Man-Up! Top Men's Health Issues & Foods/Supplements that can Help

 Men have a shorter life expectancy than women. Are you going to let the ladies have all the fun? Come on men - it's time to learn some new tricks about eating and living healthier.

It’s a Guy Thing

Many men avoid a doctor when sick, and skip regular check ups. Surveys show such men blame time or money restrictions. Yet, there is more to it – it’s a boy thing. From a young age, boys are taught to ‘tough-it-out’ from father-figures, coaches and sports heroes. When it comes to not feeling well, males tend to avoid the doctor, even when they are in their ‘wise-old age’. Wise-up, and be proud of your body – it’s time to take your health seriously.

Top 5 Men’s Health Issues:

• Obesity

• Prostate/Penile Health

• Heart Disease

• Hair Loss

• Mental Health

 ...as well as concerns with weight management, heart burn, acne, digestive troubles and a lack of energy.

The Beer Belly

Shirt a little snug?  Obesity is a big problem in men. According to a 2009 Statistics Canada report on body composition, 37% of adults are overweight; of which, more men than women are tipping the scale. Obesity is linked to many diseases. Small dietary and lifestyle changes can make a difference. Your local health food store has a plethora of whole food items, healthy snack options and supplements to help. Sporting a healthy waistline is a great way to wear your health proud.

Psst… It’s Called a Penis

The guys love to crack jokes that involve male genitalia, but its no laughing matter when penile tissue doesn’t work. Luckily, there are scientifically proven medicinal and herbal options to help improve the ability of erectile tissue to maintain an erection, including Horny Goat Weed.

Men might not have to deal with a uterus that cramps, but they do have to deal with a prostate. Enlarged prostates are common among older men, but it is not unheard of in younger men as well. Located in a sensitive area of the body, even small prostate flare-ups can lead to problems with urination and sexual function. Saw palmetto is well known for its ability to support prostate health. Anti-inflammatory nutrients such as fish oil and probiotics may also help with an inflamed prostate.

Don’t hide under the sheets if you are having problems in the bedroom – your health may be at risk. Clinical and epidemiological studies show a link between sexual dysfunction and physical and psychological health.  Listen up, boys - all men have a prostate and a penis. You won’t be the first patient to ask a doctor about his ‘boy-parts’.  So, Man-Up! And, go talk to your health care provider about your prostate or penis-related concerns. 

Huddle Up

Fact: Men have a lower life expectancy. So, what’s our game plan? Men aren’t dying due to their ‘need for speed’ or other masculine impulses. Men have a higher death rate from coronary heart disease than women.  Researchers have found that cardiovascular disease appears about 10 years earlier in men than in women. And, clinical studies show that cardiovascular disease is largely preventable through lifestyle modification.  The game plan is simple: more exercise, vegetables, fish oil and fibre.  And, our ‘special teams’ will feature a few heart-health promoting supplements like hawthorne, plant sterols or CoQ10. 

Lowering Stress

While some people may appear to thrive on it, stress is a risk factor in many diseases, including heart disease, mental illness and some intestinal conditions. Stress can also affect your immune system leaving you weak.  Need some help chillin’ out, boys? Try yoga, tai-chi, or herbal medicines including California poppy, kava, or ginseng. 

The Better Gender?

Men can tolerate more pain than women (really, it’s a proven fact). But, that doesn’t mean they should ignore the signals their body is giving them. Be a man about it, and talk straight with your doctor about your health concerns. Wear your health with pride – it looks good on you. 

References:

Health Canada

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/jfy-spv/men-hommes-eng.php

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/gender-genre/analys/gender-sexes-eng.php#goodfit

Kaufman JS, Cheek DJ. Men's cardiovascular and pulmonary health. Nurs Clin North Am. 2004 Jun;39(2):283-300.

Moyad MA. The optimal male health diet and dietary supplement program. Urol Clin North Am. 2012 Feb;39(1):89-107.

Pinkhasov RM, Shteynshlyuger A, Hakimian P, Lindsay GK, Samadi DB, Shabsigh R. Are men shortchanged on health? Perspective on life expectancy, morbidity, and mortality in men and women in the United States. Int J Clin Pract. 2010 Mar;64(4):465-74.

