MEADVILLE —

Men’s Health Week is June 14-20 this year. The purpose of Men's Health Week is to bring awareness to preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys. Women often tend to be “information-seekers”, especially at mid-life when their bodies are changing significantly. Men on the other hand often tend to ignore changes or symptoms, or do not know where to get the information they need.

 

Diet and weight control continue to be an important part of men’s health in mid-life. In fact, it may be more important now than ever, particularly in terms of weight control. Being overweight stresses your joints and your heart, putting you at risk for back, hip and knee problems and limiting your mobility and activity levels. Cutting back on portions, fried foods, and snacks, and making an effort to eat some fruits and vegetables daily, is a pain-free way to lose weight. Adding some new exercise and physical activity to your week is essential too. The old adage “You are only as young as you feel” is true, and improving your fitness level will help you feel younger.

 

The “diet industry” is a billion dollar business promising magic pills, “quick weight loss” and “new breakthroughs”. The scientific facts remain the same: to lose weight you have to eat less and exercise more. As you age, your exercise effort needs to include new or more intense activities to maintain muscle. Building and toning muscle not only helps boost your slowing metabolism, but it also will help you with balance and in daily activities.

 

Here are the basic dietary guidelines for you to work toward:

Ø  Eat 8-10 servings of grains daily. Grains include pasta, rice and breads and cereals. A serving of pasta or rice is ½ cup, one slice of bread or a cup of cereal counts as one serving. Try to make half of your grain choices whole grain.

Ø   Eat at least 3 servings of vegetables daily. A serving is ½ cup cooked or 1 cup raw. This is easier than you think: have a side salad or with lunch, have a salad or vegetable with dinner.

Ø  Eat at least 3-4 servings of fruit a day. One banana is two servings, an apple is one serving, a 6-ounce glass of fruit juice is one serving, 10 cherries is one serving.

Ø  Eat 6 to 8 ounces of lean meat, poultry, or fish daily. Other protein sources include dry beans, eggs or nuts. Each ounce of meat, poultry and fish counts as one ounce, but 1/2 ounce of seeds or nuts, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1 egg (even just the white), or 1/4 cup of cooked beans is equivalent to one ounce of meat.

Ø  Consume 3 servings of low fat dairy daily. Men need calcium too. One cup (8-ounces) of low fat milk, one ounce of cheese, or 8 ounces of low fat yogurt counts as one serving.

Ø   Limit added fat to about 8-10 teaspoons a day (there are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon). Include good fats in your diet by using canola or olive oils in cooking. One teaspoon of oil, dressing, mayonnaise, or butter is one serving. Check the labels, as one teaspoon of oil equals about 5 grams of fat (‘light’ spreads may allow larger portions). Choose oil based salad dressings. Limit fried foods to less than once per week.

Ø   Limit sugary foods. Unlike the grain group, these types of carbohydrates are high in calories and void in nutrients. Active children and teens can get away with consuming more of these types of foods. Middle-aged men (and women) just can’t burn up loads of these types of calories any longer. Cut back on cookies, desserts, donuts, and pastries.

 

 

Weight Control

Over 60 percent of American men are overweight or obese. Mexican-American

men are the most likely to be overweight, followed by white men and African-

American men. Being overweight causes more than 300,000 premature deaths each year, and also increases the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

 

If you overweight, even a 5-10 pound weight loss can have a huge impact on your health. Start with small goals, and continue to add goals every week. Take a look at your eating habits, compare them to the dietary guidelines above, and set a goal each week to improve them. A simple goal may be: “I will pack 2 pieces of fruit to bring to work with me every day”. Do that for a week, continue doing it, and set another goal: “I will go to the gym for an hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday right after work.”

 

Regular Check-Ups

Even if you are healthy and have no signs of disease, you should schedule an annual visit with your doctor. Your physician can monitor any changes in your health every year (body weight, blood pressure, bloodwork), make recommendations or perhaps put you on necessary medications. Ask yourself: Would I not get my car serviced or do regular oil changes, if I want to make it last and run well?

 

Nobody loves going to the doctor (especially getting on the scale), but it is a vital part of your personal health plan. Your health is your responsibility and annual check-ups help you monitor yourself. You can also ask for a referral to a registered dietitian who is qualified to help you with the specifics of your diet, taking into consideration your diet history, medical history, eating behaviors, and lifestyle.

 

Your health is worth noticing and working on: See your doctor regularly, eat well, and strengthen your body. Take small steps toward better health today.

 

 

Rust is a licensed, registered dietitian and nutrition coach who has a private practice in Meadville. She is a licensed provider for Real Living Nutrition Services® and the author of The Calorie Counter for Dummies®. To order the book or find out more about her online weight loss programs, go to her website: www.rustnutrition.com

 

©Rosanne Rust 2010