Men and Coeliac Disease: Addressing Male Health Silence
What prevents men from coming forward to talk about health and coeliac disease, and what can be done to address it?
Hey Gluten Free Fam,
There are many barriers for males to be able to talk in a safe environment about our health. We're trying to eliminate those obstacles at A Gluten Free Family. It's a big mission of ours to help guys speak openly and honestly.
This is an opportunity to confront something of a taboo subject: why men refuse to come forward and talk about their physical and mental health. In particular, there are many who are left undiagnosed from coeliac disease and are yet to be tested.
While this is a problem that transcends coeliac disease and even gut health more generally, until we address the stigma, we won’t achieve real progress.
We’ll delve into the problems, a little about Ben’s journey in this context, and what can be done to offer greater support and encouragement to men who feel pressured to stay quiet about their suffering.
Why the Coeliac Space Skews More Female
The coeliac and gluten free community, speaking more broadly, is predominantly female. Log in on any online space and you will come across many great female influencers and specialists who are confident and forthcoming about their concerns, solutions and encouraging others to connect and speak out. We see this reflected on our own podcast and social media feed.
It’s true that more women are diagnosed with coeliac disease than men, and there is a genetic disposition to that fact. Yet men are still leaving themselves untreated and untested at higher rates than women. This leaves them vulnerable to other serious diseases including diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis and heart conditions among other ailments.
As we explore, there are other reasons why women occupy much more visibility within the coeliac community.
Addressing the Toxic Masculinity Issue
From our perspective and life experience, it’s quite apparent society continues to have a toxic masculinity problem. Now it’s important to clarify - there are different interpretations for what that term means, and how it impacts the community. There are deadly ramifications for how this manifests with cases of domestic abuse and violent behaviour.
In this instance however, there is another category of toxic masculinity which we are referring to. It’s a culture that actively encourages men to remain silent about personal health struggles. You’re dismissed and maligned within male circles for simply voicing these concerns, let alone attempting to find a resolution.
This is not something which can be reflected in a definitive research paper to showcase precise data on a spreadsheet. We see the end result where men are far less likely to be visible and open, but it highlights an environment that subdues and suppresses transparency and emotion in men.
Why Ben Struggled as a Male to be Open
Ben discussed common issues men face growing up in his teens and twenties on the podcast episode. In particular, you couldn’t avoid the pressures and expectations of Australia’s drinking culture. Every weekend would be dominated by nights out on the town to consume as many drinks as possible. You spent large portions of your disposable income on alcohol.
Ben found the exact same scenario in the music industry. From one party to the next, and one event to the other, alcohol was inescapable. You would have fun with mates and escape into drinking culture, but we were never encouraged to be open and discuss our physical or mental health. In fact, when we would approach the subject, we felt the need to be under the influence of alcohol or other substances in order to feel semi-comfortable to discuss these matters.
Having seen other friends suffer with various issues over the years, there was an awkwardness for Ben to address the topic. After years of battling coeliac disease, Ben now has an appreciation for how important it is to come forward and have those conversations. Especially for those people close in our life, they need to know they have support to lean on during challenging times.
Ben’s complications with coeliac disease have provided one silver lining. He thought if he could just remove a certain type of food from his diet (gluten), what else could he improve in his life? The journey has taught him to dive deep into his health and psychology, and how it all works.
The Perception of ‘Weakness’ and Masculinity
One of the greatest fears most men have is the perception of being ‘weak.’ If you’re unable to demonstrate confidence and control, others will think less of you. Growing up, boys rarely, if ever, saw male role models who would show signs of vulnerability.
Subconsciously, this is considered a sign of weakness because it’s not reflected in what you see, hear and experience.
The outcome? Men’s physical and mental health stays a taboo subject. So the culture persists. You don’t have to worry about it if you don’t talk about it. The cycle repeats itself for future generations.
Especially when it comes to something like coeliac disease, autoimmunity and gut health, we’re worried about the aftermath. Not only is this an area publicly populated by women, but it undermines the idea of men being independent, strong and overcoming adversity of our own accord.
The truth of the matter? It’s only fear that holds men back from being honest.
How to Encourage Men to Come Forward Over Health Struggles
Men need to see encouragement and support to come forward over their health concerns
We’ve talked a lot about the current problem with men speaking about their health, but it’s time to offer some solutions. The first is a simple one, yet maybe the hardest of them all - it’s to come forward and open up about your struggles.
A common concern Ben’s encountered, and any doctor will tell you, bottling up your emotions doesn’t just take a toll on the mind, it damages the body too. In this respect, opening up is not just a therapeutic exercise, it’s a way to minimise the harm before it becomes costly, unsustainable and dangerous.
Another approach that should be front of mind is to confront what makes us hesitate to come forward in the first place. Subconsciously, we’re seeking affirmation that we’re strong and independent and can solve problems by ourselves.
But the truth needs to be acknowledged - continuing to live in pain and anguish without finding a resolution is the opposite of strength. For the sake of yourself and your family, your physical and mental health needs to be a priority, and this necessitates tangible action.
A final piece of advice to encourage men to come forward and tackle their health complications is to take one step at a time. You may hear stories that appear scary and daunting, not to mention how costly and logistically tough an ongoing health situation is to manage.
However, by focusing on your next appointment, your next assignment or discussion with a GP or specialist, it’s simply a process of putting one foot in front of the other and beginning the journey to health. The only way to achieve progress is to make the decision that’s what needs to happen, and to put that plan into action.
Seeking Inspiration from Men’s Coeliac Stories
We’ve had the privilege of talking to men in the coeliac community on A Gluten Free Podcast who not only confronted their health demons, but found incredible success along the way. What many would consider a misfortune for living with coeliac disease, they discovered opportunity and support from a community that invests in their ambition.
If you’re seeking inspiration from men who are open and vulnerable about their own health journey, you will find Sonny Wells on Episode 188 who went in-depth on his coeliac battles before turning a UK fast food idea into a startup supported by Virgin and Sir Richard Branson.
Anthony Dionne from Gluten Free Pasta Di Casa was Ben’s guest for Episode 82. He gave us first-hand insights about how his own coeliac diagnosis changed the trajectory of his career as a chef and founder of a successful gluten free restaurant in Sydney.
Long time listener of the show Stephen appeared on Episode 180 of A Gluten Free Podcast, speaking candidly about the emotional impact coeliac disease has had on his family and personal life.
Recently Ben also say down with Vince Lotito, Founder of Ardor Gluten Free. In this episode Vince shares his struggles of being diagnosed with coeliac disease as an Italian male and how through his own adversities, gained a loyal following by creating premium gluten free foods for the Australian gluten free community.
All of these discussions underline the importance of listening to men who are open and vulnerable. The more we encourage transparency and starting the conversation, the easier it will be to find solutions and achieve the health outcomes we all need and deserve.
How I’m Navigating Coeliac Disease as a Man & How We Help Encourage More Men to Discuss Physical & Mental Health
You can listen to Episode 191 of A Gluten Free Family in its entirety here. In this Gluten Free Thoughts show, Ben goes into more detail about his personal journey, and how his coeliac disease diagnosis set off a series of events that allowed him to open up about physical and mental health struggles.
He also discusses why men have come forward to him in private, but have not been more open to others in their life. He explores the barriers to male health transparency, the importance of men being vulnerable and how we can create a safe and supportive environment so men feel encouraged to take this step forward.
