12
Apr/10

Why Health-Conscious Men Avoid Red Meat

Nutrition

Everyone loves red meat. You may find yourself feasting on steaks and burgers and you never get enough of them. Meat is a great source of protein. Men like you need this especially for building your muscles and having the body builder’s physique that everyone wants to have.

Why is protein important in the diet?

Aside from it being the building block of muscles, your body need this macronutrient in order to support the vital processes in the body. Enzymes such as amylase and lipase are necessary to hasten digestion. Primarily, these substances are made up of protein.

Together with carbohydrates and fat, protein is a god source of energy. It is even the best source of calories since it has a higher nutritional value compared to the two macronutrients.

Why is eating meat not always good?

An uncontrolled appetite towards meat may not only give you your daily recommended intake of protein but also bad cholesterol. High levels of this substance may lead to plaque formation within blood vessels that may predispose you to having heart diseases. Men like you are more likely to have heart attacks and cardiac problems according to statistics.

Red meat causes heart disease and cancer

Harvard scientists say that frequent intake of red meat may lead you to having various health problems. Eating foods such as bacon, salami and hotdog daily show an increase in cases of death and diseases of the heart and even cancer.

This type of meat increases your risk of developing colon cancer which number of cases grew up to a significant extent in the past decade. Raising and fattening hogs and cows require large amounts of plants and feeds that may also affect not only our health but our planet as well.

Fatty acids

Health agencies recommend getting the essential fats from healthy sources such as fish and vegetable oil. Fatty acids like Omega 3 are found in these sources that has a lower LDL or low density lipoprotein. The saturated fat in red meat makes daily intake of it not a healthy habit.

Also, good carbohydrate sources such as whole grains and fresh fruits can give you the energy you need every day. If you want to look fit and healthy, you must lose the fat and eat more of proteins. However, other sources of energy contain more LDL’s so it is always good to have healthy alternatives.

The diet that men need to stay healthy

There are many diet and body-building programs that promise great effects. Some suggest that you take red meat in little amount or none at all. This is because of the latest findings of the health risks associated with eating high amounts of beef or pork. However, with the healthier white meat such as fish and chicken, you can get the protein your body needs. Today, the famous turkey dish that is often served during special occasions is starting to gain popularity because it is rich in protein and is low in fat. Take care of your heart and prevent colon cancer. Cut down on your intake of red meat.

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20
Mar/10

Martial Arts and Fitness: Sound Mind, Sound Body

Fitness

People tend to misinterpret the whole philosophy of martial arts. To most people, martial arts is a genre that is dedicated to cutting down their fellow man to show how superior they are compared to them. To some, it’s even considered a fancy sport to rake up some fame or some modicum of attention. But martial arts aren’t about that.

To set things straight, martial arts are forms of both self-defense as well as discipline. Although you have the means of disabling someone using various means, you’ll be taught that violence is not the answer and that it is a tool of pacifism, not a weapon of destruction.

Okay, I know I’m being a tad philosophical here, but that’s the very core of martial arts. It develops your mind as well as your body. It effectively tunes them to respond to each other in-synch. Have a look at these neat little tricks you’ll gain from martial arts:

Muscle Memory

Heard of it? It’s essentially the ability of your muscles to automatically react to a certain situation thanks of a process of repetition. This is much like how certain practioneers of a martial art respond to a potential threat by assuming a defensive stance almost out of instinct. Muscle memory is a great thing to have since it exploits your reflexes to automatically respond to something. For example, BJJ and Judo students are trained to take full advantage of balance and thus they are less likely to fall; and if they do, they’ll react to it to quickly avoid slipping.

Krav Maga practioneers also exploit muscle memory in order to protect themselves. Although this art is a combination of simple yet effective measures from various schools of martial art, it takes advantage of adrenaline that commits your body to act quickly and efficiently. You’ll find that your body moves quicker, acting muscle memory to effectively disable your opponents.

Level-Headedness

I’m not saying that learning martial arts turns you into some sort of Zen guru, but it definitely helps resolves issues in a person. When it comes to martial arts, you must develop a correct frame of mind. Without this, you can never move forward as a practioneers of the art.

