Covid-19 has killed more men than women all over the world. Many theories have been proposed to explain why this is so. We may never truly figure out why that has happened. What remains is an unnerving truth that there seems to be a constant decline of the already few numbers of men in the world.
The International Diabetes Forum estimates that though the number of men and women that get diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is almost equal, the number of men that die from type 2 diabetes is higher than that of women. This may underpin the underlying assumption that women have better health patterns than men. This is especially true in cases where their lives are threatened like in type 2 diabetes. Women tend to respond by improving their lifestyles. As April has been the testicular cancer awareness month, it is befitting to discuss various aspects of better living for men. This may echo true for the Kenyan man.
For years now, exercising in Africa and particularly in Kenya has been seen from a competitive point of view. Men who run are seen as marathoners or any of the famous racetrack athletes. Cycling seen as a preserve for the affluent. It is easier to find cloves and gold than to find a Kenyan man who simply leaves their house and goes for a walk as a form of exercise. This notion has left many a Kenyan man with unhealthy bodies with beer belies to boot.
As the age of non-communicable diseases continue to ravage the modern society, men must invest in better health patterns. Let us start with our food. The typical Kenyan man has an undying love for red meat. This is all fresh and dandy. However, combining large quantities of red meat with uninhibited alcohol only serves to expedite the development of diseases like gout. In addition, the high level of fat content in some of these delicacies increase our cholesterol levels, especially the low-density lipoproteins or simply put, bad cholesterol. High levels of bad cholesterol increase our risk for heart disease. Add smoking and you are well on your way to heart failure.
The more we indulge, the higher our risk. That explains why most men in Kenya proudly walk around with beer bellies. Protruding bellies since the dawn of time signified wealth in the African set up. All men want to be the village tycoon. The truth is that wealth has no business being in your stomach. Beer bellies indicate an accumulation of visceral fat. This is fat that lines our internal organs like the liver and the intestines. This fatty tissue acts as blockades for hormones like insulin to function properly. Insulin is the hormone that is needed for our bodies to absorb glucose.
Being obese as demonstrated by an individuals’ weight and height, is associated with poor sexual health. From erectile dysfunction to lack of sexual interest. I have no words to describe how this will undoubtedly cause marital problems. These are but examples or what affects men’s health with regards to obesity. Further, fatty cells release bad chemicals which make it impossible for the cells of the body to function as they should. This has the deleterious effects of increasing blood pressure as well as cause chronic diseases like kidney failure.
Exercise on the other pointer promotes the release of good hormones which counter the effect of bad chemicals in our body. Exercise has been shown to increase the release of hormones like endorphins which is a natural feel-good hormone. The interesting thing with exercise is the more one takes part in it the more energetic they feel. Word of caution however is that exercise does not need to be painful for it to be effective.
How to start
One of the simplest forms of exercise is walking. Walking encourages all muscles in the body to get active. So does cycling, running and swimming. We are starting small though. Walking as part of exercise is not the same as walking to the supermarket or walking to meet friends. Though the two are effective ways to start, it is important for a man to plan that they will wear comfortable shoes and loose-fitting clothes to enhance their walks.
It is as simple as leaving the house and walking round the estate where you stay for 30 minutes every day. For the men that drive, parking your car away from your office may be a great way to begin. If your office is on fifth floor it is important to take a flight of stairs to first floor as you start, then take the elevator to your fifth floor. Some people may argue that taking the flight of stairs all the way up will be the most effective but for anyone that is starting, doing so will kill your morale if not your breath.
Start small and be consistent about it. That is the beauty of exercise, that it is not how much we do but how well we keep at it. Take stairs to the first floor until you are comfortable to take them to the second floor. Build on that and keep at it.
Due to security concerns, one may feel that their estates are not safe enough for them to walk. Nevertheless, Kenya is endowed with beautiful sceneries that do not need us breaking the bank to enjoy. One of them is the leafy Karura Forest. It is one of the cheapest places in Kenya to access. It has great cycling and walking trails.
