease, what would be the medical advice that the specialist would give me?
- Lose weight
- Eat better
- Improve your lifestyle choices – quit smoking!
- Start some medical intervention
3 of 4 of these things I can do RIGHT NOW so why wait?
I’ve previously written about the non-medical/surgical methods to holistically manage your health.
Remember the top chronic health disease problems for men identified by the Australian Bureau of Statistics is heart problems and diabetes.
So talking about a self driven medical approach I’m going to give you my Top 3 recommendations:
1. Blood Tests
There are key blood markers that a simple blood test can find for you organised by your local GP and pathology lab which can be Medicare funded (completely FREE).
This is important information that can give you a snapshot of what your health is at that instant.
If your fasting blood glucose levels are high then you can take steps to reverse those numbers.
Cholesterol levels are not ideal then consider options to stabilise your risk of cardiovascular disease.
I get my blood tests done every 3 months for free and so can you!
2. Regular Health Checks
Married up with blood tests are regular health checks.
It could be your local GP to discuss your blood test results for example.
Talking to a Physio may help you with rehab and injuries limiting you from exercise and weight loss.
Support from a dietician can help you in making better food choices.
Being a part of a support group to be accountable for your health and results is a great strategy.
If you have more prudent steps to be taken then seeking out a specialist for ongoing help may be needed.
The main goal here is to continue monitoring your health personally and recruiting additional care if warranted.
3. Gut Health Test
My last recommendation would be to consider a test of your immune system.
How?
By testing your gut microbiome you get a snapshot of your immunity, health and vitality.
I have recently trialed a home stool testing kit called Viome and I highly recommend it!
It comes with great recommendations after your stool sample is tested as the gut bacteria identified can give you BIG clues on what is working well and what isn’t going so well.
I have made wholesale changes with my food choices and considering some supplementation to assist with the health of my gut.
I’ll write about this in future but I wanted to introduce the idea of stool testing as a great way to gauge your health.
So there you have it guys.
Men need help and it starts with acknowledging that things could be better.
You would be amazed with the changes your body can make.
I hope this post helps with your own health journey.
#MakingHealthySimple
Leki