Women live an average of five years longer than men. So, iff men pay attention to these nine things the experts want them to know, who’s to say how much that life-span age gap can narrow?
1. Depression is nothing to be ashamed of. Men don’t talk about depression, says Alzheimer’s researcer Sid O’Bryant says. “And if we don’t talk about it, it isn’t real.”
But “it’s this huge thing that’s impacting so many men across the age range. Men think we’ll tough it out because we don’t want to talk about it: ‘It might make things worse,’ or ‘I’m admitting weakness.’
Depression doesn’t just bring people down mentally; it hurts physically as well, he says. “If you’re sick, depression makes it worse. If you have diabetes and depression, the diabetes is worse. It also increases the risk for Alzheimer’s, and most people don’t know that.”
What to do: Don’t be ashamed to talk to your family doctor, who can recommend a professional counselor or prescribe medications.
2. Yoga isn’t just a girl thing. Men need to realize that bench-pressing three days a week isn’t going to cut it, workout-wise. They need cardio, and another good choice is yoga.
What to do: Ask friends for recommendations, then try a class. Get there a few minutes early. If you don’t like it, talk to the instructor, or try another. Don’t give up after one class.
3. “No pain, no gain” is stupid. Even in less than a year of being a certified chiropractor, Logan Sherman has witnessed plenty of examples of this belief not taken seriously. Sherman, who is training for the 2016 Olympic Trials in the marathon, cites plantar fasciitis as an example.
“That’s something that can really be avoided,” he says. “Men say, ‘Hey, I’ve experienced tightness in my calf the past couple of weeks.’ They’ve heard from a buddy how he worked through it but never followed the steps. It ends up being a full-blown problem.”
What to do: If you feel a twinge, rest. For plantar fasciitis, avoid going barefoot. Roll a tennis ball, golf ball or frozen water bottle under the foot several times a day. If the pain persists, check with your doctor.
4. Certain cancer screenings are imperative. “Prostate cancer is the easiest cancer to kill if it’s detected, Locker says. But men, go figure, would happily skip that part of a physical.
Another villain is colon cancer, which can be detected early.
What to do: Schedule the screenings, for crying out loud.
5. You don’t need a gym to be fit. Gravity was the first gym ever invented.
What to do: Pushups, crunches and squats can be done anywhere. Ditto for walking.
6. Your job is not a workout. Even if you do manual labor for a living, “physical activity is above and beyond anything you do in daily life,” O’Bryant says. “It has to be extra.”
You don’t need to work out as much as O’Bryant, a competitive amateur body builder. But you do need to raise your heart rate on a regular basis.
What to do: Move. And switch it up, Sherman says.
7. You don’t automatically know what to do. “What men do that’s the biggest problem in exercise is not asking for help,” O’Bryant says. “It’s like that asking for directions thing. I go to the gym, and see people there for the first time and they think they automatically know what they’re doing. But they’re probably doing it wrong.”
What to do: Use a trainer. Most gyms offer a free session with membership. Or research the correct way to work out efficiently. “By getting better at the exercises themselves, the outcomes have been better for me,” O’Bryant says.
8. Sunscreen isn’t for wimps. Yes, men get skin cancer, too. Your face, of course. Ditto for your left arm, if you drive with your elbow out the window.
What to do: Use face cream with high SPF and Schedule a skin check at least once a year.
9. Exercising isn’t a free license to eat anything.
What to do: Think moderation. Also remember that diet “is not only related to heart health, but intimately related to brain health,” O’Bryant says. “It’s very, very powerful.”
Men"s health
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen