💪Behind the Muscles
Men’s Health Month
This month is Men’s Health Month — or as many know it, Movember.
We all have men in our lives we care about — friends, brothers, fathers, or colleagues.
But the truth is, men are dying 4.5 years earlier than women, and mostly from preventable causes.
One man dies by suicide every minute.
Four in five suicides are by men.
Prostate and testicular cancer affect millions worldwide.
🧠 The Strength You Can’t See
We talk a lot about being strong — gym, hustle, staying fit — and that’s important.
But there’s another kind of strength we don’t talk about enough.
You can lift 50kg dumbbells, run marathons, or grind 12-hour days… but what happens when your mind feels heavy?
Growing up, I didn’t really understand mental health.
If someone said they were depressed, I’d think, “Come on bro, just shake it off.”
But seeing people close to me struggle made me realise this is real — pain doesn’t always show on the outside.
📖 Even Elijah Struggled
Even in the Bible, we see men wrestle with burnout and pressure.
Elijah, one of the most respected prophets, had just come off a massive win — imagine winning the World Cup or the 100-metre final. He’d proven everyone wrong, stood firm, and delivered big.
But straight after that high, he crashed. He felt empty, exhausted, and ready to give up.
“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Let me die.” (1 Kings 19:4)
Instead of telling him to “man up,” God told him to rest, eat, and then gave him purpose again.
It is a reminder that even those we see as the strongest can struggle with mental health too.
Sometimes what we need isn’t another challenge — it’s rest, good food, and space to breathe so we can rediscover.
🗣️ Even the Strong Fall
Look at Tyson Fury — heavyweight champion, king of confidence — yet he’s spoken openly about his own battles.
Behind the muscles, behind the bravado, even the mandem can struggle.
So how do we start changing the story?
Here are 5 things men can do, straight from Movember 👇🏾
1️⃣ Stay Connected
Life gets busy — work, kids, hustle — and before you know it, you haven’t seen your boys in months.
Catch up, even if it’s small. Watch a game, hit the gym together, grab some food.
Those moments matter.
2️⃣ Talk More
I think women tend to do this better. They might be facing the same challenges, but they talk about it — they share, they check in, they’ve built support networks.
Men? We often keep it to ourselves. But talking helps. Sometimes you don’t need to fix it — you just need to say it out loud.
3️⃣ Know the Numbers
Prostate cancer’s the most common cancer in men over 50.
If you’re African or Caribbean, or it runs in your family, start checking from 45, not 50.
Early detection can save your life.
4️⃣ Know Your Nuts
Testicular cancer’s the top cancer for younger guys — but the good news is it’s highly curable when caught early.
Know what’s normal for you. If something feels off, get it checked.
5️⃣ Move More
You don’t need to be a gym rat. Walk more, take the stairs, play ball, cycle to work — just move.
Remember: motion precedes emotion.
💙 My Why
I’ll be honest — I don’t always get this right. Okay, most of the time I don’t.
Life gets busy, and I’m guilty of just getting on with it.
The truth is, it’s not getting any easier to stay connected or build real friendships. But if we want community — a village — we have to show up for others, so they can show up for us.
I’m supporting Movember this month to remind us that no one should have to face life’s battles alone.
👉🏾 https://uk.movember.com/mospace/15242002
Let’s start showing up for each other
