The health-conscious man’s guide to underwear

 The next time you’re shopping for underwear, focusing on fashio is always good but don’t forget how that style may affect your health. Men have a lot of choices to choose from in the underwear department with each style having their own pros and cons.  Most men probably don’t give their underwear much thought – wear it, change it, wash it, repeat.  But underwear etiquette is always in style and there are certain simple rules all men should abide by when it comes to what you wear down there:

·      Go through your underwear drawer and throw out any old, ripped, stained, unsightly pieces that are no longer presentable.  Nobody wants to see them and you should not want to wear them. Get rid of old underwear and toss them out.

·      Buy new underwear on a regular schedule.  Maybe schedule a buying spree of new, fresh underwear every time you change the oil in your car or get a haircut.  Link buying new underwear with something you already do on a schedule so you get into a habit.

·      Mix it up – in other words, don’t get stuck in a rut of wearing just one type of underwear.  Have some fun trying out boxers, briefs and have several styles of each.  Men’s underwear is no longer plain old white; nowadays colors, fabric, cuts, and styles rule this domain making it much more fun and enjoyable for you and the woman in your life.  By mixing it up with different styles of underwear, it keeps things fresh in the bedroom and in your relationship.

·      Whether to wear only boxers or briefs is always up for debate.  But variety is the spice of life and some days you may feel like a boxer-kind-of-guy while the next its briefs all the way.  Most men will say boxers give them more breathing room while briefs are great for better support. 

·      However, studies have shown, for men trying to conceive, boxers are advised to wear.  One study tracking 500 men over the course of a year found men who slept naked and wore loose-fitting boxers during the day experienced 25 percent less DNA fragmentation than men who wore tight underwear like briefs.  Tight underwear can increase the temperature of the testicles resulting in poorer semen quality compared to men whose testicles are cooler. 

·      Men, just like women, should choose cotton or synthetic blends for everyday wear and save the more luxurious silks and other fun fabrics for special occasions.

·      Gym underwear attire should provide the proper level of support and be made of synthetic blends using a moisture wicking fabric to help prevent chaffing.  Wearing boxers, cotton or going commando is never advised when working out. After each workout, always wash your underwear.

·      Going commando all the time is not recommended.  In the right circumstances it can feel good and sexy.  But if done frequently during the day, it won’t give you the proper support needed down there plus there is nothing to help absorb and wick away sweat.  There is a time and place going commando and typically it’s in the privacy of your own home.