Healthy Men - Health related tips as we men see it

3 Ways to rock Your next Food Festival visit

Fall is right around the corner, but that doesn’t mean all of the summer fun has come to an end. You can still check out a food festival. Do you have a favorite treat to enjoy? It might sound odd to talk about food festivals when this is a health site, but you will be surprised at the number of healthy options at these festivals. Some even have ice cream that’s organic, while others post the nutritional information close by so you can take a look. The time of not knowing what’s going on with your food is long over, and festival operators want people to have peace of mind. If people feel comfortable, they’ll keep going to the festivals.

We found this cool graphic on food festivals done by the folks over at http://www.adeltd.co.uk, who make sure that festivals large and small have the power they need to keep food on hand safely. After all, who wants to get sick when they were supposed to be out having a great time? [Read more…]

Use this ancient healthy practice to Rescue Your work Posture – and more!

By Men

What does it mean to practice yoga? If you were thinking yoga pants and long days at the studio sweating in a room with other people, this article might surprise you after all. You see, there’s no need to feel like you have to go “all out” just to enjoy the benefits of yoga. For instance, did you know that you can practice at work?

This awesome infographic from Furniture at Work breaks down some awesome yoga poses to try out. Which one is our favorite? Well, the Chair Spinal Twist tends to keep things nice and loose even when we’re sitting in front of a mountain of paperwork…

But let’s get a little deep on the topic, shall we? Yoga is powerful, and there are some things that we can do to make it even more effective.

1. Repetition and Routine

Don’t wait for a sore back to start looking into yoga poses you can do at work. Take time on your breaks to fully get up, stretch, and even practice a bit of mindfulness. There’s nothing wrong with being grateful for everything that you have. Multiple studies have shown that the more that we appreciate what we already have rather than constantly chasing better things, we tend to have a better outlook overall. We are certainly a world that has plenty of “stuff”, so why not focus on improving our minds now?

We like to set a timer in the office to all get up and do different stretches and yoga moves, because we can’t trust ourselves to automatically take the break. You might be the same way, so don’t feel guilty about taking that time at all.

2. Safety

It goes without saying that if you don’t want to end up with other injuries, you’re going to have to take yoga poses seriously. While they might not feel like much, it’s still easy to end up hurting yourself without really thinking about it. The rule of thumb that we’ve always used around our office is simple: if it starts to hurt, it’s time to stop. Sure, there are times where you’ll be deeper into yoga and want to challenge yourself. However, starting out is a time to learn your body and how it moves rather than trying all of the super challenging positions. You may feel some soreness at the beginning, but it will even out later.

3. Have Fun

When we mention office yoga, a lot of people feel like they’d be too embarrassed to even try it out. Don’t be nervous about “working out”. After all, who would criticize you when you’re trying to take control of your health? Don’t worry too much about that — get out there and have a good time!

Overall, look at the infographic above and see if you can find a yoga pose to start with. You’ll find that while it might feel slow at the beginning, there will come a point where the moves will start becoming automatic in your mind. Enjoy!

Top 3 reasons You should use a Personal Trainer on Holiday

By Men

Many people go on holiday and decide to have a complete break from everything including their training. However, there are many reasons why you should continue with your training and even use a personal trainer whether you are holidaying at home or even somewhere exotic such as Dubai.

Routine

A holiday does tend to be about breaking your normal routine. Taking a break from the stresses of life, perhaps, work, family or other things which are going on around you and that you want to get away form. This often means that people also take a break from things like healthy eating and training as well. These are not usually causes of stress and if you get out of routine with them it can be difficult to get back again when you return home. You can find that you will end up feeling fat and sluggish and this could make it harder for you to get back to fitness as it will be more difficult. However, if you find a personal trainer and keep going, even if you are pushing quite so hard, you will not find it difficult to get back into your training routine when you get back home.

Temptation

On holiday there are many temptations. There are temptations to be lazy and do less, particularly if it is hot weather as well as temptations to eat less healthily. Although it can be good to have some things which are not that good for you, it can mean that you will be tempted to eat more and more unhealthily and will end up making really poor food choices. This can lead you to put on a lot of weight. If you have a personal trainer on holiday, you will not only be able to use their guidance to help you to not eat so badly but you will be able to keep up with your fitness and this will help you to not put on so much weight.

Fun

Most people work out and stay healthy because it is fun. Knowing that you are looking after your body, that you look good and feel good can be fantastic. However, if you stop training then it can be a big effort to get back to it again because your body is out of form and it is more difficult therefore to get the muscles to do the required work. Therefore keeping going, having fun and making sure that it does not become a chore when you return home is really important.

