For a Long Life, Men Must Guard Eight Health Lines
A World Health Organization epidemiological survey shows that men's hearts are more fragile than women's, and the likelihood of Chinese men developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases is more than twice that of women. Frequent social interactions make men highly susceptible to various hepatitis viruses, and the toasting and drinking at banquets can lead to irreversible liver damage. Coupled with prostate problems, this poses a huge threat to men's health. However, men often appear rather indifferent when it comes to their own health. In a survey, 80% of seriously ill Chinese men admitted that repeatedly ignoring minor health issues led to their bodies being overdrawn. Below are eight lines of defense to build for men's health.
First Line of Defense: After 40, Don't Eat Fatty Meat.
Americans call cardiovascular disease a "man's disease." They have found that men in their forties and fifties who are pot-bellied and smoke often "carry" a diagnosis for cardiovascular disease. Medical experts from the National University of Ireland suggest that to reduce this phenomenon, women must manage what their husbands eat, help them quit smoking, and create a heart-protective diet. Men's favorite foods are meat and fried foods, and their preference for animal fats leads to excessive oil, which deposits on blood vessels, causing arteriosclerosis and forming blood clots. To control what men eat, encourage them to eat more fish, soy products, nuts, oats, and garlic—all "enemies" of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, they should eat less salt, eat more fruit, and after 40, avoid animal organs and fatty meat.
Second Line of Defense: Carry Emergency Medicine in Your Bag.
In sudden deaths caused by cardiovascular disease, the proportion of men is much higher than that of women. For men who are obese, smoke, and are in a state of long-term fatigue and stress, a cardiac event could occur suddenly while playing sports, bathing, in a meeting, or eating. Therefore, men over 40, especially those with high-risk factors for heart disease, should carry emergency medicine as "insurance" for their hearts. For example, keep a bottle of nitroglycerin in your briefcase or pocket. Also, keep a bottle in places you frequently stay, such as beside the bed, in the study, office, and bathroom. If an incident occurs, immediately take a tablet and let it dissolve under the tongue. If the pain is not significantly relieved after taking it, it might be a myocardial infarction, and you must go to the hospital immediately.
Third Line of Defense: When Eating Out, Drink Less Strong Tea.
Some say, "A man with a stomach ailment has two reasons: either he's angry at his boss or angry at his wife." Although it's a joke, to have a good digestive system, it's indeed important to reduce negative emotions like anger, tension, and anxiety. Additionally, you shouldn't give a fragile stomach too much food stimulation. When men are out socializing, their wives should often remind them to drink less strong tea, liquor, and coffee, and eat less raw, cold, and spicy food to reduce stomach acid secretion. Men with poor stomachs should also smoke less, as nicotine can irritate the gastric mucosa and cause gastric dysfunction.
Fourth Line of Defense: Drink Some Millet Porridge in the Morning and Evening.
Men suffer from stomach ailments more than women, especially in terms of the incidence of gastric ulcers and stomach cancer. To help protect their stomachs, the most important thing is "three parts treatment, seven parts care." Teach men this "stomach-protecting rhyme": Eat eight parts full at regular times for each meal, vegetables and fruits are a must, eat more white meat instead of red meat, and drink some millet porridge in the morning and evening. Furthermore, chewing slowly, eating soft, well-cooked, and finely processed foods can reduce the "workload" on the digestive system. However, glutinous rice is not easily absorbed, so eat less of it. People with digestive tract ulcers should not drink too much milk.
Fifth Line of Defense: Eat Only Eight Parts Full at Each Meal.
After the annual company physical exam, many men will see the words "fatty liver" on their report. A survey shows that one in four men in their thirties and forties in China have fatty liver. Fatty liver is mostly caused by alcoholism and nutritional excess. As men's careers grow, they attend more banquets, their waistlines expand day by day, and they "nourish" a fatty liver. To prevent it, there is no "magic pill"; the most crucial thing is to eat seven or eight parts full at each meal, especially dinner—never overeat. Not only should they eat less red meat, fried foods, and sweets, and drink less alcohol, but they should also not eat too many staple foods, because buns and rice can also be converted into fat and enter the liver.
Sixth Line of Defense: Jog Three to Five Times a Week.
"Walking Mother" Chen Yurou got rid of her severe fatty liver by walking 10 kilometers every day. This experience can be a reference for many men. The most effective way to prevent and treat fatty liver is exercise. The amount of exercise can be gradually increased, lasting at least 20 minutes each time, 3-5 times a week. Middle-aged, overweight men can do it 5-7 times a week. For men, the most convenient and economical methods are: medium-speed walking at about 120 steps per minute, jogging around the community garden, doing dozens of sit-ups before bed, and trying to use cycling or walking instead of driving or taking a car... Of course, if you can stick to swimming once a week or climbing a mountain once, it will burn excess fat in the liver faster.
Seventh Line of Defense: Drink More Water and Don't Hold in Urine.
In the eyes of many men, frequent urination, urgency, incomplete urination, and blurred vision, along with tooth loss, are all natural signs of aging and nothing to worry about. However, for men over 50, these symptoms often mean benign prostatic hyperplasia. If not treated in time, it can lead to urinary retention, recurrent hematuria, urinary tract infections, and even induce hydronephrosis. To avoid "problems" with the prostate, the best method is to drink more water—2,000-2,500 ml daily; not hold in urine; relax more and maintain a pleasant mood; and take warm baths to relieve muscle and prostate tension.
Eighth Line of Defense: Don't Drink More Than One Liang of Baijiu.
When a man's face is flushed by the effects of alcohol, he might not realize that besides harming his liver, his prostate is also "drunk." The prostate is very sensitive to alcohol; under its stimulation, it can become enlarged and "clumsy," and excessive drinking can interfere with sexual response, reducing sexual arousal and orgasm. He reminds that men with mild prostatitis should be very careful with any irritating drinks and foods. Drinking baijiu absolutely cannot exceed one liang, and coffee should not exceed one cup a day. Also, eat less spicy food.
For men, it is indeed very difficult to do all of the above at once, but for their own health and family happiness, let's make changes little by little.