Five big health threats for men

Obesity is a major problem among young men, but  Changing your diet can make all the difference.

MEN can be a touch blase about taking care of themselves but follow this guide on how to beat some of the biggest threats to men's health. 

HEART DISEASE
Give artery-clogging trans-fats the flick. Watch out for processed foods made with hydrogenated oils, some margarines and take-away food cooked in vegetable oil.
Enjoy foods rich in heart healthy fats like oily fish, cold pressed olive oil, avocado, chia seeds, and nuts and their oils.
Lower your sodium intake by eating less processed and packaged foods and more natural produce.

Include more fibre in your diet by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole oats, quinoa, brown rice and grainy breads.

Don’t forget your green leafy veggies. They’re rich in B vitamins that help lower homocysteine levels, which is a marker for heart disease.
Treat yourself to some good quality antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and a couple of glasses of red wine during the week.

PROSTRATE CANCER
Eat plenty of zinc rich foods like legumes, fish, meat, eggs, wholegrains, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Eat omega-3 rich oily fish a few times a week.
Eat more tomato and watermelon as they are rich sources of the powerful antioxidant lycopene.
Include cruciferous veggies with meals eg. broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts and cabbage, as they contain cancer-fighting phytochemicals.
Enjoy curries made with antioxidant rich turmeric.
Add spirulina to your next smoothie or juice.

TYPE-2 DIABETES
Limit sugary breakfast cereals, soft drinks, and other sweet foods that will send your blood sugar levels soaring.
Swap processed ‘white’ carbohydrate foods for wholegrain alternatives like grainy breads, whole oats, wholemeal pasta and brown or wild rice.
Instead of fruit juice have a veggie juice and eat your fruit whole.

Don’t skip meals. A nice healthy breakfast is especially important.
Having protein with each meal will help keep your blood sugar levels balanced. Eg. legumes, fish, chicken, eggs, meat, nuts, quinoa and yoghurt.

DEPRESSION
Make sure you are getting enough omega-3 essential fatty acids in your diet. Your best sources are oily fish, chia and flaxseeds and walnuts.
Get a daily dose of sunshine to boost your vitamin D levels.

Eat more foods that contain tryptophan such as turkey, chicken, fish, eggs, milk, bananas and brown rice, which will help increase serotonin levels.
Supporting the growth of your ‘good’ intestinal bacteria through eating fermented foods like yoghurt, miso and kefir will help enhance serotonin production.

OBESITY
Clear your cupboards of sugary and unhealthy snack foods and stock up on healthy options like fruit, low-fat yoghurt, hummus, nutritious smoothies, and trail mixes.
Eat the way Mother Nature intended, more fresh and unprocessed foods and less packaged and refined.

Limit fatty foods that promote weight gain like full-fat dairy foods, greasy take-away foods, and creamy sauces.
Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Fill your plate with different coloured vegies and salad each day.

Use healthy cooking techniques like steaming, baking and light stir-frying with a little olive or coconut oil.
Drink at least 2 litres of water daily, and cut back on alcohol and soft drink.
Get moving. Exercise more each day and sit less. Leave the car at home more often and walk.

If you Enjoyed this article, you the share button to show it to your friends.