Men are more likely to neglect their physical and mental health than women. Christians also feel the pressure to be perfect. It’s assumed that you have your life together because you’re a believer. You have the Holy Spirit living in you and you’re good to go, right?—except that’s not always the case. Not everyone is on the same page. Whether you’re a new Christian or have been a Christian most of your life, we have an enemy that wants to ensure you have a bumpy ride along the way. So, guys, this is for you! R U OK?
International Men’s Health Week kicks off from 10 to 16 June 2024—celebrating 30 years since it began in the USA. The week was linked to Father’s Day in the USA and became an international event in 2002 in the UK. It has since been adopted in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand and other countries. During the week, organisations and individuals organise activities that engage men and draw attention to men’s health.
The Australian Men’s Health Forum has a stack of information to help men get their health back on track.
Mental and Physical Health
The Australian Men’s Health Forum states that during a man’s lifetime:
- 1 in 2 men will have a mental health disorder
- Suicide is the leading killer of men under the age of 55
- 3 in 4 suicides are men
- Men not in the workforce have 4 times the risk of depression
- 1 in 3 will have a substance abuse disorder
- 1 in 5 men will have an anxiety disorder
- 1 in 8 men will have a mood disorder such as depression
Maintaining a healthy body will strengthen you both physically and mentally. Poor eating habits, smoking, drinking, and substance abuse may be difficult habits to break, but persisting with daily prayer and setting goals like making it to the end of the day, then two days, a week, a month, is one option. Seeking professional help is advisable.
Heart Health
It’s important to educate yourself about heart health. Prevention is better than cure.
- Heart disease is the leading killer of Australian men
- 4 in 5 heart deaths under the age of 65 are men
- Doing 40 push-ups protects men against heart disease
- Maintaining a healthy weight keeps men’s hearts healthy
- Staying mentally healthy can protect men against heart disease
Signs of Heart Attack in Men
- Chest/arm pain
- Shortness of breath
- Cold sweat
- Shoulder, neck or jaw pain
Exercise and Men’s Health
Getting into the habit of exercising is well worth the effort, paying massive dividends for mind, body and soul. Physical activity reduces your risk of disease. Something as simple as a short walk daily can add 3 years to your life.
The Australian Men’s Health Forum reports:
- 10 men a day die from physical inactivity
- Most men aren’t active enough to stay healthy
- Being unfit can be as bad for you as smoking
The Importance of Having Mates
Men who don’t have close friends have twice the risk of suicidal thoughts. Have you asked a mate if they’re okay lately? (R U OK?) It is your business if you see a mate struggling emotionally. No doubt, if he needed a hand to lift or fix something, you would offer your help. The same offer should apply when it comes to a mate’s mental health.
- Having no mates increases your risk of suicide
- 1 in 4 men have no good mates
- 1 in 3 men experience loneliness
- Men who are separated have 6 times the risk of suffering depression.
Invest time to build strong bonds with your mates. Stay in touch with old mates. Take action to meet new mates by taking up a hobby which involves joining a group or club.
A simple way to approach someone who you think is going through a tough time is to follow the four R U OK steps.
The four R U OK Steps
- Ask
- Listen
- Encourage Action
- Check in
Click here for more information on how you can help a mate.
Spiritual Health
Most importantly, we should never neglect our spiritual health. Reading or listening to an audio version of the Bible daily is the most powerful weapon against Satan’s attacks. The comfort and strength gained by reading the Bible daily will pull us through even the darkest place. That’s a promise God made to us, that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. The Bible states this multiple times and there are hundreds of His promises in the Bible we can draw comfort from. The best instructions on how to get through each day can also be found in the Bible. But there’s no point just reading then forgetting about it—meditate on it until you’ve memorised it. This is helpful not only in your time of need—to pull these verses quickly from your mind—but when you have a mate who needs to hear the right words at the right time, and they come out of your mouth easily—straight from the Bible like a fiery dart to strike Satan down.
I challenge you to meditate on the following Bible verses until you’ve memorised them and put them into practice every day:
‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.’ Ephesians 6:10-20 NIV
So, R U OK? Even if you are, take advantage of the resources available during Men’s Health Week. Why not make it the starting point of making a commitment to start taking better care of your health or helping mates who might be struggling to get through a tough time. As part of the body of Christ, we are here to serve, but we can’t serve if we’re struggling ourselves. United we stand, divided we fall. We can’t fight an enemy when we’re weak.
Click here to check out the calendar of events during Men’s Health Week. Have a great week!
