Gentlemen, listen up! It’s time to start taking your health seriously. It may seem intimidating at first, but making better choices and small adjustments to your lifestyle can make a world of difference in the long run. You can start with small things. If you try a few of these simple suggestions, you will be well on your way to living a healthier lifestyle.
Food & Drink
Reducing your overall fat intake is hard enough, but it is equally important that you start to watch the types of fat you are eating. Trans fats can raise your risk of heart disease; therefore avoid foods made with hydrogenated oils. Try to stay away from margarine, shortening and store-bought baked goods. Look for healthy fats like olive oil and omega-3 oils, found in cold-water fish. These fats may actually protect against heart disease.
White flour, white sugar and other processed foods can rapidly drive up blood sugar levels, which can contribute to weight gain, diabetes and many other health problems. “White” foods are devoid of vitamins and minerals and have been stripped of their natural dietary fiber. Avoid things like white breads, baked goods, sodas and snacks with high sugar content. Try to avoid these “white” foods and build your diet on whole grains, vegetables and fiber-rich fruits.
Drinking a glass of red wine daily may help protect against heart disease. But overindulging can be detrimental to your overall health – everything in moderation!
Lifestyle
Building and maintaining close relationships can help to reduce stress and improve health. Something as simple as healthy personal relationships can really have an impact on your lifestyle and enhance your overall health.
Try to incorporate weight training and resistance exercise into your weekly routine. This small change can reduce excess body fat and may improve muscle strength.
Vitamins
Nutritional supplements may help compensate for any possible deficiencies and nutritional gaps that your diet may be unable to resolve. If you’re a male over the age of 50, you may choose to consider a few supplements such as saw palmetto, lutein and lycopene, which may help support the overall health of the prostate.
References:
(1) Heber, D. (2007). Physicians Reference Desk for Herbal Medicines 4th Edition, Montvale, NJ; Thomson Healthcare Inc.
(2) Hendler, S, Rorvik, D. Heber, David. (2008). Physicians Reference Desk for Nutritional Supplements 2nd Edition, Montvale, NJ: Thomson Reuters.