What day is it? Where am I?

I was convinced I'd woken up to find the last three months were a nightmare, involving shopping, and today is 1st April.

Part of my work as external affairs officer for the Forum is media monitoring. Which lead me to read Sex and shopping – how retail therapy really is bad for men's health and fertility in the Daily Telegraph and the only conclusion was that I had just woken up on April fool's day.

Researchers have found that a chemical compound found on some till receipts contains enough of the hazardous substance Bisphenol A (BPA) to suppress male hormones in the body.

Can till receipts really make men impotent? Surely men can't be even more intuitive than thought and know that shopping is bad for them? It must be nonsense, but no:

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) supports its removal and has stated concerns regarding the impact of the chemical on babies and young children.

I look forward to commentary on Behind the Headlines on the NHS Choices website. Until then, it's lunchtime, and I need a few bits at the shops.

For another take on the issue, read Jim Pollard's post on the malehealth editor's blog.

Budget 2010

The speculation is over and we now know where the government axe will fall on public spending.

The Chancellor George Osborne termed his first budget ‘harsh but fair’ saying that it was necessary, to eliminate the structural deficit by the end of this parliament’s term.

For those of us working in the voluntary sector, the question on everyone’s lips is understandably ‘how will this affect us?’

There are a number of measures announced today that will have a big impact on the voluntary sector.
We have examined the potential effect of these changes on the voluntary sector.

You can read our analysis and access our printable briefing paper here. 

National Men's Health Week 2010

Monday 14th June sees the start of National Men's Health Week. This year, it focuses on physical activity. We want 1 million men to become more active by 2012. Is this a tall order? We don't think so.

This year, Men's Health Week coincides with the first full week of the World Cup. Research from the University of Loughborough tells us that one in ten fans will drink 20 cans and 20 pints of beer, while one in seven fans will eat ten pizzas during the tournament.

So it's worth encouraging the football fans you know and work with to take an occasional break for some exercise and healthy food, while still enjoying all the action.

By the time our launch event comes around at West Ham football club on Monday evening, we'll know what sort of start England have had. Will supporters still be celebrating after a resounding victory against the USA? We'll jut have to wait and see.

Find out more here about National Men's Health Week 2010 and register to receive promotional materials.