Remarkably, Karura forest is a good place for men to take their families and exercise together. Have a group of friends that enjoy walking for health. Walk from Gate A of Karura Forest to Gate B. Make it simple. Just keep at it. Inculcating a culture of exercise together as a family is a great way to bond with your loved ones.
Dietary Intake
Kenya has a wide variety of food items to choose from. However, we have a precise ability to overdo it. Goat meat for example does not need to be eaten in three helpings for it to be helpful to our bodies. We need not take three, five, or more bottles of alcohol for us to have fun. Alcohol should not be used as a method of running away from issues by men.Men must put their big boy pants on and confront their day-to-day challenges. Women must take part in helping the men in their lives do this. For a man to find solace at the bottom of a beer bottle, surely the society he lives in has none. Women as the arguably more emotionally adept gender should create an environment where men feel empowered to express themselves without judgement.
Further, eating more vegetables and cutting back on sugar will be a good way to begin for men. Make it a habit of eating at home more as opposed to eating out. Cook your food. Vegetables are in excessive supply in Kenya. Use them. Eat fruits as they avail themselves. I know times are hard especially with Covid-19 and we all eat whatever is available. Nonetheless, we can opt to eat last night’s meal in the morning as opposed to three mandazis or kdfs for breakfast. It is all about choice and replacement.
For ladies who are mainly the cooks in most families, understanding food groups go a long way in better feeding our families. Take the dish I dislike most for example. Rice with potatoes. I have no idea who told Kenyans that that is an actual meal. It is just carbohydrates mashed together into a triad of misery, disappointment and assault on taste buds.
This sad excuse of a meal causes an avalanche of sugar in our bloodstream one hour after eating. High sugar in our bodies cause the pancreas to release insulin to help our bodies absorb the sugar. Unfortunately, the insulin cannot keep up with the sugar explosion that we have just given the blood. If we continue this trend as long as we have, type 2 diabetes develops.
I cannot belabour the point that we must drink at least two litres of water every day to keep our kidneys healthy. I feel that I have discussed this several times in then past. Water must not be bottled for it to be useful. Clean, boiled tap water will do the trick as much. Have a water bottle. Stay hydrated. Dear men, drinking water does not mean you are weak. Some of these myths and misconceptions are the reason why you are neglecting yourselves. Please drink water. You may add a slice of lemon or a drop of lemon juice to make it palatable.
Women need to know that the health of their men and family at large starts in the kitchen. You dictate what men feed on. Your sexual experience will be affected as well by what you cook or do not cook. Instead of potatoes, why not cook rice then serve it with a plate of green vegetables like Sukuma wiki or spinach? Instead of mixing rice and potatoes, what about roasting the potatoes and serving them with a side of green vegetables? Do not even roast, why not fry these potatoes or boil them or simply mash them?
What I am driving at is that we must understand that for every source of carbohydrate, we need an accompanying source of vitamin or protein. You do not need to be rich to eat healthy.
Sleeping Patterns
A healthy man requires about eight hours of sleep. Many can do with six hours just fine. Men nowadays have befriended their gadgets more than their beds. Keep away from the phone and sleep. You need it to clear your head. You need sleep to rest. You need sleep to be fresh enough to face what tomorrow may bring. Sleeping is not for women and children alone. Men equally need it.
I understand that some jobs are too demanding that you must burn the midnight oil. However, create time to get your six or eight hours of sleep. Our brains are fashioned in a way that they must snooze at some point. The last thing you want is to doze off in the middle of an important meeting or presentation. The last thing you want is to sleep on the steering wheel. Make sleeping a part of you.
There is a lot to be said about men and their health. It is my genuine hope that this conversation will signpost men as to where to go and what to do as far as their health and well being is concerned. May this chat on men and their well being not end with testicular cancer awareness. Let us allow it to spill over to every day of every month for the rest of our lives. That men’s health is as vital as women’s and children’s.
