It’s all about the men in your life. This week we’re celebrating Men’s Health Week, June is Men’s Health Month and of course we have Father’s Day coming up this Sunday. It’s a time to celebrate all the men in your life: fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, uncles and grandfathers. Helping men live longer, healthier lives is my passion. Through the years I have realized that if you want to get something done, ask a woman to do it. Even we as men know sometimes we need a kick in the pants when it comes to our health. Here are 7 gifts you can give to your man this Father’s Day for his health and well-being, keeping him around for a long time. I promise, he’ll never shove these gifts in the back of the closet.

Boost His Immune System

• You know what they say: The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. We want to dig deep into the foods your man should be eating to stay healthy. Here are 7 foods to keep his immunity strong.
• Oats and barley: Fiber has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, helping to promote healing
• Yogurt: Probiotics are his friend
• Zinc: Immune cells like white blood cells need zinc to function
• Nuts: Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. They also contain riboflavin and niacin which will help him bounce back from stressful moments.
• Citrus: Vitamin C of course is a great benefit but these fruits are also packed with flavonoids, a natural chemical that stimulate the immune system.
• Cinnamon: This versatile spice is a known antiviral, anti fungal and antibacterial powerhouse.

Lift His Libido

Sex has a profound effect on a man’s overall health and happiness. The why behind this stems from the hormones that are released such as oxytocin (dubbed the 'love hormone') serotonin and endorphins. Sex combats mental fatigue, anxiety, and depression, thus leading to a happier man.  In particular, a man's heart health has a very close relationship to the health of his penis and his weight has the same effect. The ultimate body high comes from sex and orgasms. What happens is an increased in blood flow and heart rate floods the blood stream with hormones such as oxytocin, which are stress-reducing chemicals. Wondering how to boost his libido? If he smokes, get him to quit. If’s overweight, push him to lose it. Feed him libido-boosting foods such as oysters, flax seed, nuts and sardines. The fatty acids in these foods help increase testosterone, making for a happier bedroom. 

Help Him Fight Cancer

When it comes to cancer, you need to remember one word, inflammation. This condition is one of the main proponents that promotes the development of cancer. As part of a robust prevention plan, make him aware of these cancer fighting foods (which are also great for you.)

• Grapes contain resveratrol which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown it may prevent the type of damage that triggers cancer process and development in cells
• Green tea contains flavonoids, known for their antioxidant effects. Antioxidants help protect his cells from free radicals. One flavonoid in green tea in particular called kaempferol has been shown to have strong, protective effects against cancer.
• Tomatoes: Lycopene is his new best friend. This is the chemical that gives tomato pigment its rich color. Eating tomatoes reduces the risk of several types of cancer including prostate cancer. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant and it’s mostly released when tomatoes are cooked or pureed.
• Berries: In particular blueberries are also full of antioxidants which help naturally fight the process in the body that creates free radicals and damages cells. Black raspberries are also a great choice.

Food to Feed Him

Dark Chocolate: More antioxidants are always a good thing. Even further, a new study sponsored by Hershey Chocolate showed that eating dark chocolate keeps you alert and focused. It also helps lower blood pressure, increase blood flow in the body and reduce stress. Sign him up.

Red wine: Red wine contains antioxidants that help prevent heart disease, protecting arteries and blood vessels. It also contains resveratrol, which may activate genes that slow cellular aging.

Chia Seeds: Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, iron, protein, vitamin B12, calcium and potassium, what’s not to love? High in stress-busting ingredients like magnesium, potassium, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids, these tiny seeds really pack a nutritional punch. 

Tomatoes: Along with watermelon and strawberries, certain red fruits contain a powerful antioxidant compound lycopene which we spoke about above. In addition to fighting cancer, it also helps maintain youthful skin texture, great for gum and teeth health, and protects the body from toxins in the air stemming from cigarette smoke and air pollution.

Turmeric: Spice up his life with this orangey-yellow ingredient.  This spice gives curry its characteristic yellow color and has the ability to soothe skin disorders, calm the nervous system, and potentially fight cancer because of its powerful anti-inflammatory effects.  Research on the active ingredient, curcumin, in turmeric also shows the spice might suppress fat tissue growth. Lab studies show it can suppress the transformation, proliferation, and invasion of cancerous cells for a wide array of cancers.

Buy Him a Gym Membership

Or at the very least a new pair of sneakers. Ensuring he gets his 30 minutes each day helps naturally boost testosterone levels, blood flow, improves stamina, flexibility and can increase sexual desire and satisfaction. Exercise is not just to keep your man fit; it actually can help him live longer and fight chronic disease. Two recent significant studies showed that men who exercise just 30 minutes per day decreased their risk of dying early by 40%. Another study showed men who exercise lower their risk of developing age-related high cholesterol. Bottom line exercise is great for him and bonus, exercise boosts his libido, keeping energy high and weight at bay. It also helps combat erectile dysfunction, which I think we can all agree is a beautiful thing.

Ensure He Gets Enough Vitamins

Of course it’s important he consult with his doctor before taking any vitamins, but is he getting enough of the essential nutrients. These are the 5 vitamins he needs every day.

·        Vitamin D: For strong muscles and fighting male menopause

·        Folic Acid: For protecting his heart

·        Vitamin B12: For keeping a healthy nervous system

·        Vitamin A: For his vision and a strong immune system

·        Vitamin C: For healthy aging

Get Him Screened

Not to end on a low note, but the fact is men live an average of 5 years less than women. More men suffer and die from chronic illnesses and are more likely to have cancer. Women are the perfect advocates to educate men about the importance of prevention and screening when it comes to their health, since they’re extra precautionary when it comes to their own. Here’s a screening guide to help you (and him) get started. By educating women on the importance of having the men in their lives get tested, taking preventative measures such as with their diet and being open to discussing treatment options if necessary, I believe we can really make an impact on men’s health

For men in their 20s: 
-Complete physical every three years 
-Get blood pressure checked every year 
-Cancer screenings every three years particularly for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin 
-Cholesterol test for total, LDL and HDL (the good kind) every three years 
-Testicular self-exam every month

For men in their 30s 
-Complete physical every 2 years 
-Get blood pressure checked every year 
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years 
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years 
-Testicular self-exam every month

For men in their 40s 
-Get blood pressure checked every year 
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years 
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years 
-Testicular self-exam every month 
-Complete physical every 2 years 
-Baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and digital rectal exam (DRE) 
-Stool test (for colon and rectal cancers) every year

For men in their 50s 
-Get blood pressure checked every year 
-Cancer screenings for thyroid, testicles, lymph nodes, mouth and skin every three years 
-Cholesterol test for total LDL, HDL (the good kind) every three years 
-Testicular self-exam every month 
-A sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (for colon cancers) every three to four years or as recommended by your healthcare provider 
-PSA and DRE exam every year