Statistics Canada

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/100113/dq100113a-eng.htm

Tan HM et al. Men's health: sexual dysfunction, physical, and psychological health--is there a link? J Sex Med. 2012 Mar;9(3):663-71.

Argh! Why Can't I Lose this Weight?!

As the market place is full of quick weight loss solutions promising drastic reductions in weight with a flip of their magical wand, it’s important to understand why we are obese and why we should care how heavy we are.

Why are we so fat? 

According to the World Health Organization we are fat because we’ve transitioned our food choices towards refined foods, food of animal origin, and increased fat. According to all of these experts, we are fat because we may have genes that tell us to overeat, we eat more with each generation and we choose the wrong foods.


Why do we care if we are fat?

Some experts say that it’s because humans have similar eating patterns to the rat – humans will eat until overfed. This is an evolutionary response to eat and store energy to be able to survive a future famine. However, when, if ever, does the local supermarket run out of food? We are not likely to see a famine in the near future in North America. Therefore, we never find a need to use all of this energy we are storing. With each generation we appear to be storing more energy for this fictional upcoming famine. According to Professor Roland Auer, of the University of Calgary we are fat because we eat 15% more   

   calories with each generation.

Clothes come in all sizes and body fat is useful as it keeps us warm in the winter. What is the concern? Well, obesity is a concern because it is associated with disease. Excessive body fat is associated with an increased cancer risk. A study that observed 900,000 people for 16 years estimated that excess body fat may account for 14% of all cancer deaths in men and, 20% of cancer deaths in women. This type of convincing research warns us of the danger of obesity.

Physical Activity for Weight Loss?

Although obesity has strong genetic determinants, it is generally accepted that it results from an imbalance between food intake and daily physical activity. We eat too much food and exercise too little. This is reflected in the health guidelines across North America which focuses on two particular lifestyle factors: increasing levels of physical activity and reducing the intakes of fat and sugars.

Most health experts agree that all long term weight loss programs should include regular exercise. However, does exercise directly reduce weight? There is disagreement among the scientific experts as to how much exercise is needed to achieve weight loss and whether or not there is a dose response effect.

For those of you who cringe at the idea of a weight loss plan that includes intense workouts such as the stair climber that makes you feel like you are climbing Mount Everest, or the rowing machine seems like it’s in the ocean during a hurricane – never fear. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported a study of women who were put on a calorie reduced diet and varying exercise programs for a year. They found that regardless of exercise intensity the women attained weight loss (average 13 to 20 lbs), maintained the weight loss and improved cardiovascular fitness. In other words, you do not have to train for a marathon to lose weight.

Any amount of exercise can help with weight management. Do what you can so that you will keep doing it. Everest and the ocean are not necessary to achieve weight loss. Most importantly, exercise and physical fitness are associated with increased energy, feelings of contentment and reduced risk of some diseases. Exercise is a part of a healthy lifestyle and should be a part of everyone’s daily routines.

How to Lose Weight?

The shelves are packed with various books touting the latest diet plan. Each diet book promising to offer greater weight loss effects than the others. However, we have yet to find the be-all-end-all of diets. Scientific investigation of various diet forms has found that in the end a diet that is rich in vegetables, whole grains and low-fat foods is a good way to loose weight. However, the only scientifically proven way to loose weight is to have a net caloric loss of 500 calories per day. This can be achieved by cutting back on snacks, dressings and high calorie drinks, in addition to participating in a daily exercise plan. This year be successful and achieve your desired weight loss goal with a healthy diet and some exercise.  

From A. Tannis, Vitality: Quest for a healthy diet, Volumes Publishing: Kitchener, 2005.

Obesity: Are Products in My House Making Me Fat?

Research has been linking common household chemicals, known as obesogens, with obesity. The link was first discovered in the 1970s when low exposure to certain chemicals caused weight gain in laboratory animals. Today, researchers have discovered that there are many chemicals in our environment that promote weight gain in the body.

