Men's health courses: daily habits and the checks worth booking
Plain guidance on the free and Medicare-funded checks Australian men can book, the habits behind them, and courses you can start now on strength, stress and food.
- Courses coming soon
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
High blood pressure and raised cholesterol often cause no symptoms, which is why regular checks are worth booking. A Medicare-funded Heart Health Check is available from your GP once every 12 months for people aged 45 and over, or 30 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It takes about 20 minutes and uses the Australian cardiovascular disease risk calculator to estimate your chance of a heart attack or stroke.
Screening helps too. Through the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program, a free home test kit is posted every 2 years to people aged 45 to 74. If you are 45 to 49, you need to request your first kit. Doing the test at home takes a few minutes and can find signs of bowel cancer before symptoms start.
Everyday habits make a real difference: Eat for Health suggests men aged 19 to 50 have 6 serves of vegetables and 2 of fruit a day, and the NHMRC advises no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day. Dedicated men's health courses are being written and will appear in the list below as they open; until then, the courses linked on this page cover strength, stress, sleep and food labels.
All men's health courses
New courses for this topic are on the way. Browse the other topics in the meantime, or contact us about the course you need.
Courses you can start now
- Getting stronger: Strength Training Basics is an 8-week home plan using body weight, a chair and a wall.
- Short fuse: Managing Anger Constructively covers early warning signs, a time-out plan and calm-down cards.
- Stress and worry: Reframing Unhelpful Thoughts teaches a simple thought record for when your mind runs away with you.
- Poor sleep: The Complete Better Sleep Course starts with a two-week sleep diary.
- Salt and saturated fat: Reading Food Labels shows how to compare sodium and saturated fat per 100 g.
Getting ready for a Heart Health Check
A little preparation helps you get more out of a 20-minute appointment.
- Ask the practice whether the check is bulk billed, and whether you need a recent blood test for cholesterol and blood sugar first.
- Write down any family history of heart disease, stroke or diabetes, especially in parents or brothers and sisters.
- Be ready to talk honestly about smoking or vaping, your usual weekly standard drinks, and how active you are.
- Bring a list of any medicines or supplements you take.
- Ask what your result means and when to come back.
Book the check for the same visit as anything else you have been putting off, such as asking about your bowel screening kit.
Symptoms not to ignore
See your GP if you notice:
- a lump or swelling in a testicle, or a change in its shape or feel
- needing to wee more often, especially at night, trouble starting, or a weak flow
- blood in your wee or poo, or a lasting change in bowel habit
- weight loss you cannot explain
Call 000 for chest pain that spreads to your arm, neck, jaw or back, or for signs of a stroke such as a drooping face, arm weakness or slurred speech.
If you are struggling, call MensLine Australia on 1300 78 99 78 or Lifeline on 13 11 14, both open at any hour.
Men's health courses: your questions
What is a Heart Health Check?
A Medicare-funded GP check of about 20 minutes for people aged 45 and over, or 30 and over for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It can be claimed once every 12 months and looks at blood pressure, cholesterol, lifestyle and family history to estimate your risk of heart attack and stroke.
When will I get a bowel screening kit?
The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program sends a free home test kit every 2 years to people aged 45 to 74. If you are 45 to 49, you need to ask for your first kit, which you can do through the National Cancer Screening Register.
How much alcohol is low risk?
The NHMRC advises healthy adults to drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day. A standard drink contains 10 g of pure alcohol, and many cans, glasses and schooners hold more than one.
Where can men talk to someone about stress or relationships?
MensLine Australia, 1300 78 99 78, offers free telephone and online counselling at any hour. Your GP can also talk through options, including referral for counselling.
Are the men's health courses only for men?
They are written with men in mind, but anyone can take them, including partners and family members who want to support someone.
Official sources
- Heart Foundation: Heart Health Checks
- National Cancer Screening Register
- NHMRC: Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol
- Eat for Health: Recommended number of serves for adults
- NSW Government: Physical activity guidelines for adults
- MensLine Australia
- healthdirect: Mental health helplines
Book the check, then build the habit
If you are 45 or over, ask your GP about a Heart Health Check, and start the strength course this week.