There are many reasons today why men’s health is the focus of attention. Recent statistics have shown an increase in the illness and morbidity rates among men. Men’s health is poor according to a wide range of measures. Some of the most significant are:
-Men tend to take more risks than women when it comes to their health. They are more likely to drink more than the normal alcohol limits, to smoke, to be overweight or to use illegal drugs.
-The average male life expectancy at birth is approximately 74 years while for women it is approximately 79 years.
-Men are more susceptible to die from HIV infection, cancer, accidents, heart disease and suicide.
-Men are more than twice as likely as women to have a major or minor accident.
Some of the factors that affect men’s health are listed below. These factors are major concerns that have to be dealt with to reduce the fatality rate in men.
1. Alcoholism
Alcoholism is the consumption of alcoholic beverages to a point that this behavior impedes with the alcoholic’s normal life. The chronic alcohol consumption caused by alcoholism can result in psychological and physiological disorders.
Drinking alcohol is not always detrimental to health and in fact drinking in moderation can be good for you. Try to drink sensibly. Drinking 3 to 4 units (or less) a day for men is just fine. You should see to it that these daily limits shouldn’t exceed even if you only drink occasionally. A few days in a month without any alcohol can prove to be quite beneficial to your overall health, too. Binge drinking and intoxication through alcohol should be completely avoided.
Alcoholism can Affect Your Health in Various Ways:
Alcohol can damage many of the body’s organs leading to liver disease, some cancers and high blood pressure. High blood pressure often leads to coronary heart disease and many kinds of stroke. Excess alcohol can also make you overweight or obese which further result in other complications.
Apart from causing physical damage, alcoholism also affects your psychological behaviour. It increases the chances of violent and aggressive behaviour by men. Alcoholism has been the root cause for many incidents of domestic violence and child abuse. Men who are heavy drinkers develop psychological and emotional problems such as depression. Alcohol dependence is like nicotine or other drug addictions and can be very difficult to overcome. Read entire article.
If you’re living with Hepatitis C, you’re certainly aware of the role nutrition plays in keeping the virus under control. Everything we eat and drink is processed directly through the liver, making our food choices of utmost importance. Commonly referred to as the most important meal of the day, your choice of breakfast foods should be one that promotes health and isn’t saturated with sugars and fat. Think back the past few mornings: did you make healthy, nutritious choices for breakfast? With all the unhealthy, fast food options out there, it’s very easy to fall into a cycle of poor eating habits. But there are plenty of wholesome breakfast foods for you to choose from, including oatmeal.
Packed with many essential nutrients, including vitamins, antioxidants and, most obvious, fiber, eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast can help strengthen your immune system and help keep the body safe from bacteria and viruses. Oatmeal is a healthy breakfast cereal, and it tastes good too! There’s no need to sacrifice taste to have a nutritious meal. Of course, from a nutritional standpoint, pouring sugar or syrups on top of your steaming bowl of oatmeal is not a great idea. All that excess sugar basically cancels out the health benefits you would be receiving. But if you just can’t resist topping your breakfast with some added flavor, try mixing in some fresh fruit or adding some honey.
There are a number of healthy breakfast options out there for you to choose, so why should someone with Hepatitis C pick oatmeal? The answer is fiber. The insoluble fiber found in oatmeal proves very beneficial for anyone with liver disease. Fiber reduces the amount of toxins in the body that have to be processed by the liver, and also helps keep blood sugar levels stable. Many people with Hepatitis C run a great risk of developing diabetes, and an adequate fiber intake can help prevent that from happening.
Eating a hot, nutritious breakfast such as oatmeal is a healthy and tasty way to start your day. Too often we make poor food choices for breakfast. And many people tend to skip this very important meal simply due to lack of time. Now is the time to break the habit – your liver is depending on you.
Learn more about Hepatitis C and the health benefits of eating oatmeal for breakfast.
By: Nicole Cutler