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10 ways to have more energy, eat better, and feel-and look-younger.
Gone are the days when men could eat junk food, spend all day on the couch, and not take care of themselves. Diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices can increase wellness. Here are 10 easy ways to make it happen.
Three thousand farmed animals are killed every second. If that's not enough to make you consider giving up meat, there are the health benefits, including sustained weight loss, lower cholesterol, improved blood sugar, plummeting rates of cancer, and off-the-map low blood pressure. In a nutshell, old-fashioned well-being. So, guys, let's suck it up and gather instead of hunt. Focus on proteins that are easier to digest such as fish, eggs, tempeh, sprouts, and seeds. Eat vegetables such as broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and bok choy. You'll feel energized instead of exhausted.
In an article in the New York Times entitled "How Exercise Keeps Us Young," Gretchen Reynolds discussed a study where scientists put men who cycle regularly through a battery of physical and cognitive tests. The result? "As it turned out, the cyclists did not show their age. On almost all measures, their physical functioning remained fairly stable across the decades and was much closer to that of young adults than of people their age." Another piece in the New England Journal of Medicine called "Muscling in on Depression" by Andrew Harkin, PhD, noted that exercise metabolizes a harmful stress chemical called kynurenine and prevents it from crossing the brain-blood barrier. And that's before endorphins-which put you in an even better mood-kick in.
It heals and rejuvenates, and according to the journal SLEEP, it boosts antibody levels and immune cells, repairs tissue, and restores us on a very deep level.
Drink half your body weight in ounces of purified water daily. Yes, you read that right. According to WebMD's, Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, it clears up your skin, energizes muscles, balances bodily fluids, helps control calories, and sustains the kidneys. So, thirst for power or love, but if you're actually thirsty-and most of us are chronically dehydrated-reach for water. One strategy: if you drink less caffeine (which makes you crash) you'll have more room for water.
While you're at it, wash down some high-quality supplements. Nutrition consultant Andrew Orvis of Rainbow Acres in Culver City, Calif., says, "Nutritional and herbal supplements buy your body an insurance program against the toxins we're exposed to every day." Concerned about your prostate? Pumpkin is excellent, but the amount you'd have to eat would turn your skin orange. You need concentrations of nutrients that allow your body to sustain, repair, and rebuild everything from your hair and skin to your internal organs-even if you don't always eat the perfect diet. Don't forget to rotate brands and the actual supplements themselves.
6 Have More Sex
This is not a misprint. Science says that the more sex you have, the longer you'll live. In a paper entitled "Sex and Death: Are They Related?" George Davey Smith, a professor of clinical epidemiology and his colleagues, found in a study of 918 men aged 45-59 that, "Mortality risk was 50 percent lower in the group with high orgasmic frequency." So, try to pencil in some lovemaking on your calendar. It's great for your health. (And need we mention the numerous other benefits?)
Clip those unruly eyebrows. Nose-hair is not a turn-on. And take care of your skin. Use facial toner, a high-quality moisturizer, and a weekly scrub. If you're playing a round of golf or tennis, pack an SPF of 30 or above to block both UVA and UVB rays. When it comes to hair, short hair makes you look younger. Balding? Trimmed facial hair balances that beautiful face.
Avoid processed white foods, such as sugar, white flour, refined breads, and crackers. Sugar eats away collagen and elastin, proteins that make your skin look young. Desserts make you bloat. Instead, try gluten-free grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa. They're surprisingly delicious and easy to sub in for your traditional favorites. And the same goes for snacks. Turn on the game and have a buckwheat pizza, fresh bell pepper slices, or a smoothie while you're screaming at the TV. Your body will thank you.
Sit comfortably, and leave your eyes open but loosely focused. "Follow" your breath. As long as you're alive, your breath is going in and out-you don't have to do anything to make it happen. Just observe it, and when you notice you've been thinking, just dub it "thinking" and go back to the breath. This cuts the swarm of nonstop thoughts in your head. It throws a different light on everyday problems, rests you, and gives you new strength and perspective.
Laugh. Preferably at yourself. Things are not always going to go the way you want. Realize you can fight another day. Use your words. It's important for men to share their feelings. Too often, we want to act out emotions or just push them away. Be grateful. Write a gratitude list in the morning that acknowledges all the good things in your life. Ask for help. If not from a loving universe, then friends and family. Create. Whether art or business-make something of value for others. That will help you create your life.
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