Why diet is important to your Health

As you probably know diet is incredibly important for one to achieve a healthy mind and body. Yes, your diet not only affects your body but also your mind and how you think. Your food after all is a source of fuel for your brain and your brain regulates your mood and practically every organ.

Due to this, your brain is in constant need of energy even as you sleep and what you eat greatly affects the way you think and your overall mindset.

As you should know your mindset is a great correlation to whether you’re going to feel crappy as soon as you wake up in the morning and whether you get to work on achieving your goals.

This research here¹ shows in greater detail how your food affects your brain, your brain is perhaps the most important organ of the human body, and knowing how to take care of it is vital to achieving a healthy body and mind.

In addition, to your mind,  your diet also affects the health of your body. Did you know that the number one reason for men in America die is from having heart disease? Well now you know, heart disease deaths have reached 357,761 in 2019, which is about 1 in every 4 men who have died having heart disease. Read this article for more detailed information^2.

It also would not be a surprise if that number has been surpassed during quarantine when people have become even more inactive as everyone locked themselves inside their own homes.

Several factors show if someone is at risk of developing heart disease including:

1. Diabetes
2. Overweight
3. Poor diet
4. Physical inactivity
5. Alcohol Abuse

The good news is that nearly all of these could be avoided by someone who takes care of their health.

What foods should you eat?

The most obvious answer to this is to stay away from processed food, this includes fast food, foods high in sugar, salt, artificial additives, and unhealthy fats. At the very least you should consume less of these, so you don’t need to go completely cold turkey, but instead of having a box of pizza every day try to go without eating pizza once every six months.

Eat-in moderation would be the best and keep an eye on your calorie consumption, even if the snack you’re eating looks small it could be making you gain weight without you realizing it. Always be mindful of the ingredient you are eating.

Eat Natural foods, this includes:

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables (better to eat the fruits and vegetables that are grown in the season you are currently in)
2. Fibre-rich foods like beans, pears, and strawberries. (here’s an article for more information)³
3. For those of you who eat meat, get lean cuts of meat for instance skinless chicken and turkey. (Relatively low-fat content)
4. Fish such as Salmon as they are rich in Omega-3 (Try not to ingest too much fish, this is due to mercury traces⁴ found in fishes)

The importance of Vitamins and Minerals:

Part of a good diet is making sure that you are getting the right amount of essential vitamins and minerals⁵. Vitamins and minerals play an important role in the human body, so important that having a deficiency in any one of the essentials could lead to terrible sicknesses like blindness or fragile bones.

These vitamins and minerals could also be called micronutrients because you only need to have a small amount of each to be healthy.

Ever since the rise of supplement brands people have gone crazy buying all sorts of vitamins and mineral bottles thinking that’s all they need to be healthy. However, it is important to understand that the best way to get vitamins and minerals is from the healthy food you eat and supplement only when you know that you aren’t getting enough of something.

I also advise that before buying supplements it is recommended to check with your doctor to see if you need them.

What Vitamins and Minerals are essential for men?

Vitamin D:

You’ve most likely heard about this vitamin many times, but how important is it?

Vitamin D is both something we eat from food and a hormone our body produces when in contact with the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Hence why it is also called ‘the sunshine Vitamin’.

Vitamin D’s importance to the human body is great, it helps the body to absorb and retain calcium which is needed for strong healthy bones. It is also needed for a strong immune system and there is evidence to suggest that having low levels of vitamin D could be linked to depression⁶.

Vitamin D despite its importance is one of the vitamins that people have the highest deficiency too. Research shows that up to 42% of U.S. adults⁷ may just be vitamin D deficient. This research suggests that up to 63% of Hispanic adults are low in Vitamin D while 82% of African American adults have low vitamin D levels.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency could include:

1. Constant fatigue and tiredness.
2. Depression
3. Bone and back pain
4. Slow wound healing
5. Muscle and back pain (Read this article for more info)⁸

What foods to eat for vitamin D and how much do you need?

The amount of vitamin D needed varies from person to person, but the recommended amount for adult men is to get at least 500IU to 4000IU a day. Do not exceed those levels unless you are told to do so by a doctor. Recommended Vitamin D intake⁹

Vitamin D is one of those vitamins that is difficult to get from just your food.

However, below are some foods you can eat for Vitamin D:

1. Cod Liver
2. Salmon
3. Egg yolk 1 large
4. Tuna
5. Sardines

Another way to get it is by simply going outside when the sun is out. The time of day that is best is midday(noon) and spending 10-30 minutes is enough for those who have lighter skin. For those who have darker skin, it is best to stay out longer(30 mins to 3 hrs) due to the melanin in the skin acting as a natural sunscreen preventing vitamin D from being produced. Here’s more research on this topic.¹⁰

However, not everyone can get the optimal amount just from food and sunlight alone and this is why it is recommended that if you can’t get the required amount this way then it is okay to use supplements to reach your daily optimal amount of vitamin D. Check below for some vitamin D supplements that we recommend. Again make sure that you check that it is right for you to take these.

