Foods to Boost Man Health and stay active

Men are different from women in all kinds of ways -- including their nutritional needs. Just as women need particular nutrients during pregnancy or for protection from breast cancer, men need nutrients that can help them maintain muscle mass, prevent prostate cancer, and more.

Many foods that tend to be favorites among men are not the best choices for good health. Yet a healthy diet and regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease and cancer, the No. 1 and No. 2 killers for men over 35. They can also enhance performance, from the board room to the bedroom.

"Nutrients that are good for the heart improve circulation to all parts of the body, and these same nutrients provide a layer of protection against cancer and other chronic diseases," based on research

Quality nutrients are also critical for maintaining immune function and preventing bone loss, muscle loss, and oxidative damage from the environment, Of course, any one (or 10) foods can't do the job alone. An overall healthy lifestyle, which also includes not smoking and getting regular physical activity, is what's really important for health.

"It is not about one single food or even a handful of foods. What is more important is the pattern of regularly consuming a diet rich in a variety of essential nutrients

 List of  disease-fighting foods that can be a good start to improving health:

Food for Men No. 1: Oysters

Could there be something to the legend that oysters are the food of love? Well, it's true that just a few oysters each day will deliver a full day's supply of the antioxidant mineral zinc. Zinc is involved in hundreds of body processes, from producing DNA to repairing cells.

"Research shows that adequate zinc may protect against cellular damage that leads to prostate cancer. "Sexual functioning of the male reproductive system, including increased sperm counts, is also enhanced with zinc."

You can also get your daily recommended dose of 11 milligrams a day by eating other shellfish, lean beef, lean pork, or legumes.

Food for Men No. 2: Bananas

Bananas are a great portable source of quick energy and are rich in potassium, which is needed to regulate nerves, heartbeat and, especially, blood pressure. Diets rich in potassium and magnesium (which is also found in bananas) can reduce the risk of stroke.

As a super source of vitamin B-6, bananas can also aid your immune system, help form red blood cells, ensure a well-functioning nervous system, and assist protein metabolism. So enjoy a banana each day, at breakfast on your whole grain-cereal or before your workout at the gym.

Not a banana fan? Orange juice, milk, tomato products, and beans are other good sources of dietary potassium.

Food for Men No. 3: Fatty Fish

No list of superfoods would be complete without the healthy fat, omega-3 fatty acids. These polyunsaturated fats are the preferred form of fats in your diet for many reasons. They can benefit the heart, circulation, and immune system and reduce the risk for prostate cancer, among other things.

"Omega-3 fatty acids are potent anti-inflammatory foods that can help lower triglyceride [blood fat] levels, reduce aches and pains in athletes, and offer relief with certain kinds of arthritis," says Bauer.

Fatty fish (salmon, sardines, tuna, mackerel, herring) are the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact the American Heart Association recommends that everyone eat fish twice weekly.

You can also get omega-3s in plant-based foods, like flaxseed, walnuts, soy, canola oil, and fortified products such as eggs. But there are other good reasons to eat fish.

"Fatty fish are also a good source of vitamin D, a nutrient that tends to be deficient in our diets and [which] in adequate supply can help prevent cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and bone disease," says Bauer.

Food for Men No. 4: Broccoli

While virtually all vegetables deserve a place on the superfoods list, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli are helpful in the prevention of heart disease and cancer. It's loaded with vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and a phytochemical called sulphoraphane, which has strong anticancer (prostate and colon) properties.

10 family rules

Here are 10 family rules that you can bring to the table and incorporate into your family’s brainstorm or discussion;

(1) Treat yourself and others with respect: The Golden Rule applies first and foremost in our family. For example; no put downs, yelling, hitting. kicking, pinching, name-calling. This applies to what you say to others and what you say to yourself in the mirror! Say please, thank you, sorry, you’re welcome, and excuse me when warranted.

(2) Be honest and trustworthy: Integrity is valued in our family. For example; tell the truth, don’t omit details to attempt to avoid consequences, mean what you say and say what you mean, and follow through with promises.

(3) Be responsible and accountable: When you make a mistake, own up, apologize, and ask how you can make it better.  Then take action to correct your mistake and improve upon the situation. If you need help fixing a situation, ask a parent (or trusted caretaker).

(4) Clean up your own mess: If you take it out, you put it back.

(5) Show respect for people’s property: Knock before entering, ask permission before you use something, put it back better than you found it. If you break it, rip it, or mess it up, replace it or fix it.

(6) Do not argue or talk back to your parents in a disrespectful way: Voice your opinion but respect the final decision made by your parents who make decisions based on what is best for the family, you and your well-being.

