A Focus on Men’s Health by Guest Blogger Steve Jasper

Men’s Health Week By Steve Jasper

Every year, Men’s Health Week falls on the seven days prior to Father’s Day. The significance of this event would mean nothing without first realizing that one’s health is not only a measure of the lifestyle you lead, but how you stay in shape as well. A fraction of men are regular gym-goers who work out tirelessly with exercise equipment in order to keep their bodies healthy and active. Men realize that working out serves a more important function than just building muscles. Working out can help you improve your body image, self confidence, and even add years to your life.

Men’s Health Week (June 14-20^th) is a week of awareness involving health issues and diseases for men that easily can be averted with early action, treatment, and healthy prevention. It’s no coincidence that Men’s Health Week leads right up to Father’s Day because Father’s Day is where we celebrate a man we love and wish nothing but health and happiness to. Many men understand the importance of adhering to a diet rich in whole foods, such as fruit and vegetables, whole-grains, low- and nonfat dairy products, and lean meat choices.  Yet, how can more men be proactive in staying healthy and avoiding illness and heath issues? Well, a good place to start is to be educated about how to use the gym, and exactly how important it is to do so. A better knowledge of how to properly exercise is integral to fighting obesity and improving your health.

The list of ailments that go along with obesity is almost endless: diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, respiratory problems, and even cancer all have higher incidence rates in the obese. This is scary enough, but looking at the statistics, it’s even more frightening. The Journal of the American Medical Association states that 72 percent of men over the age of 20 are considered to be overweight or obese while 32 percent are dangerously obese. This is too much- especially when studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have shown that physical activity may greatly reduce the risk of both obesity and most health conditions in men.

There are plenty of great foods men can eat that will not only improve their exercise performance and overall fitness, but help them to be healthier and avoid obesity as well. Incorporating foods like blueberries (which are loaded with antioxidants) and sardines (not for everyone, but they are nutritious) can change a man’s attitude and drive. Additionally, other great foods men can snack on are nuts, which are full of vitamin E. Rice is also a good source for your vitamins, potassium and zinc. Even smaller foods are great to add to your diet in order to make things run smoothly. For example, sesame seeds are great for a man’s sex drive because they are rich in amino acids. Amino acids, as you may know, are the building blocks for your body’s proteins. Eating the right food can even affect your mood, which has been seen with edamame (or soy beans), for example. When you are fulfilling your dietary needs, you are less likely to succumb to binges on junk foods. Getting on the right diet and eating foods that help maintain a healthy body is one of the most important steps a man can take towards staying healthy and avoiding obesity. Of course, the other half of the equation is keeping a good workout routine.

Depending on who you ask, going to the gym may either seem like a hobby or a chore, but following those routines are important to staying fit and healthy for men everywhere. Now, we all come up with excuses as to why we can’t work out. When polled, the biggest reason men gave for not being able to exercise is, “not enough time.” The best way to overcome this hurdle is by getting your hands on one of your own personal home gyms. When you factor in the time it takes to travel back and forth from your fitness center, the gas money spent to do so, and the various membership fees, a home gym starts to look like a very reasonable option. And if you are more likely to work out regularly on your home gym than you are at your club, then all the more reason to pick one up.

How do you or the man in your life stay in shape?  Do you have a personal home gym?  What do you eat to help fuel your exercise?  Share with us, we want to know!

About the Author:

Steve Jasper is not a medical expert. If you have any serious medical concerns, please consult a qualified medical professional before undertaking a new fitness regimen. Steve is a contributing blogger from Gymsource who writes an all topics related to fitness equipment and much more.

A Diet for Kids that Promotes Bone Growth, Not Fat

Dark-green vegetables, such as the broccoli above, and deep-yellow vegetables are part of a diet that can promote bone growth while attenuating fat accumulation in children.

“Eat your dark-green and deep-yellow veggies and limit fried foods” is the message for parents who are interested in promoting bone growth, not fat, in their children according to findings of a study published online June 2, 2010 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  The study collected data on a total of 325 children (ages 3.8-7.8 years) over a 4 year study period during which measures of body weight, body composition, dietary patterns, physical activity levels, and time spent watching television and playing outdoors were assessed.  The researchers found that those children who consumed diets that were higher in dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables and lower in fried foods had higher bone mass and lower fat mass than those children whose diets lacked these characteristics.

Some interesting findings came out of the study.  The researchers found that even when total caloric intake was the same, a higher consumption of fried foods was associated with a greater accrual of fat mass.  The investigators speculate that hormonal shifts which favor fat growth, as opposed to lean mass development, may be a factor; but, they note that more research is needed.

