emale improving men’s health & wellbeing issue 116 November 2012

mo bros doing it for men's health a few points on acupuncture why men’s work is so important events & news briefs mo bros doing it for men's health Page 2 It's that time of year when the men of Australia start resembling 1980s porn stars. All for a good cause. From its official start in 2003, Movember has grown to become a worldwide charity raising $302 million worldwide. Last year alone, it raised $124 million across 114 countries. An extraordinary effort for a charity that began as a jokey conversation between two blokes in a Melbourne pub back in 1999. But in an era of increasing competitiveness for the charity dollars, where every day is another cause and almost every month has a charity associated with it, what is it about Movember that keeps it going strong? Firstly, the fact that it's a male charity is a massive point of difference that immediately gives it cut through. So many other charities are either based around women's issues or are essentially feminine in their personas. Young men die at alarming rates through risky behaviour, suicide rates for rural males are heartbreakingly high and older men put off going to see a doctor about a prob- lem often until it's too late. All evidence that for a whole plethora of psychologi- cal and societal reasons, men have not been good at looking after their health and therefore have been underrepresented in health cause marketing.

So one of the many reasons Movember is such a success is that it came out of a real need and was a truly genuine grass roots campaign (as opposed to Pink Ribbon which increasingly feels like one giant corporate marketing exercise to sell more products by trading on people's goodwill). The use of the moustache as the symbol is brilliant. This embodiment of old fashioned stoic masculinity juxtaposes perfectly with the message from Movember, but also allows a redefinition of what a 'real man' is without it feeling emasculating.

Owning the moustache for a month makes this highly visible feature a charity badge far more effective than any ribbon, wrist band or bandanna. And it means every participant becomes a walking, talking Movember billboard for a whole month. Movember also taps perfectly into the male psyche. Competing to grow a great moustache is part of what attracts males to the charity. And the website has lots of competitive elements which says they perfectly understand their target. The other essential reason why this charity is so successful is that moustaches, especially partly grown ones, are very, very funny. The importance of humour in an area like this can't be underestimated. It makes the charity accessible and fun - worthy without being boring. People are happy to identify with it and play along. And it is the visible humour of the moustache that also makes Movember so perfectly suited to the social media. Participants are happy to share their snaps on an increasing number of platforms, producing their own tailored content. Movember doesn't even need to spend much on ads because everyone is doing it for them! And these Facebook statuses, twitpics, instagrams etc means we are constantly reminded of Movember, keeping it top of mind - again a win for awareness.

Ease of participation plays a role too. Charities usually either ask for a one-off donation (after which you forget about them) or they ask you to embark on something truly challenging, which in itself can be off-putting to many potential participants (I confess I have never actually managed to do an entire Dry July. I suspect the only way I'd mange to give up drinking for a month is to also give up my kids for a month).

And while other charities promote a 'buy this/do this to cure this' approach, Movember approaches it entirely differently. Whilst it began purely as a fundraiser for prostate cancer and mental health, it quickly grew into a campaign to make men rethink their attitudes toward their own health and well being. As their website says: This Movember, we will encourage all men to seek and share knowledge and wisdom with loved ones, to learn their family health history and predispositions and to understand the risks they face. These simple actions can have a significant impact on the quality and longevity of your journey through this life.

With Movember, the participants are, in fact, also the recipients. And the moustache is more than simply a brand symbol, it's a brand activator. It is the moustache itself that generates conversation between its wearer and others, which is essentially what the charity is all about- getting men to open up and talk about their health. So the marketing (the Mo) also becomes the brand promise - integrated campaigning at its best. Source: Dee Madigan is a regular panellist on the Gruen Planet, The Contrarians, The Perrett Report and PM Live. You can follow her on Twitter @deemadigan. View her full profile here. a few points on acupuncture Page 3 Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese method of treatment which works by rebalancing the body’s internal energy system, the network of energy pathways which circulate along the skins surface and then into deeper levels of the body eventually connecting to our major organs e.g., the lungs, stomach, liver etc. This energy system is said to be similar to our blood and nervous systems. There are at least 365 acupuncture points, located on 14 invisible channels known as meridians, which relate to specific organs. When these imbalances occur within the body, they can then be corrected by inserting acupunc- ture needles at various points along the body. The number of needles required varies with each patient. This system has been refined over two thousand years, the first writings on acupuncture are believed to have been around the 2nd or 3rd B.C. Development of acupuncture itself has been through observation of the therapeutic effect obtained from stimulating certain points on the body , these points are sometimes referred to as either trigger or alarm points. During this period a vast amount of knowledge has been accumulated in relation to various disease conditions, symptoms and their treatment by various acupuncture points and or herbal formulas. Current research in Australia and overseas into new and old treatments continues even today.

