While “old age” is inevitable, it doesn’t have to be a painful process. Many men don’t realize that taking care of their health during their younger years helps them “age gracefully”.
The month of June is Men’s Health Month. This week (June 11-17, 2018) is also Men’s Health Week.
Check out our TOP 4 Tips to help men improve their whole health so that they can maintain their youth & age gracefully:
1) Feed Your Body the Proper Nutrients
A poor diet will age your body. While you may not notice it during your youth, it will catch up with you decades later. That’s why you need to start eating right to decrease your risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis. You may crave for unhealthy junk food. Don’t deprive yourself…you can still eat those occasionally. However, when you feed your body with proper nutrients, you will notice a big difference in the way you look and feel.
As you age, free radicals build up in high concentrations which cause inflammation and disrupt chemical processes within the body. Studies show that this ‘oxidative stress’ plays a role in the changes in the brain contributing to Alzheimer’s disease. Make sure your diet includes food high in antioxidants such as blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, pinto beans, pecans, walnuts, hazel nuts, Russet potatoes and cooked artichokes. If you aren’t getting enough antioxidants in your regular diet, take antioxidant supplements.
* If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. Alcohol contains toxins which affects your body including your brain, liver and stomach. Over time, your body becomes damaged from excessive drinking.
2) Boost Your Physical Activity
A study in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that being slightly overweight may actually decrease a person’s life span. In addition to eating healthy, getting enough exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. Other benefits include increased energy, better heart health, improved mood & memory, and reduced risk of chronic illness.
Some beneficial exercises for your workout:
* Cardio exercises: walking, jogging, aerobics, treadmill, cycling and swimming.
* Strength training: free-weights, weight machines, or using your own body weight (i.e., squats, push-ups, walking lunges and jumping jacks). Strength training benefits your heart, increases reflexes, improves your balance, strengthens your bones, and helps you lose weight.
A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease suggests that exercise may help keep the brain healthy in old age.
3) Dress to Impress
It doesn’t matter if you are hitting middle age or old age. If you’re eating right and getting enough exercise, you’re probably looking pretty good compared to other men who decided not to take care of themselves. While dressing comfortably in your favorite sweat pants may be great for lounging around the house, make it a point to dress nice when you are at work, out on a lunch/dinner date, hanging out with friends, and even running errands.
And don’t be afraid to wear stylish clothes! According to an article published in Scientific American, studies show that the clothes you wear can affect your mental and physical performance. So dress up! You’ll feel confident, be more productive and feel young.
4) Don’t Use Toxic Skincare Products
If you’re still young and want your skin to stay that way as you get older, you need to take care of your skin. Your face isn’t the only area you need to focus on. Overexposure to the sun also affects your hands and neck.
Your skin absorbs what you put on your body. We suggest using natural skincare products including shampoo, conditioner, soaps, lotions and shaving creams.
Signs of aging include dark spots, dryness, and loss of firmness. While it is tempting to use popular anti-aging products in the market, like botox, there are alternatives including organic skincare products. The results may not be as quick as botox, but natural and organic skincare products are better for your health since it doesn’t contain toxic chemicals.
Most men don’t realize that many daily skincare products they use may contain harmful ingredients. It may be a good time to check out the products in your bathroom cabinet…read the product labels. Are you comfortable putting that on your skin?
Are you looking for healthy skincare products just for men? Did you know the benefits of grapeseed for your skin? Check out some of these all-natural, organic men’s skincare products from our holistic health & beauty store, Wellness-Spring: Natural & Organic Men’s Skincare
For this month’s 2-part men’s health blog, we are sharing mind-body-spirit tips.
Look out next week for PART 2 of our Men’s Health Mind-Body-Spirit Tips To Age Gracefully
