ISSUE 52 - Pride 2022 - Steps

Page 81

LIFESTYLE THE MOST SEARCHED DIETS

It’s time we got more out of what we put in: The most searched diets and their overall health benef its It’s no secret that men are silent sufferers when talking about health issues or seeking professional help. According to the Mental Health Foundation, men are three times more likely to commit suicide than women and have been found less likely to use primary healthcare services before hospitalisation. The theme for this year’s Men’s Health Week is ‘Time for Your MOT’ – where men are being encouraged to consider what’s going on with their bodies and mind and do something to improve their overall health. In aid of the International Awareness Day, Health Expert Stephanie Taylor of StressNoMore discusses the most searched diets and how you can test and refresh yours to boost your overall health. Mediterranean Diet – 49,500 monthly searches The most searched - the Mediterranean diet is based on the traditional cuisine eaten in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Italy, and Spain. It consists of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, nuts, seeds, fish, and poultry. Meals generally follow a plant-based approach, with healthy fats and olive oil – with added healthy fats from lean meats like fish. Red meat, sugary foods, and excessive dairy are limited, while processed foods are forbidden. Adopting this can improve physical and mental health by decreasing the risk of heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, and mental health issues like depression. Plant-Based diet – 12,100 monthly searches A fairly new phenomenon that has become increasingly more popular, vegans and vegetarians will reportedly make up a quarter of the British population by 2025 – with a recent study revealing that 46 percent of Brits are considering reducing their animal intake.

A Plant-Based diet consists of foods that primarily come from plant sources, like fruit, vegetables, grains, pulses, legumes, nuts and seeds. It can limit or eliminate any food derived from an animal, such as meat, eggs and dairy products. Similarly to the Mediterranean diet, a plantbased approach – or flexitarian diet (where you cut down your meat intake) is scientifically proven to help lower your chances of heart disease and other chronic illnesses like diabetes and digestive disorders. It has also shown favourable results for improving prostate health – one of the biggest killers among men in the UK. DASH Diet – 6,600 monthly searches With men more likely to develop hypertension or high blood pressure before they turn 65 they should make lifestyle changes younger to reduce the risk of serious conditions such as heart disease, developing later in life. To prevent or treat the issue, researchers created Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, which consists of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, such as chicken, fish and beans. It reduces your natural sodium intake by limiting red meat, salt, added sugars and fat. Those who follow a regular programme should have one teaspoon of salt per day, while the lower-salt version recommends just three-quarters of a spoonful.

nuts and legumes – has been found to increase life expectancy by 10.7 years in females and 13 years in males. However, remember that making lifestyle changes is also important if you want to sustain your health and live a longer, happier life. So, what about supplements and vitamins? While it’s evident that you can kickstart a healthier lifestyle physically and mentally by tweaking your diet, the popularity of vitamins and supplements has risen significantly. But with people taking MultiVitamins purely to ‘take control’ of their health, it’s hard to know if they know the actual benefits. Here are a few supplements men could add to their daily routine to aid specific concerns: • Vitamin D, Zinc and Magnesium – To boost testosterone • Vitamin B – Prevent cancer • Vitamin B12 – Improves brain function • Probiotics – Maintain a healthy microbiome and immune function

.Screaming-frog.co.uk

So, if your MOT does show that your blood pressure is high, then the DASH diet has been found to lower blood pressure in older age and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Longevity Diet – 210 monthly searches Rather than ignoring your health and burying your head in the sand, which could ultimately see you shaving the years off your life, a simple change in your food could be what you need to live longer. Changing from the typical Western to a pescetarian diet by cutting out processed or red meat, sugar and refined grains in favour of plenty of GNI MAG [81]


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