Tag: men’s health

May 28, 2012

Healthiest foods for men

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: custom meal plans, dieting, diets, food for men, food for weight loss, fruits, healthy eating, las vegas dietitians, las vegas personal trainers, men's health, negative calories, vegetables las vegas — Encore Personal Training @ 12:00 pm

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease and cancer are the two leading causes of death for men. While factors like smoking and drinking contribute to these diseases, improper nutrition can lead to poor health in men. Protect yourself from serious illnesses by incorporating some of the healthiest foods for men in your daily diet.

Vegetables and Fruits

Green vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, kale, cabbage and Brussels sprouts contain indoles, sulforaphane and isotheicyanates, constituents that encourage certain genes in the liver to break down carcinogens caused by overcooked foods. The white and green vegetable group includes asparagus, chives, shallots, onions and garlic that contain allyl sulfides, constituents that stimulate antioxidant reactions in cells.
Orange fruits and vegetables including sweet potatoes, apricots, carrots, pumpkins, mangoes and cantaloupes contain beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A in the body, a nutrient that’s important for healthy vision. The red group, such as watermelon, tomatoes and pink grapefruits contain lycopene, a nutrient associated with a decreased risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
The purple and red group, including plums, pomegranates, grapes and assorted berries, contains anthocyanins, which contain properties that may prevent cancer, discourage inflammation and promote heart health. The yellow and green group, including green peas, collard greens, spinach, avocado, honeydew melon and yellow corn, contain zeaxanthin and lutein, which are beneficial for eye health.

Fish

Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, rainbow trout and white albacore tuna are high in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients that may reduce the risks of prostate cancer, strokes, heart attacks and advanced age mental health decline, according to Harvard Medical School. Eating fish frequently may also help prevent dangerous heart rhythms that lead to sudden cardiac death.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal contains both soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is important for digestive health, while soluble fiber finds and removes cholesterol before it can block arteries.

Almonds

Almonds are rich in vitamin E, protein, iron, calcium and fiber, and contain antioxidant flavonoids, which may prevent LDL or bad cholesterol from oxidizing and promoting cancer within cells.

Beans

Like almonds and oatmeal, beans are high in fiber and may help reduce LDL cholesterol. Beans also contain the nutrients magnesium, potassium and folate.

Pumpkin Seeds

Like fish, pumpkin seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids that may help promote prostate health. Pumpkin seeds also contain zinc, a mineral that may help to promote prostate health.

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source: LIVESTRONG

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April 30, 2011

Tall, obese men at higher risk for blood clots

Tall men, especially if they are obese, are at a greater risk for blood clots than shorter, normal-weight men, suggests a new study. (AFP / Getty Images / April 29, 2011)

Tall and obese men appear more likely to develop venous thromboemoblism, which can lead to a potentially lethal blood clot in the lungs, according to a study published Thursday.

Researchers from the University of Tromso in Norway analyzed height and weight data from 26,714 people and assessed the incidence of venous thromboembolism over 12-1/2 years. In that time, 461 people developed the condition, in which a blood clot (or thrombosis) forms in a deep vein, usually in the thigh, and can move into an artery in the lung. Here’s a basic explanation of the condition fromPatient Health International and a detailed look, including risk factors, from Cleveland Clinic.

In the lung, the clot (called a pulmonary embolism) blocks blood supply and can lead to death. The American Heart Assn. offers this look at venous thromboembolism incidence and fatality statistics.

It begins: “Venous thromboembolism occurs for the first time in about 100 per 100,000 persons each year in the United States. About one third of patients with symptomatic VTE manifest pulmonary embolism, whereas two thirds manifest deep-vein thrombosis alone.”

The new research suggests that being either obese or tall, or the combination, puts men at greater risk for the condition compared to short (5 feet 7.7 inches or shorter), normal-weight men. Men who were obese and taller than 5 feet 11.7 inches were at fivefold greater risk of a blood clot, and men who were tall but of normal weight had a 2.6 times greater risk. Short, obese men had a 2.1 greater risk than short normal-weight men for a blood clot.

Yes, women too: Obese women, short or tall, had a slightly greater risk of a blood clot, scientists reported in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. Tall normal-weight women didn’t have increased risk.

Obesity is already a well-known risk factor for deep-vein thrombosis, but researchers aren’t sure why tall people would be more prone to such clots. The lead author of the study, Sigrid Braekkan, offers an explanation in a press release:

“In tall people the blood must be pumped a longer distance by the calf-muscle pump, which may cause reduced flow in the legs and thereby raise the risk of clotting,” Braekkan said.

There’s nothing a man can do about his height, so researchers say big men – and short ones, of course — should try to stay slim.

In the meantime, here are a few tips for preventing blood clots from the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality:

— Don’t remain sedentary for more than an hour.

— On plane trips, get up from your seat and move around.

— Try not to cross your legs

— Wear loose-fitting clothing

— Reduce salt in your diet

And here are some tips from the same agency on preventing venous thromboembolsim in the hospital. There, it’s the most common cause of preventable death.