Tips Archives - Healthy Men

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

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.

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…]

Indian head massage – the benefits

By Men

Stress and tension.

At some time or other we have all suffered from muscular stress or tension in the neck and shoulder area. And really there are only two main causes for this; stress and poor posture throughout the day.

We are creating a huge range of health problems in our present day western lifestyle, problems that can largely be attributed to stress. Ulcers, heart disease, hypertension, cancer, strokes, insomnia, allergies and depression to name but a few. Around sixty percent of all patients in a doctors surgery will be there with stress related problems.

Now all this stress and tension that we feel has got to manifest itself somewhere hasn’t it. Yes you’ve guessed it in the neck and shoulder region, time and again I’m sure you’ve experienced tightness around the neck, stiff shoulders, the feeling of ‘fight or flight’. It’s almost like we’re a dog with it’s hackles up when we get stressed out. It can directly affect our breathing, nervous disposition and ability to concentrate on the tasks at hand. What good would we be at a high pressure job whilst suffering all these symptoms?

Whilst in the military I and many others lived constantly with these feelings and symptoms, and I’m sure to a large part the only thing that ever stopped us from making grave mistakes was the possible cost of life or serious injury. So I’m sure we would all agree that we need to remove this discomfort and ill feeling from our lives in order to make our life and us as individuals better and more productive.

Our head weighs nearly 5 kg and when you think about it, the head is quite precariously balanced above our shoulders. So in order for our head to keep in position and not flop about or just drop to our chest we have got to have some serious musculature to hold everything in place. Little wonder we get all this muscle tension in the neck and shoulders when all these strong muscles are working hard every hour of the day. Every movement we make; leaning forward, tilting to the side, reaching for something at a distance, you name it our body has to compensate for the actions we take.

Of course the neck and shoulders are not the only places where stress and tension will manifest, the face is also adversely affected by stress. The jaw may be held tight, forehead creased into a frown and the eyes tightened up as though looking into bright sunlight. Headaches and eyestrain are often common in times of stress.

How can Indian head massage help?

By having an head, neck and shoulder massage with this particular style, you are actively encouraging the reduction of tension. Bringing about a calm, relaxing feeling which not only reduces stress but also improves circulation and vital energy flow. Increased joint mobility and gentle muscle toning are also experienced along with mild invigoration and stimulation.

Toxins caught up in your muscle fibres are flushed away, the lymphatic system is stimulated and any resting fluids will be dispersed from the areas massaged. Oxygen rich blood is encouraged into the massaged areas to improve circulation and transport of vital nutrients.

What conditions can it help?

Eyestrain, headaches, tinnitus, jaw ache, sinusitis, insomnia, muscle tension, muscle pain, muscle adhesions, stress and anxiety, mental strain, joint stiffness, tiredness.

All in all this is a wonderful relaxing and stimulating massage. Which is gentle and pain free and which works from the offset and if regular treatments are maintained the benefits just increase.

At first I must admit I was very sceptical about how well this technique works, simply because it is so light and gentle, being a sports massage therapist I couldn’t see how all these gentle movements could create such relief. But I was proved wrong and as yet I have never had a client which hasn’t displayed relaxation and relief from stress, tension and pain.

So the only thing left for you to do is try a session. The treatments usually last only twenty minutes so it is relatively quick and really what do have to lose. If it works for you then great, you’ve found something good to rid some of the discomfort from your life.