Men’s Health
Men die on average 6 years earlier than women, and for mostly preventable reasons. Testicular cancer is the most common cause of cancer in men aged 15-39 and one man dies from suicide every minute of every day, with males accounting for 75% of all suicides. Did you know 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with Prostate cancer in their lifetime? The month of November has been taken over by the Movember movement who fund ground-breaking projects all over the world. Their aim is to reduce the number of men dying prematurely by 2030 by 25%. They also want to provide the facts, change behaviour for the better and create services that work for men.
Movember provides 5 quality tips for men to live happier and healthier lives:
- Spend time with people who make you feel good
- Talk more – statistics tell us that men are there for their mates but worried about asking for help themselves.
- Know the numbers – know when to get a check up with your GP (its 50 by the way)
- Know thy nuts – know what your normal feels like, simple
- Move more – add more activity to your day
Exercise helps survivors of both prostate and testicular cancer by combating the negative side effects from treatment. Time and time again, exercise has also proven to be a positive outlet for people experiencing mental illness as well.
Did you know?
- Evidence tells use that physically active men after a prostate cancer diagnosis have reduced risk of reoccurrence, reduced risk of developing other chronic diseases and overall survival.
- A common side effect of cancer treatment is fatigue. Vigorous exercise has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce fatigue.
- Physical activity actually improves sleep, confidence and energy levels whilst also reduced stress, anxiety and depression.
So, what do I do with this information?
Talk to friends and family for support and work together to become healthier. If you’re new to exercise, it can be difficult to know how to start properly, especially if you are living with a chronic condition or struggle with mental health. It is recommended that you seek an Accredited Exercise Physiologist to get started, as they are university qualified health professionals who are specifically trained to prescribe exercise for those living with mental or chronic illness. They can talk to you about any fears around worsening symptoms or general barriers to exercise.
Our Exercise Physiologist Naveen Raj Mal is growing a Mo to raise awareness and highlight men’s health! To support him and Movemeber, click on the link below:
For more information on the Movember movement, visit au.movember.com/?home where you can donate to the movement or create your own profile, grow a stache (no matter how patchy it may be) or get moving and get your friends and family to donate on your behalf.
To book in with our Accredited Exercise Physiologist, call us on (02) 4385 2079 and let’s work together to change the stats.
