Over the last five years in our Rejuv Wellness Clinics, we’ve seen a spike in men’s health conditions mainly driven by inflammation, stress and adrenal fatigue.
When we assess your health, we always look at you holistically from all of our 7 Pillars of Wellness. The seven pillars include sleep, movement, body balance, nutrition, supplementation, mindfulness and environment.
In an ideal world, we’d all eat organic low-processed, high fibre and high nutrient-dense foods providing us with optimum vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and nutrients we need to thrive. However, this isn’t always possible or realistic, leading to nutrient deficiencies and men’s health problems as a consequence.
Are You Low in Essential Vitamins and Minerals?
Research reveals that men’s health, even in developed nations, is affected by low values in the essential vitamins and minerals and add to this increased stress levels, then you have the perfect combination for poor health. Magnesium, iron, omega 3, amino acids, B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D & vitamin K, seem the be the primary deficiencies on the rise in most men.
Consequences of High Stress-Levels on Men’s Health
With stress at an all-time high, many of my male patients are experiencing increased belly fat due to increased cortisol and stress hormones, insomnia, increased pain and inflammation, anxiety, depression, IBS symptoms, reduced sex drive, poor cognition and food and alcohol cravings.
Controlling Your Inflammation Levels
If we get our inflammation under control, this will start a positive reaction throughout your entire body, reducing the symptoms listed above and bring you into a state of active healing and overall mind and body balance.
When we get injured inflammation is a natural part of our healing mechanism to repair damaged tissue and protect ourselves against pathogens. In such cases, inflammation is helpful, in all other cases; however, it tends to be harmful.
Inflammation and What You Eat
Here is a reminder from last week’s blog on what inflammatory foods are best to avoid; sugar, gluten, dairy, red meat (or meat with four legs of more particularly pork), deadly nightshade veggies, farm-raised fish, alcohol, coffee, tarns fats and margarine, processed foods and artificial sweeteners.
These foods tend to increase inflammation (and belly fat) and create extra acidity in the tissues, thus increasing pain, leading to mood disorders and the risk of disease. A treat on weekends doesn’t hurt, as good health is all about balance.
Exchange dairy milk for unsweetened plant milk, switch white rice for brown or cauliflower rice, avoid non-organic animals in favour of wild, line-caught fish, replace hydrogenated oils with coconut, grapeseed or olive (always use cold don’t heat), use monk fruit, coconut sugar or stevia as sweeteners and eat more organic fruits and veggies.
8 Common Mineral & Nutrient Deficiencies Affecting Men’s Health
Here are eight ways to diminish mineral and nutrient deficiencies most commonly affecting men’s health:
Vitamin D3 for your immune system
I love good exposure to sunshine to get the best Vitamin D. 20 minutes 3 times a week on major muscle groups like your legs are all you need. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines 3x a week is also great. If you can’t get some good sun exposure and you don’t like fatty fish, you can always opt for a Vitamin D supplement (like our Immune Restore Capsules), or you can take it as a stand-alone supplement. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, so always take it with a good fat such as olive oil or avocado.
Vitamin K2 for healthy bones
K2 helps the body to produce and sustain healthy bones. The best K2 food sources include fermented foods such as sauerkraut, natto, tempeh & kimchi, okra, kale, parsley or spinach.
Omega 3 Fatty Acids to REDUCE INFLAMMATION & STRENGTHEN BONES
Fatty Acids help to reduce inflammation and provide an excellent foundation for healthy bones and hormones that regulate bone tissue formation. I like coconut oil, nuts, flaxseeds (not the oil), pumpkin & chia seeds, hemp/ hemp oil & wild fatty small fish. If you find it hard to include these foods you can add in our Rejuv Antarctic Krill Omega 3 Capsules each day.
