7 Ways to Improve Men’s Health This Father's Day
In June, we celebrate Men’s Health Awareness and Father's Day, so it’s a great time to think about some important steps men can take to put their health first. Compared with women, men are at increased risk for a number of conditions, including heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease and more. But with education, motivation and a little help from healthcare professionals and wellness experts, you can start the habits that make for a longer, healthier life. Here are seven tips for men to lead longer and healthier lives.
1. Forget dieting, eat healthfully
There isn’t one perfect diet or eating style for everybody. Instead of following diet trends, you should strive to eat more healthful foods in a way that works for you.
For example, you may find that eating healthier is easier with two well-planned meals a day, or you may do better with as many as six smaller meals a day. What matters is making more room for healthy foods that are rich in the nutrients men need—like raw vegetables, shellfish and fatty fish, bananas, broccoli, cherries, berries, sweet potatoes, Brazil nuts, tomato sauce, avocadoes, spinach and yogurt.
If you’re looking for inspiration, you can try the 80/20 rule, in which you spend 80% of the time eating these healthy foods and 20% of the time indulging a little in other foods you like. There are many resources and apps available to help you with this technique—like MyNetDiary, which assigns foods a ‘grade’ (A,B,C,D) to help you determine the healthfulness of certain foods and products.
The amount of healthy fats, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals you need vary based on factors like sex, age and fitness level. For more details on how to plan your healthful diet, you can visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.