Hearing Loss and Gene Therapy

By Men

Hearing loss can occur due to several reasons, however the root cause behind each is either damage to sensitive hair cells of inner ear or to auditory nerves. Both play an important role in transmitting sound to the brain, but unfortunately these have no regeneration capability in adults. Consequently, any damage to either of these cells can induce irreversible hearing loss. According to National Institute of Deafness and other Communicative Disorders (NIDCD), one third of the 65-74 years age group and almost half of those above 75 years are affected by age-related hearing loss. Further, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that noise induces hearing loss to almost 16% of the teenagers (12-19 years age) in US.

Most of the hearing loss cases are incurable by conventional treatment modalities, therefore a wide interest is observed in the research community for establishing gene therapy as a possible cure for irreversible hearing loss. Joan McKechnie BSc Hons Audiology & Speech Pathology, a trained audiologist and a registered hearing aid dispenser at UK based HearingDirect adds “Gene therapy is actually a simple approach to treat certain diseases by introducing a specific gene into the human body”. In this treatment modality, the aim is either to activate certain suppressed genes or to replace the faulty genes with normal ones. With this approach, it has been established by multiple research studies that gene therapy can be helpful in treating as well as preventing the irreversible hearing loss.

At initial stages of research on gene therapy for hearing loss, the primary aim was to identify the genes which can activate regeneration capabilities of hair cells and neurons. Recently, three types of genes are identified whose mutations contribute to about 70% of the hearing loss cases. Atonal homolog 1 (Atoh1, mATH1) is one of such genes that act as a control button for growth of hair cells and is suppressed following the birth of any mammal. It has been shown by research studies that activation of Atoh1 can induce divisions of supporting cells to generate new hair cells, resulting in recovery from alleged incurable hearing loss. Neurotrophic gene therapy is another important mode, with neurotrophins being the key proteins in inducing survival, growth and function of neurons. [Read more…]

4 Tips for a Healthy Lifestyle

By Men

Living a healthy lifestyle is much harder than most of us would like it to be. Getting the right vitamins, eating the right foods and exercising enough can be very difficult. With so many fast food restaurants, distractions and other things to do, it can become tough to truly live a healthy lifestyle. You don’t have to be perfect, however, in order to be healthy. Here are some top tips for living a good lifestyle.

Consume alcohol in limited quantities

Yes, it’s true that a glass of wine every now and then is good for you. However, having a couple of beers every time you get home from work in the evening will have the opposite effect. Apart from the dangers of becoming addicted to alcohol, it’s not good for your liver, heart and other bodily organs. Limit your alcohol consumption to the recommended units per week, and if possible, cut it out during week days.

Drink water and herbal teas

Most green and herbal teas are very good for you, yet they are caffeinated. This means that you’ll end up dehydrated if you drink too much of them – so don’t go overboard with these. However, green tea and water really helps to cleanse your internal organs, such as your kidney, so it’s definitely worth making sure that you get enough of these liquids in your diet.

Get the necessary vitamins and supplements

Most people think that if they’re eating healthily, they don’t need any extra vitamins and supplements. It’s a good idea to visit your doctor and get checked to see if there are any extra vitamins and supplements that you need in your diet. For example, many people don’t get the necessary dose of Omega 3 – a fatty acid that your body doesn’t produce itself.

Sleep well

While you’re busy staying up late and planning your healthy foods and meals for the day ahead, you might not realise just how dangerous this can be. Getting enough sleep can help you to lose weight by reducing the amount of cortisol in your body, and it will also help you to feel more energised the day after. Don’t listen to guidelines when determining how much sleep you should get, but rather listen to your body. You might discover that you need more sleep than the person next to you, and that’s just your individuality.

4 Common Habits That Will Sabotage Your Weight Loss

By Men

You exercise and fight off the urges to consume foods that are contrary to your diet. You count your calories and stay within your daily limits and you even have a coach to keep you on track yet the number on your scale has not gone down a single point. You’re tired and confused but before you curse the diet and the exercise regime consider these four common habits that could be sabotaging your weight loss efforts.

Skipping breakfast

Breakfast is the meal that comes after a 10 to 12 hour overnight fast and thus it is important that you take time to eat your breakfast even if you don’t feel hungry. Your blood sugar levels drop overnight and when you skip breakfast you will be tempted to indulge in unhealthy snacks to boost your blood sugar levels. Take the time to eat breakfast no matter how little time you have in the morning because in the end people who do tend to consume less calories throughout the day.