Magnesium – supports Energy creation & Protein Formation
This fantastic mineral is vital for over 300 enzymes in the body and is critical for all Vitamin D regulating pathways. Best food sources include green leafy veggies, seeds, nuts (not peanuts), avocados & bananas. Fresh veggie juice is a great way to boost magnesium or fast track with two teaspoons of our Super Elixir or Rejuv Super Greens Powder each day or you can take our Rejuv Magnesium Capsules at night before bed also to help you sleep.
Vitamin B To Maintain cell health & keep you energized
To increase your B Vitamins it is a good idea to include a variety of these foods each week in your diet; almonds, sunflower seeds, dark leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, avocados, brown rice, millet, wild fish, lentils, citrus fruits and bananas.
Iron to create energy from nutrients & support Oxygen transport
Any fruits and vegetables that are dark green or dark red nourish your blood and will boost your iron levels. Foods such as spinach, kale, Swiss chard, beet greens, beetroot, mushrooms, palm hearts and berries (mulberries, elderberries, Raspberries & Blackberries are the highest in iron).
Many years ago, I was anaemic after having three babies in 5 years, and I tried many of the plant varieties, but they were not enough to fix this imbalance. I don’t usually eat meat, but I added in wild venison to my diet 2x week for one month, and my levels came back into optimum.
Now using the above plants, my iron levels are maintained at a healthy level but maybe once or twice a year I eat wild venison if I feel I need it. If you do enjoy eating meat and your inflammation is low, choose organic free-range or wild meat.
This is especially important as a man as you can’t afford to load up on the female hormones found in conventionally raised farm animals for this will reduce your testosterone, increase body fat, increase ‘man boobs’ and reduce your sex drive and nobody wants that.
If you find the above too tricky you can add in our Rejuv Cherry Iron calm before bed to support deep restorative sleep.
Amino acids FOR Muscle GROWTH
Amino acids come from protein and are the building blocks that influence every system of the body. Amino acids help in the growth of muscle, connective tissue, skin, healing and repair and even indigestion. With research revealing that men are low in amino acids, I have found in my clinics that thin due to an absorption issue, rather than a diet too low in protein.
Eating dense meat protein, especially if not organic, is hard to digest and can lead to high inflammation and disease. Wild small fish is the best source of animal protein. You can also get a lot of protein from lentils, almonds, quinoa, spirulina, peas, tempeh and chickpeas. Chewing your food 20 times per mouthful will also greatly help absorption and reduce your desire to overeat too.
If you do tend to have IBS symptoms, then this confirms your gut needs, some like so increase prebiotic fibre foods into your diet such as milled flaxseeds and psyllium husks.
If supplementation is more accessible for you, take our Digestive Complex Powder or Prebiotic Immune Support Capsules for a month first thing or last thing of the day – 30 minutes away from food, caffeine or hot drinks, if you find it challenging to get good clean organic protein for lunch during the week, then you can add in our Welleco Nourishing protein powders to supplements your diet. Take with your lunch or as a snack or as a post-workout protein shake to ensure you’re getting all of your daily essential amino acids.
Amino acids only come from food, so unless you ingest them each day is a bio-available form you will be prone to deficiency and premature ageing. You can add in our WelleCo Nourishing Protein or our Rejuv Rice Burn Protein Powder to add in extra fat burning too.
Vitamin C TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM & Protect your memory
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, so you need to be eating fruits & veggies each day to keep your levels up. The vegetables highest in vitamin C include; Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, cabbage, turnip greens, spinach, and other leafy greens, sweet potato and winter squash. The fruits highest in vitamin C include black currants, lemons, lines, berries and kiwi.
Most people find it easy to add in these foods, but if you feel your immune system is low, you can add in our Rejuv Immune Support or Immune Restore Capsules.
