Real men eat right
by Catherine Saxelby
The unhealthier sex?
Health statistics reveal that women complain of ill-health and are in hospital more often than men, yet men’s health is definitely poorer than women’s. Consider these male-female differences:
• Men suffer more from heart disease, lung disease, high blood pressure and bowel cancer than women.
• Men have higher rates of suicide and self-injury than women.
• Men die on average six years earlier than women - life expectancy for men is 75, while for women it is 81 years.
• Men consult doctors less, take less responsibility for their health and are much less likely to be prescribed antidepressants than women.
• Most alcoholics are men and men are seven times as likely as women to be arrested for drink driving.
• Around 60% of Aussie blokes are overweight compared to fewer than 50% of women. Male fat tends to be distributed around the abdomen (the “apple” shape), which is far more dangerous than the female distribution on hips and thighs (the “pear” shape). Abdominal fat is linked with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
• Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men (killing four times the number of men than women with cervical cancer), yet little is known about its origins and there is no national screening program.
Men often know little about eating the right foods (having always considered it the domain of their mothers or wives) and this is taking its toll on their wellbeing as well as their families. This is because male preferences often dictate what the whole households eats, according to a recent Australian study. It reports that many wives are reluctant to experiment with recipes or to reduce the fat in meals because of complaints from the male of the house. Children frequently copy Dad, making it even harder for health-conscious mothers.
Ten ways to improve your nutrition
So how can males improve their eating habits and feel better?
1. Take an interest in nutrition and what’s what in healthy eating.
2. Trim the fat from your steaks and steer clear of sausages and fatty chops.
3. Heap your plate with green vegetables – potatoes aren’t the only vegetable.
4. Moderate your alcohol intake.
5. Set a good example to your children. Eat your vegetables and salad – and look as if you’re enjoying them!
6. Taste your food before salting it.
7. Eat plenty of fibre to keep your bowel in good order – porridge oats, bran cereals, baked beans, grain toast, nuts and vegetables.
8. Eat fish two or three times each week.
9. Be prepared and pack a sandwich or leftovers so you don’t have to rely on fast food.
10. Take cooking classes or invest in a basic cookbook so you can whip up easy meals such as an omelette, stir-fry with vegetables, a roast, vegetable soup and a good curry. It’s not that hard – and everyone will think you’re wonderful!
Catherine Saxelby is an accredited nutritionist and author of 9 books including Nutrition for Life. For more tips and ideas, go to her website at www.foodwatch.com.au