Physical Health

It's more than the gym. Whether you're taking your first yoga class, choosing healthier foods or deciding to quit smoking, physical health is an important part of gay men's lives. This section provides resources, articles and information about how you can live a longer, healthier life. We also have listings for our Professional Volunteers who specialize in physical health.

Drink It Up!

Posted by HIM on Friday June 19th, 2009

I spent last summer on Vancouver Island. I was surrounded by water; but they were rainless months. Elsewhere, vast parts of the province were on fire, in particular the Okanagan. To lend support from my pleasant breezy space, I bought BC produced wine and beer. Much more than usual. I also drank a lot of water.

The clean island air, I was always hungry, and never far from the smells of food. My workplace was attached to a McDonald’s. So after many years of disparagement of the big M I gave in; daily BLTs, fries and sundaes. Back and forth through the front door of the office, I stopped at the water cooler each time.

When the fall rain finally came it was time to return to the mainland. Cleaning out my place, all those bottles under the kitchen sink, it meant a few trips to the building’s blue bin.

What price excess – can I say it – for a “middle-aged” gay man? Time to see my doctor, I thought. It had been ten years since I’d had a thorough checkup. Nagging realities: what about the Hep B from 20 years ago, what about my liver? And what about the heart? Heredity, heart attacks; mother died at 55; brother nearly dead at 37.

I waited a bit, back in my Vancouver groove. Back to butterless bagels, no fast food. Long walks, and countless stops at the city’s many outdoor drinking fountains. Then the doctor’s appointment, the blood work.

“Whatever we’re doing,” my doctor said, “don’t change a thing.” The results all in, I’m as healthy as can be. But what does this mean?

I insist it’s the water. Don’t they always say 8 cups a day? The sporty people know, the runners, cyclists, bottled water is big business these days.

Some even declare water is a cure-all: allergies, asthma, hypertension, excess body weight, depression, premature aging, headaches….

All this means that water is Big Politics – as in globalization – will I live to see the end of free water?

I now give myself solace in other temporary things: the odd bottle of Kelowna wine, ice cream. I follow my nose when I detect French Fries. And water, always more water….

— Craig W. Barron
Originally written for Gaze published by Gayway