Have you ever considered the profound impact that gender can have on our health?
And, if you ponder deeper, you will notice men are more susceptible to specific ailments than women and vice versa.
It’s true that “we all are different.” However, when it comes to individual gender, we see similarities in groups of men and women. These similarities could be due to;
1.Different body types
2.The day-to-day role we play in a social setting
3.Emotional health as per social conditioning
Understanding these differences can empower us to make more informed decisions about our well-being. Let’s explore gender-specific differences in nutrition and lifestyle changes to prevent gender-specific ailments.
Women
In a social setting, women are considered the heart of the family. They are usually expected to manage the household chores and take care of the family, including children and elders. From an early age, they are conditioned to nurture their loved ones. They are also encouraged to be sensitive and emotional beings. In this social setting, they naturally depend on their partner for financial and emotional comfort.
Apart from this, female anatomy is different. Females are capable of being pregnant and giving birth to a child in reproductive age- and for this, women go through hormonal changes as per different phases, from puberty to reproductive age to pregnancy to menopause. All these combined impact a woman’s health and might make her more susceptible to a few ailments.
Common ailments for Women
-Migraine
-Eczema
-Depression and anxiety
-Thyroid
-Pregnancy-related issues
-Menstruation-related issues
-Autoimmune ailments
If we examine these ailments closely, we will see they are directly related to stress and hormonal imbalance. The social setting and the different phases of the reproductive system impact the way that women become more vulnerable to certain conditions.
To prevent this, we need to make lifestyle changes to balance hormones and improve emotional health.
Focus on
- Consuming lean protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fermented food, and healthy fats provides the body with high nutrition, which helps balance hormone health.
- Cheat meals won’t help.
- Remember, increased craving = nutrition deprived body and mind.
- Use cosmetics, hair dye, and artificial fragrances in moderation. They could be the reason for imbalanced hormones.
- Good sleep, hearty laughter, and meditation are food for the brain.
- Work on “me-time”. Passion is what drives you to live well.
- Drink water, exercise, breathe, pause, and sleep well.
Men
In a social setting, men are considered the head of the family and expected to behave like one. Leading society, protecting family, and providing financial and emotional support come under their radar. They are conditioned to act like a stronger one from an early age. They are also told directly and indirectly that their pain-bearing capacity is higher. They are expected not to complain, sulk, or cry about life’s difficulties. In this social setting, men naturally become less sensitive and inexpressive or hide their emotional turmoil.
Apart from this, their breadwinner role adds stress and impacts their eating habits and sleeping regime. In addition, consumption of alcohol, chewing tobacco and smoking is relatively higher in males. All these combined impact man’s health in a particular manner and might make them more susceptible to a few ailments.
Common ailments
-Heart ailment
-Diabetes
-Liver disease
-Snoring/ sleep apnea
-Cancer
If we look closely, all these conditions are directly related to the work environment and busy lifestyle. Men usually focus more on work and ignore taking care of their health. Added consumption of addictive can impact their health adversely.
Focus on
- To reduce alcohol
- Stop smoking
- Eat meals on time and, if possible, arrange for homemade food.
- Consume tea/coffee in moderation. Avoid frequent snacking (biscuits and street food). Prefer to eat fruits or homemade dry snacks (peanuts, chana, nuts, makhana, etc.)
- Add an exercise regime. It is natural to miss exercise on a busy day. However, adding small breaks in worktime and using them to add 10 minutes of walking or climbing stairs will help.
- Work on mind health. Balancing work-family life will significantly impact your mental health.
- Drink water, breathe and don’t procrastinate on sleep. You cannot build an empire overnight.
A few exceptions are always present whenever we discuss any topic. But if it applies to most of society, it is worth considering the impact and taking suggestive action to prevent trouble.
Thank you.