June 11 – 17th is Men’s Health Week here in Canada and so today I want to dedicate this post to all the important men in our lives.
The government of Canada keeps track of Canadian men’s health and the data suggests that Canadian men need to do a better job of taking care of themselves, given they are more likely to die young or die from preventable or avoidable causes of death more than women, and have higher rates of suicide and accidental death.
Males are more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and eat fewer fruits and veggies than females. And we know that lifestyle behaviours like these play an important role in the the health outcomes of men.
And MEN, we love you! We want you to stick around so let’s work together to change these statistics.
What can you do to change this?
1) Eat 5 servings of fruits and veg per day. Why? Compared to people who eat only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more are more likely to reduce their risk of chronic disease. As a bonus, filling up on fruits and vegetables may make it easier to control your weight as you will feel full on fewer calories and their high fibre content will help you with bowel health.
2) Cut back on the drinking alcohol and up your water intake. Why? The reasons are plentiful but a few of the key ones are that alcohol is a known carcinogen and so drinking less, decreases your risk of one of the leading causes of death in the world. We also know that alcohol is not only just empty calories, it causes you to have reduced inhibitions, leading to eating more unhealthy foods and potentially unhealthy activities. This means added inches around the waistline, contributing to high blood pressure and a host of other metabolic concerns. And well, water is the exact opposite! It helps reduce your appetite, decrease your inflammation and contributes to better bowel health and improved energy.
psst. Our sense of thirst naturally weakens as we age. This is at the same time that it becomes harder for our body to hold onto water and many of us are on diuretics, making it easier to become dehydrated. Dehydration leads to fatigue, confusion and sometimes serious health problems. So drink, even if you don’t feel thirsty!
3) Increase your exercise. Why? This one is so big, but in a nutshell, muscles are the organ of longevity, the more we have the longer and better we live, so start lifting heavy things if you know what is good for you. Also, the leading cause of death in men is heart disease and the evidence is irrefutable, cardio and resistance training are good for your heart and your mood.
Not only will resistance training improve your health outcomes, your quality of life improves, making the life you do end up living a more fulfilling, active one!
4) Don’t ignore your symptoms. Do I have to explain this one? We should all see a health care provider as soon as we notice something new and let them decide if it’s ‘nothing’ or not. The sooner you catch something the better your outcome will be if it needs treatment.
And just because I don’t want you thinking you are getting it all wrong, you are definitely doing better than women from a mental health perspective. Just over half of Canadian men perceive their mental health as excellent or very good, compared with less than half (44%) of women. Which I guess is a conversation for another day, right ladies?
Need help getting started or keeping going? Please reach out. Helping men and women get the body they need so they can live the life they want is what we do best! Don’t hesitate. Call or email today.
