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Men's health is food for thought
Eat your way to better health and live longer
Did you know men suffer much more serious illness than women and are much more likely to die before the age of 65 than their female counterparts?
It may be that poor nutrition, coupled with the average man's lifestyle, puts men's health more at risk. Add to this minimal consumption of the protective anti-oxidants and over-exposure to health damaging free radicals (poor diet, pollution, stress etc) and you have more reasons.
Heart and circulation disease is the major cause of premature death in men in the UK.
However, much of this disease is preventable as improved nutrition can mean a reduction in the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke.
Fats
One of the most important changes a man can make to his diet is to cut down on excessive fat intake. Fat contains more than twice as many calories as the other two main food forms (carbohydrates and protein). As the body uses less energy processing fat than the other food types, more of its energy is stored as fat.
Some fat is essential to good nutrition but most men
consume roughly three to four times the amount of fat that is necessary.
One good tactic is to try to cut dramatically saturated fats and switch to healthier unsaturated fats. A good example of this is switching red meat to white lean meat or fish.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the immediate source of fuel in the body. The body stores unused
carbohydrates in the muscles and liver as glycogen, and once these stores are full the excess is turned to fat. A large percentage of any diet should be complex carbohydrates such as wholegrains, potatoes, legumes etc, as opposed to simple carbohydrates such as sugar, honey and syrups. These also have the benefit of keeping blood sugar levels on an even keel.
Protein
Proteins are essential for muscle formation and body tissue repair and regeneration. Protein requirements are related to body size and
activity levels. The following are some extra tips for improving men's nutrition;
Increase fibre in the diet – particularly soluble fibre from oats, beans, apples, pears and good cereals;
Consume at least five portions of fruit and
vegetables daily;
Eat oily fish (eg mackerel, fresh salmon or tune, sardines, herrings, etc) two or three times a week;
Eat less sugar and salt;
Reduce alcohol to under 20 units a week;
Enjoy a glass of red wine with a meal daily.
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 14 February 2012
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