Acupuncturists use a variety of different methods in the treatment of ill health and disease conditions. Depending on the practitioner they may treat by the insertion and manipulation of needles, the use of cupping, moxabustion (which is a method of heat stimulation) or all of the methods described, depending on the patients presenting health problem. By these methods an acupuncturist restores the body’s energy imbalance which manifests as either a set of symptoms like pain or fatigue or as a particular set of health problems. People see acupuncturists for many reasons depending on the individual’s needs and their particular health problems. These may range from muscular problems, stress related, general fatigue, to more serious conditions such as chronic infec- tions. They may be looking for treatments with fewer side effects, as an adjunct to their current treatment or as an alterna- tive to current treatments due to dissatisfaction with them. The benefits of acupuncture include stress and pain relief, body - mind harmony, general well being and best of all no side effects so you can have an acupuncture treatment on its own or in combination with other holistic or western medical treatments.

For more information on Acupuncture contact the national professional association with a practitioner search section at Australian Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Association Source: “Men’s health & wellbeing: an a - z guide” Greg Millan emale is Australia’s largest free men’s health and wellbeing ebulletin produced by Greg Millan, Men’s Health Consultant and Director of Men’s health SERVICES. emale is distributed throughout Australia and internationally. Subscription is by email request. Reproduction of material must acknowledge issue number, original source and author. Content and design is the proprietary information of Greg Millan who retains all rights, title and interest in the content. © 2012 Greg Millan. M 0417 772 390 E [email protected] W www.menshealthservices.com.au Page 4 Why men’s work is so important By Paul Mischefski Several years ago I suggested to the editor of one of the newspapers I was writing for that we run a men’s column to add some balancing perspective to the never-ending flood of media articles on relating and gender issues – all written from a female viewpoint. She retorted: “Don’t be silly. Men don’t have a clue about those things. Only women know about them.” A week earlier I had been on an annual fishing trip with eight men. Once the initial blokey banter died down the campfire conversation turned seriously to what was happening with their kids, their relationships, concerns over where society was heading, the negative portrayal of men in the media and the future our young are likely to inherit. Many said how great it would be if their partners and families shared their love of the outdoors. By week’s end they were rejuvenated and dying to return to their families.

A biased mindset and stonewall against a male viewpoint on gender matters is deeply entrenched throughout the media, which is why we rarely see articles on relating, parenting or gender issues written from a man’s perspective – and why so many women say they don’t have a clue what is going on with men because men “don’t speak up”. It is a block to gender understanding, and hearing only one viewpoint creates distorted perceptions in our culture and amongst young ones. It is also why few people get to know that Australia has one of the most advanced emerging men’s movements in the world. No-one is denying many men have issues, but in recent decades a quiet revolution has been making steady progress attracting those who realise the deep need for a supportive new men’s culture and network where they can sort through their issues, learn to better themselves and become more effective in their own self-worth and identity and in turn better fathers, partners and contributors to a rapidly changing world.

Men’s groups have been springing up in suburbs everywhere. They are widely diverse: some are regular informal get-togethers where men discuss what is happening in their lives, others are more structured and run by trained facilitators with different weekly themes covering relationship dynamics, parenting, self-sabotage issues, intimacy and sexuality, a sense of purpose in the world, healing the relationship with our own fathers and contributing to a healthy community. Most are ordinary, everyday blokes of all ages facing issues that are a common thread in the lives of a vast number of men. In one group years ago, I found myself sitting in circle with a millionaire property developer, a single dad of three struggling on welfare, a builder, a relationships counsellor, a security guard, a government health worker, a gestalt therapist, a gay man and an unemployed musician.

A common set of ethics and agreements around many groups includes leaving your ego at the door so everybody is deemed equal, and values of strict confidentiality, respect, trust, non-judgement, acceptance of viewpoints, and an inten- tion to learn to be as real and authentic as possible. A ceremonial talking stick is often used so everyone is heard equally. Making real change can be a struggle in a judgemental, unsupportive environment and, while much of our culture is geared towards condemning men for their apparent failures without also acknowledging the good they do, these groups provide a powerfully supportive and affirming space and the freedom for men to become who they want to be. Many groups continue on as a strong space of camaraderie and a place to bounce life and ideas around. The spiritual value of this to our culture is immense at a time when isolation and the lack of effective support structures are seen as one of the biggest destroyers of men. In the past few years there has emerged an elders movement also, similar to the grandmother circles, with men of wise years holding gatherings in many states and electing men’s eldership circles. They are largely men with broad life experience concerned for the future of our cultural values and young generations.