Vitamin C:

Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is a vital micronutrient that helps with many things. This includes:

1. Cardiovascular disease
2. Eye disease
3. Skin wrinkling
4. Maintenance of teeth
5. Proper functioning of the immune system (Read this for more info)

Enlarged prostate is common in older men causing a problem with urination vitamin c may just help with this problem.

How much should you take and from what sources?

Vitamin C deficiency is fairly rare in developed countries only roughly 7% of the population are deficient. However, those who have a bad diet, excessively smoke, or drink alcohol are more likely to be deficient in vitamin C. Here is more research for this.¹¹

For adults taking up to 2000 mg a day should be okay as suggested by this article¹²

Vitamin C can be consumed from these foods:

1. One cup of orange juice.
2. Broccoli cooked.
3. Green pepper
4. Citrus fruits
5. Tomatoes

If you think that you may not be hitting the amounts you need and need a supplement to cover that then here are some that you may like:

What Minerals Should you take for Good Health?

Magnesium:

Magnesium is a mineral that is vital to the human body, it helps in keeping blood pressure normal and your bones strong. Magnesium also helps men in boosting free levels of testosterone.

In a study published by the Biological trace research, a group of investigators suggested that men who took magnesium supplements (10mg/kg of body weight) daily for up to four weeks experience rising testosterone levels both free and total testosterone levels.

Also, those who exercised saw greater amounts of rising testosterone. Click this link¹³ for more info on the correlation between magnesium levels and testosterone.

What foods are rich in magnesium and how much should you take?

The amount of magnesium an adult male aged 19-51+ should take per day is roughly 400-420mg¹⁴, foods that are rich in magnesium are:

 

1. Dark Chocolate
2. Almonds
3. Peanuts
4. Cashews
5. Brown rice

Zinc:

Zinc is another essential mineral that is vital to the human body, especially for men. Although you don’t need high amounts of zinc, up to 1.1 billion people worldwide may just have zinc deficiency¹⁵. Zinc plays an important role in your body this includes:

1. Boosting immune function
2. Maintaining a sense of smell and taste
3. Wound healing
4. Growth and development
5. Gene expression
6. Men’s fertility

There are also more benefits some of these are more important for men, for example, low zinc levels could decrease testosterone levels. Why this is the case isn’t fully understood, however, it may be that zinc may affect the cells that is responsible for producing testosterone. Read this for more info¹⁶

Zinc may also benefit your hair health, most men face some form of hair loss as they get older this is mostly due to genetics, but could also be from stress and bad diet¹⁷.

This is why it is important for men to be getting the recommended daily intake of zinc because zinc is needed for protein synthesis, which helps the body produce keratin. Keratin¹⁸ is well known as a protein that helps with hair strength and health.

What foods are rich in Zinc and how much should you take?

For an adult male(19+) the recommended zinc intake is 11mg and foods rich in zinc are:

1. Oysters
2. Beans
3. Chicken
4. Yoghurt
5. Nuts

Read this for more info¹⁹

If you want to make sure you are hitting the recommended zinc intake then check out these supplements:

The dangers of plastic to your mind and body:

Over the years plastic has been used in packaging for almost everything, from cosmetics to food, to clothing, and even the water you drink. We are surrounded by plastic, but did you know that plastic actually may pose a danger to your health.

BPA, also known as Bisphenol A is a chemical that is used to make some plastics, this chemical then seeps into food. When the chemical bond in BPA known as the Esther bond is broken, due to its sensitivity to heat, the food that is being cooked is contaminated with this chemical thereby you end up consuming this potentially harmful chemical in your body.

A survey that was done by the CDC recorded that 2,517 people estimated that over 90% of detectable BPA in their urine.

However, some studies show that maybe BPA isn’t as harmful as we think, though most of these studies are conflicting so perhaps you can do some research to see whether you see it as something to be concerned about. Here’s²⁰ one study that you can look at.

Another chemical that seeps into your bloodstream is known as phthalates. Phthalates²¹ are used to make plastics flexible, this is also found in your food and breaks down when heated.

Several studies link phthalates to obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Here’s²² a study to review.

There is also evidence²³ to suggest that phthalates may affect testosterone in both men and women as phthalates disrupt endocrine receptors.

How to avoid Phthalates and BPA:

I don’t want to put you down by telling you all this, however, I do think it’s a good thing to be wary about. Wanting to have a healthy mind and body is knowing what is detrimental to your health. Plus on the bright side, not all hope is lost as there are some actions you can take.

Now there is one thing to mention, although completely getting rid of plastic from your diet is close to impossible. What is possible however is reducing the amount you ingest in your day-to-day life. The good news is that once exposure is reduced these chemicals slowly leave the body and you can start reducing exposure today.

The ways to do this are by:

1. Not heating your food in plastic.
2. Storing your food in glass/ceramic.
3. Not microwaving your food too often.
4. Washing your hand more frequently
5. Not eating food that has been wrapped by a plastic cover.

Here’s²⁴ more detail on this.

Why You Should Exercise:

Though you’ve most likely already know, exercise is important when it comes to maintaining good health, physically and mentally. During quarantine, most gyms were closed and many stayed indoors. This stopped massive amounts of individuals from exercising and over time physical and mental health²⁵ became increasingly worse.

