Mens Natural Health

The 'OK in Health' - Men's Page

See our main Article page for Men's health articles such as:

• The Ultimate Libido Boost - By Brad J. King, M.S., M.F.S.
• What is Heartburn / Acid Reflux? - By Brenda Watson, Naturopathic Doctor
• What is Constipation? - By Brenda Watson, Naturopathic Doctor
•  Prevention is Key to Prostate Health by Klaus Ferlow
• Men and Cancer
• Hidden Dangers Lurking In Your Personal Care Products by Klaus Ferlow
• Chemicals  To Avoid In Men's Personal Care Products by Klaus Ferlow
• All about Beer and Drinking
• Cholesterol Concerns
• Top Ten Tips for Successful Weight Loss
• Top Ten Tips for Exercise to fit a busy schedule
• Are You a Worrier? by Carole Fawcett, Vernon
• Occupational Stress by Carole Fawcett, Vernon
• People require love and acceptance by Carol Fawett, Vernon
• Laughter - the best stress reliever by Carole Fawcett, Vernon
• Standing Taller with Rolfing by Certified Rolfer - Cindy Atkinson. Penticton
• The Power of Whey! by Matt Bomba, Vernon, BC
• Ultimate Protein Shakes Recipes
• What is the Glycemic Food Index? and how does it work?

Also see our Workshops and Events calendar

Visit our main event & workshop page for class & workshops such as Learn Fly fishing, Yoga for men, men's retreats and more.... Also here is a list of some walks & runs

Healthy Tips for Men

Breakfast
Dieticians eating something for breakfast each day. If you normally skip this meal, consider trying to eat breakfast at least 3 days next week. Quick and healthy choices include dry whole grain cereal, dried or fresh fruit, whole wheat toast lightly spread with peanut butter, low fat yogurt, soy milk, a small piece of cheese, or oatmeal. It is not necessary to eat a lot of volume or a lot of fat, but eating something for breakfast can help maintain better energy during the morning hours.

Five Blocks to Better Health
There are 336 30-minute blocks of time in one week. The American Heart Association recommends that you commit five or more "blocks" to exercise. In the time it takes you to watch five sit-coms you could be on your way to better health!

To Lighten Up the Sandwich
Looking for ways to lighten up your sandwiches? There are two easy approaches: cut unnecessary calories; and opt for healthy or at least healthier fats. Here are some examples. If you love mayo, ask for light; you can save 50 calories and 6 grams of fat per Tbsp. Better yet, use a little liquid oil & vinegar dressing. Cheese? Use reduced fat cheese to save 50 calories and 5 grams of saturated. To remove even more saturated fat, drop the cheese entirely.

Exercise Cool Down
Fitness experts recommend cooling down after a moderate to high intensity exercise session. This prevents sudden pooling of blood in the muscles. Slowly cooling down also prevents sudden drops in blood pressure that can lead to dizziness and falls. During the last 3-5 minutes of your workout, gradually decrease the exercise intensity. Gently approach your resting state before coming to a complete stop.

Get Those Fluids
People are mostly made of water, and adults generally need about 10-12 cups (8 oz. each) of fluids each day. Most fluids, even chicken soup and orange juice, count as part of your 10-12 cups. If a glass of water sounds boring, spruce it up. Garnish your glass with a mint
sprig and a slice of lime, lemon, orange, pineapple, kiwi, star fruit or even a few fresh berries.

Chronic Stress
The long-term effects of chronic stress can be physical, including headaches, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. They can also be psychological such as depression and anxiety, or behavioural such as decreased work productivity, increased irritability, and impulsiveness. Don't take stress for granted. While some stress is normal, chronic, unresolved stress can be a serious health problem.

Hand Washing
Personal hygiene reduces the spread of various infections. In a recent study, the American Society of Microbiology found that only 67% of people actually wash their hands after using a public restroom. For better health, always wash your hands after using the restroom and before handling food.

Benefits of Water Exercise
It is reported that older, overweight, and/or mildly disabled people can benefit from water exercise. It places less stress on joints and can improve strength and flexibility while burning calories.

Danger! Over-hydration
Exercise-related over-hydration may occur during prolonged exercise or sports when fluid intake, including water and soda, exceeds fluid loss. If too much water dilutes the body's salts, it can cause brain cells to swell and push against the skull. For this reason, sports drinks often contain salt to balance the fluids. Over-hydrating can cause nausea, severe fatigue, disorientation, and vomiting. In the most severe cases it can also cause seizures, coma and even death. All endurance athletes who drink too much fluid, to quickly are at risk for over-hydration. Seek medical assistance if symptoms occur.

