It is a popular urban myth that men are not as health-conscious as women. The fact is women’s healthcare is highlighted more than men’s healthcare. Men too, are as health conscious as women about their well-being. It is not limited only to muscle building or fitness. Ayurveda has emphasized men’s health and elaborated on balancing the three Doshas for a healthier life.

Men’s Healthcare in Ayurveda & Modern Medicine:

Modern medicine and public health research state that men have a lower life expectancy than women. This study is based on various factors such as ethnicity, genetic disposition, and age.

As commonly seen in the urban population, men have a tag of being the ‘man of the family’. Who is taking care of most financial responsibilities? Work stress and being a family man, usually take a toll on men’s physical and mental health.

Common Health complaints faced by men are:

There are mainly following health issues faced by men, which are:

• Digestive disorders – Constipation, flatulence, indigestion, and IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) are common due to poor lifestyle and dietary habits.
• Respiratory conditions – Smoking is more common among men than women and as a result, health issues such as asthma, sore throat, coughing, hoarseness of voice, and even lung disorders like cancer are common.
• Liver disorders – Alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of Fatty liver disease in males. Excessive alcohol intake leads to the poor synthesis of liver enzymes leading to cirrhosis and fatal conditions like liver cancer.
• Obesity – Middle-aged men are more likely to experience obesity than younger men. A sedentary lifestyle with no exercise and a constant desk job leads to a lack of activity and erratic eating habits. Frequently dining on junk food, bakery items lead to more fat deposition than the body can burn off.
• Cardiovascular conditions – Excessive smoking, alcohol, and consumption of calorie-dense fatty foods such as red meat, junk food, etc lead to increased blood cholesterol levels. This elevated cholesterol is also due to lack of activity and a high amount of stress, leading to a lack of proper sleep and raised blood pressure. Such constant elevated levels of cholesterol in the blood and hypertensive state of blood pressure may lead to sudden fatal conditions like stroke or heart attack.
• Sexual disorders – Poor physical and mental health affects sexual health directly. Sexual complaints common in men include early ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, slow motility, and low stamina. It is equally important to address these problems as well as women’s reproductive health.
• Skin and Hair – Receding hairline, male pattern baldness are common hair issues along with dandruff, folliculitis on the scalp and the beard, and skin conditions like acne, pigmentation, eczema, and psoriasis which men tend to ignore for a long time till they see the disease progression.
• Mental Health – As compared to women, men are less likely to seek therapy and counseling for their mental and emotional health. Yet, this scenario seems to have been changing for good as stress affects both genders equally. Men are facing more issues like anxiety, stress, panic attacks, lack of sleep, and poor concentration than women.