8 Health Tips For Men

Quick Health Scoop

• The first step toward improving men’s health starts with a visit to the doctor for an annual exam, lifestyle assessment, and recommendations for needed health screenings.
• Many health issues can be prevented by leading a healthier lifestyle.
• By following some common-sense Health tips for men, men can make simple lifestyle changes, ranging from improving their diet and managing stress to exercising regularly and getting adequate sleep.

Did you know that June is National Men's Health Month and includes International Men’s health Week? While it’s important to focus on men’s health all year long, these commemorative events serve as a great reminder to take stock of your lifestyle and adopt healthier habits.

Ready to discover Health tips for men of any age? Read on to learn more about healthy lifestyle changes that cover food, fitness, and more.

How Can A Man Improve His Health?

It may sound cliched, but men simply don’t pay enough attention to their own health the way women do. In fact, men are more likely to make risky choices, drink alcohol, smoke or chew tobacco, and avoid going to their doctor for regular checkups. [1]

If you’re a man, how can you improve your health? For starters, go to the doctor! Even if you’re feeling fine, it’s important to schedule an annual exam for a wellness check-up. Your healthcare provider can check your blood pressure, monitor your weight, ask questions, assess your lifestyle, recommend screenings, and order any necessary tests and immunizations. For instance, a blood test can determine if you’ve got a vitamin deficiency or high blood cholesterol—both of which could lead to serious health problems. Your healthcare provider can also review your family history and determine any risk factors that could affect overall health.

While men are vulnerable to the same diseases that affect women (including heart disease and cancer), they also face unique health issues such as prostate cancer and benign prostate enlargement. [1] Regular check-ups and screenings with a healthcare provider will help catch health issues earlier.

What Nutrients Are Essential For Men's Health?

The body requires 13 vitamins and at least 16 minerals essential to your health. [2] How much you need of each nutrient depends on your age, lifestyle, and other factors. Key vitamins for men include Vitamin A, B Vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E. Other important nutrients men need include Calcium, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc, and the Omega-3's EPA and DHA. These represent the primary nutrients that men should focus on. But men still need other important nutrients, such as Vitamin K (to support healthy bones), Zinc (to support a healthy immune system), and fiber (to maintain a healthy digestive system).†

What Are The Best Habits For Men's Health?

You can prevent many of the major men’s health risks by following a healthy lifestyle. Follow these health tips to take care of both your physical and mental health. [3,4,5]

1. Improve your diet. The best way to ensure you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals you need is by eating a healthy, balanced diet. This means eating a variety of fruits, vegetables (especially green foods like spinach and kale), whole grains (like brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread), nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, lean meats, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy. Remember, the foods you eat provide the fuel you need throughout the day. While the calories you need every day varies depending on a variety of factors, experts suggest that a moderately active adult male should consume between 2,200 to 2,800 calories every day. [6] Just as important as what to eat is what not to eat. Reduce the amount of saturated and trans fats, added sugars, cholesterol, and sodium in your diet often found in high-fat meat, sodas and sugary drinks, fried foods, packaged/processed foods, and full-fat dairy.

2. Take a men’s multivitamin. To ensure you’re getting all the nutrients you need—especially as you age and your needs change—consider taking a specially formulated multivitamin for your age and gender. For instance, Nature Made offers a variety of men’s vitamins, such a as Multi for Himand Multi for Him 50+, which provide nutritional support to fill in nutrient gaps missing from your diet. 

3. Stay hydrated. Water plays a vital role in your overall health and supports every system in your body. And staying properly hydrated prevents dehydration, which helps you feel better both mentally and physically. How much water you need to drink every day depends on a variety of factors, but in general, experts suggest aiming to drink 64 oz. of water each day. [7]

4. Engage in physical activity. Did you know that exercise reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and some cancers? [3] Regular exercise should include a mix of activities that build strength, flexibility, endurance, and heart health. In general, experts recommend that adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (such as brisk walking) as well as muscle-strengthening activities twice a week. [8] Think outside the box when it comes to “exercise.” Sure, that could mean playing tennis, lifting weights, or going for a jog. But it could also mean doing yardwork, dancing, riding your bike, doing housework, swimming, and practicing yoga. The idea is to move more and sit less.