Flax
If you are interested in adding flax to your diet, nutrition experts recommend using flax seeds rather than flax oil. This allows the seeds to contribute additional benefits from the fiber and healthy chemicals they contain. Flax seeds must be ground in order to release these healthful chemicals. Look for flax seeds in your local supermarket or area health food store. You can grind them just prior to a meal and sprinkle on top of salads, pasta dishes, or cereals.

Caffeine
Besides making it hard to fall asleep, too much caffeine can cause stomach upset, muscle tension and nervousness. To find out how much caffeine you are getting, try keeping a journal. Moderate caffeine intake is about 3 cups of coffee (roughly 300 mg of caffeine) per day or a like amount from other drinks and foods. If you think you may be drinking too much caffeine, cut back by half a cup per day, not all at once. This usually avoids severe caffeine withdrawal headaches.

Exercising for a Better Mood
If you're feeling down, consider adding exercise to your to-do list. Research shows that exercise has the ability to improve mood and reduce depression. Even if you are seriously depressed, exercise can still be one of several interventions recommended by your physician or mental health professional. Exercise is not a cure all, but it releases endorphins, often creates a sense of accomplishment, and thus improves well-being.

Sleeping Position
Did you know that sleeping on your stomach can aggravate back pain? The best sleep position is on your side with your knees bent. In addition, check to be sure that your pillow allows your neck to remain straight. A strained neck can cause poor posture, aggravating back pain during the day.

Fitness on the Road
Think ahead. To stay toned while traveling, book a hotel with a workout room or inquire where the nearest fitness centers are located. Alternately, revive old but dependable exercises. Sit-ups, push-ups, and lunges can all be done in your hotel room.

Help for aging bones
It's never too late to begin! Recent studies involving mature men and women found that regular weight training improved hip-bone density. Weight bearing exercises significantly improved bone strength, reducing the risk for falls and fractures in later life.

Save your Back!
Did you know that good posture helps to protect your back? Other ways to avoid back pain include regular exercise, proper lifting and stretching. When you lift objects from the ground, use your legs instead of your back. When lifting with your upper body, keep your back straight and allow your arms to do the work.

Rotisserie Chicken
Did you know that rotisserie chicken is only slightly lower in fat than fried chicken? To save the most fat, remove the skin before cooking. White meat is also lower calorie per ounce than dark meat. Now, the hardest part for most of us is the recommendation that we stick to a three ounce portion - about the size of a cassette tape.

Veggie Side Effects
Adding vegetables to your diet is a powerful good health behaviour. But for some people, vegetables like broccoli, onions, and peppers, can cause bloating and gas. Has this ever happened to you? Try choosing milder vegetables such as dark leaf lettuce, carrots, and squash. According to our registered dietitian, cooking your vegetables can also help. Slowly increasing your intake is another way to help reduce a gas and bloating problem.

Positive Imagery for Athletic Success
What are you thinking about before shooting a basket or putting a golf ball? Research suggests that a good way to improve success in these athletic tasks is through positive imagery. Instead of thinking, "don't miss," visualize success. But use visualization in moderation. It isn't a cure all. Positive visualization works best when combined with a quality, skills-oriented, physical practice schedule.

The Bread Test
The loaf should feel heavy and look dense. Black is beautiful. Put your fingers and thumb around the top of the loaf. If you can squeeze the loaf from the outside more than an inch towards the centre with very little pressure, it fails the test. Read the label. If the bread contains white flour, sugar, hydrogenated fat or salt, it fails the test.

Foot health
Many foot problems result from poorly fitted shoes. A few buying tips: Try shopping for shoes in the middle of the day, as feet tend to swell most at this time. Strive for about a 1/2 inch of space between the end of the foot and the tip of the shoe. Wear the type of socks or stockings that will be worn with the shoes. And finally, consider having both feet measured. Feet can vary in size.

Snoring
Apart from increasing your risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and some forms of cancer, being overweight makes you far more likely to suffer from a condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Over three and a half million people in the UK snore. Four out of ten men and up to three out of ten women. Millions of partners and neighbours suffer sleep disturbed nights too. The noise of snoring is caused by parts of the nose and throat, in particular the soft palate, vibrating as you breathe in and out. At night, muscles that help keep your airways open relax and become floppy, the airways narrow and vibrate more, so snoring is more likely. If you have a flabby neck you are even more likely to suffer, a good guage is you shirt collar, if it’s over a Size 16, you are most at risk.

Monounsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated fats are the type of fats that tend to lower blood cholesterol, especially LDL or the 'bad' cholesterol. Good sources of monounsaturated fats include olives and olive oil, canola oil, nuts and peanut butter.

