Pete’s Blog September 2021
EXERCISE RIGHT
Exercise Right is a public awareness campaign powered by the Exercise and Sports Science Australia, or simply - ESSA. Their goal is to help all Australians to live more active lives and to understand where to get the “right” advice for their individual needs (regardless of age or health status). Their latest eBook, “Exercise and Men’s Health” was released at the end of June this year.
ESSA has, in recent years, also released a number of different eBooks including:-
Exercise and Mental Health, Exercise and Cancer, Exercise and Older Adults, Exercise and Women’s Health, as well as Exercise for Kids. I encourage you to access their website - exercise right.com.au, check out the the different resources available, as well as download and read their past and current eBooks.
Exercise and Men’s Health
We know that men experience a range of health conditions and symptoms differently to women, whether it be severe depression and anxiety, prostate and testicular cancer, or increased risk of a heart attack or diabetes. One positive though is that exercise, when expertly prescribed, can play a beneficial role across all of these conditions and more.
Whether you are ageing gracefully, have not played weekend footy since becoming a new dad, or struggling with poor mental health – exercise is for you. While it can be confusing to know how to start, what exercises are best, or whether it’s safe, this eBook has been designed to help answer some of those questions. This eBook outlines a variety of health conditions that are common to Australian men (aged 18-64) and the role exercise can play in managing and preventing them.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) – A snapshot of men’s health from 2017 – 2018.
In 2018 – there were 12.4 million men (aged 18+) in Australia, making up 49.2% of the country’s population.
Key findings:-
57% rated their health as excellent or good
46% had one or more of the following 10 selected conditions:
1. Mental and Behavioural problems
2. Heart, stroke and vascular problems
3. Back problems
4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
5. Arthritis
6. Cancer
7. Asthma
8. Osteoporosis
9. Diabetes
10. Chronic kidney disease
Of these men, 28% have one, 11% have two and 7.1% have three or more.
Furthermore, 76% of men aged 65 and over have at least one of these conditions and 38% of men aged under 45 have at least one.
Nearly 1 in 2 men have experienced a mental health problem in their life
It is estimated that men account for 54% of all new cancer cases
7 in 10 Australian men are overweight or obese
Excess weight, especially obesity, is a major risk factor for –
Cardiovascular Disease, Type 2 Diabetes, some Musculoskeletal Conditions and some Cancers. As the level of excess weight increases, so too does the risk of developing these conditions.
In major cities, 50% of all premature male deaths are potentially avoidable, while in more remote areas of Australia, 64% of male deaths could be avoided.
Why is Exercise Important for Men?
Exercise plays a very important role in keeping all Australian males healthier, happier and alive for longer.
Some of the health benefits for men who exercise include:
Ø Lower risk of diabetes
Ø Lower cholesterol
Ø Reduced depression and anxiety
Ø Lower risk of high blood pressure
Ø Healthier blood vessels
Ø Weight loss
Ø Improved testosterone levels as you age
Ø Lower risks of cancers such as colon or prostate cancer
The most important thing for all males, regardless of their age, is to choose an activity they enjoy doing, whether this involves going to the gym, swimming, cycling, climbing, playing a team sport, surfing, paddling a kayak, or bush walking and engage in this activity on a regular basis. Find ways to move every day, include muscle strengthening activities 2 – 3 days per week and also try to up the intensity of your exercise 3 – 4 days per week.
Benefits of Exercise for select Health conditions, plus recommended types of exercise for each:
Mental Health
o Feeling relaxed and reduced muscular tension post exercise.
o Increased release of endorphins.
A combination of moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise, as well as resistance training, for approximately 150 minutes per week
Heart Disease
o Helps to prevent heart disease in the first instance
o Helps to rehabilitate the heart after a heart attack
A combination of moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise, as well as resistance training for approximately 150 minutes per week.
Diabetes
o Regular exercise helps to prevent the onset of diabetes, as well as manage any current diabetic symptoms.
o Exercise lowers blood sugar levels and boosts the body’s sensitivity to insulin, countering insulin resistance
Once again a combination of aerobic and resistance training on a regular basis is recommended to assist with lowering average blood glucose levels in men with diabetes. Participation in resistance training is recommended 2 -3 times per week, with a focus on functional exercises that target the large muscle groups. Participation in aerobic exercise is recommended on most days of the week, for approximately 30 minutes per session. Finally, depending on the type of diabetes each individual has, the timing of exercise is also a very important consideration in order to maximise the benefits of each training session.
Cancer
o Regular exercise, incorporating both strength and aerobic training helps to
Ø Improve blood flow to all parts of the body, including those sites affected by a tumour. Improved blood flow provides more oxygen to these cells, which are often starved of sufficient oxygen.
Ø Send more of the body’s immune system properties to the infected area of the tumour
Ø Offset the effects of fatigue, sarcopenia, osteoporosis and cardiovascular fitness parameters
Ø Improves key aspects of functional fitness, including joint mobility, range of motion, balance, strength and overall work capacity
Recent research has also found that cancer patients who performed regular exercise during their treatment cycles were able to tolerate a greater percentage and frequency dosage of treatment compared to those that did not participate in a regular exercise program.
Probably the most important message in this latest eBook from ESSA is the need to move every day in as many ways as possible and to repeat for life. Regardless of the stage of life, an active lifestyle incorporating strength, flexibility, mobility, and aerobic exercise is crucial for a man’s health and well-being. Whether you are a new Dad, have young children, enjoy playing a team sport with your mates, or simply wish to remain as fit and strong as possible so you can continue to enjoy all that life has to offer, then regular exercise is the key. When combined with a healthy eating plan, most of the lifestyle related diseases mentioned above, e.g. Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease and some Cancers can all be prevented. For further information please download the eBook, “Exercise and Men’s Health” and feel free to discuss with Peter.