Man up and get fit for purpose
RUGBY STAR ROB BACKS CAMPAIGN
ROB Kearney is encouraging more men to look after their physical and mental health, as otherwise, they’re doing themselves and their loved ones a disservice.
Speaking as part of a Men’s Health Week panel for the HSE, the former Irish rugby player said his family and friends drive him to be the healthiest version of himself.
Despite winning two grand slams and retiring with 95 caps for Ireland, Rob said the best day of his life was welcoming his son into the world last year with his wife Jess Redden.
The new father said he was “lucky and blessed” to have had some of the best days in sport and winning the grand slam for his country was the “pinnacle”.
He said: “When I retired I was nervous of whether I would ever be able to reach some of those highs.
“They were incredible days and I never thought I would get back to reaching those highs but the birth of my first was incredibly special and it smashed those great days out of the park.”
As part of Men’s Health Week, the HSE has issued an ‘Action Man’ booklet that details ways to improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
These include eating healthier, getting more exercise, opening up about mental health struggles, quitting smoking, lowering alcohol intake and having safer sex.
Signs
In the pamphlet, men are urged to use condoms and get tested for STIs, highlighting that chlamydia is Ireland’s most common sexually transmitted infection.
Men are also encouraged to check their bodies for signs of cancer, go to a GP for regular testing and connect with others if they’re feeling lonely.
The final tip highlights the importance for men to be safer while engaging in physical work such as farming, driving, and playing sports.
Men are much more likely to die in a road crash – with three times as many men than women being fatally killed on Irish roads.
They are also more likely to die in house fires – with two-thirds of house fire fatalities being men who live alone without a working smoke alarm.
Injury
The four main causes of death among men in Ireland remain as invasive cancers, circulatory system diseases, respiratory diseases and external causes of injury and poisoning.
As part of Men’s Health Week, The Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) is pleading with more males to get regular check-ups and see a doctor if they believe something is
NEW DAD: Rob Kearney; (above) with wife Jess; (left and below) some tips in the new HSE ‘Action Man’ booklet wrong.
Speaking as part of the panel, consultant for the HSE’s national screening service Alan Smith advised: “We need to treat our bodies a little bit better, almost like our cars.
“We need to take our bodies to a GP once a year and deal with what comes up, and it’s never as bad as our minds tell us it will be.”
The doctor is also encouraging men to open up more about their mental health, with Rob saying that he believes things are “improving” in this area.
He continued: “As men, down through the years we are improving, we are more comfortable about talking about things now and in the past, we liked to bottle up our emotions and take the mindset that ‘I’ll be fine I’ll deal with this myself ’.
“Realistically deep down we all know that if I don’t face this issue head-on now I am doing myself a disservice.”
Alan, who said it is of utmost importance to take control of your health, said that by not looking after ourselves more now it’s also doing a disservice to our loves ones, friends and family.
He added: “That’s an important mindset for people to try and get into.
“There are very important people in our life that we have a duty to get on top of our own health.”
AS PART of Men’s Health Week this year, the HSE has put together 10 top tips to help men live a healthier and happier life.
1. Eat healthier: Being overweight, which is classified as a BMI over
25, increases the risk of chronic diseases.
2. Be more active: Engaging in regular physical exercise helps men to get fit, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy weight.
3. Keep a clear head: In Ireland, 75 per cent of all deaths by suicide are men. The HSE is encouraging men to speak about their mental health to others.
4. Stop smoking.
5. Lower alcohol consumption.
6. Look after your heart health, men are being urged to have regular checkups with their GP.
7. Practise safer sex.
8. Check your bits and bobs: Men should do regular checks of their body to know what’s normal in the case that anything changes. Anything abnormal should always be checked by a GP.
9. Get connected: Those who are feeling lonely are encouraged to stay connected with others.
10. Be accident aware:
The HSE is urging men to be more cautious when driving.