It is safe to say that we all aspire to have a quality life that is filledwith enjoyment, goodhealth, and longevity. We know that you are aware of what you should bedoing to stay healthy, however taking adeeper look at what you eat and how it affects your overall health andwell-being is certainly worth considering.
In this blog, we discuss the importance of nutrition and how key nutrients inmen’s diets, aswell as a healthy lifestyle, may help them maintain optimal health and betheir best at any age.
You may have already started to think about what you can do to improve yourpresent dietaryintake. Though there isn’t a “one size fits all” men’s diet that can beprescribed or recommended for you, there aredefinitely things you can do to assess what you want to achieve in order toimprove your health.
The first step is to determine where you are at now and what youwant to accomplish. You are probably well aware of areas where you excel, aswell as those areas that may need a bitmore attention.
Once you have identified the behavior changesthat you want to make, ask yourself if you are ready to commit to makingthem. Furthermore, remember that definingand implementing short-term, realistic and safe goals can help you maintainyour healthy behaviors for a lifetime.By the way, you just need to keep trying; perfection is not required.
Here are a few tips for keeping it real when you’re looking at creating somepositive habits tosupport a healthy diet for most men.
Being mindful of what you are putting on your plate can be a great place tostart. Building abalanced plate means focusing on a variety of foods from each of the foodgroups.
Half of your plate is reserved for non-starchy vegetables and also fruit.Color is key and thebrighter the better since these foods are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants.Consuming adequate servings of fruits and vegetables can help protectagainst some chronic conditions.1
Protein-rich foods like lean meats, poultry, fish, and also beans and legumesmake up 1/4 ofyour plate. But before you pile the protein on your plate, make sure youlimit red meats and also watch processedmeats.2
The other 1/4 of your plate should provide complex carbohydrates such aswhole grains. Tryadding organic ancient grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, or Kamut(Khorasan wheat).
In addition to adding some soluble (dissolves in water) and insoluble fiberto your diet forhelping your digestive tract to keep things going, fiber also lends to asense of satiety or a feeling of fullness.In keeping you feeling full, you may be less likely to eat too manycalories, thereby supporting healthy weightmanagement efforts.3
Dietary fiber in your diet, also known as prebiotics, is a super source forfueling probiotics(healthy bacteria) in your gut or gastrointestinal (GI) tract.4In fact, the roleprebiotics play in supporting probiotics lends to supporting many healthbenefits.
Prebiotics help to increase the Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli,as well as other probiotics in thegut. In doing so, they are changingthe landscape of your microbiota which helps to support the immunesystem.4 Theyalso help to produce beneficial metabolites like butyrate, propionate, andacetate, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA),plus support probiotics that aid in maintaining good gutintegrity.5
Prebiotics also support certain probiotic strains that may be connected tothe gut-brain axiswhich is a two-way communication channel between our gastrointestinal tractand our brain. These probiotics maypositively influence the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin anddopamine that impact mood.6
You probably equate berries with antioxidant-rich foods and that’s right.Blueberries,raspberries, and blackberries are certainly power foods that provide us withthe benefits of antioxidants. Other antioxidant-rich foods include pomegranate,broccoli,kale, spinach, green tea and dark chocolate to name a few.
Antioxidants as you well know, defend us from free radicals causedby oxidative stress. Since oxidative stress is partly caused bythe inability of antioxidant enzymes to combat these free radicals, it’scrucial for our daily diet to provide uswith antioxidants.7
Oxidative stress affects the cells in ourentire body and when there aren’t enoughantioxidants to scavenge the free radicals, oxidative stress takes its tollon our cells, tissues, and organs —including our eyes.
One particular group of antioxidants called carotenoids, which include luteinand zeaxanthin,are instrumental in supporting the health of the eyes’ lens, macula, andretina.8 They also help toabsorb damaging blue light as well as protect your eyes from thesun’s damaging UV light.8 Other nutrients such as vitamins C andE, zinc, andquercetin also support eye health.7,8
If there’s a gap in your diet be sure to discuss this with your healthcareprovider (HCP) sincea dietary supplement may help to support your eye and overall health. In themeantime, think color every day andpack some of those delicious berries for a snack, or toss them in your kaleand spinach salad! Get thoseantioxidants in at every meal — maybe this is the place you want to start tomake positive changes to support yourhealth!
Many men tend to equate health with a focus on physical activity andendurance. Maybe playingball with the guys a few nights a week gets you feeling energized and helpsmelt away the stress from the day. Youmay also be noting some changes in your muscle health and that may beimpacting your performance on the court. Didyou know that as we age, there is a natural decline in our skeletal musclemass and strength, making it a littletougher to maintain and gain muscle mass?9
By focusing on adding enough lean protein to your daily meals and snacks youcan support yourprotein needs to ensure you meet your Recommended Daily Allowance forprotein. However, you may need to consumeadditional protein if you are looking at the repair and synthesis of muscleafter exercise, lifting weights, or evenif you are looking to support healthy weight management.
With the right guidance from a Registered Dietitian and of course your HCP,the propertraining, commitment and a balanced diet you can support your muscle health.
Most of us are familiar with the Mediterranean Diet, in which olive oil isthe preferred fatused in people’s diets due to its potential health benefits.10Olive oil containsmonounsaturated fats, which may support heart health, as well as healthyglucose management. It is most certainly agreat alternative to saturated fats (think fats that are solid at roomtemperature).
Finding your way through the olive oil choices on the shelves of your grocerystore may bedaunting, but choosing an organic extra virgin olive oil would be the best fit to add to your diet. It containsantioxidants and polyphenols.
Although there is no daily requirement for how much olive oil one shouldconsume. Try toinclude a little bit at every meal but just don’t overdo it since all fats,healthy and not so healthy, are rich incalories. Think moderation — a drizzle here and there; on your salads,roasted brussel sprouts, or a few tablespoonsin your pan to sear your lean protein is just perfect!
It seems as if today we are bombarded with so many different points of viewfrom omni channelswhether it’s social media platforms, podcasts, television, and evenconversations among coworkers. Everyone has anopinion about what constitutes optimal nutrition, but not everyone is acredible resource.
First, keep in mind that no single diet is the “ideal” diet. In fact, whileit may soundboring, the best plan of action for a healthy men’s diet is moderation andsticking to the basics.
And when you are ready for a change, remember that you got this!Self-motivation and commitment are essential for keeping things on track.Speak with your HCP about the changes youwant to make to support your health journey.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.These productsare not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease.Individual results may vary. Theinformation provided in this blog is for educational and informationalpurposes only and should not be construed asmedical advice.
Ken Swartz, MS is the co-founder, Chairman Emeritus, and former Chief Science Officer at C60 Power, a health and wellness company committed to delivering the highest quality Carbon 60 products available. Ken earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Colorado at Denver and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Arizona State University.’
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