A little exercise can do a lot to keep depression at bay.
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That was one of the messages at the first It’s A Blokes Lunch at the Novotel Wollongong Northbeach on Friday.
The event organised by Joshua Tree, of Better You Health Group, and supported by Westfund’s Lence Naumovski, Top Blokes Foundation’s Melissa Abu-Gazaleh, Novotel’s Steve Savic, Illawarra Mercury’s Julian O'Brien and Graham Lancaster, of Lancaster Law and Mediation, included a keynote address by Dr Simon Rosenbaum.
It also included a celebrity blokes panel including Tim Robards, Scott Evennett and former Dragons great Shaun Timmins.
Mr O’Brien shared a personal story and encouraged all men present to start talking to each other about their health. “Have a conversation. If it was not for a conversation that a mate had with me I probably wouldn’t be here talking to you. Thank you Leigh Robinson for being man enough to have that conversation.’
Dr Rosenbaum said one of the keys to helping people with depression centred around encouraging them to exercise because it improves mental health. He revealed research he has done that shows how effective that can be for conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. “But how do we actually motivate people who are living with the symptoms associated with a mental illness to get active. We know exercise has a really important role in not only helping to reduce symptoms but also in prevention,” he said.
“Recent data that has been released, again working with the Black Dog Institute, shows as little as one hour of exercise per week could actually prevent 12 per cent of all cases of depression going forward.”
Dr Rosenbaum said the type of exercise is irrelevant . “What we need to do is just get people moving. If there is something you take away today is that something is better than nothing. And the people who will benefit the most are those who are most inactive.”
During the panel discussion Mr Evennett revealed how he had lost six close friends in battle while he was in the military. But he has lost twice as many to PTSD since.
“It does feel like two different worlds. After you come out of the military..its hard to try and reintegrate back into society,” he said.
Read more: Entrepreneur Joshua Tree’s health day plan
Shaun Timmins was able to speak about re-adjusting to life after football and the lessons he has learned along the way. Mr Robards spoke of about his experiences with men as a health professional and how women are better at being preventative and not waiting to get help when they think something is wrong. The lunch was about promoting men’s health and encouraging men to get a check up and talk about their health.
Read more: Interest sought in a men's health day
Greg Ellis
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
Almost four decades in electronic, print and digital media. A writer, presenter, emcee, photographer and videographer with degrees in business management, marketing and human resources and tertiary qualifications in photography.
