Unlocking a healthier you: a comprehensive guide to men’s wellbeing

Ok Gentlemen…. This one is for you! A blog focusing on Men’s Health!

Unfortunately you guys get a rough deal. Statistically:

• 4 in 5 heart deaths under 65 are men aged 45-54 (that’s 5x more likely than us women)

• 1 in 3 men die of cancer with lung, prostate, bowel, pancreas and liver being the top five

• 3 out of 4 suicides are men and it’s not always linked to a mental health diagnosis 

• 70% of men are overweight

• Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (consistent sleep interruptions) affects 15-30% men and is associated with heart problems and other health issues.

To be honest as a wife and mother of two young boys I found these stats quite confronting and I’m hoping to spread the message on Men’s Health, so that these statistics improve!

You would have heard the usual don’t eat junk food, decrease your alcohol consumption, don’t smoke or vape etc. but what else can you do?

Start by measuring your waist circumference. If your measurement is 94cm or more, you are at an increased risk of disease. If your measurement is more than 102 cm, you are at a high risk of disease.

Next step… Get a general health check with your GP, even if you feel well. A full screen, including your prostate (which is a simple blood test now), provides a great baseline. So if you do become unwell, there is a record of what is healthy for you. It may also pick up a potential problem before you are aware of symptoms. If you’re aged 45 and over, you can get a Medicare funded heart health check. Also, bowel cancer screening is free for everyone from 50 years of age.

Let’s talk about testosterone!! Did you know being stuck in a state of sympathetic nervous system dominance or “fight or flight” mode affects you testosterone production? Cholesterol is actually a primary building block for you to make testosterone, but it is also used to make the stress hormone cortisol. When you’re stuck in “fight or flight” mode, all your cholesterol gets used up making cortisol so your testosterone production suffers.

So, what happens with decreased testosterone production? You may experience decreased strength, sex drive & libido, you may have difficulty with memory and sleep, issues with your bone density (I bet you thought this was a female thing right?), a loss of body hair and at the extreme end you may get issues with erectile dysfunction, impotence, sperm maturation and fertility.

All this doesn’t mean you’re a stressed out or wound-up person. It just shows life gets demanding and sorry to say, but none of us are immune to that! So what can you do to help shift you into a more parasympathetic nervous system dominant or “rest and digest” relaxed state?

Focus on your posture

Poor posture (think rounded shoulders, head hanging forward, or a hunched over back) could activate your “fight or flight” response. The area of nerves in our thoracic spine, between your shoulder blades, directly communicates with the part of the brain responsible for our “fight or flight” response. So sit or stand up straight & imagine you’re tucking your shoulder blades into your back pockets.

Be mindful of your workouts

If you use weights at the gym for your biceps and pectoralis muscles, be mindful that you don’t “bulk” them up too much. These muscles can cause your shoulders to come forward & round your upper back mimicking poor posture, which may send that message to your brain from your thoracic spine to switch on your “fight or flight” response.

Don’t sit around too much

The less you move, the younger you die! Getting movement into your day doesn’t need to be a mammoth effort. Simply finding 5x 30-minute sessions at a moderate intensity or 5 x 15-minute sessions at a vigorous intensity is all you need! You could also try push-ups… research has found that men aged around 40 years old, if they could do 40 push-ups they had a lower risk of heart disease 10 years later than those who couldn’t. Those men who were unable to do 10 push-ups were at the highest risk but please don’t give yourself a heart attack trying to do 40 push-ups if you’re not used to doing any.

Sleep

Sleep is when your body is actively recharging itself so you need sleep to feel, think and perform better. We all need 7-8hrs sleep at night and we all have 3-5 sleep cycles that last 90-120 minutes but men and women experience sleep differently. As you age hormonal shifts affect & impact your sleep. Older men have a decrease in growth hormone production and increased levels of cortisol, which contribute to increased awakenings and reduced sleep quality. Also aging decreases your testosterone levels which means worse sleep. Think about your pre-bed routine, try to turn off your devices and wind down 30 minutes before bed. You may want to consider a magnesium supplement if sleep is elusive. Magnesium calms nerve excitement (think restless legs or muscle cramping), assists melatonin (your sleep hormone) and aids relaxation.

Relax and de-stress

The top 3 causes for stress in men are money, family and health (this could be the health of a loved one, your health or simply the stress of trying to stay healthy). Try some deep breathing as this automatically calms the nervous system and switches it from “fight and flight” into “rest and digest” modes. Find what relaxes you whether it be watching TV/movies, listening to music, or playing sport and incorporate it into your daily routine.

Maintain friendships and be social

Being socially isolated is as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes per day so get out there. You need to have social connection which is close friendships with people who have got your back when you’re doing it tough as well as social integration which is having a range of people (not just your close friends) you interact with on a regular basis. Don’t forget to ask your mates if they are ok when they’re doing it tough as well. It’s good to help others as it creates social connection but also provides a sense of purpose. The good thing about helping others is that it also distracts from your own issues and generally makes you feel better about yourself.

See your Chiropractor

Ok so I am totally biased about this but as Chiropractors our aim is to improve the function of your spine and nervous system. Getting regularly adjusted can decrease any pain or tension in your spine and the surrounding muscles and may also help to increase your mood and energy levels! This in turn may help you feel a little less stressed!

There you have it gentlemen! If you would like more Men’s Health information head to our Facebook or Instagram pages because this months’ videos are all about Men’s Health