Friday, February 1, 2013

Proven Guide to Men's Health and Diet

Did you ever wonder about how our ancestors lived so healthy? The word "cancer" wasn't part of their vocabulary. You can bet that the mere thought was likely foreign to them. It's only to the later generations that cancer has become commonplace. Making it an all too common and mainstream problem anymore.

In the past, people actually reached old age (such as old age was back then) for the most part without suffering from serious major illnesses. They usually had close to perfect dental and cardiovascular health. Osteoporosis was not a common issue. Many did not know about it at all. Same could be said for diseases like lung cancer, prostate cancer, and all other forms of cancer.

Perhaps you have wondered why that is? If you haven't had a light bulb moment to account for this perhaps we should explore the causes behind this more carefully.

Diet is a major factor in defining a person's health. Before the era of fast foods, people were content preparing and eating home cooked meals. Lemonade filled our heart's content and we never ran out of fruits and vegetables on the dining table.

Today, we have become part of the microwave society where everything must be done in an instant. So we rely so much on processed and fast foods which are dripping in fat or loaded with sugar. I'm not just talking about French fries or burgers, but also even those boxes of breakfast cereal you dig into every morning. Not to mention those cans of soda lurking inside your fridge. I know completely eliminating such "foods" from the diet may well be out of the question. But perhaps knowing how you can cut down on some will at least help you improve your overall health.

So what foods should you try to avoid or at least consume at a minimum? Here are some tips to help you substitute your junk food diet with real ones.

Junk the junk foods. More people especially children are fond of gobbling up sodas and bags of potato chips which only increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, kidney diseases, and high cholesterol levels. Go healthy by substituting these movie night snacks with milk and unsalted popcorn instead.

Stash the salty foods. Pretty much these should also be avoided at all costs. Unfortunately salt is commonly found in our favorite meals such as cheeses, breads, and processed meats. Check every food label if possible and look out for the term MSG. It stands for monosodium glutamate which some feel is less than good for you too. So avoid this ingredient too if you can. However, the best possible way to avoid that is by preparing home-cooked meals.



 Go vegetarian. Okay now that would be too much to ask especially if you're the meat lover kind of guy.

Hotdogs, bacon, sausages, pepperoni, and bologna are processed foods which are very high not only in sodium but also in saturated fat. And having these in your daily diet would mean an elevated risk of developing prostate cancer, arthritis, and other diseases. So why not substitute these with fish recipes which are way much healthier? And while you're at it, choose fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Since omega fatty acids have been found to reduce your risk of developing prostate cancer or at least slow down the growth rate of these prostate cancer cells if you already have it.

Think About: The American Cancer Society suggests you want to limit saturated fats from meat or like butter or whole milk. The reason being a diet lower in fat that includes plenty of whole grains, vegetables, and fruits may help cut down your risk of developing prostate cancer.

Go healthy with the sweets. Refined sugar is highly processed that offers few nutrients and a bunch of empty calories. Instead of using refined sugar in your coffee, go for the healthier sweetening alternatives such as raw honey, organic sugar, and maple syrup.

Other tips you need to keep in mind in your diet to achieve overall health while cutting your risk of prostate cancer:

Drink alcohol moderately. Alcoholic drinks such as beers are packed with calories no wonder where you got that beer belly.

Men should avoid other foods high in saturated fats such as butter, pastries, cream, and any food that is deep-fried. This low fat advice is important so it bears repeating. Also where possible, use olive oil.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Aside from whole fruits, you can also make juices out of them. Pomegranate juice for instance is very high in antioxidants. And studies have also shown that pomegranate juice in the diet of prostate cancer patients has slowed down the progression of the cancer cells.

Incorporate zinc in your diet. Zinc has been found to reduce the risk of prostate cancer development. Sources of zinc include nuts, beans, seeds, oysters, fish, and shellfish.

Before taking any vitamins and other nutritional supplements, be sure to consult with your doctor first. There has been an ongoing controversy with regards to taking vitamins and other supplements.

Supplements are basically taken by guys thinking that these can complete their daily nutritional requirements especially if the nutrients they get from food are not sufficient enough. However, some experts say that they don't work at all. Or if anything, they really don't have that much contribution to achieving a balanced diet. Vitamin E, for instance, may even increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. Somewhat surprising I know. As this is contrary to the common perception that Vitamin E actually prevents the cancer.

On the other hand, other health experts still believe in the power of supplementation. Stating that it's the only way to meet your daily needs. To take or not to take? It's a decision you need to contemplate carefully. Keeping in mind that some supplements may contain impurities that aren't good for you either.

The right kind of diet along with a regular form of exercise will certainly help you manage your weight. And in doing so you get to achieve an optimum overall health. I know doing all this at once can absolutely weigh you down. But you don't have to do everything at once. Weight management is a continuing journey. So do these step by step and you will surely go a long way, the healthy way at that.

Certainly no one know for sure what causes prostate cancer. But some involved in medical research are coming around to the point that diet plays a role. This can be both good and bad. Unfortunately it's easy to eat poorly now and worry about the consequences later. Good plan except for the fact it's not exactly the route to better mens health.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks What a great info you have given us by your blog. I like it and will share it to my friends.

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