Sparring is definitely a humbling process. It cuts down your ego as well as builds your confidence in a way that it gives you faith in yourself without ballooning your mental picture of yourself. I’ve lost a lot of sparring matches, but I’ve gained a lot of trustworthy friends and important techniques in the process.

Experience

This is no doubt one of the more important things you can get from martial arts. Getting a high out of a sport not only makes it an effective method of exercise, but it also gives you an optimistic outlook on life. These techniques that you will learn are not only applicable to self-defense, but also to your life as a whole. If you want a life changing experience, try out a martial arts studio near you!

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14
Feb/10

Nutrition Facts: Dark Chocolates Reduces Risk of Heart Attack

Nutrition

Are you thinking of what you can give your girlfriend for valentines? Why not take a bar of dark chocolate from a candy shop? Aside from the substance found in chocolates that can give her a feeling of being “in love”, they are also good for the health.

Men and Heart Attacks

Statistics show that men are more predisposed to developing heart diseases. There are many factors to it. One is your attitude towards stress. Women have better style of dealing with pressures in life. They vent out their feelings of frustration and sadness with their peers while men are the more introvert type. Also, a greater number of the male population turn on the bad habits such as smoking and drinking alcohol. These even increase your risk of having heart illnesses.

Dark Chocolate and Blood Pressure

Many men suffer from heart attacks and other cardiac diseases such as hypertension. This is according to medical researches that seek to identify the population greatly affected by these illnesses.

Dark chocolate is known to lower your blood pressure. Studies say that if you have a mildly elevated BP, small amounts of this sweet treat may be helpful to you. However, these facts do not permit you to binge on this high calorie food.

The Antioxidants in Chocolates

You might want to choose dark chocolate over milk chocolate. It has antioxidants in it that fight against free radicals that may cause various diseases such as that of the heart and even cancer. Studies show that milk may interfere with the absorption of these substances that give you health benefits.

What are Free Radicals?

These are harmful substances that are breakdown products from the food that you eat. Feasting on fruits and vegetables may help you get rid of these harmful chemicals. With the recent studies about dark chocolates, you can also include this healthy snack from cocoa in your meal plan as to prevent certain illnesses. So when you buy chocolate as a present for a loved one, also get an extra bar for you to enjoy.

Dark and Milk Chocolate

Dark chocolate often tastes bitter, however, the brown ones (milk chocolate) taste sweeter. Those who eat the bitter type get a greater amount of epicatechin, a healthy substance found in cocoa. Milk hinders the absorption of this compound which has potent antioxidant properties. You may choose the sweeter tasting one yet knowing the health benefits you may get from dark chocolates, you may think twice and pick the healthier choice.

So snack on a bar of the healthy chocolate. You just have to make sure that you are not eating more calories than what is considered healthy. Remember, this food is loaded with simple sugars that can be deposited as fat in your body. This will even increase your risk of developing cardiac diseases. Too much of everything is bad. Share these facts with your friends or a loved one. A bar of dark chocolate is best eaten when shared with someone. It may help you avoid getting more carbs than what your body needs.

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23
Jan/10

What Men Must Know About Weight Loss

Weight Loss

Know Your Goal

The vital step in planning is setting a goal. Same is true in losing weight. Why do you want to lose weight? Is it because you want to look attractive or is it because of health reasons? Knowing what you want will help you keep on track. How much do you want to lose? Men like us have normally larger appetite than women and sad to say, a way to lose some pounds is to cut down on your usual diet.

Psychological Preparation

It is vital that you are mentally prepared for this feat since weight loss must be long term. Remember, any diet program that you are about to take must be a part of your lifestyle. It will require a lot of discipline. Dealing with change is often not easy and it requires a great amount of perseverance to go on. If you love eating out in your favorite restos, you need to give up on this pleasure. It may be hard at first yet when you become used to it, everything will be easier.