While there are many supportive women who welcome this work and most men’s organisations also support women’s organisations, some alarmists, without stopping to investigate, have been quick to label this movement a bunch of men struggling to hold on to old patriarchal values. Yet nothing could be further from reality. They have long broken away from old values that discriminate against their freedom and well-being just as much as women’s and they are at the forefront of an underground change. And just as the women’s movement did many years ago, they often face their own share of prejudices, sexist bias, stereotypes and misandric attitudes from both women and men in positions of power in government, media and academia.

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Women did themselves and men a service for years by pointing out sexist attitudes and language in male culture. Now many argue the wheel has turned and it is time for men to serve women and our young in the same way. Our culture worships the feminine a great deal, but there is little recognition of the sacred aspects of the masculine. State and Federal governments pour money into ‘perpetrator programs’ for men who do go off the rails, but fail to see the benefit of funding preventive programs that engage men in a healthy lifestyle and support mechanism that benefits both them, their families and communities.

At weekend gatherings everywhere men are becoming more connected with their ability to nurture and care for themselves and others and they are working far more intuitively. Most realise that wholeness means having a healthy inner balance of yin and yang, listening to the heart and how things feel just as much as their heads.

No-one is denying there are many men who have serious issues that need addressing. Men are often the first to admit that, but all the indications show the negative aspects of men have been seriously over-stated in the rush to empower women and there has been little exposure of the vast amount of good that men do. Likewise there has been little focus on areas where women have deeply destructive issues to overcome. Many social problems are portrayed only as ‘male’.

Our young ones, especially boys, suffer as a result. Girls also suffer from this disempowering of the masculine, and it is a concern widely voiced by a large number of men. When men are ridiculed and debased, our culture starts to lose respect for the value of authority. We see it in increasing lawlessness, violence and destruction in our young people. Statistics by the Australian Institute of Criminology this year show violent crimes, alcohol abuse and assaults by young women (often against each other over fashion and beauty) is one of our fastest-growing social problems – and one we are ill-equipped to handle because our law-making mentality is still deeply entrenched in seeing only men as offenders.

What many men have been actively realising is that change starts with self, and taking care of healing their own inner demons first, and creating a supportive network puts them in a better place to hold space for other men, for their families and the changes our culture needs to experience. Finding their own voice and identity first, away from the common projections and stereotypes of mainstream media and political-lobby agendas, is one of the first steps to real, sustainable change. Paul Mischefski is a journalist, Spiritual counsellor, and a member of the Executive Committee and Elders Circle of Men’s Wellbeing Inc, based in Queensland. This is an edited version of the article published in the latest Living Now magazine, you can view the full article here events Page 6

SURVIVORS & MATES SUPPORT NETWORK HALF-DAY WORKSHOP FOR MALE SURVIVORS OF CHILD- HOOD SEXUAL ABUSE AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. 17 November 9.30am - 1pm Travelodge Newcastle Hotel 12 Steel St. Newcastle

The workshop will explore issues for men who were sexually abused as children or as young adults. It is designed to help those who were abused by a family member, someone outside their family, a male, a female, or by a number of people. This workshop will provide information about sexual abuse and the recovery process - it will attempt to normal- ise the efforts men have taken both to survive the abuse and to recover. The workshop will be led by psychologist Mark Griffiths who has many years of experience working with men and women who have been sexually assaulted. As part of his work at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, he ran many groups for men who were sexually abused when they were children. He is now running similar groups under the auspices of SAMSN. Please note that this workshop is not a counselling session and is not intended to replace therapy. Registrations & refreshments from 9am COST: Full $20 Concession $10 (Cash payments taken on the day only) TO REGISTER: www.samsn.com.au SAMSN - Survivors & Mates Support Network TEL 0479 195 756 | www.samsn.com.au