(7) Ask permission before you go out somewhere: First, ask your parents if you can go.  Be sure to tell parents or whoever is in charge who you will be with, where you are going, how you can be contacted, and when you will be home. Then do what you said you would do!

(8) Do what Mom and Dad ask you to do the first time they request it: Stalling, ignoring, tantruming, complaining, rolling eyes and grunting are unacceptable responses. (This shows respect)

(9) Show gratitude: We are a blessed family.  Take time each day to say thank you for what you have, the people in your life, and the opportunities provided to you.

(10) Actively seek out ways to be kind and helpful to others: You do not need to wait to be invited to help.  We live in a home together, therefore we all need to pitch in! We are all encouraged to provide unprompted, sincere praise for someone else or a show of affection to ensure that every family member feels valued and loved.

A follow-up meeting can be designed around consequences of breaking the family rules and rewards for those who go above and beyond without prompting. You may want to incorporate sticker charts or vision boards depending on what works best for your children.

Good luck! I’d love to hear your family rules and how you are making them work for your family.

Replace Your old Habits with New, Healthy Ones

Find health choices for snacks and plan ahead:

·    If you are in the habit of eating candy or chocolate at the end of the day for energy, try having a cup of herbal tea and a small handful of lime water.

·    Eat fruit and yogurt in the mid-afternoon about 3 or 4 hours after lunch.

Control your portion sizes. It is hard to eat only a few chips or snacks other tempting foods when there is a lot in front of you. Take only a small portion and put the rest away. Eat on a plate or in a bowl instead of straight out of a bag.

Eat slowly:

·     Put down your fork between bites.

·     Wait until you have swallowed your mouthful of food before taking the next bite.

Eating too quickly leads to overeating when the food you have eaten has not yet reached your stomach and told your brain you are full. You will know you are eating too quickly if you feel stuffed about 20 minutes after you stop eating.

Eat only when you are hungry:

·    Eating when you feel worried, tense, or bored also leads to overeating. Instead, call a friend or go for a walk to help you feel better.

·    Give your body and your brain time to relax from the stress of daily life. Take a mental or physical break to help you feel better without turning to food as a reward.

Plan your meals:

·     Know what you will eat ahead of time so you can avoid buying unhealthy foods (impulse buying) or eating at fast-food restaurants.

·    Plan your dinners at the beginning of the week so you can prepare healthy, well-balanced meals each evening.

·    Prepare some dinner components ahead of time (such as chopping vegetables.) This will allow you to put together a healthy meal more quickly at the end of the day.

Get rid of unhealthy foods:

·    Replace your meaty dish with a bowl of fruit or nuts.

·    When you do have unhealthy foods in your house, put them in a place that is hard for you to reach rather than out on the counter.

An old saying goes: "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper."

Breakfast sets the tone for the day. A hearty, healthy breakfast will give your body the energy it needs to get you to lunch. If you are not hungry when you wake up, you could try a glass of milk or a small fruit and dairy-based smoothie.

Plan a good lunch that will satisfy you, and a healthy afternoon snack that will keep you from becoming too hungry before dinner time.

Avoid skipping meals. Missing a regular meal or snack often leads to overeating or making unhealthy choices.

Once you have changed 1 or 2 old unhealthy habits, try changing 1 or 2 more.

Practice Helps

It may take a while before you can turn your unhealthy habits into new, healthy ones. Remember, it took you a while to form your habits. And it may take just as long to change them. DO NOT give up.

If you start an old habit again, think about why you went back to it. Try again to replace it with a new habit. One slip does not mean you are a failure. Keep trying!

Eating habits and behaviors

Food gives our bodies the energy we need to function. Food is also a part of traditions and culture. This can mean that eating has an emotional component as well. For many people, changing eating habits is very hard.

You may have had certain eating habits for so long that you do not realize they are unhealthy. Or, your habits have become part of your daily life, so you do not think much about them.

Keep a Journal

A food journal is a good tool to help you learn about your eating habits. Keep a food journal for 1 week.

·         Write down what you eat, how much, and what times of the day you are eating.

·         Include notes about what else you were doing and how you were feeling, such as being hungry, stressed, tired, or bored. For example, maybe you were at work and were bored. So you feel like putting something in your mouth next snacks and bottle of soft drink is the answer.

·         At the end of the week, review your journal and look at your eating patterns. Decide which habits you want to change.

Remember, small steps toward change lead to more success in making long-term changes. Try not to overwhelm yourself with too many goals. It is a good idea to limit your focus to no more than 2 to 3 goals at one time.