Make Your Food Diary

Writing a diary may appear so girly for us men. However, if you want to lose weight, you must write and keep one. Take note of what you have eaten for the day, the usual pattern that you take. This will help you identify what you can change about your eating habits. Weight loss will only remain as a goal and will not turn in to reality if you do not know your attitude and relationship towards food. You will know if you still need to jot down on your food diary or you can get away with it after you have identified and worked on the bad habits.

Lifestyle Change

You may be guilty of eating in fast food chains. You’d rather sit in front of the table and eat rather than cut and dice your vegies and cook. By letting go of this habit, you can actually get rid of the unnecessary carbs and fats that are often found in foods you buy in restos or in a drive thru. When you prepare your food, you get to pick your own healthy recipe and prepare it in a healthy way like cutting down on the salt and oil.

Be Realistic

In losing weight, you can’t aim for the impossible especially that you must consider the health side of it. A weight loss of 2 lbs a week is considered healthy and acceptable. You can’t abruptly lose weight since you might be compromising your body’s nutrition. You don’t want to burn your muscles instead of fat, unless you want to look emaciated. There are many factors to weight gain so do not get disappointed of a fluctuating result on the scale.

Eat Healthy

Knowledge about nutrition is very important for you to know what healthy food choices you can include in your meal plan. This will help you not only lose weight but also in staying fit. Knowing the calorie content of the food you eat is vital for you to measure whether you are eating within the daily food requirement or way beyond it.

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18
Dec/09

After Shave and Other Manly Effects

Grooming

After are just about self-explanatory. However, it can be tedious choice of which technique to use and what kind of products should be used on such instances. We all know that razor burns and nicks can be problematic without it. Sure, you might say to yourself that putting on cologne or a few flicks of perfume might do the trick but only aftershave can ease the scathe of razor burns while smoothing your skin.

How Do I Choose the Right One?

The challenge of getting the right after-shave is finding the right one that can appeal to your sweet spot. It has to be rejuvenating and cool enough to refresh you after a shave. In other words, it must have correct level of effectiveness that it leaves your skin with a refined feel that is supple enough to feel without the feeling unattractively rough.

Since acne can develop on our faces if we don’t properly wash them, aftershave can pretty much save the day since most aftershave products contain astringents that clean our skin and its follicles of foreign traces of dirt. Another perk of aftershave is that it resolves the dryness of skin thanks of to its cooling effects. If you’re wondering why they’ve integrated a perfume-like scent to whole thing, it’s because smelling clean and confident fresh much screams confidence no matter where you go.

Apart from astringents that clean your skin, most of these aftershave products tend to include antiseptics to disinfect cuts and avoid harmful infections on your face. Since shaving leaves you face vulnerable getting a good aftershave or a facial wash is your best bet.

  • To be exact, there are three popular kinds of aftershave out there, each with their own particular perks for picky people:

    • 1. Gels

    These kinds of gels do it all. They’re perfectly engineered for people with irritable skin, but they also serve as antiseptics that soothe those nasty razor burns. These are the gels you should look for if you don’t want to face clogged pores; they contain medicinal properties that heal as well as take away the stinging sensation one experience after shaving.

    2. Balms

    These balms have hydrating qualities about them since most of them contain an active as well as integral element: vitamin C, the vitamin responsible for shiny skin. The rejuvenation process is thanks to shea butter and extracts from grape seeds.

    3. Lotions

    These are perhaps one the more common variations of aftershave. They are quite popular not only because they are designed for all types of skin or their aloe vera; it’s because they can double as a conditioner for your hair.

    When choosing these types of aftershaves, give priority to their disinfectant and astringent properties. Don’t settle for a fancy bottle with power scent as these kinds of aftershaves defeat its very purpose. You want a product that not only removes the pain of accidental razor cuts, but also keep your skin nice and supple for a more attractive appearance.

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    8
    Nov/09

    Bad Habits You Should Avoid During Sex

    Sex & Women

    Okay, now you’ve got the “getting some” part worked out; heck, maybe you get it on a daily basis. But the part I’m going to talk about this time is habits that not only annoy your partner, but also downright kill the mood entirely. Well, let’s get to the meat of it, shall we?

