A Closer Look at Men's Wellbeing

By Carl Muir

Originally published in NZ Fishing News, Nov 2020

I’m going to start this article off with a hard hitting question - how many people do you know, who have died before their time, from cancer, stroke or heart disease. Or, how many of you know someone whose life is negatively impacted currently by obesity, diabetes or mental illness. I am going to guess that I still have everyone, reading on. 

And I am going to guess there might have been a few tears come to people’s eyes when they think of what it would be like to still have some of those they loved still here on earth in a healthy state. For me, my thoughts immediately go to my Dad dying of a brain tumour in 2014, at the age of 63. I would give anything to still have him here today, for him to spend more time with his grandkids he loved and meet my partner who has never seen his smile, heard his laugh or experience his gentle nature. 

I’ve been wanting to get a touch more philosophical in a fishing magazine for a while now. I read with interest Sam Mossman’s NZ Fishing News article recently about how fishermen evolve over their lifetime and I concur with what he had to say. I might take the liberty of delving a bit deeper.

Because, you see, I think being a fisherman connects us back to our true purpose as a human being. Putting our bare feet in the sand, gazing out to sea, casting a line in the water, catching your own fresh nutritious sustenance, some times after an epic battle, and even better, providing this healthy kai to people you love - there is nothing that quite comes close to the truth for a fisherman.

As fishermen, we are so, so close to leading long healthy lives. I would say we are 85% there. Yet, why do we still have our mates falling over way, way to early? Humans are meant to live well past 100. And when I say live - I mean really LIVE. Not spend the last thirty years of their life having hips and knees replaced and relying on medication and being restricted from moving.

We live in a society where we have largely forgotten why we are here in the first place. Recent times might serve as a reflection of just how much longer we have left here as a species if we don’t rediscover some fundamental truths. As a planet we are still squabbling over the colour of our skin, imaginary lines across country borders, who’s got the best of this and that and more pertinently,  how we should protect ourselves from ‘illnesses’ that mother nature is throwing in front of us.

We’ve put money, things and pleasing and impressing other people over our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of our planet.  Our destiny is often placed, way, way too much in the hands of multinational corporations. It is time we took our own power back.

Our ancestors, and I am talking thousands of years ago, never had the morbidity (or rate of disease in a population) we do as modern humans. That is because they moved, lots, every day. Humans are the endurance animal of the planet. Hunting, foraging, gathering we used to travel miles every day. Our ancestors ate largely unprocessed diets of animal and plant protein, and animal and plant fats. Our DNA has not changed but our way of life and environment has and it is no wonder we are getting sick.

Fast forward to the modern day, and I reflect on ten years of seeing guys jump on my boat, often hungover, with pies, processed carbohydrate loaded lunches, sugary energy drinks, cigarettes, and then heading off to the pub after a days fishing. I’m not going to point the finger, because that has been me over the years as well.  I’ve been blessed to meet some amazing people in my career as a fishing guide. I’ve always hoped the experience on the water has been good for them, good quality relaxation, connection with nature and taking healthy protein and animal fat back to their families and friends. But I’ve felt it could always evolve a bit further.

My journey over the last five years has seen me drawn towards, study and experience, new diets and lifestyles which are very in tune with our way of life as fisherman. I’ve needed to, to heal myself at times. More and more I tweak my offering as a guide towards experiences that will help serve my valued customers and the people around them. I’ve just finished a 6 month health coach course, and an epiphany for me, is how closely linked wellbeing is to hunter gathering. Who would have thought that going fishing or diving for a few days was as good as going to the gym or going on a diet. It can be, if we do it the right way. 

I would love to still be here, casting a stickbait, diving for crays and cooking a feed, while my great grand children are here to join in the fun. From what I am currently learning and studying, this is not only possible, it is our fundamental birthright. And it shouldn’t take a magic pill, surgery, or a jab in the arm, it means doing what we love, what we were here to do in the first place, and enjoying every minute of it. 

I shared my journey recently on one of our Provider Men’s Wellbeing Retreats. Ironically the first one was held the week before the first lock down of 2020, we kicked things off by grounding ourselves, harvesting a patch of kumara, I planted October 2019. This nutritious plant was the basis for many meals matched with our catch over the next few days, along with other green goodness from our garden. Together with three awesome human beings who signed up for my first retreat we reflected on our own journeys as Kiwi blokes over the years, and ways in which we wanted to grow in years to come. And of course we caught some farking cracking kingis. But most importantly, we went into the lockdown, all as very strong human beings who were determined to still be there as very powerful forces in the lives of our loved ones, for many years to come.

If intrigued by what I have written, and you’d like to delve into some of this stuff a little more, enjoy some banging fresh cooking, straight out of the Coromandel ocean and from my garden, connecting with other like minded good buggers, give me a call and jump on one of our upcoming Provider retreats.  I can guarantee you will feel better for it.

Go well mates!