A balanced diet, a bit of exercise and lots of happiness are the keys to good health and long life
What does Kartik Bajoria, a 27-year-old filmmaker based in Los Angeles, have in common with Ravish Kapoor, a 56-year-old professor living in New Delhi? It is that they depend on their families for their emotional well-being.
Their rating of their families as a top priority unites them - owing to which they are happier individuals. This is also particularly relevant to their health, as research conducted at Carnegie Mellon University shows. The study uncovered evidence that positive emotions such as happiness are related to good health and increased longevity.
Hectic urban lifestyles, stressful careers and the drive to earn well make men put their health on the back burner. According to a paper presented by Jen Stokes and Suzanna Thomas of the Australian Nutrition Foundation, men are at risk just by virtue of their DNA alone.
And, one of the reasons for this is that men don't consider their health enough when shaping their diet.
Poor nutrition
Their poor food selection may be related to the feeling that nutrition is a feminine issue and that adopting healthy eating habits is not masculine.
"In addition, traditional masculinity has trapped men into a very narrow definition of what it means to be male, and unfortunately, good nutrition does not appear to be a part of this. This attitude may lead to serious consequences for their health," they say.
Dr Daffodil Gueverra, physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, Rochester Wellness Centre, says that most men in the UAE have a peculiar problem. "It is a pandemic of diabetes and hypertension; there is something amiss in the lifestyle here.
"Usually men are prone to heart disease, and for most, the risk of heart disease doubles after 40. A man who smokes, has a non-healthy lifestyle, and eats only fast food, will probably end up in the hospital sooner rather than later.
"Perfect health can be achieved when a man balances a healthy lifestyle, copes with stress and maintains a good diet. An overall healthy, balanced lifestyle puts a man less at risk for developing diseases," says Gueverra.
Single men tend to adopt a cavalier attitude when it comes to their health. Though many will disagree vociferously, being married is beneficial for men.
According to a study presented by the American Psychosomatic Society in Monterey, California, divorced men are more likely to drink, smoke, develop Alzheimer's disease, die prematurely or commit suicide.
Mark Wilson, a dealer of aviation spare parts in Sharjah, says that he noticed a marked improvement in his eating and exercising habits after he got married last year.
"Thanks to my wife, I now tend to eat home-cooked meals and go along with her for a walk in the park in the evening," says Wilson.
Being part of a couple also means that health problems are addressed and solved quicker. Dr Sean Penny, homeopath/homotoxicologist, The Dubai Herbal and Treatment Centre, says that over the years he has noticed that married women visit the clinic first and then after some time the husband follows.
"It generally seems that once the men have visited the clinic, they are inclined to make alternative medicine more of a first choice than a last resort. I think alternative medicine is becoming more popular and in general people are less sceptical about it," he says.
Working out
With the media focus on health issues and growing awareness among the general public, men are beginning to focus on their physical well-being and are working out to achieve their health goals.
"Five years ago, I constantly heard the excuse that they have too much work to think about a work out. Now, I have noticed that men are becoming conscious of their health, and they want to workout.
"Awareness is slowly building up, and the media is playing a major part in raising this awareness to promote wellness and health. Causes are being addressed, and a number of health shows are being broadcast on TV and the radio. The aim should be to walk at least 2,500 steps a day, which decreases the risk of heart disease," says Gueverra.
Walking and running are the simplest ways to keep fit. "I stay healthy by walking as much as possible, and incorporate walking into my normal routine," says Kapoor, while Bajoria says that his fitness regime is focused on cardio and includes, "lots of running and jogging."
Catherine Hanson-Farid, a Dubai-based freelance personal trainer, says that a majority of men find the fat around the middle difficult to shift.
"Men need to train differently as they should focus on their weight training and do heavier weights. Men generally tend to build upper body strength quicker.
"Stress is one of the causes for excess weight around the middle. Exercise can help with stress, especially cardio workouts. Exercise at least three times a week, increase it to five times a week if you want to lose weight," says Farid.
Dr R. Anil Kumar, specialist interventional cardiologist, Belhoul Hospital, says that conventionally there is a higher incidence of heart disease in men in their 40s and 50s than in women.
"Women have the protective shield of oestrogen, which guards them from heart disease. Men should maintain an ideal body weight, avoid smoking and try not to get over-stressed.
"Avoid carrying your work home, as the additional stress in the evenings can lead to high blood pressure. In the UAE, I have noticed a phenomenon that I have dubbed the Dubai-Sharjah syndrome.
"Most people commute two to three hours a day, and consequently lose out on precious hours which they could have used to exercise or spend with the family," says Kumar.
Body composition
The most important aspect of good health is a body composition consisting of a good ratio between muscle and fat, with the fat percentage being less than 18 per cent and muscle mass being normal or higher than normal for the height.
Obesity is probably the biggest problem and this is seen in men in all age groups. For men in their 40s, other ailments such as prostate and arthritic problems and erectile dysfunction become more prevalent.
Natural medicine offers a range of highly effective medications and therapies that have been proven effective over many years and can address a number of common ailments that afflict men.
According to Dr Penny, the main aim of alternative medical intervention is to provide the body with the necessary tools to heal itself.
"The kinds of conditions we see are generally treated very successfully with alternative therapies, but some conditions still require conventional medical intervention.
"It is important to understand that no field of medicine is a cure-all but in many instances a combination of conventional and alternative medicine is the best approach to addressing certain health problems," says Dr Penny.
Regardless of the approach you choose to maintain your physical health, nothing can substitute for the harmonious blend of a positive attitude and a healthy lifestyle.
"As men, we face numerous challenges right from adolescence to our 50s. These involve our careers, providing for the family and accepting old age. Dealing with these successfully requires having the right attitude and a stable mind. Armed with these, there is nothing that a man can't handle," says Kapoor.
