Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables

Why eat vegetables? Current research shows that eating vegetables from the cruciferous family (bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, and kale) may help fight cancer-causing agents. According to the Harvard Health Letter, “Cruciferous vegetables include dithiolthiones, chlorophylling (chlorophyll combined with sodium and copper), and organonitriles, which are cancer fighters. In addition to these functional components, these vegetables are also rich in fiber and in Vitamin C and selenium. No doubt these substances work in some complex synergy to fight cancer.” And as stated in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, “People who eat vegetarian diets have lower incidences of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes when compared to their meat-eating counterparts. Vegetarians also are at a lower risk for osteoporosis, kidney stones, and gallstones.” Conclusion: You certainly don’t have to be a complete vegetarian to gain these benefits; but eat more fruits and vegetables.

Preventing Prostate Disease

Prevention is always the best medicine, and recent studies show that many diseases can be encouraged or held off by our food choices. Three important foods for the prevention of prostate disease are garlic, pumpkin seeds, and ginger.

The high zinc content found in pumpkin is thought to help in its prevention. Why not just take zinc supplements instead? Many people find that zinc makes them feel queasy. The zinc in pumpkin seeds is well absorbed, and is also high in essential fatty acids. So try keeping pumpkin seeds in your car or office for times when you feel the urge to snack. And garlic and ginger? Learn to acquire a taste for both spices, and add them liberally to the foods you eat.

Is There a Male Menopause?

When you hear about menopause in women, the reference is to a sudden drop of estrogen, which can contribute to hot flashes, emotional swings, and physical changes. As men age, they often experience a slight reduction in the male hormone testosterone, but the emphasis is on the word slight, and not all men have a decline. Some experts in the medical world have coined the phrase andropause, or male menopause, to refer to this decline. What men may begin to feel is natural, normal aging. Unlike hormone replacement therapy in women, testosterone therapy is not common. It is used only with younger men who have extremely low levels of testosterone. In fact, giving extra testosterone to older men increases their risk of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Can Changing Diapers Increase Longevity?

The answer appears to be yes, according to a news brief in the Harvard Men’s Health Watch. “In human societies, women nearly always assume the responsibility of child-rearing. In some other species, though, males and females divide the chores more evenly. Could parental chores pay off in longevity? To find out, scientists in California examined the life expectancy of male and female monkeys, apes, and humans. They found that when males and females assume similar responsibilities for raising their young, they have nearly similar life expectancies, but when females are the caregivers, the longevity gap persists. It’s only a theory at present, but young fathers may be wise not to dismiss it as monkey business when it’s time to change a diaper.”