How? There are many different ways that obesogens affect weight gain including the ability to influence the number or size of fat cells, and disrupting hormones that affect appetite or satiety.

Common Items in Your House Where Obesogens can be Found:
- Air fresheners
- Laundry detergent
- Processed Foods (Monosodium Glutamate (aka MSG))
- Conventionally grown produce (Pesticides)
- Plastics (BPAs)

What can you do to avoid obesogens and other hormone-disrupting chemicals? Probably a lot of the things you are already doing at home such as eating organic when possible, avoiding plastics, limiting your consumption of processed and canned foods, avoiding fragranced products and seeking out products free of BPAs, phthalates and other common chemicals of concern.

Ah, ha!
One of the most fascinating pieces of research I've read about obesogens links these chemicals to increased rates of obesity in our children. During pregnancy, the effects of obesogens can be transferred to the child. Fascinating stuff! There's more about this and other aspects of this topic in this informative article (link below) available on PubMed. It includes links to references if you'd like to dig a little deeper into this topic.

For a great read into this topic, check out this article:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3279464/

My Confession:
We made a movement in our house to avoid hormone-disrupting chemicals when I was pregnant with my first child about a half decade ago. Yet, sometimes a fragranced or plastic product sneaks it way back into our house. It's great to clean-up your lifestyle after reading an article or blog with research-backed information...but, don't forget to re-clean regularly. This spring when you do your annual spring-clean-up take a moment to consider how "clean" each household item is and ditch the "dirty" ones.

Meatless Mondays: Easier than You Think

[Reprinted from Health First Network Flyer - February 2014]

By Allison Tannis BSc MSc RHN

It’s a global phenomenon worth being a part of. Meatless Monday is an initiative to encourage people to eat less meat to better their health and the environment. The concept is to not eat meat one day a week. Why? One day is about 15% of a week – the exact percentage of saturated fat (found in animal products) that should be lowered in our diet according to the Surgeon General.

Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Paul McCartney have helped increase awareness about the health and environmental benefits of going meatless. Since its revival in 2003, awareness and active participation in Meatless Monday has spread reaching countries around the world including Israel, Japan, Brazil and Norway.

Meatless Health Benefits

Going meatless is easy on your body. Nutrition experts have been encouraging us for years to cut down on how much saturated fat and cholesterol we eat and to increase our consumption of plant-based foods (vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds). This meatless movement is fueled by a growing number of research studies concluding that eating less meat has health benefits.

Meatless meals may lower your risk of some diseases. In 2012, British researchers reviewed evidence for vegetarian and low-meat diets and reported both were linked with a lower risk of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes. They also found that evidence suggests eating processed meat increases the risk of coronary heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. In conclusion, the researchers suggest eating a meatless diet (vegetarian) or a diet that focuses on plant-based foods but still involves eating some animal products.

A vegetarian diet may be a hidden fountain of youth. A large study, called the Adventist Health Study 2, involving over 73,000 people ages 25 and older looked to find links between diet and the causes of death and disease. The researchers found that vegetarians (including vegan, lacto-ovo-, pesco- and semi-vegetarian diets) were 12% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease, diabetes and kidney disease compared to non-vegetarians. There is compelling evidence for all of us to include some meatless days in our diet. In fact, the American Heart Association, National Cancer Institute and World Health Organization recommend various versions of meat-less diets.

Whoa, men – there’s more! The researchers of the Adventist Health Study 2 found the beneficial associations between a vegetarian diet and mortality were stronger in men than women. Perhaps its time to re-think tailgating with beef-covered barbeques and other man-hood ties between men and meat.

Quick Meatless Swaps

When going meatless it is important to seek out certain key nutrients in meatless alternatives to avoid any nutrient deficiencies.

Calcium: Swap dairy products for fortified dairy-free milks (soy, rice, almond), which contain about the same amount of calcium as dairy. Calcium is also found in beans, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin B12: Swap animal meat and eggs for fortified breakfast cereals, veggie burgers and vitamin B12 supplements.

Protein: Swap your meat-based protein for these protein-rich plant-based foods: beans, whole grains, seeds and nuts.

