The Queen of Health

Men’s Health Tips

By Tami Hulcher, Health Educator

I love men! I love great health! And I love educating men and women about men’s health. Most men simply don’t take care of themselves, and we, as women simply don’t want to fight them about it. I strongly think we should, and here’s why:

My father died of a massive heart attack and age 58, when I was only 4 months pregnant with my first child. It was a few days after Father’s Day 1984. Daddy was from the South, so you can imagine what his diet looked like! And even though Daddy was on a couple of medications, they did not help. He was not deficient in pharmaceuticals; he was nutrient deficient, and not eating the right foods!

So, my company is dedicated to health education and true disease prevention, not medicating the symptoms! We are not Lipitor deficient, or Coumadin deficient, or even Prozac deficient…we are whole food deficient! We need to eat to live, not live to eat! I don’t want any man leaving his family early due to poor health, and poor diet and lifestyle choices. I also have a teenaged son, and I’m teaching him about proper health and nutrition, and he loves it!

It is my goal to educate, enlighten, and encourage everyone to take care of their bodies with proper nutrition and lifestyle changes. People forget why we eat; to provide our cells the raw materials to grow. We can choose foods that help, heal and create our cells and DNA, or we can choose foods that damage, mutate and kills those same cells and DNA.

Men take heart, or at least take care of it! Heart disease is the number one killer today, and 40% of the time, the first symptom is instant death! Cancer is number two. So much research indicates that diet and lifestyle play an important role, and up to 70% of certain cancers can be avoided through proper choices. So, here are some tips to keep you healthy:

First, never skip breakfast! It really is the most important meal of the day! If time is the issue, hard boil some eggs the night before. Make a piece of whole wheat toast, and grab the egg and a piece of fruit…and out the door! Or make a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich, using whole wheat bread, try some organic almond butter, add some fruit and you’re good to go!

Another great breakfast idea: take some organic soy yogurt; add ½ scoop high-quality protein powder and some slivered almonds or walnuts. Or add some fresh blueberries or raspberries. Berries are excellent for your circulation, your immune system, and brain function.

No health article would be complete without the mention of prostate health. Increasing your lycopene (phytochemical found in fruits and veggies!) levels through food will provide optimum health. Don’t bother with men’s multivitamins with lycopene…some research indicates isolating this nutrient renders is functionless! Best sources of lycopene are tomatoes, tomato sauces and even watermelon. Broccoli contains DIM (another great phytochemical) which has also been shown to benefit the prostate and reduce your risk of cancer.

Some more do’s and don’ts:

Omega-3’s (essential fatty acids) found in walnuts, flax seed, almonds, salmon and soy. Eat a handful of nuts every day. Not only are they high in fiber, they provide protein and healthful monounsaturated fats. Nuts also make you feel full.

Eat more fresh raw vegetables and fruits, including berries every day, every meal! New dietary guidelines for men are 9 servings per day! Always try to eat organic produce when available.

Drink plenty of clean filtered water. How much? Half your body weight in ounces is a good start. (Ex; if you weigh 200 lbs., drink 100 oz of water.) Obviously if you work out, you may require more. Organic green teas are also a great beverage for health maintenance, drink hot or over ice.

Reduce your red meat and dairy consumption, which some research shows increases various cancers. Try healthier sources of protein including beans, nuts, soy and occasionally tuna or wild salmon. If you do eat meat, chicken or dairy, buy organic.

Watch your protein intake! We as Americans eat way too much protein. The amount of protein at each meal should be about the size of a deck of cards, or that will fit in the palm of your hand. So if that steak is hanging off your plate, you’ve got too much!

Avoid diet drinks, foods, gum, mints and anything that contains aspartame. Read your labels! Aspartame is not a health maintenance additive, it actually damages the body and changes dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain. Splenda is not much better. Try Stevia or Organic Succanat instead, or 100% maple syrup.

Avoid partially hydrogenated oils, aka Trans fats. These are found in breads, cakes, cookies, cereals, crackers, and even some of your protein bars! These damaging oils negatively affect every organ in the body, and are illegal is some parts of Europe.

These are obviously just a few tips to get you back on track. If I had known what I know today about nutrition and health, perhaps my daddy would be here enjoying a great quality of life with his grandkids. If you really want to live a long and healthy life, and enjoy a great quality of life, you need to take a look at your diet and lifestyle choices. Practicing disease prevention is cheaper than trying to cure the disease later.

When I give high school lectures to teenagers, I use the car analogy. If someone gave you the keys to a brand new Mercedes, you’d take care of it. It’s about pride of ownership. We should treat our bodies the same way. Why then do we treat them like a beat up, old VW bug? Jim Rohn said it best “Take care of your body; it’s the only place you have to live!”

(Tami Hulcher is a health educator, lecturer, guest of TV and radio. Her popular lecture series “GOT HEALTH?” has been seen at many business, medical facilities, churches, hotel/spas, schools and PTAs. She is also a Wellness Coordinator for many health care professionals, and is currently lecturing in schools as part of the 2005 Healthy Santa Clarita program.)