7 Tips for A Healthier Future
1. Maintain Ideal Weight. Your waistline is your lifeline. This is the conclusion of a 13 year study done with 27,000 men by Johns Hopkins. If your waistline was just 34 to 36 inches it doubled the incidence of type 2 diabetes. From 36 to 38 it nearly tripled. From 38 to 40 inches increased the risk by 5 times and from 40 to 62 inches there was a whopping 12 times the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Of course there will be increased cardiovascular risks such as high blood pressure, stroke and heart attack also associated with abdominal excess. Even cancer risk is much higher with an over sized waistline. A smaller waistline means a longer lifeline!
2. Do Your Exercise. Starting a consistent exercise program is one of the best choices men can make to improve and maintain great health. Certainly this will help you get to and maintain ideal weight and enjoy the benefits we talked about in tip number 1. A pound of muscle burns about 40 calories a day, everyday. A pound of fat only uses 2 to 3 calories in that same day. Exercise not only helps you maintain lean muscle mass and burn fat it also moves immune fluid 3 to 5 times more than when you don’t exercise. Moving those muscles also releases feel good neurotransmitters to fight anxiety and depression and even pain.
3. Increase Consumption Of Fruits And Vegetables. These foods are loaded with fiber and the road to health is paved with good intestines. These God-made foods also help keep your body in an alkaline, healing state. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals necessary for both detoxification and building the immune system they are some of the healthiest choices we men can make.
4. Avoid Excess Saturated Fat. Although not as bad as trans fats from man made foods like margarine, saturated fats tend to add inches to the waistline as well as increase cardiovascular and cancer risk. There is also an association between excess saturated fat and prostate problems. Saturated fats come mostly from animal sources such as meat and dairy products. White meats such as fish, chicken and turkey are some of the better choices when eaten in moderation. Pork is very high in saturated fat and to be avoided. Red meat should be limited to 18 ounces per week.
5. Stay Hydrated. Water is the best choice to keep your body in detoxification or cleaning mode. Adequate hydration is also essential for balancing blood pressure, proper immune function and even breaking down fat at the cellular level. Water has no calories so it fills you up not out. I’ll drink to that.
6. Fight Stress With Adequate Rest. Stress is arguably the number one enemy of your immune system. You were designed to be a care caster not a care taker. If you don’t seem to have enough time to do everything you should, you may be trying to do too much. Take a break. Take time to be thankful for your blessings and get a good nights sleep. You will be healthier and more productive when you are well rested and not stressed out.
7. Quit Smoking and avoid excess alcohol. Smoking kills 400,000 people every year. Don’t be one of them. More than just 2 alcoholic drinks a day can increase tumor rate by 80 %! Not to mention alcohol contributes to liver disease, depletes your body of essential B vitamins and minerals and is a neurotoxin.
