5 AMAZING RESOURCES FOR MEN’S HEALTH
Lost in the information wilderness when it comes to what helps men’s health? We’ve got your back. The statistics on men’s health are quite alarming. Men have a lower life expectancy and are more likely to engage in risky health behaviours. They experience poorer health outcomes, and are additionally burdened by ‘toxic masculinity’ and ‘macho men’ - attitudes about what it means to be male and to look after their physical and mental health. In fact, some alarming statistics on Men’s Health in Australia uncovered:
The life expectancy of men is, on average, 5 years less than for women [1].
75% of deaths by suicide are male, and suicide is the leading cause of death for Aussie men aged 15-44. [1][2]
Men are also more likely, compared to women, to die from certain cancers (lung and blood), as well as ischaemic heart disease [1]
Around 3 in 4 men are overweight or obese. [2]
Fewer than 1 in 30 men ate the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables [2]
Is this what we want for the men in our lives? How can we make looking after men’s health easier, more accessible, and less stigmatising? We’ve put together 5 resources to help men on their way.
1. Movember
It wouldn’t be November without talk of Movember.
Movember is not just a cool movement designed to encourage annual facial fuzz. It’s a way of breaking down stigma when it comes to men talking about their health, and it’s also a good resource for information on Men and Mental Health, Testicular Cancer, Prostate Cancer, and Men’s Health more generally.
And, Movember isn’t just about growing a mo. Here are all the different ways in which you can be part of the Mo-vement:
Grow a mo (obvs)
Move for Movember (run or walk 60km for the 60 men lost to suicide every hour across the world)
Host a Mo-ment
Mo your own way
Find out more at Movember.
2. Men’s (Man)ual for Good Mental Health
Looking for a resource that highlights the hot issues in Men’s Mental Health? We may be a touch biased but we think our Men’s Manual for Good Mental might be just the ticket. In it we look at:
The Man Box, or the stigma and toxic attitudes that keep men from having helpful conversations about their mental health
Men and Alcohol, where we see some scary statistics on the impact of alcohol on men.
Anatomy of a Healthy Male Mindset into the signs
Anatomy of a Healthy Male Body, because of the link between physical and mental health, and
Toolkit for Good Mental Health where we step through the 5 tools to help men’s mental health and wellbeing.
Grab the free Men’s Manual for Good Mental Health right here!
3. Men's Shed
When it comes to men’s health, in particular mental health, positive relationships and being connected to others is an important ingredient for wellbeing (you can see some other ingredients important for wellbeing here).
Of course, not everyone has ready access to their mates – some have friends who live far away, others may have seen their friendship circle shrink over time as family and work commitments pile up.
Another barrier may simply be that when you mention social connectedness and the importance of relationships, some men think of it as being too touchy-feely and it’s not just something that they're into.
Enter Men’s Shed. It’s a place to get focused and get busy with being productive, contributing to the community, and connecting with others. The point of Men's Sheds is not necessarily to sit around in a circle and talk about feelings, though you can certainly have a chat with others if you'd like to. Rather, there is a structured focus on being part of a supportive and productive environment - some Men’s Sheds have community-based projects involving woodwork, painting, model-making, recycling bicycles, making cubby houses, etc.
4. Healthy Food Guide
There’s a lot of talk about a healthy lifestyle as an integral part of men’s health, and diet is certainly one aspect of this. Yet, it can often be tedious sifting through a whole lot of health-related information to find something particularly relevant to your circumstances.
Guess what? These guys have done it for you. It's a great resource for everyone, but what's particularly good about this website is that it has a dedicated section for Men's Health. Of particular note is this article on Your Guide to Man Traps – the food traps unique to men.
5. Men’s Line
This is a resource filled to the brim with useful information for a range of topics just for men. Let’s take a quick look at the comprehensive range of services that Men’s Line offers:
Useful information on relationships of all types? Check.
Handy hints for improving your manly wellbeing, including tips for managing anger, adjusting to retirement, and healthy guidelines for alcohol? Check.
An online forum to bounce ideas off other men? Check.
Professional phone and online support and information service? Check.
So, there’s no excuse when it comes to being lost in the information wilderness when it comes to Men’s Health now!
And if you’d like to reach out and book an appointment…we’re here to help you build skills to better manage your health and wellbeing! You can contact us below.
REFERENCES
[1] Better Health Channel (2020). Men’s health. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/mens-health
[2] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2019). The health of Australia’s males. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/men-women/male-health/contents/who-are-australias-males
Lost in the information wilderness when it comes to men's health resources? We've got you covered with our concise list.