During June, organizations around the world celebrated Men’s Health Month as a way to raise awareness for health issues facing men. But just because June is over doesn’t mean you should put your health on hold. Maintaining your health is a full-time job and while you sometimes may take a “vacation” of sorts from focusing on our health (have a few beers at a party, overeat while binge watching “House of Cards” on Netflix), you should always be thinking of your well-being. Keep reading to find out what you can and should be doing to live your longest and healthiest life possible.
When it comes to health issues facing men, there are several. Some of the big things to watch out for though are heart disease and cancer, specifically prostate cancer which is the second leading cause of cancer death in men right behind lung cancer.
Dr. Ali Borhan of Affiliated Urologists recommends that men visit their doctor annually for a check up and to educate themselves about health problems facing men.
“Women are smart,” Borhan says. “They have [gynecologists]. They see them regularly. The gynecologist usually says ‘Have you done this? Have you done that?’ Men have a tendency to only want to go to the doctor when something is broken.”
In order to be physically healthy, there are certain things Borhan recommends all men do. For younger men, building healthy practices in your 20s and 30s can really pay off when you’re older. Borhan recommends getting at least 2.5 hours of intense cardio exercise a week, but that’s not to say you shouldn’t do more.
Cardio exercises include running, swimming cycling and walking. And along with that, Borhan also recommends doing resistance training.
“At least make it to the gym. Once you drive over to the gym, there you end up doing something.”
On the other end of healthy living is a person’s diet. Borhan advises men to look at total calories and read food labels. He also recommends eating more vegetables and less animal products and eating sustainable, organic and non-GMO foods.
“It isn’t just like a fashion trend…it’s actually better for you,” he says.
Although these foods may be more expensive, you’ll really be paying a lower price when you don’t have to worry as much about heart disease later on down the road, he says.
“More vegetables and the vegetables should be as least altered as possible,” Borhan advises. “By that I mean the less you cook them, the less you take away their healthy enzymes. Fruits: the shinier the fruit as a general rule the better it is and less animal products.”
As for the substances we know are bad but still may indulge in, here are some of Borhan’s tips.
When it comes to tobacco, Borhan says cigarettes are always bad. Cigars on momentary occasions like when a best friend gets married are OK, but Borhan says not to inhale the smoke. Cigarettes will never do a person any good though.
“Are you going to be the dominant person, or is that little stick going to run your life?
As for alcohol, moderation really does work and one glass of wine a day or a beer isn’t going to do any harm.
Finally, caffeine.We all need a pick me up occasionally, some more frequently than others, and Borhan says recently Harvard found in a study that up to 4 to 6 cups of coffee per day may have cancer preventative effects. This is only significant to coffee however. Borhan still advises staying away from caffeine pills and avoiding energy drinks as these products have other additives besides just caffeine that are unhealthy.
“Happiness in a can is never a good thing,” Borhan says.
As for sexual health, for men “if you don’t use it, you will lose it,” Borhan says. Borhan really recommends having an active sex life, not just in your 20s and 30s but really for your entire life. And if your partner can’t handle it, you’ll need to come up with other ways. Having a diet high in veggies, zinc selenium, cauliflower and broccoli are helpful because they have compounds that promote longer sexual health. Doing deadlifts and squats and swimming and doing certain yoga poses also promote an amorous feeling.
