Let’s hear it for the guys!

June is Men’s Health Month, so LMQC dietary blogger Jeni Tackett offers five tips to a healthier life for you and the men in your life.

by Nutritionist Blogger, Jeni Tackett, RD, LD

Do you or the man in your life take his health seriously? For men, this is a great month to make some tweaks in your habits to improve your health and reduce chronic disease risk.

Heart disease is the number one killer of adult men and is strongly associated with your lifestyle. For women, you can encourage men in your life to focus on healthy habits.

Here are five things you can do this month to improve your health:

Make room for more plants: Your diet should be plant-based. You don’t have to give up steak, brats, or hamburgers, but you should consider what you are eating with meat at your meals. Making sure that you have a fruit or a vegetable at every meal is a great way to tweak your diet in a healthy way. You can round out your meal by adding grilled vegetables, melon, or corn on the cob.

Pick leaner meats: Back to the steak, brats, and hamburgers: Low carbohydrate diets left people with the misunderstanding that high-fat meats are protein choices rather than high saturated fat choices. While protein is important for a healthy diet, picking lean choices of protein is the healthy choice.

Rather than relying on high-fat meats such as bacon, brats, and burgers, choose lean meats such as chicken or turkey breast, pork tenderloin (grilled, not fried), and fish most of the time. If you have bacon or a brat, limit your portion and fill most of your plate with plant foods.

Moderate drinking: Summertime means pools, boats, and parties. Make sure that your alcohol intake does not become a health issue. Moderate alcohol intake for men is two or fewer drinks on average per day. Avoid binge drinking, which is five or more drinks in one sitting.

Drinking water between drinks, choosing alcohol-free beverage options, and not drinking on an empty stomach can help you keep healthy habits. If you feel that you are relying too much on alcohol, don’t keep alcohol in your house and take steps to reduce alcohol intake when you are out.

Lower blood pressure: Over 50% of adult men over the age of 20 in the US have high blood pressure. Hypertension does not have symptoms, so you need to have yearly visits with your doctor to know where your blood pressure is at.

Going to the doctor every year for a physical is important for managing your health. Having your blood pressure measured along with other preventative tests can result in disease prevention. If you have not had a physical in the last year, make an appointment to check in with your physician.

Friends can reduce stress: Stress is high for adults in the US. Make sure that you are taking time for yourself, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and managing stress in your life. Some of the great tools for stress management include yoga, meditation, and time in nature.

Having time with friends and increasing your connections in the community is also linked to improved health, reduced stress, longevity, and increased happiness.

Make yourself a priority; your friends and family will be blessed to have you in their lives.

Do you or the man in your life take his health seriously? For men, this is a great month to make some tweaks in your habits to improve your health and reduce chronic disease risk.

Heart disease is the number one killer of adult men and is strongly associated with your lifestyle. For women, you can encourage men in your life to focus on healthy habits.

Here are five things you can do this month to improve your health:

Make room for more plants: Your diet should be plant-based. You don’t have to give up steak, brats, or hamburgers, but you should consider what you are eating with meat at your meals. Making sure that you have a fruit or a vegetable at every meal is a great way to tweak your diet in a healthy way. You can round out your meal by adding grilled vegetables, melon, or corn on the cob.

Pick leaner meats: Back to the steak, brats, and hamburgers: Low carbohydrate diets left people with the misunderstanding that high-fat meats are protein choices rather than high saturated fat choices. While protein is important for a healthy diet, picking lean choices of protein is the healthy choice.

Rather than relying on high-fat meats such as bacon, brats, and burgers, choose lean meats such as chicken or turkey breast, pork tenderloin (grilled, not fried), and fish most of the time. If you have bacon or a brat, limit your portion and fill most of your plate with plant foods.

Moderate drinking: Summertime means pools, boats, and parties. Make sure that your alcohol intake does not become a health issue. Moderate alcohol intake for men is two or fewer drinks on average per day. Avoid binge drinking, which is five or more drinks in one sitting.

Drinking water between drinks, choosing alcohol-free beverage options, and not drinking on an empty stomach can help you keep healthy habits. If you feel that you are relying too much on alcohol, don’t keep alcohol in your house and take steps to reduce alcohol intake when you are out.

Lower blood pressure: Over 50% of adult men over the age of 20 in the US have high blood pressure. Hypertension does not have symptoms, so you need to have yearly visits with your doctor to know where your blood pressure is at.

Going to the doctor every year for a physical is important for managing your health. Having your blood pressure measured along with other preventative tests can result in disease prevention. If you have not had a physical in the last year, make an appointment to check in with your physician.

Friends can reduce stress: Stress is high for adults in the US. Make sure that you are taking time for yourself, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and managing stress in your life. Some of the great tools for stress management include yoga, meditation, and time in nature.

Having time with friends and increasing your connections in the community is also linked to improved health, reduced stress, longevity, and increased happiness.

Make yourself a priority; your friends and family will be blessed to have you in their lives.