5. Maintain a healthy weight. Men who are obese are more likely to develop other health issues, such as heart disease or diabetes. [5] Exercising regularly puts you on the right path to maintaining a healthy weight. In fact, people who have lost weight and successfully kept it off participate in 60-90 minutes of physical activity most days of the week without exceeding their daily calorie needs. [9] Another key to maintaining a healthy weight is your diet. While eating the right kind of foods plays an important role, you also need to eat the right quantity of foods. In essence, that means paying attention to portion sizes. Don’t “supersize” your meals, snacks, and drinks, especially if you’re still consuming foods and beverages that contain empty calories, added sugars, sodium, saturated or trans-fat, and/or little or no good-for-you nutrients. Try these healthy recipes to help you keep your weight management goals.

6. Don’t smoke. Did you know that smoking kills an average of 400,000 people in the U.S. every year? [5] If you don’t smoke, don’t start. And if you do, quit.

7. Manage stress. Everyone occasionally experiences stress, but it’s not mentally or physically healthy when stress persists. What happens to the body during stress? Your sympathetic nervous system kicks in, which increases heart rate, enhances blood circulation, elevates breathing rate, and releases stress hormones. Practice stress management strategies to keep your stress in check. Need some ideas? Practice relaxation techniques (such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation), exercise, write in a journal, take a warm bath, call or spend time with a friend or loved one, take a social media break, spend time on a hobby, or volunteer.

8. Get adequate sleep. You know that when you don’t get enough sleep, you feel tired all day long, lacking the energy you need to get through the day. But lack of sleep also affects your emotions, memory, weight—and even your appearance. [3] Sleep plays a vital role in your overall health and well-being, so it’s important you get adequate sleep on a consistent basis. While the amount of sleep you need varies depending on age, lifestyle, and other factors, the National Sleep Foundation recommends that most adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep every night. [10] To ensure you’re getting enough shut-eye, practice good sleep hygiene by keeping a consistent sleep schedule, limiting screen-time before bedtime, exercising during the day, dimming the lights at night, and keeping your room at a comfortable temperature.

Bottom Line

Men are notorious for not paying attention to their health like women do. What can men do to improve their health? It starts with a visit to the doctor for an annual exam, lifestyle assessment, and recommendations for needed health screenings and immunizations. Many health issues can be prevented by leading a healthier lifestyle. Follow the above health tips to make simple lifestyle changes, such as avoid smoking, improve your diet, engage in physical activity regularly, manage stress, and get consistent, adequate sleep.

Continue to check back on the Nature Made blog for the latest science-backed articles to help you take ownership of your health.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References 

1. Harvard Health Publishing. “Men’s health.” 2022. Accessed on: June 2, 2022. https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/mens-health
2. Pharmacy Times. “Vitamins and Minerals Explained.” June 22, 2015. Accessed on: June 2, 2022. https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/vitamins-and-minerals-explained
3. Johns Hopkins Medicine. “It's Never Too Late: Five Healthy Steps at Any Age.” 2022. Accessed on: June 2, 2022. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/its-never-too-late-five-healthy-steps-at-any-age
4. Illinois Dept. of Public Health. “Men’s health” 2022. Accessed on: June 3, 2022. https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/life-stages-populations/mens-health.html
5. Roseman University of Health Sciences. “12 Different Ways Men Can Improve Their Health.” 2022. Accessed on: June 3, 2022. https://www.roseman.edu/2015/08/05/12-different-ways-men-can-better-their-health/
6. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Healthy Eating for Men.” June 3, 2019. Accessed on: June 2, 2022. https://www.eatright.org/health/wellness/healthy-aging/healthy-eating-for-men
7. Cleveland Clinic. “Are There Any Health Benefits to Drinking a Gallon of Water a Day?” February 2, 2021. Accessed on: June 3, 2022. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-there-any-health-benefits-to-drinking-a-gallon-of-water-a-day/
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Physical activity for Different Groups.” July 29, 2021. Accessed on: June 3, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/age-chart.html
9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Keeping It Off.” May 15, 2015. Accessed on: June 3, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/keepingitoff.html
10. National Sleep Foundation. “How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?” October 1, 2020. Accessed on: June 3, 2022. https://www.thensf.org/how-many-hours-of-sleep-do-you-really-need/