Healthy Diets for Men

Did you know that men have significantly higher rates of diet related diseases than women?  That's the findings from a study done by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation. 

So how can men do better? 

Keep on reading. The folks at Harvard who studied dietary patterns came up with the same diet suggestions as the folks from Palo Alto.

What Does Your Dietary Pattern Look Like?

Did you splurge on that extra cookie or bag of chips (splurge being a key word here!).  

As long as your regular diet is healthy and includes foods in the following list, you can afford to eat guilty foods once in a while. 

• Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish, olive oil, and low-fat dairy products

It's not the random "bad" food that you eat that matters in the long run. Your usual pattern of eating is what counts more, according to researchers at Harvard.

So if you're looking to improve on what you put into your body, take an assessment of all the foods you put into it over time, and make adjustments based on that. Of course, you should consult with a physician before making changes.

Hey, Guys, Summer's Coming. Are You Looking To Get More Toned?

Making olive oil a regular part of your diet just might help you build those muscles. It appears that the monounsaturated fat in olive oil helps reduce the levels of tumor necrosis factor-a (now that's a morbid sounding mouthful!). TNF-a, a cellular protein, has been tied to a weakening and wasting away of muscle tissue.  

To get the most benefit, be sure to use extra-virgin types of olive oils so that you can also enjoy the additional benefits of vitamin E, known for its ability to fend off free-radicals.

And, if you overdo it in the gym, olive oil's anti-inflammatory properties could help reduce any pain and swelling.

Sources:

- Harvard's Health Professionals Follow-up Study

- MensHealth.com - Olive Oil: Liquid Energy 

- Livestrong.com - Free Diets for Men