Eating too quickly

With so much to do in so little time many people rush through meals in order to move on to the next task. Take the time to chew your food if you want to promote weight loss. This is important because your stomach signals to your brain that it is full and it takes at least 20 to 30 minutes for it to do so. With that in mind you should take your time so that your brain will catch up to your stomach and avoid overeating.

Not planning your meals

Don’t wait until you’re hungry to think about what you’re going to eat. When you do you will be tempted to eat whatever you can get your hands on in order to satisfy your hunger. Plan your meals in advance so your body does not pay the price for the poor choices you make when you’re too hungry to care. Planning also involves taking time to prepare those healthy meals that will benefit your body without promoting the fat.

Poor sleep habits

Believe it or not your restless nights are sabotaging your weight loss. Your low energy body craves sugar and other unhealthy foods as a pick me up after a restless night. Give your body at least 7-8 hours of rest every night and by doing so you will resist that hunger and unhealthy cravings that you get throughout the day.

If you’re holding on to any of these habits you could very well be sabotaging your weight loss. Recognize them, acknowledge them but most importantly get rid of them if you want real results and achieve your weight loss goals.

Can hair loss be cured?

By Men

Hair loss is a common problem. If you’re worried about your hair receding or thinning, you can rest assured you’re not alone. Because of high levels of demand among hair loss sufferers, a great deal of research has been put into developing treatments for this problem.

As yet, a definitive cure hasn’t be found. However, by making sure you know the cause of the problem and by seeking a suitable hair loss treatment, you may be able to slow or even reverse the process.

Understanding the cause

There are a number of different causes of hair loss and before you start looking around for ways to address the problem, it’s important that understand the trigger in your particular case.

The most common type of hair loss is male pattern baldness. Around half of men experience this by the time they reach the age of 50 and it is characterised by a receding hairline and thinning hair at the temples and on top of the head. Male pattern baldness is thought to run in families. The problem can also affect women. Female pattern baldness usually results in a thinning of hair on the top of the head and it often gets worse after the menopause.

Another type of hair loss is referred to as telogen effluvium. This typically occurs after a stressful physical event such as childbirth, major surgery or sudden weight loss. It can also be triggered by illnesses or certain medications. Fortunately in these cases, hair tends to grow back after a few months.

Hair loss can be caused by alopecia areata too. This rare condition affects around one or two people in every 1,000 in the UK and it is most common among teenagers and young adults. It causes patchy hair loss and, in many cases, hair returns after a few months.

In contrast, if you develop alopecia totalis (which is complete loss of hair on the head) or alopecia universalis (total loss of hair all over the head and body), your hair is unlikely to grow back.

Finding suitable treatments

Certain forms of hair loss, including telogen effluvium and alopecia areata, don’t require treatment. After a few months, you should find you start to see improvements in the condition. [Read more…]

How Dental Crowns Strengthen the Teeth

By Men

A dental crown is a cap that covers a tooth, keeping it together and offering a more regular, flawless appearance. When the dental crown is applied, it covers the tooth all the way down to the gums. The resulting crown provides a hard, protective shell for a damaged tooth.

Dental crowns are not a solution for all dental issues. For instance, dental crowns are not designed to cover stained teeth since other, less invasive choices are available. Dental crowns are designed to strengthen a tooth that has a structural problem that cannot be fixed by other means. Uses for dental crowns include:

. Keeping a cracked or weakened tooth together.

. Covering a broken or extremely worn tooth.

. Protecting a tooth that has been broadly decayed. In these instances, the dental crown holds the large filling in place.

. Protecting a misshapen or badly discolored tooth.

. Covering a dental implant post.

. Keeping a dental bridge in place.

Types of Dental Crowns

These crowns are usually made from a variety of materials. These materials are:

. Metal Alloy. Metal alloy dental crowns are made from a silver or gold alloy. These crowns are very long-lasting and they resist staining, chipping, and breaking since the metal alloy is very strong. In addition, metal crowns can be placed with minimal tooth removal. Still, some patients do not like the appearance of metal crowns since they stand out.

. Porcelain and Metal. Porcelain and metal crowns fuse the porcelain outer shell to a metal inner shell. These crowns have the benefit of the hard, durable metal shell to protect the tooth on the inside, and a more appealing, natural-looking porcelain shell on the outside. The disadvantage to these dental crowns is that the porcelain can wear off over time, exposing the metal underneath.

