How men can live longer

With Father’s Day on Sunday and Men’s Health Week in full swing (June 15-21), we’ve got men on our mind – specifically why so many are not living long and healthy lives. The UK’s Men’s Health Forum (MHF), which organises the week, points out that men are less likely to lead a healthy lifestyle than women, and more inclined to smoke and be overweight or obese. This can lead to serious diseases, including cancer, heart disease and strokes (three-quarters of those who die from heart disease under 75 are men, and men are 30 per cent more likely to die from cancer than women).

As research highlights, however, leading a healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the risk of these conditions, along with going to your doctor for regular check-ups if you’re over 40, and keeping up with screenings (figures shows men are less likely to go for health checks than women). In fact, between 2001 and 2013, more than 60 per cent of all potentially avoidable deaths each year were in men, and MHF chief executive Martin Tod warns: ‘Men are far more likely to die young and to die from preventable conditions.

‘Lots of men aren’t even living to their 70s, and a lot of the causes come down to lifestyle choices and things they can do something about.

‘Everyone thinks it’s not going to happen to them, but the statistic of one in five men not living to retirement age shows that it could do.

‘That’s why Men’s Health Week is challenging men to look after themselves.’

Of course, adopting a healthy lifestyle isn’t always easy – but small changes can make a big difference. Here are some simple lifestyle adjustments you can make.

Don’t smoke

Everyone knows smoking’s bad for your health, but it can still be really tough to quit, especially in the UAE where you can light up in many bars and restaurants. MHF suggests listing all your reasons for quitting and setting your quit day in advance, and then getting rid of all your smoking paraphernalia. Try quitting with a friend, and avoid smokers and places or circumstances in which you usually smoke when possible.

Break habits and rituals – like cutting out that cigarette on the way to work or at lunchtime first. When you get a craving, distract yourself or nibble on a healthy snack (sticks of cucumber, celery and carrot work wonders), and don’t be tempted to have ‘just one’ cigarette once you have officially quit. One will lead to plenty.

Get help from your doctor or pharmacist – you’re four times more likely to quit with help.

‘Men do smoke slightly more than women, which is a big contributor to why historically, men’s health has been worse than women’s,’ says Tod.

‘And similarly, men drink more than women. Sometimes they’ll deal with difficulties through drink, drugs and other things.’

Be active

People who do regular physical activity have a 35 per cent lower risk of heart disease and strokes and a 50 per cent lower risk of diabetes and bowel cancer. And as well as boosting those feel-good chemicals that raise self-esteem and help sleep and concentration, regular exercise leads to a 30 per cent lower risk of depression and dementia. In the UK a total of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as jogging, cycling, mowing the lawn or swimming, is recommended by leading medical representatives, and here in the UAE, with gyms in pretty much every building – we should take note.

Anything’s better than nothing. Try walking on a treadmill, which reduces the risk of heart disease by a third. The further and faster you walk, the better, but even slowly walking just eight to 10 kilometres a week will help.

Build exercise into your everyday life; park the car further away from your office and walk the remaining distance (when it’s cooler), use the stairs, do vigorous housework or exercise in your lunch-break or at home – there are great YouTube workouts that are free and easy to do at home. ‘It’s not necessarily about going for a run or going to the gym – just getting up and about is an improvement on doing nothing at all,’ explains Tod. ‘And with so many men now being overweight or obese, we’ve all got to improve what we’re doing. Building it into your day can often be the approach that works.’

Watch your weight

Being overweight or obese is linked to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, strokes, diabetes and some cancers.

Yet the World Health Organization predicts that nearly three quarters of UK men will be overweight in 15 years, compared with 70 per cent five years ago.

But, like quitting smoking, it’s not always easy to lose weight and maintain a healthy diet. MHF suggests starting with a decent breakfast, and for main meals, filling half your plate with salad or vegetables, a quarter with protein (like lean meat, fish, eggs or beans), and a quarter with starchy carbs (like brown rice, wholewheat pasta, baked potatoes or noodles).

Aim for five fruit and veg portions a day, and ensure you get some dairy to keep calcium levels up. Also, think about smart substitutions, so try fish instead of red meat, grilling instead of frying, wholegrain instead of white bread, pasta or rice, and semi-skimmed milk instead of full-fat.

‘Men are more likely to work full-time, and they commute longer distances so they’re eating away from home, which makes it harder to eat healthily,’ says Tod. ‘Sometimes it can be hard to have a healthy lifestyle, particularly if you’re stuck behind a desk, commuting and eating on the go – but if you look after your health, you’ll feel better and fitter.

‘All kinds of good things will happen. We’re talking about sensible things that will not just help you live longer, but feel better too.’

The Man Manual: Men’s Health Made Easy, by Jim Pollard is a great source of health tips for men