Though there are several other factors for this, it is an undeniable fact that moderate exercise is essential when it comes to cardiovascular health and brain health.

Studies²⁶ show that exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood. It also improves cognitive function and self-esteem.   

It is recommended that an individual gets at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day, and do more for greater benefits.

The types of exercises/sports you can easily start doing now are:

1. Brisk Walking
2. Biking
3. Light Jogging
4. Rock Climbing
5. Punching a heavy bag(boxing)
6. Playing Basketball
7. Playing football

If you want some activewear to choose from so you can comfortably start exercising then here’s some for you:

The importance of taking care of your skin and hair

Why take care of your skin?

Taking care of your skin should absolutely be put on your to-do list, many men believe that they don’t need to take care of their skin, but not taking care of your skin can lead to pimples and premature wrinkles due to sun damage.

This can end up making you look worse than you actually are, men should take care of their skin as much as they like to take care of their hair.

Actions you can do now to take care of your skin include:

Moisturising

Moisturising is something one should include into their daily routine, moisturising your skin not only makes your skin look healthier and brighter, but it also helps your skin look younger.

You should moisturise preferably after you wash your face because this is the time your skin is dry from washing, so moisturise to rejuvenate your skin.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is something many men, unfortunately, skip before they go outside, applying sunscreen is important when it comes to skin health and overall body health. It is a good skincare product to use to protect your skin from ultraviolet rays.

Sunscreen should be something that you use all year round and not just in the summer. Although it may look cloudy, think again before walking outside without sunscreen, up to 80% of sun rays can pass through the cloud, so even if you don’t see the sun that doesn’t mean there isn’t an effect on your skin when your outside.

The effect of sun damage on the skin can be detrimental from making your skin age much faster, to increasing the chance of getting certain types of cancers. Sunscreen is a vital skincare product to use in your day to day life.

Here are some good skincare products you can start using today:

Why should you take care of your hair:

Hair follicles are very sensitive and can easily be damaged by many outside factors. Knowing how to keep your hair healthy is vital if you wish to keep it, I mean if you love something then naturally you would want to take care of it right?

Hopefully, you will have learnt how to take actionable advice on taking care of your hair and perhaps learn how to prevent hair loss.

Should you use hair oil to keep your hair healthy?

The short answer is yes you should use hair oil if you wish to achieve a healthy full set of hair. Hair oil contains multiple benefits to keeping your hair healthy there are so many I wouldn’t be able to mention them all here, but I will mention a few.

1. Adds shine to your hair: if you’re the type of person that constantly has dull-looking hair then hair oil should be something you look into. Hair oil contains fatty acids that replenish lipids in the hair. This helps give your hair a glossy look, but keep in mind not to use too much hair oil otherwise it may look greasy.

2. Maintains scalp health: Oil also help in keeping your scalp healthy and if you want a healthy set of hair then keeping your scalp healthy is a must. Hair oil contains natural ingredients that when it is gently massaged into your scalp not only exfoliate your scalp but there is some evidence²⁸ to suggest that massaging your hair may aid in hair growth.

3. Prevents dandruff: Dandruff is present in dry and sweaty scalp this can be caused by too much washing or it could just be because of dust and pollution. Applying oil to your hair can help nourish your scalp which then prevents dandruff from occurring.

4. Strengthens the roots of your hair: Oil contains important minerals and vitamins, applying oil to your hair, especially after a wash can help immensely in replenishing these lost nutrients. Oiling your help can help with removing harmful toxins from your hair, so naturally, this also helps with strengthening the roots of your hair.

How often should you wash your hair?

This is a question asked many times, but answered very few. So how often should you wash your hair? Should you use shampoo or conditioner?

How often you wash your hair can depend on certain factors as not everyone needs to wash the same amount. However, as a general rule if you have thin and fine hair then you should wash it 3+ times a week as this type of hair gets greasy quickly. This was mentioned by Jake Wanstall from Jo Hansford

But, if your hair is more coarse similar to the hair type of an Afro-Caribbean then it’s fine if you wash it only once a week as this type of hair doesn’t get greasy as quickly. But overall your lifestyle can determine how often you should wash your hair.

Keep in mind that washing your hair every day isn’t necessarily a terrible thing to do, but if you’re using shampoo every day then maybe you can cut down on it a bit.

The shampoo is made to strip all the oil and grime from your hair, which is a good thing to get rid of that sweat and grime but unfortunately, your shampoo doesn’t know the difference between good and bad oil. This means that oil that is essential to your hair gets stripped right off too.

This is why I would recommend that you use a hair conditioner after you use shampoo, this would help your scalp/hair absorb vital nutrients from the conditioner back into your hair. Click here²⁷ for more info on why you should use a good hair conditioner.

Also here are some good hair conditioners/shampoo you can use:

Conclusion:

Taking care of yourself this year and beyond is something you should do, I also believe taking care of your health is a good way to be successful as a good health puts you into a good mindset. Taking some of these actionable steps and applying it bit by bit will ensure that you complete everything in your own time, without pressuring yourself.

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Author: Fahim Ahmed

Sources:

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