The findings of the study also indicated that a high consumption of processed meats combined with the consumption of dark-green and deep-yellow vegetables was related to the development of greater bone mass.  They believe this increase is linked to protein which, according to data from previous studies, has been shown to play a role in enhancing bone mass in adults.  And, in this particular cohort of children, processed meats were a major source of protein in their diets.  However, the investigators stress that they do not advocate processed meats to be a mainstay in children’s diets due to the high sodium and saturated fat contents of these products.  The researchers believe that the role of dark-green and deep-yellow vegetable consumption has in promoting greater bone mass is related to the presence of alkalizing minerals, such as potassium, in these foods.

The investigators conclude that their findings have great implications because it is the study is the first of which, to their knowledge, to show that a certain combination of foods can promote bone mass while attenuating fat accumulation in children.  Many parents are aware of the health risks that children now-a-days are facing at increasing rates as a result of a poor diet.  Obesity and osteoporosis are two conditions in which their origins may be rooted in childhood dietary practices.  The challenge for parents is to provide their children with healthy eating habits that promote the growth of bone while reducing the risk for accruing high amounts of body fat.  There is limited information available to parents and caretakers as to what constitutes a diet that can achieve both of these goals.  The findings of the current study show promise that diets can be manipulated to optimize growth and development in children.

Suggested Dark-green and Deep-yellow Vegetables to Serve:

• Spinach
• Romaine lettuce
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes

Does your child have a favorite dark-green or deep-yellow vegetable?  How do you prepare it?  Share with us, we want to know!

Nutrition, Children, and Osteoporosis

Canned fish and low-fat dairy products, such as milk and cheese, are good sources of calcium.

While watching the local news yesterday morning, I was shocked to learn that the condition of osteoporosis is becoming more prevalent in children.  One factor that has been implicated is the increase in childhood obesity.  The newscast stated that the extra body fat slows the absorption of Vitamin D from the sun’s rays.  The body needs vitamin D in order to absorb calcium, which helps build strong bones.

Osteoporosis is defined as “porous bone.”  Under a microscope, healthy bone resembles a honeycomb.  When osteoporosis is present, structural changes have occurred in the bone that make the holes and spaces of the honeycomb structure much larger.  As a result, the bone becomes less dense, weaker, and more susceptible to fracture.  Osteoporosis is a condition that is typically seen in older women and, in the past, it was rare to be present in children – unless it was related to an underlying medical disorder or by certain medications (this form is called secondary osteoporosis).

Regardless of the cause of osteoporosis in children, its presence is a great concern because the prime years to build bone occur in childhood.  Bone is living tissue that constantly breaks down and rebuilds throughout life.  This process involves calcium to be withdrawn and deposited into your bones daily.  The strength of your bones depends upon the amount of calcium stored in them.  Typically, in children and teenagers, new bone is formed faster than it is broken down.  Thus, the bones continue to become more dense until peak bone mass (the greatest amount of bone that you will have in your lifetime) is achieved.  An individual’s peak bone mass is reached around the ages of 18-20 years, depending on gender.

What can a parent do to help their child/teen build healthy bones?

• Teach your child and/or teenager the importance of eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D fortified foods to promote bone health.  Some good websites to visit with your child to reinforce this lesson include:  Milk Matters; KidsHealth; and, Best Bones Forever!.  These sites offer activities, games, and fun ideas to engage children and teenagers in the learning process for adopting healthy lifestyle habits.
• Provide your child and/or teenager with a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D fortified foods.  Some sources of calcium and vitamin D include low-fat dairy products, green leafy vegetables, canned salmon with bones, calcium enriched soy drinks, and fortified cereals.  For a list of more food sources, visit Best Bones Forever!.
• Ensure that your child gets at least 10-15 minutes of unprotected sun exposure a day to promote vitamin D synthesis in the body.  Note that very few food sources naturally contain vitamin D and, therefore, sun exposure is needed to reach adequate levels.
• Teach your child the ill effects of smoking.  Smoking impairs bone health.  Research has shown that smokers have a higher incidence of bone fractures.
• Get your child active.  Weight-bearing activities, such as dancing, gymnastics, basketball, and running help to build bone strength.
• Schedule regular “well-check” visits with your child’s pediatrician.  The doctor will be able to monitor dietary and exercise habits as well as growth.  Because other conditions such as anorexia, hormonal imbalances, and certain medications can increase your child’s risk for weak bones and fractures, it is important to see your child’s physician who will be able to identify these conditions and offer advice on their treatment and management.

Does your child get enough calcium and vitamin D?  Share with us your ways of ensuring your child eats a diet rich in these sources.  We want to know!