Diet and weight is key for men to stay healthy

Diet and weight is key for men to stay healthy

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    For men it is a bit more simple staying healthy than women as men have a less complex hormonal system. The key is to make sure you get enough minerals and vitamins in the diet and stay at a healthy weight with healthy blood pressure in order to reduce the chance of heart disease.

    It is important to get ample protein but avoid eating too much meat and cheese which can raise cholesterol and weight, especially around the stomach. Foods that are high in protein but are better for cho­lesterol include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, beans, lentils, almonds, walnuts, brazils, green vegetables and oily fish. Pumpkin seeds are high in the mineral zinc which is needed in higher amounts in men than women as it is needed for the male reproductive system and can also boost libido.

    Omega 3 is needed for the brain and can help heart health and improve mood. It is found in flaxseeds, hempseeds and their oils as well as oily fish like sardines and salmon. Try adding a tablespoon of milled flaxseed to your breakfast ce­real as this can help with joint health and constipation. By re­ducing fried food in your diet and adding olive oil, hemp seed oil or "Udos oil" to your food after you cook it this provides essential fats that protect the heart.

    Do you have high blood pres­sure? Try eating more vegeta­bles, fruits, wholegrains, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds, drink­ing more water and try taking aloe vera juice. A member of my family was able to reduce high blood pressure by drinking aloe vera juice each day after they had tried several different things over the years without success.

    If you are looking for a protein powder to take for going to the gym why not try hemp protein powder? it is a complete protein, gives you omega 3, 6 & 9 and is also full of minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc. You can make a shake out of it with some water and a banana and it will keep you going for hours.

    Creatine that is found in many protein powders is more difficult for the liver to break down and the long term effects of taking it are not known but hemp protein powder is easily digested and full of nutrition.

    In order to prevent type two diabetes it is important to keep the blood sugar balanced by eating wholegrains like por­ridge oats, whole wheat bread, brown pasta and brown rice and eating plenty of vegetables which are low in sugar, partic­ularly the green ones. Avoiding sugar in sweets, biscuits, white rice, chocolate, fizzy drinks and processed food will help balance your blood sugar and keeping fruit to two pieces a day will also help, especially re­ducing dried fruit and bananas which are higher in sugar.

    Coffee also has a negative impact on the blood sugar if you drink too much and leads to cravings for sugar and alco­hol later in the day so if you want to balance your blood sugar try keeping it to two cupsa day or less and drink them be­fore 4pm. Green tea is good for the brain and heart and has a little caffeine so it is helpful to drink it, especially when trying to reduce coffee.

    One of the best supplements for men is a `green superfood' containing wheatgrass, barley-grass, spirulina and chlorella as it keeps the body in the cor­rect acid/alkaline balance and provides all the vitamins and minerals needed for health.

    Because the soil nowadays contains less nutrition than 50 years ago it is difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals from your diet alone, unless a person is eating and juicing wild foods like nettles and dan­delions. Greens are the most important part of the diet and taking a green superfood sup­plement such as Synergy Supergreens or Powergreens provides concentrated greens that can give significant health benefits. Eating more green vegetables like broccoli, kale, chard, cabbage, spinach, water, eating earlier in the day also helps digestion as the body di­gests food most efficiently in the morning and afternoon but it slows down at night so it helps to eat your last meal about 7.30 pm at the latest.





    Article by Kim McCreery, contact Kim at kimmccreery@live.co.uk


    Visit Kim's website at www.kimshealthadvice.co.uk


    Foods and products mentioned can be found at Jacksons of Saintfield Health Store.


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