Dear men: your health

The absence of the extra leg that genetically defines a man as male is the handicap he'll carry throughout his life.

The genetic predisposition that females have due to the oestrogen hormone is reflected through Newton’s Third Law by the male hormone testosterone. Through a series of technical processes, oestrogen offers superior immunity (they have a literal double dose compared to males) to females; and on the other hand, testosterone weakens overall immunity. So, the odds are stacked against the male population from inside the womb.

Because of this genetic differentiator, diseases of a cardiovascular, renal, and otherwise chronic nature often affect males. It is therefore essential for you to be serious about prevention, early detection, and effective treatment.

While genetics is a thing that is received and there's - technically - nothing that can be done thereabout; all other factors which contribute to a man's health are within his control.

Charles Bukowski said that “style is everything” and this is true for life. The overall present and future condition of a man’s health is heavily influenced by his lifestyle choices. Some suggestions for an overall positive health condition will follow shortly, but the question to you, Wise Gentleman, is how much of a change are you willing to make to live a life of quality (for yourself) and a life of longevity (for those around you)?

It’s generally quite simple to live a well-balanced lifestyle that works for your body. Your resolve is the cadet in need of training to sustain what you most likely already know you should be doing to live that life.

• Be intentional about living a lifestyle that feeds into being a man that is healthy in all spheres of life. You’re either going to contribute to harming or healing your body. Choose to take control and make your decisions instead of following your habits.
• Food can be a love language, an expression of art, and a means of surviving. What is common in all these is that your diet carries an impactful weight on your health as a man. Your role is deciding whether that weight becomes fat or muscle.
• It’s no secret that South Africa has a taste for alcohol that often crosses the border of excess. Almost half of the male population consumes alcohol and 48% of those drink excessively. Many life-threatening situations come about because of this excess. Men, in addition to being intentional about exercising self-control when drinking alcohol, the most effective option you can choose is to hydrate when you’re thirsty - butwith water!
• Man was designed to move - that’s why exercise is a basic human need. The modern way of life does make it more complicated; sitting at your desk and staring at your screen is quite efficient when you're trying to meet deadlines or complete projects. However, choosing to get up and stretch (literally), take one (or two) breaths of fresh air in small bursts throughout your day will do more for your heart than seeing the love of your life smile at you.
• Ditch toxic coping mechanisms like excessive gaming* or smoking (you’re hurting more than just yourself with this one) and choose to take part in purpose-filled and focused solo activities to unwind. Man wasn’t designed to be alone, so enhance the impact by doing these activities in groups; this way you’ll have a few friends to live a long life with!

A word for the wise: if you happen to suffer from a medical condition whose name you can insert here: ______, please ensure that you check with your doctor if the dietary and physical journeys you’re about to embark on are suitable for you. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to endanger the life you’re trying to prolong.

Men of South Africa, now that we’ve looked at a few factors that are in the passenger seat of the vehicle that you’re driving, let’s consider a few of the vehicles around you. Whilst environmental factors aren’t altogether manageable, there are ways that you can influence the impact they have on your health.

For the most part, men are more likely to engage in physically dangerous behaviours linked to premature mortality than females. Between young adult males and females, research has revealed that the rates of accidents, suicides, violence, and overall external causes of death are higher for males. So when you choose to avoid fatally attractive situations, you automatically put the vehicle that is yourself (and your health) in a 40km lane with a safety belt holding you fast.

Between the two sexes, more males are found working in high-risk occupations like construction, agriculture, mining, firefighting, and security work. There are risks associated with these lines of work that contribute to a man’s overall health - the ideal method of management is strict individual adherence to the safety regulations in place within these industries.

Just because your life expectancy as a male is shorter than that of a female at all phases of life, does not mean that this has to be the case in the future. You can begin making that change by choosing to live in style and manage the risks of your environment by being more aware and intentional about avoiding them as far as you can.

Men’s Health Month was instituted to raise awareness about men's health issues; and it’s observed annually to promote healthy living practices among men of all ages. This includes the impact of your health on a relational and psychological level.

Remember, even if your health doesn't matter too much to you, it does matter to those around you. So, men, do what you do best and lead the way!

* If gaming is your job, remember that 40-45 hours per week is the legal maximum in South Africa.

References for the information in this article are available upon request.