By Philip Watkins, Naturopath
1. Keep it simple
If you’re already on a journey to fix a problem, whether it’s weight, energy, brain fog or simply not feeling right, pick the easiest thing you think might help and do this today. Sometimes, it could even be the act of not doing something that’s the first step.
2. Ask for help
But what if you don’t know the first step? Then, it’s time to contact that person you’re following on social media or get a recommendation from someone you know to book that first appointment and ask for help.
It can be daunting to do this, but go in with the mindset that it doesn’t have to go past the first appointment if you don’t want it to. At least you tried.
3. Connect
Cortisol is a hormone released in the body when your environment asks you to take action on something. It’s often associated with stress and helps us react and respond to anything challenging during the day.
However, did you know that the body releases the same amount of cortisol when you are lonely as when you are punched in the face?
Post-pandemic, many men have expressed difficulty getting things back to normal when it comes to being social. If this is you, maybe it’s time to make a phone call and carve out some time to catch up with someone?
4. Talk to a counsellor
Not sure who to call? If you feel you have something to say but don’t know if members of your network would understand or be able to help, it’s time to seek out a trustworthy counsellor.
This process can take time, so if the first person you try isn’t the right fit, try someone new. Not one of my patients has ever come back and reported that lightening the load of their thoughts with the help of a trained professional worked out poorly.
5. Get a blood test
I say this to men any chance I get. Get a blood test. A common feature of many cases I’ve seen post-pandemic is the suspension of people’s annual checkups after lockdown.
If you got your tests done at least annually before the pandemic, get the pattern started again by committing to getting your blood drawn by the end of the year. An annual blood test and checkup can stop you from dying early.
6. Think prevention, not intervention
With that said, It’s better to prevent something than to cope once it’s already arrived. A key example I see with men – fatty liver.
Most don’t know that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the origin story of cardiovascular disease and could be the reason why your blood pressure, cholesterol or blood sugar is high.
Getting a scan of your liver may save you decades of trouble down the line, especially if your healthcare practitioner has told you that you have mild fatty liver in the past.
7. Get moving
If time is hard to come by and exercise has fallen off your to-do list, go for a walk around the block.
Brisk walking may increase your life expectancy into the 80s but, more importantly, might just be the answer to your mental health challenges.
One study confirms exercise to be more effective than medication in some cases – though this is not an invitation to quit your medication, rather an invitation to start walking around the block? [2]
8. Meditation
One of my favourite quotes is, “If you can’t find 10 minutes to meditate, then you probably need 3 hours.”
A study via the Harvard Medical Department found that 12 minutes of meditation over eight weeks was enough to reduce activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain that primes you for stress, by up to two-thirds. [3]
9. Limit your alcohol consumption
Try to cut out alcohol for 14 days and see how you feel.
Just maybe you’ll see that your sleep problem fixes itself all on its own?
In the last two years, a significant researcher concluded his study on alcohol, stating that “suggesting health benefits from low to moderate alcohol consumption is the biggest myth since we were told smoking was good for us.” Ouch. [4]
10. Check in on someone you love for no reason; I’m just going to leave that there.
1 Belfort-DeAguiar R, Lomonaco R, Cusi K. Approach to the Patient With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, 2023
2 B Singh et al, Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews, 2023
3 A Powell, When science meets mindfulness, 2018
4 Schutte R, Smith L, Wannamethee G. Alcohol – The myth of cardiovascular protection, 2022
男士維持健康秘訣
1. 保持簡單
如果您正在嘗試解決任何健康問題，請選擇您認為可能有幫助的最簡單直接的方法並立即執行。
2.尋求協助
如果你不知道第一步應怎樣做，可以向您認識的人查詢或獲得推薦，預約合適的專業人士並尋求協助。
3. 與外界連接
皮質醇是當環境要求您對某事採取行動時體內釋放的一種荷爾蒙。 它通常與壓力有關，可以幫助我們遇到的任何挑戰時作出反應。當您感到孤獨時，皮質醇水平都會即時上升，這可能對大腦和身體健康產生負面影響。
疫情過後，許多男性表示在社交方面很難恢復正常。 但如果您正面對困難或需要協助時，不妨踏出第一步與認識的人聯繫。
4. 與輔導員傾談
不確定向誰尋求協助？ 如果您覺得需要與人傾談，可以尋找值得信賴的輔導員。
尋找自己合得來的輔導員可能需要時間，但在訓練有素的專業人員幫助下能有效減輕負面思想，提升整體健康。
5. 進行血液檢查
必需要抽時間定期進行身體檢查以及早發現及預防潛在的健康問題，減少病痛的風險。
6. 預防勝於治療
脂肪肝是男士常見的健康問題之一。大多數人不知道非酒精性脂肪肝是心血管疾病的起源，也可能是導致血壓、膽固醇或血糖升高的原因。
因此，進行肝臟掃描能夠排除患病危機，尤其是如果您曾患有輕度脂肪肝就要更加注意。
7. 適當運動
如果時間緊迫，簡單在家或公司附近散步亦可。適量運動有助身心健康。
一項研究證實，在某些情況下，運動比藥物治療更有效。
8. 冥想
冥想能促進身心健康。哈佛醫學部的一項研究發現，八週的冥想就可以改變大腦，並重新調節身體對壓力的反應。
9.避免飲酒
飲酒帶來不同的健康風險。嘗試戒酒 14 天，看看您的感覺如何，也許您的睡眠問題會自行解決。
10.多關心你身邊所愛的人