Also, take a look at the healthy habits you have and be proud of yourself about them. Try not to judge your behaviors too harshly. It is easy to focus only on your poor habits. This can make you feel stressed and give up trying to change.

Taking on new, healthier habits may mean that you:

·         Drink skim or low-fat (1%) milk instead of 2% or whole milk.

·         Drink more water throughout the day.

·         Eat fruit for dessert instead of cookies (or skip dessert all together most days).

·         Schedule times to eat your meals and snacks.

·         Plan and prepare healthy meals and snacks to increase your chance of success.

·         Keep healthy snacks at work. Pack healthy lunches that you make at home.

·         Pay attention to your feelings of hunger. Learn the difference between physical hunger and habitual eating.

Now Reflect

Think about what triggers or prompts may be causing some of your eating habits.

·         Is there something around you that makes you eat when you are not hungry or choose unhealthy snacks often?

·         Does the way you feel make you want to eat?

Look at your journal and circle any regular or repetitive triggers. Some of these might be:

·         You see your favorite snack in the pantry or vending machine

·         When you watch television

·         You feel stressed by something at work or in another area of your life

·         You have no plan for dinner after a long day

·         You go to work events where food is served

·         You stop at fast-food restaurants for breakfast and choose high fat, high calorie foods

·         You need a pick-me-up toward the end of your workday 

       Start by focusing on one or two triggers that occur most often during your week. Think about what you can do to avoid those triggers

Child Safety First

When a baby becomes part of your family, it is time to make sure that your home is a safe place. Look around your home for things that could be dangerous to your baby. As a parent, it is your job to ensure that you create a safe home for your baby. It also is important that you take the necessary steps to make sure that you are mentally and emotionally ready for your new baby. Here are a few tips to keep your baby safe:

·         Do not shake your baby―ever! Babies have very weak neck muscles that are not yet able to support their heads. If you shake your baby, you can damage his brain or even cause his death.

·         Make sure you always put your baby to sleep on her back to prevent sudden infant death syndrome.

·         Protect your baby and family from secondhand smoke. Do not allow anyone to smoke in your home.

·         Place your baby in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat while he is riding in a car. This is recommended by Federal Road safety commission

·         Prevent your baby from choking by cutting her food into small bites. Also, don’t let her play with small toys and other things that might be easy for her to swallow.

·         Don’t allow your baby to play with anything that might cover her face.

·         Never carry hot liquids or foods near your baby or while holding him.

Vaccines (shots) are important to protect your child’s health and safety. Because children can get serious diseases, it is important that your child get the right shots at the right time. Talk with your child’s doctor to make sure that your child is up-to-date on her vaccinations

Positive Parenting Tips

Following are some things you, as a parent, can do to help your baby during this time:

·         Talk to your baby. She will find your voice calming.

·         Answer when your baby makes sounds by repeating the sounds and adding words. This will help him learn to use language.

·         Read to your baby. This will help her develop and understand language and sounds.

·         Sing to your baby and play music. This will help your baby develop a love for music and will help his brain development.

·         Praise your baby and give her lots of loving attention.

·         Spend time cuddling and holding your baby. This will help him feel cared for and secure.

·         Play with your baby when she’s alert and relaxed. Watch your baby closely for signs of being tired or fussy so that she can take a break from playing.

·         Distract your baby with toys and move him to safe areas when he starts moving and touching things that he shouldn’t touch.

·         Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Parenting can be hard work! It is easier to enjoy your new baby and be a positive, loving parent when you are feeling good yourself.

Developmental Milestones child 0---1 years

Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving "bye-bye" are called developmental milestones. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, behave, and move (like crawling, walking, or jumping).

In the first year, babies learn to focus their vision, reach out, explore, and learn about the things that are around them. Cognitive, or brain development means the learning process of memory, language, thinking, and reasoning. Learning language is more than making sounds ("babble"), or saying "ma-ma" and "da-da". Listening, understanding, and knowing the names of people and things are all a part of language development. During this stage, babies also are developing bonds of love and trust with their parents and others as part of social and emotional development. The way parents cuddle, hold, and play with their baby will set the basis for how they will interact with them and others.

In the first year, babies learn to focus their vision, reach out, explore, and learn about the things that are around them. Cognitive, or brain development means the learning process of memory, language, thinking, and reasoning. Learning language is more than making sounds ("babble"), or saying "ma-ma" and "da-da". Listening, understanding, and knowing the names of people and things are all a part of language development. During this stage, babies also are developing bonds of love and trust with their parents and others as part of social and emotional development. The way parents cuddle, hold, and play with their baby will set the basis for how they will interact with them and others.