Eye Protection
During Sports Do you participate in sports that involve a moving ball, swinging stick, or physical contact? These include sports like hockey, tennis, racquetball or baseball. According to the International Federation of Sports Medicine, the use of protective gear significantly reduces eye injuries in sports. Be safe, not sorry. Buy and use sport appropriate goggles or a facemask. Make eye protection a priority while you play.

Addressing Muscle Soreness
The smartest way to address muscle soreness is to avoid it. When starting a new training program, or upgrading an existing one, go into it gradually. Take several weeks, even longer if necessary. Should you experience soreness along the way, give your muscles a day or two of rest to recover.

Gaining Weight
As hard as this is to believe, some people have trouble gaining weight. If you are trying to build muscle, add calorie dense snacks between meals. Examples include dried fruit, nuts, protein powders between meals, peanut butter and bananas. An extra 400-500 calories per day is usually all most people need. Get plenty of rest each night. Avoid smoking.

Icing for injuries
Icing many types of injuries aids the healing process. But, using ice improperly can actually do more harm than good. Use these precautions when treating injuries: Do not leave the ice pack on an injury after the skin becomes numb. Never fall asleep with ice on your skin. Don't use ice on open blisters or wounds. If an injury does not respond to self-treatment within 24 hours, see a doctor

A Golfing Workout
By walking and carrying your clubs, you can make golf into a decent calorie burning activity. Here's a rough example for a 190 pound man and a 135 pound woman. They carry clubs and play for 4 hours per week. The man burns an extra 170 calories per hour and would eventually weigh about 8 pounds less! Numbers for the woman are roughly 120 calories extra per hour and 5-6 pounds less.

Walking to Improve your Risk Profile
According to the American Heart Association, women who walk briskly for at least three hours per week or exercise vigorously for 1.5 hours per week, cut their risk of heart disease by 30%-40%. And men, exercise reduces your risks too. If it's hard finding time to walk, try waking up a little earlier. Walk before your day takes over, or during part of your lunch break.

Recognizing a Stroke - 3 FAST Questions
F = Face -- Ask the person to SMILE;
A = Arm and Leg -- Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS;
S = Speech -- Ask them to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE;
T = Time -- Call 911.
If he or she has trouble with any of these tasks, call 911 immediately. Describe their symptoms to the dispatcher. Mention the possibility of stroke. FAST is a good test for stroke, but it cannot catch them all. If there is any doubt, don't wait; CALL 911.

Smoking
Did you know that compared to a non-smoker, a pack a day smoker has twice the risk of heart attack, three times the risk of stroke, four times the risk of peripheral vascular disease and six times the risk of aortic aneurysm? If you don't smoke - don't start! If you do smoke - seriously consider quitting. Help is available via the Canadian Heart Association, the Canadian Cancer Society and many local providers.

Go Veggie...
Many nutrition experts recommend eating some vegetarian meals to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol. A great way to 'go veggie' now and then is to try a variety of ethnic options.

Shorter Walks, Same Results
If an hour of exercise seems daunting, break it up. By taking 10-15 minute walks several times each day, many people can accumulate the hour. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, these shorter bouts of activity also burn calories and improve aerobic conditioning.

Vegetable Guidelines
The National Cancer Institute defines one serving of vegetables as 1 cup raw, 1 1/2 cup cooked, or 6 oz vegetable juice? Visit 5aday.gov to learn more about the importance of vegetables, how many servings you need per day, and why color matters

Eating before Exercise
According to nutrition experts, eating before exercise improves performance. Use these guidelines to design your meal or snack: enough fluid to keep you hydrated, low in fat and fiber, high in carbohydrate, and moderate in protein. Select foods familiar to you.
The rule of thumb for eating before exercise is to allow 4 hours for a big meal (about 1,200 calories), 2 hours for a light meal (about 600 calories), and an hour or less for a snack (about 300 calories).

Exercise and Dehydration
Did you know that it's possible to lose up to 1.5 cups of body fluid in just 20 minutes of running? Try weighing yourself before and after your workout to measure your fluid losses. For every pound of fluid you lose, you must drink 2 cups of water to rehydrate. However, there are better ways to manage dehydration. Prevent it by drinking (but not guzzling) moderate amounts of water (or a sports drink) before, during, and after exercise.

Please let the contact person know, that you found their information on the Ok In Health website. OK In Health provides a men's health & wellness page with healthy articles, men's retreats & workshops, and tips, covering the Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon, across the Okanagan, Kootenays, Vancouver, and in BC & Alberta. www.OKinHealth.com