Environmental Impact of a Meatless Day

Going meatless is easy on the environment. According to experts, getting meat onto your plate takes a toll on the environment. The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-fifth of the man-made greenhouse gas emissions are generated by the meat industry. Meat production also appears to use a lot of water: producing one pound of beef requires an estimated 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water compared to 220 gallons for the same amount of soy tofu. Estimates also suggest it takes almost twenty times more fossil fuel energy to produce beef than plant-based protein.

There are no exact statistics on vegetarians in Canada but statistics out of Britain and the United States suggest about two percent of the population is vegetarian. But, going meatless doesn’t mean you have to be a vegetarian. Experts have shown that even just as little as adopting Meatless Monday’s into your lifestyle has many healthy benefits to your body and the environment. Not sure where to start your meatless menu? Try a bean-based soup, a meatless chili or vegetable pizza for dinner.

Recipe: Black Bean and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced onion

 ½ cup diced bell peppers

1 garlic clove, finely minced

3 cups (or cans) of black beans

5 cups of vegetable broth

½ tsp allspice

¼ tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp dried oregano

¼ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

4 cups finely shredded fresh spinach leaves

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add in onion, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté until vegetables are tender. Add the beans, broth, spices, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 40 minutes or until beans and vegetables are tender. Season the soup with vinegar. Add spinach and simmer for 5 about minutes or until leaves are wilted and cooked. Serve and enjoy.

_________________________________________________________________________________

References:

McEvoy CT et al. Vegetarian diets, low-meat diets and health: a review. Public Health Nutr 2012 Dec;15(12):2287-94.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22717188

Meatless Monday

www.meatlessmonday.com

Orlich, MJ et al. Vegetarian dietary patters and mortality in Adventist Health Study 2. JAMA Intern Med. 2013 Jul 8;173(13):1230-8.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23836264

The 100 Best Anti-aging Foods for your Skin

Read all about it in "Feed Your Skin, Starve Your Wrinkles" - By Allison Tannis BSc MSc RHN

Eat your way to firmer, more beautiful skin with the 100 best anti-aging foods. A great gift for every mom...and, this mom knows...sadly every mother's day its apparent that as the kids shoe sizes keep growing so do the wrinkles around my eyes. Here are some tips to help with those wrinkles while you enjoy of the adventures that make motherhood so worth it.

Available at Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble, Amazon...

Migraines & Food: What to eat to soothe your headache

Ouch! My head hurts. Pain killers can dull the pain but, wouldn't it be nice to skip the feeling that there is a construction site in your skull. Here are some ways you can eat your way to fewer migraines.

Why & When do Migraines Occur?

According to the Journal of Head and Face Pain (May 18, 2005), migraines are more likely to occur in the spring than any other season. When a person is experiencing stress or the weather changes a migraine is also more likely. Dehydration is major trigger, even for those not prone to migraines. Skipping meals can also trigger migraines, as does eating certain foods.

Foods that May Trigger Migraines:

A quick Google search will identify MSG as a commonly associated food with migraines. According to the Journal of Head and Face Pain (May 20, 2005), MSG is also scientifically supported as a cause of migraines. The difficult part is that MSG is hiding in many things from canned beans, to packaged foods, to soya sauces and condiments, to restaurant food. Look for the following ingredients on packages: MSG, HVP (hydrolyzed vegetable protein), natural flavouring or flavouring. Caffeine may also be a trigger (soda pop, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, chocolate bars, cocoa). 

According to a 2003 study, the following foods may also trigger headaches in children and adolescents: cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits, hot dogs, monosodium glutamate, aspartame, fatty foods, ice cream, caffeine withdrawal. Of note, red wine and beer are also thought to be triggers for migraines. 

How to Get Ride of Your Migraines:

Since you can't avoid weather changes or spring, it can start with simple acts to try to relieve stress. Stress relief can come in many forms: a hot bath, a yoga class, meditation, deep breathing, exercise or avoiding people/situations you find stressful. Drinking more water and trying to eat regularly can also help. As for what you're eating, its a great idea to avoid foods that are known triggers: MSG, caffeine, HVP. 

