Ten years ago in Melbourne Luke Slattery and Travis Garone were enjoying a couple of beers when they decided to challenge one another to grow a moustache for the duration of November. After recruiting 30 of their friends, they started to realise the power of the Mo but had no idea they were in the midst of creating a Movember revolution that would go on to raise millions of dollars for men’s health.
By Chloe Schneider
Now thousands of men across 21 countries over the world wake up clean shaven on the first of November each year and spend the rest of the month sporting a growing mo and raising money for men’s health programs including Australia’s Prostate Cancer Foundation and Beyondblue organisations.
The money raised is dedicated to improving upon these sobering statistics on men’s health…
- 1 in 8 men will experience depression and 1 in 5 men will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime
- The male suicide rate is 4 times higher than that of women
- 1 in 9 men in Australia will develop prostate cancer. 20,000 new cases will be diagnosed in Australia this year alone
- Close to 3,300 Aussie men die of prostate cancer annually, higher than the number of women who die from breast cancer
As Movember comes to a close, it’s high time to remind the men in your life about the importance of keeping health a number one priority and making time for exercise could be a great place to start.
Not only does exercise help to reduce weight and risk of chronic diseases, it helps control high blood pressure, reduce heart disease and stroke, aids in the treatment of depression, improves productivity and mental alertness and can prevent cognitive decline.
Accredited Exercise Physiologist Sebastian Buccheri from the Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA), explains, “One of the biggest reasons for supporting a cause like Movember is that, as Exercise Physiologists, we know the importance of staying healthy and the direct benefits of exercise in the management of and prevention of many chronic and complex diseases.”
“My colleagues and I come across depression in about 70 per cent of male pain management clients. I have seen firsthand the benefits a biopsychosocial approach which means combining exercise and psychological intervention has on managing depression. There is also an overwhelming amount of evidence that links exercise to cancer prevention”
Like women, men lead such busy lives that they often find little time or impetus to exercise for long-term benefit but perhaps they might see the appeal if they’re aware of some of the short-term benefits… like a better sex life. Bucceri says, “Exercise is not only essential in the treatment and prevention of chronic disease but can significantly improve other areas of a man’s life including mental alertness, muscle strength and a better sex life. There are countless studies which confirm that sexual dysfunction is far more likely among those with poor physical health and that vigorous exercise provides the best results.”
Take time to remind your father, brothers, uncles, sons, friends, and any other beloved men in your life to start dedicating a set amount of time to exercise this November and then continue this as part of their NY resolution in 2013.