Victorian Male Health Gathering November 19 – 20, Hemisphere Conference Centre & Hotel 488 South Road, Moorabbin, Victoria Male Health Victoria's inaugural Gathering has a great line up of keynote speakers including Professor David de Krester (MHV Patron and Founder of Andrology Australia), Celia Lashlie (NZ researcher, speaker and author), Paul Henley (Co- founder and Director of Pathways Foundation) and Associate Professor Gary Misan (University of South Australia). There will also be a diverse range of workshops for Gathering participants to attend covering topics such as:  Helping men rebuild after a crisis  Australian Longitudinal Study on male health (Ten to Men)  Putting the spotlight on male help-seeking behaviour  Exploring rites of passage during the male journey from boys to adolescents to men Visit the website here for more information and to register. PRIMAL MAN - PRIMAL DANCE FOR MEN POWERFUL PASSIONATE RAW WILD DANCING FOR MEN Hilton Community Centre 34 Paget st, Hilton, Perth WA Monday November 19th 7-9pm $20 Contact Kitsiri D Silva [email protected] 0407060093

Men in Bali Retreats November, December 2012 Geoff, Wes and Peter of The MensWork Project are happy to let you know that the Men in Bali retreats are confirmed for late this year. A Man's Journey Sat 24th November to Sat 1st December; The Elders Way Wed 5th December to Wed 2th December. There are places left in both A Man’s Journey (for men at any age or stage of life who are ad- dressing their positive personal development journey) and The Elders Way (for men over 50 who are seeking answers and information about enhancing their journey into positive ageing). For full information on these exciting events for men go to the website here for a general overview of the events, and more detail about the retreats, dates, costs, etc. These retreats are restricted to just 8 participants to ensure the highest level of opportunity for personal growth, great fellowship and an enriching experience. Please contact Geoff or Wes if you have specific questions about your participation in a retreat. news briefs Page 7 Mates across NSW ‘Mate to Mate’, a project that aims to improve access to Home and Community Care Services amongst older men, has been funded by the department of Ageing Disability and Home Care (ADHC) to roll out across NSW. The project is a partnership between Council on the Ageing (NSW) and the Men’s Health Information Resource Centre (MHIRC) at the University of Western Sydney. The Mate to Mate project’s successful pilot in Cumberland and Prospect, Mid North Coast and Central West NSW tested an innovative model to tackle the barriers older men could face with access to HACC services. The project looks at providing reliable information to older men through the COTA NSW peer education program, whilst simultaneously building capacity amongst HACC service providers with training and resources around older men’s needs developed by MHIRC. The pilot project has shown improvements in older men’s knowledge (96% said that their understanding of HACC services had improved) and has led directly to an increase in older men accessing Home and Community Care services. One group participant said ‘This session gave me permission to ask for help’. The pilot program also illustrated a commitment within HACC services to make changes and implement strategies that spe- cifically address the needs and preferences of older men. Mate to Mate peer education sessions are now available for groups of older people throughout NSW and over the course of the next year training for HACC services around older men will take place in each HACC region across NSW. To book a peer education session for an older men’s group, call COTA NSW on: 02 9286 3868 The project is now holding consultations to broaden its application to diverse groups in the community. For HACC service training contact MHIRC on: 02 4570 1129

Vitamins don’t lower heart disease risks for men Multivitamins might help lower the risk for cancer in healthy older men but do not affect their chances of developing heart disease, new research suggests. Two other studies found fish oil didn’t work for an irregular heartbeat condition called atrial fibrillation, even though it is thought to help certain people with heart disease or high levels of fats called triglyc- erides in their blood. The studies were presented Monday at an American Heart Association conference in Los Angeles.

A separate analysis released in connection with the meeting showed that at least 1 in 3 baby boomers who are in good shape will eventually develop heart problems or have a stroke. The upside is that that will happen about seven years later than for their less healthy peers. The findings came in an analysis of five major studies involving nearly 50,000 adults aged 45 and older who were followed for up to 50 years.

Multivitamins are America’s favourite dietary supplement. About one-third of adults take them. Yet no government agency recommends their routine use for preventing chronic diseases, and few studies have tested them to see if they can. A lead- ing preventive medicine task force even recommends against beta-carotene supplements, alone or with other vitamins, to prevent cancer or heart disease because some studies have found them harmful. And vitamin K can affect bleeding and interfere with some commonly used heart drugs.

A leading preventive medicine task force even recommends against beta-carotene supplements, alone or with other vita- mins, to prevent cancer or heart disease because some studies have found them harmful. And vitamin K can affect bleed- ing and interfere with some commonly used heart drugs.

The same study a few weeks ago found that multivitamins cut the chance of developing cancer by 8 percent - a modest amount and less than what can be achieved from a good diet, exercise and not smoking. The fish-oil studies tested prescription-strength omega-3 capsules from several companies in two different groups of people for preventing atrial fibrillation, a fluttering, irregular heartbeat.