With June being Men’s health month, you might have seen or heard of messages to go get a check up, a “wellman check” or a “health warrant of fitness” with your local GP. A big push of men’s health month is #menstarttalking and I am proud to say that the message seems to be working. In the past 6 months we have seen an increased number of guys coming into the clinic for support in changing their diet and lifestyles and to improve their health.
We still have a lot of work to do though with high rates of non-communicable, lifestyle related diseases affecting New Zealand Men. 33% of men over 55 are on medication for high blood pressure and 25% of men over 55 are medicated for High Cholesterol. A staggering 20% of men in New Zealand still die from Heart Attacks!
The guys who have been coming in recently often do so after they have received some not great news from their GP and after it has been suggested they start taking daily medications. Often this is the first time in their life that these guys have had to take a medication, and the thought of taking a pill every day for the rest of their life is understandably shocking to them.
Some of the common issues that we are seeing people come in with are:
- High blood pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Raised liver enzymes
- High blood sugar
- Gout
- Insomnia
- Low mood
- Fatigue
The great news is that all of these health concerns can be addressed long term through diet and lifestyle change and judicious use of herbs and nutrients. In some cases these natural options are a valid alternative to medication, or they can be used in conjunction with medications to achieve better outcomes.
So what is involved when you come in for a naturopathic “wellman” check with me at My Remedy?
First of all, you do not have to worry about a prostate exam, we will leave the rubber glove routine to your GP. However, I will listen to you, your story, your concerns, and your health goals. I am not here to dictate what you must do and not do with your life.
Instead, I am here to help you discover the steps that are reasonable and achievable and that will have the biggest positive impact on your health for the rest of your life.
One of the coolest things about coming in for a ‘wellman check’ at My Remedy is that in addition to checking your blood pressure and heart rate we offer live blood screening. Live blood screening involves taking just a few drops of blood from a finger. We look at the blood under a dark field microscope and share what we see with you in real time on a TV screen. This is a great way for you to see visually how your health status looks on a cellular level. I find it helps guys connect with their health, and own the decisions that they can make everyday that are either helpful or harmful.
Read more about Live Blood Screening here.
Live Blood Screening examines indicators of the following:
- Nutritional deficiency
- Inflammation
- Immune function
- Oxidation / free radical damage
- Infection
- Food sensitivity
- Allergy
- Essential fatty acid deficiency
- Liver stress / toxicity
We don’t want to be the proverbial ambulance at the bottom of the cliff for guys in crisis. Ideally we want to see a lot more guys coming in who are in their 30’s and 40’s, who are motivated to assess where their health status is at and start making the dietary and lifestyle changes that will reduce the chances of developing cardiometabolic disorders later in their life.
So come on in, find out where you are at, and get motivated to make the changes to set you on a path to good health. In honour of Men’s Health Month I am offering 15% off our usual initial consultation until the end of June. Click the link below to book your time and let’s get MEN WELL!