    1. Going too fast.

    Skipping the theatrics and doing the dirty right away can definitely remove the romance out of the moment. Sure, you’re going to blow your load after the act, which proves one thing: you’re a pretty selfish lover. Sex isn’t a one side way street, ya know.

    So how can you fix this, you ask? Don’t skip the theatrics; make sure she gets into the mood first before going full speed with the process. Start of slow with a few kisses on the neck, or slowly revealing yourselves instead of just going naked right there and then. Built it up with some foreplay (soothing nipple play can definitely sweeten the deal for her later).

    2. Being Boring

    Women want to feel excited so don’t even try being predictable with your patterns. If the sex starts being boring, the reason to do so becomes a chore for them; that is something you don’t want at any point of your relationship. You have to be unpredictable, dangerous (in a good way) and passionately pleasurable.

    Here are a couple of ideas to get your brain running:

    • New Places

    A bed can get boring really fast and can contribute to the overall boredom. Explore all areas of the house, do it where you hadn’t done it. Now this may border on the insane sometimes, but the feeling of danger can sometimes escalate the mood to more pleasurable highs.

    • Learn New Tricks

    Being creative really does a lot of good things for sex; and each position gives a new meaning to her orgasms since they can feel different for each position. Always widen your options to keep things from being completely dull.

    3. You Don’t Play with Your Hands

    Great lovers have dexterous hands that move in just the right motions and in the right places. There are a lot of possibilities with your hands in the overall process. They can both help initiate the act or in some cases, even end it. Putting your thing in her and shoving it back and forth isn’t the way to go with you really wanted to please her.

    Get a game plan going; start off light with your movements. Message your fingers against her more sensitive parts, like her ear lobe and nipples. Remember; don’t go overboard with this one! Start off slow, toying with her nipples gently with a circular motion. Press on them lightly. Repeat the process until they’re nice and hard.

    Take note of the fact that pleasing her sweetens the process, making her more into it. Always thrive to be creative with how both of you commit to your sexual adventures. Keep things spicy and good things will happen!

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    23
    Oct/09

    Losing Weight: Belly Fat

    Weight Loss

    For men like you who are finding it hard to lose weight by getting a few inches off their waist, there are a few things you must know about dealing with a fat belly. You may have the same problem with most men. What risks does belly fat predisposes you to have? Know the measures you can take in getting rid of the excess baggage hanging on your tummy.

    The Risks

    If you have extra inches on your waist, this may put you at risk of having health problems in the future. This is a common concern among men like you. What are the health risks in having a fat belly?

  • Heart Disease and Stroke

    • Studies show that the larger your waist, the greater the chances of having heart diseases such as atherosclerosis (plaque formation in blood vessels) and hypertension. This is why men who are obese are advised to lose some weight and lose their belly fat.

    Since belly fat predisposes you to heart illnesses, it can also lead you to having stroke or brain attack. This condition may be caused by a constantly elevated blood pressure which is common among chronic hypertensive people.

  • Cancer

    • Belly fat can predispose you to having certain types of cancer such as colonic cancer. If you have a fat belly, your abdominal organs such as the intestines are coated with fat. There is a link between having a large waistline and developing tumors within the digestive system.

  • Diabetes

    • You are more likely to suffer from insulin resistance if you have a large percentage of body fat in the body. This may warrant the need to lose weight and primarily get rid of excess fats. Diabetes is common among obese people or those who have the fat belly. Remember, acquiring this type of disease may mean that you will live with it forever.

  • Sleep Apnea

    • Are you overweight? Are you a night hooter? Sleep apnea is a consequence of having belly fat. This is caused by airway obstruction which is common among obese men. Get the excess inches off your waist and prevent sleep disorders like breathing problems during your sleep. Also, see your pulmonologist to deal with problems of sleep apnea.