Migraines may also be triggered by a food allergy. Common food allergies include: egg, beef, pork, peanuts, nuts, fish, shellfish, citrus, chocolate, soda, corn, cinnamon, cow's milk, wheat, rye, barley, soy, legumes, tomato. The Oligoantigenic diet is a diet plan in which you avoid all common food allergies for two week. You eat broccoli and related vegetables (kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, kohlrabi, rutabaga, and turnips), fruit (choosing one of apples, bananas, or pears - starting with only one fruit is the best way to ensure that the fruit is not the food causing the symptoms, which is sometimes the case). After 3 days, you can add other fruits. 

Seems to much for you? It's worth trying it for a week and seeing what happens. Then, you can you can add in one food a day that you are really missing. This isn't ideal but, if that's all you can do then its better than not trying. But, ONLY add in one food a day, and you MUST keep a food dairy if you're not going to do the full two weeks. When the next headache comes, you'll need an accurate food dairy to look back at - look at the last 3 days to see what foods you've added in. One of those, or a combination of them could be a migraine trigger.  

My Confession:

Argh, I know I'm supposed to drink more water in a day - it helps my joints move better, avoids headaches, is nicer to my kidneys, promotes better detoxing and keeps my wrinkles from looking to prominent. But, sometimes I forget...and, then I get a headache. So, I've kept a glass on top of the water cooler in my house and office to ensure I drink a glass every time I walk by.  

Links to the Studies Mentioned Above:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-4610.1994.hed3404214.x/abstract;jsessionid=8ADF398E0835FAE5B36F131B658E3399.f01t02?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false 

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1526-4610.1991.hed3102107.x/abstract 

The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy

With so much information out there about what-to-eat and what-not-to-eat during pregnancy, it's nice to have a resource that can guide you through the mess of facts, and lead you through pregnancy with delicious foods that fuel you, nourish baby and help you stay nausea-free. (Fairwinds 2009)

A book by Allison Tannis - Available at bookstores around the world and online.

Oh, Chocolate! Look What You've Done to My Skin.

Yes, chocolate can help you fight wrinkles. That smooth, melting, velvety chocolate that you love to eat is full of antioxidants that can help your skin prevent damage that leads to the formation of wrinkles. Bite into this delicious treat and say goodbye to your wrinkles.

Better than Red Wine and Green Tea

Before you load your purse with a dozen chocolate eggs you need to know that not all chocolate is created equally. Chocolate is from cocoa beans. This bean is a great source of many antioxidants that help your skin neutralize free radicals before they damage the structures in your skin that keep it tight and youthful looking. Sunlight, cosmetics and toxins in your diet can cause free radicals to form in your skin. These nasty molecules damage all parts of your skin, including the collagen and elastin that keep your skin tight, strong and elastic. Antioxidants, such as those found in cocoa beans can stop these free radicals and thus help you fight wrinkles. In fact, cocoa has more antioxidants than red wine or green tea.

Dark is Best

When cocoa beans are converted into chocolate eggs or bars it can loose a lot of these antioxidants. The best source of these wrinkle-fighting antioxidants is a cup of cocoa or a dark chocolate bar. Those milk chocolate bars are not great for your skin. They contain saturated fat that can reduce the ability of the antioxidants in the chocolate to benefit your skin. Cocoa has about one-third of a gram of fat per one cup serving, compared with eight grams of fat in a standard-size 40 gram chocolate bar.

Fights Wrinkles and Inflammation

Eating chocolate is thought to improve your skin’s ability to fight wrinkles and inflammation. Chocolate has been linked with improved heart health as it can fight inflammation. The skin is also prone to inflammation as damage caused by free radicals can trigger inflammatory reactions. The result is redness and puffy skin.  Eating a piece of dark chocolate for dessert or enjoying a warm cup of from-scratch cocoa in the evening may help you prevent puffy eyes the next morning.

It’s finally okay to eat chocolate. Dig into that natural, dark chocolate and enjoy it skin healthy benefits.

My Confession:

I LOVE chocolate. It's soooo delicious. But, I actually only eat organic, fair-trade chocolate...and just a few squares at night. Mmmm...enjoy!