. Porcelain. Porcelain crowns look very natural. Yet, porcelain is not as strong as metal alloy dental crowns. These dental crowns also wear the teeth next to them, which can cause dental problems over time.

. Resin. Much like porcelain crowns, resin dental crowns look natural. Still, they are not as strong as either porcelain or metal crowns. Resin dental crowns are more susceptible to chipping or cracking, which means that they need to be replaced more often and they do not protect the tooth as well.

Caring for Your Crown

Dental crowns can last may years or even a lifetime. A key element to keeping your dental crown strong and in good shape is to take proper care of it. This includes brushing and flossing all of your teeth, including the crown. Inspect the dental crown regularly for damage and notify your dentist if you notice any chips, cracks, or damage. A damaged dental crown cannot protect the tooth, which leaves it prone to decay.

Natural Aphrodisiacs

By Men

What is an aphrodisiac?

An aphrodisiac is a substance that can induce feelings of raised libido and can be a food, drug or smell. Whether there is any real foundation behind the power of aphrodisiacs is debatable, since autosuggestion may have a psychological effect on the body and therefore cause a raised libido. However, every little helps and the following are a sample of aphrodisiacs that you can easily find at your local grocers or natural health food store.

Examples of natural aphrodisiacs

Fruits and vegetables

Plant aphrodisiacs include vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains. Some are considered aphrodisiacs because of their phallic shape such as the asparagus, artichoke, fig and peach. Like the fig, the pomegranate was often considered to symbolise fertility because of its numerous seeds.

The presence of vitamins and minerals in fruit and vegetables can have an effect on libido. Celery contains the male hormone androsterone and is thought to stimulate female libido. Carrots, fennel and onions are other vegetables that effect sex drive. Men who need a little help in the bedroom department could do worse than having a banana or two as they contain the enzyme bromelain which is thought to improve male libido.

Herbs, spices, nuts and roots

Gingko nuts improve blood circulation to the extremities of the body thus improving libido. Ginseng root is also thought to enhance a person’s sex drive by naturally stimulating the brain and raising energy levels. Slow release carbohydrates such as porridge oats may also increase sex drive.

Herbs and spices such as basil, cardamon, clove, garlic, ginger, pepper, asafetida and saw palmetto are all considered to be aphrodisiacs, too.

In many cases aphrodisiac qualities can be attributed to the fact that they have a medicinal effect upon the genito-urinary tract, which therefore eases any problems with the kidney, bladder or urinary tract. For example, Ephedra nevadensis which is a known remedy for kidney, bladder and urinary problems is also used as an aphrodisiac. [Read more…]

How Bad is Junk Food, Really?

By Men

One of the first questions that people ask when it comes to diet is whether or not junk food is really bad for them. The saying is everything in moderation, but is that really the case when it seems like there’s always something waiting to tempt you or take you away from your health goals? We’re going to explore a few points today on the matter.

You see, everything is okay in moderation — however, the very nature of junk food inspires us to seek it out for just about every occasion. When we’re feeling bad, we reach for the greasiest or sweetest things that we can find. Over time, this processed food doesn’t lead to good health goals at all. On the contrary, it actually causes us to slip further and further from our goals. That means that instead of trying to capture things that aren’t important, we need to focus more on the things that matter — like health and wellness.

If you’re trying to build a healthier life, you need to make sure that you put junk food in its place. That means that you will really need to look at the foods you eat and decide whether or not they’re actually going to be healthy for you. It’s one thing to indulge in snacks here and there, but when you care more about junk food than real food, you might actually have a problem.

Sometimes junk food can be a good treat or reward, but you can’t rely on junk food to fuel your body. You will want to try to add in more healthy food than junk food. It can be hard because when you’re stressed you are most likely going to want to reach for that junk food but this is not a time to give in.

When you’re trying to transition away from junk food it might be important to try to just get with a support group rather than trying to assume that you can do everything by yourself. The support group can be a positive influence that you can truly count on. The last thing that you will want to do is let down people that have begun to trust you so now is the time to go ahead and join some sort of support group. If you try to join an online support group, you don’t even have to use your real name. You can use a pen name instead and protect your own privacy.

Overall, how bad is junk food, really? Well, if you’re trying to lose weight and improve your weight for the long term, you’re going to have to seriously cut back on the junk food that you eat. Most of these foods are just simple sugars that will turn to fat easily in the body. You’re pretty much better off focusing on whole foods that the body needs to fuel itself.