    Lose Weight; Take the Fat Off Your waist

  • Reduce Calories

    • Take smaller portions of the usual food that you eat. If you are eating two cups of rice per meal, why not start with cutting it down to 1 cup? Also, find a better alternative for the unhealthy foods that you eat. Why not eat mashed potato instead of your favorite French fries? If it’s hard to let go of your cravings, share them with your friends and family. In this way, you can satisfy your taste buds and at the same time not get the usual calories you gain in eating those food.

  • Be More Active

    • Skipping meals is not necessary in weight loss and in dealing with problems of belly fat. Increasing your physical activity such as through exercise can burn the food you ate. Also, know activity expenditure or how much calories you lose in doing any activity at a specific period of time.

    It is important that you also look at your tummy and focus on how to get rid of the flabs on that area. This may help you not only in looking healthy but also in staying healthy by preventing diseases linked to having belly fat.

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    16
    Sep/09

    Men’s Nutrition: Why is Drinking Soda Bad for You

    Nutrition

    It is always refreshing to take a can of cold soda during a hot day. You may agree that it quenches your thirst better that finishing two glasses of water. With many competing manufacturers of this product, marketing strategies are indeed successful as shown by an increasing consumption of this unhealthy drink. Why is soda bad for men’s health, for your health?

    It quenches your thirst but does it hydrate you?

    The satiety center of the body is found in your hypothalamus. This gland recognizes hunger and thirst. When you drink cold beverages it actually gives your brain a wrong signal that you already took enough fluids yet the truth is your body needs to be hydrated more. Drinking cold cola does not only deprive your body of the water it needs but also of electrolytes that are important in body processes.

    The Sugar in Soda

    Studies show that men like you are predisposed to having insulin-resistance. You may develop this if you are obese. Soda is loaded with sugar that gives it its pleasant and sweet taste. This is why you prefer it over a bottle of distilled water. High intake of sugar in the diet may cause you to gain more weight and may increase your risk of developing problems with your blood sugar. The more fat there is in your body, the higher are your chances of developing problems with blood glucose control.

    The Acid in Soda

    Colas are not only loaded with high amounts of sugar. It is also a highly acidic beverage. This may increase your risk of having gastric problems such as hyperacidity and ulcers. Also, the acid found in this drink may erode the enamel of your teeth which increases the risk of tooth decay. This gives you more reasons to stop rewarding your children with glasses of soda.

    Soda and Heart Disease

    More cases of heart diseases are found in men than women. This fact may be alarming to you. Colas have high amounts of inflammatory factors that cause the development of cardiac problems. This proves that drinking other beverages such as fruit juices and coffee may be healthier than pushing a can of cold soda down your throat. These beverages are rich in antioxidants that may help you prevent heart diseases and even cancer.

    Why water?

    Drinking water is always healthier than quenching your thirst with the tastier cola. Your body needs water and you cannot live without it. Can you live without soda? The answer is, YES!

    Books will tell you that drinking 8-10 glasses or 1500 to 2000 ml of water a day is important to keep you fuelled for your activities. However, the need for water varies also according to the climate. If you are in a hotter region, you may need to drink more fluids than usual. Men sweat a lot. This is a fact. This may be because of a higher metabolism and level of activity. This is why it is important for you to drink more glasses of water and shun the unhealthy sodas to stay fit.

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    7
    Aug/09

    How Pheromone Cologne Works

    Grooming

    Okay, I’m sure you’ve heard of pheromone colognes sold in certain stories – but does it work? Well, pheromones are naturally occurring chemical processes in your body that triggers social responses in animals that belong to the same species. This, in less fancy science terms, means that pheromones can help attract the opposite sex by the scent of it. Bees, ants and other colony-based insects use these pheromones to control and communicate with each other.

    Science and Pheromones

    The science community has discovered that pheromones work in many ways. Bees have different types of these pheromones, each with their distinct characteristic: to ready up the troops when its hive is threatened, to pass on information, and of course to indicate that one is looking for a mate. This latter use is something we’ll cover in detail.

