Men’s health – Movember already! Here at 121 Dietitian we can hardly believe how fast this Olympic year has raced by. The games are over but men now have something else to compete/chat about; moustaches!

Pictures of sprouting moustaches are gracing the pages of social networking sites everywhere, a sure sign of a public health campaign gone right.

It really is great to see a campaign which captures the imagination of so many, particularly since it is inspiring men to think about their health.

On average men visit the GP half as often as women and there is a 4 year difference in life expectancy between men & women -with women living longer. This is why Movember aims to raise awareness of men’s health issues, in particular prostate and testicular cancers.

Getting to know your body & looking after your health is important whether you are male or female and early detection of cancer can mean treatment is easier and more successful.  More details on Movember can be found on their website uk.movember.com.

Men’s health

Regular exercise and a balanced diet are crucial for looking after your health. You probably already know you should include plenty of fruit and vegetables in your diet along with plenty of whole grains and water. But do you know why?? Well every year increasing research shows a clear association to health benefits, Cancer protection being one. To assist you further, foods which are high in saturated fat, sugars and salt should be kept to a minimum.

So now you know that including plenty of plant foods in our diet may help to lower cancer risk, did you know they also contain many vitamins and minerals which help to strengthen immunity and keep the body healthy from inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and gut health …. They are also a great source of phytochemicals which can help to protect cells in the body from damage that may later cause cancer.

Plant foods are also often low in energy/kcals, choosing these over high kcal/energy foods & snacks can help you to maintain a healthy weight. This is important since there is strong evidence to suggest being overweight can increase our risk of getting certain cancers.

If you are struggling with your energy check out this blog on energy boosting foods.

Top tip for the men out there…..

Tomatoes are a plant food which you may wish to consider including in their diet. Research has shown that frequent consumption of tomato products is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. A compound called lycopenes which is found in tomatoes is thought to be the reason for this.  Interestingly lycopenes are more available to us if we cook or process the tomatoes. Why not try a nice bowl of tomato soup if you fancy a lycopene rich dish? It’s a perfect for this colder weather too. 

If this Movember has inspired you to  improve your diet 121 Dietitian is here to help. Please feel free to contact us for a consultation.

If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small.

In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop

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Gillian x

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Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.