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We’ve all heard the “man cold” jokes right? It’s true, when men get sick they just want to lay around in bed. They don’t feel great, and they do want someone to take care of them. They’ll do whatever their significant other tells them to if it’ll make them feel better.
It’s too bad that it takes getting sick to have that attitude. If only men would listen to the people who love them when they are told to eat healthier and take care of their bodies maybe, just maybe they wouldn’t get kicked down by a semi-annual man-cold. And, while we’re at it, maybe they would listen to other helpful advice, like getting regular check-ups at the doctor’s office, keeping a discount prescriptions card to avoid overpaying for medications, and not necessarily eating a whole pizza for dinner. If you want to get proactive with your health instead of reactive, here are the most responsible things you can do.
Eat Your Vegetables
Yes, technically potatoes are a vegetable, but men need more nutrients than French fries and loaded baked potatoes alone can provide. Green vegetables are filled with nutrition that helps strengthen your immune system and keeps you from getting sick. You could load up a green smoothie with some protein and kale, eat a salad packed full of color and maybe a little bacon to make it go down better. Eating vegetables is a responsible way to take charge of your health.
Stay Home if You’re Sick
This one is tough. If you have a little bit of the sniffles, it may seem silly to stay home, but it’s best to avoid people as much as possible if you do. Unless you know for sure it’s allergies, you don’t want to be walking around sharing your germs. Wash your hands often with soap and water and do what you can to maintain distance if you must be out in public. If you’re really coming down with something, just stay home. None of your co-workers want what you have and resting your body will help you recover faster.
Take Your Vitamins
Managing your health means looking at areas you might have deficiencies. Do you need more magnesium, Vitamin D, or something to help your joints? Your body will thank you if you take the right combination of supplements. Sometimes it’s hard to get everything you need just by taking a multivitamin or eating food. A good vitamin regimen can help.
Drink More Water, Less Beer
Okay, maybe you’re more of a wine guy or you love energy drinks. The point is, you need to drink more water. Water helps all the processes in your body function better. Whether you need more energy, your body feels achy a lot, or you want better digestion, water helps it all. Some experts recommend drinking half your body weight in ounces of water. So, a 200-lb man would want around 100 ounces of water daily. This could increase or decrease depending on activity level.
Move Your Body
Notice I didn’t say exercise. If you spend all day at work at a desk, and spend all evening in front of video games or the TV, it’s time to get up and move. Go for walks, runs, jogs. Lift weights if you can. Find an active hobby. Some guys like gardening, some love golf, others enjoy woodworking or metal working. It’s vital to stay active.
Reduce Stress
Work can cause a lot of stress. Bills can cause a lot of stress. Relationship issues can cause a lot of stress. While getting rid of any of them might seem like a good solution, a better option is to find ways to reduce your response to those stressful situations. Don’t take work home. Leave them at the office. Find a way to reduce your bills. Find ways to manage your stress response. It’s okay to vent to someone if you need it. Maybe a sport or hobby would be a good outlet for lowering your stress. It’s important to take care of your health by managing your stress response.
Go Outside
Gamers, this one’s for you. The truth is that men need to go outside sometimes. They need fresh air, they need nature, and they need a little sunshine. Going outside provides opportunity for all three of these things to happen at once. Take care of your health and your health will take care of you.
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This content is brought to you by Anne Davis.
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