    What have people in lab coats derived from studying bees all day? It seems that pheromones (the ones for attracting mates) can be extracted, applied and used to benefit a person in attracting the opposite sex. This naturally occurring chemical reaction sends out scent-like signals to potential mates so it can trigger strong feelings of attraction. Sounds crazy, right? Well, blame something in your nasal cavity – the vomeronasal organ.

    The vomeronasal organ, in terms of its role in the pheromone department, has the sole function to weed out airborne traces of – you guessed it, pheromones. This organ then sends these signals to the brain where strong attraction is triggered towards the person that pheromone trail leads to.

    Going deeper on its trail to the brain, the signals are then sent to the limbic system – which is essentially the place in your head where your emotions are stored and your reason don’t belong in. when it reacts with your limbic, it then kicks off production of dopamine, another chemical fairly responsible for that tingling feeling of infatuation you feel for another person. This of course, triggers the obvious – romantic feelings.

    Fact and Fiction

    It’s funny how a certain amount of pheromones can make so much of an impact on the opposite sex. Although it might sound like a whole lot of snake oil, the mere fact that it’s scientifically proven and it’s bottled extract is patented and sold in the market is enough to tell you how effective it is in attracting the opposite sex.

    However, although pheromones are scientifically proven to attract the opposite sex, it’s not exactly a cure-all for all types of people. People are colored and are in different shades in the genetics departments; this means that certain women or men can response to a certain variation of the attraction pheromone. Unlike lower mammals, this can work wonders – but for larger more complex creatures, it can be a hard task pinpointing it to a single unique pheromone that works on all people.

    It may seem like a good idea to tab you in a few helpings of bottled pheromones, but it takes more than that to attract the opposite sex.

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    29
    Jul/09

    Brazilian Ju-Jitsu: Why it is an Effective Form of Exercise?

    Fitness

    Brazilian Ju-Jitsu or BJJ for short is an effective form of martial arts that have stemmed from a Japanese combat art used by their infantry as form of disabling their opponents. BJJ in comparison is essentially the same, using leverage and chokes to disable or pacify threats but without the deadlier moves put in that can actually kill them.

    As a self defense art, it’s effectively proven itself both in MMA circuits and on the streets. But you may be wondering: is this an effective sport? If so, Why? Here’s a short break down of why BJJ is a great form of exercise.

    1. It Builds Your Cardio

    Part of any exercise routine is developing your cardio so it can allow you to go faster and longer without tiring yourself too much. BJJ is a great example of this exercise mainly because cardio is integral here. It’s a martial art that relies in properly conserving your lung power to insure that you don’t tire first. Think of a snake that constricts its prey, it allows it to wriggle out and try to exhaust its energy. So not only does it develop your lungs, it also disciplines its use.

    2. It Allows You to Think Fast

    If you’ve ever seen a BJJ match, you might think that the goal is to turn each other into human pretzels or at least sit down on an opponent until he’s tired out. That’s not the case; you see, BJJ is also a thinking man’s game. Every move has a counter and you must be able to think ahead in order to trap your enemy into a lock. You need to know how to execute moves and calculate alternatives if it doesn’t work. So if you want a form of healthy exercise that doesn’t only build your physical strength, then BJJ can point you into the right direction.

    3. It Improves Your Flexibility and Grace

    Although not all moves in BJJ require you to noodle up, being flexible is key in making sure you properly execute your submissions. If you’re not much for flexibility, then this art can most certainly develop it. You’ll understand the effectiveness of being graceful with your movements and how you can take advantage of it to spot weaknesses in your opponent. It allows you to slip out of tight situations and take advantage of seemingly disadvantageous positions.

    4. It Pushes You to Be Better

    This is perhaps one of the perks of all martial arts. Since you are pitted with different sparring partners, it’ll encourage you to be better instead of just having the pride of knowing BJJ. The whole journey is a rush that develops your self-confidence as well as humbles you as a person. Make no mistake, BJJ can definitely improve your character, internalizing your with important philosophy with a complex yet physical game.

    As you can see, BJJ can pretty much cover every facet. It’s not merely a martial art, it’s a way of life that makes you a better person!

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