Keeping healthy doesn’t have to be a chore guys. Here are five surprisingly fun ways to boost your wellbeing - from downing a beer to making some ‘me time’.
We’ve put together five fun and surprising ways to keep healthy that we’re pretty confident you will love. Indeed, from drinking a pint of Guinness to snacking on chocolate with a high cocoa percentage, these surprising health tricks for men aren’t hard to stick to at all. You’re welcome!
1. Raise a glass to Guinness
The dark stuff’s famous slogan declares “Guinness is good for you” and that’s no word of a lie – if you drink it in moderation of course.
Scientists from the University of Wisconsin in the USA believe that a pint of the black stuff every day could prevent blood clots and heart attacks. In a study carried out on dogs with narrowed arteries, the researchers found that those who were given Guinness had reduced clotting activity in their blood compared with those who were given lager.
They say “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” but it sounds a lot more appealing when “apple” is replaced with “Guinness”. Cheers!
2. Full-fat cheese boosts muscle gain
Feeling guilty about munching on too much cheese? Worry no more, gents. It turns out that full-fat cheese isn’t only tasty - it’s packed full of nutrients too.
And the best bit? Cheese is the perfect food choice when you’re bulking up. Full-fat cheese is packed with casein protein – the ideal nutrient to fuel your body with when you’re looking to put on more muscle. Cheese is also full of calcium which helps to strengthen teeth and conjugated linoleic acid, which is thought to have cancer-fighting properties.
3. Me time
We increasingly lead very hectic lives and taking time out for yourself is a sure-fire way to boost your overall health. Meditation may seem like a passing trend, but the practice is more popular than ever. This is because it boasts some serious health benefits.
Regularly taking a short time out of your day (10-20 minutes) to unwind and focus on yourself, is one of the greatest secrets to increased health and wellbeing. It can help with stress reduction, ensure better sleep and lower blood pressure.
Evidence also shows that it leads to improved immunity and improved cardiovascular function. On top of that, it’s going to make you feel much better because you’re disconnecting from all the distractions of modern life.
4. Beef keeps your muscles healthy
Burger anyone? Beef helps to strengthen muscles when you’re young. And according to a study by scientists at Canada’s McMaster University in Canada, it is also particularly beneficial for older guys.
To maintain, repair and build muscle, your body requires protein. As you get older, your body has a harder time synthesising protein quickly enough to keep up with muscle loss - even if you’re hitting the weights. However, the amino acids found in beef are similar to those found in human muscle and help to counteract age-related muscle breakdown.
5. Dark chocolate for brain and heart health
Got a sweet tooth? Well, the odd bar of chocolate is actually good for you, as long as it has a high percentage of cocoa. Dark chocolate has gained a lot of attention worldwide as a dietary supplement to improve health.
The polyphenols found in dark chocolate respond to the brain receptors associated with anxiety, according to experts. And the darker the chocolate, the more of these organic chemicals it contains.
Dark chocolate is also rich in in flavanols. Clinical evidence shows that flavanol may enhance brain blood flow, improve cognitive health and offer some heart healthy properties. So make the switch from milk to dark chocolate to help reduce your stress levels, cutting the chance of heart attack and blood clots.
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