Extra Tips To Keep Your Body-Fat in Check
As men age, there tends to be an increase in belly fat, so it is vital to balance blood sugar levels, boost your metabolism, reduce stress hormones such as cortisol & be proactive to boost your testosterone, Eating the above diet and dealing with your inflammation will have a significant effect to keep your body fat in check but here are a few extra men’s health tips;
CONTROL Blood sugar imbalances & cravings
Eat protein with each meal, don’t forget to chew well and choose to assure that will easily digest. Also, make sure you are getting enough fibre to keep you full and regular so take three teaspoons of milled flaxseeds or psyllium husks each day – 1.5 teaspoons before breakfast & before dinner in a glass of water.
A great fast track is to add in our Rejuv Blood Sugar Support Capsules each day, as part of our metabolic re-set pack, which includes a FREE Adrenal Complex too for June 2020.
EAT FOODS THAT Slow YOUR metabolism
Add thermogenic foods to your diet such as chill, garlic, ginger, curry and spices to boost your resting metabolic rate. Also part of our Rejuv metabolic pack you can add in our Thermo Metabolic Support Capsules to boost metabolism & reduce appetite to accelerate fat loss.
Boost Your Testosterone
Testosterone will not only keep your body fat down, and your lean muscle up it will also keep you passionate and motivated in life & the bedroom. The best foods to naturally boost testosterone are; garlic, organic fare range eggs, almonds, oysters, gluten-free porridge oats, lemons, manuka honey and spinach. The type of exercise you do also significantly impacts testosterone levels, so choose HITT, interval training and strength training. Yoga & meditation will also reduce your stress levels which have an incredible balancing effect on your hormones too.
If you feel your testosterone levels are out, you can also have this tested at most labs. Most male hormone profiles can be done accurately with a simple saliva test to evaluate testosterone, DHEA, cortisol and estrogen levels. You usually collect four samples over 24 hours as instructed. This gives a clear picture of the role played by the adrenal and sex hormones.
Manage Your Stress Levels
Stress and your thoughts GREATLY affect your inflammation. Always thinking about, or worrying about, the past or the future instead of staying in the now leaves your body living with an overproduction of stress hormones and in the fight or flight mode which leaves little energy left at the end of the day for the body to heal.
Moments of stress are normal with the sympathetic nervous system becoming engaged, allowing for a rapid involuntary response to dangerous or stressful situations. A surge of stress hormones boosts the body’s alertness and heart rate, sending extra blood to the muscles in case you need to act quickly to escape danger. When the threat never really presents itself, and it is only triggered by the thoughts of stressful situations, the body cannot make this distinction and why stress is linked now to all diseases. Cortisol also goes up, increasing the storage of body fat, which for many adds to the current level of stress.
This is why for June we are gifting you our Adrenal Complex Capsules with any order of a Metabolism Reset Pack to help you reduce your stress hormones and therefore your body fat too.
Practising mindfulness daily and choosing prayer/mediation techniques that resonate with you is key to calm your whole system and keep you in balance. There is an excellent book by Dr Bruce Lipton called Biology Of Belief which will reveal to you the power of your thoughts help shift you into optimum men’s health and a state of healing and longevity.
Sleep IS IMPORTANT
If you don’t get adequate sleep, your body cannot heal, so inflammation and poor health will follow. Getting your stress under control as per above is crucial and creating wind down sleep rituals like with our sleep well tea will help you get into restorative sleep having a considerable knock-on effect on your physical and mental health. [ READ MORE ABOUT INSOMNIA ]
Environmental toxins
Your toxic load significantly affects your inflammation levels for non-organic chemical hygiene products clog the liver and kidneys, leading to inflammation and disease. If it’s too expensive to change your whole life, start with the big player first like deodorant, body wash and shampoo. Then move onto household products and clothes detergent.
To learn more about environmental toxins and to assess if you are exposed see this blog.
What You Do Most of the Time Determines Your Health
There is a lot you can do to affect your men’s health with nutrition, movement, sleep, mindfulness, environmental health and supplementation to combat deficiencies easily, deal with your stress better and therefore reduce inflammation.
What you do most of the time will determine your health. It’s merely about being consistent and still having a few treats on weekends so you can live your best life, prevent disease and feel mentally and physically healthy.
