BY RACHEL MARY RILEY

I always wonder some men enjoy health and fitness and some are not so interested in health and fitness. Some men believe that only woman should take care of themselves more even than themselves. Some men have been traumatizing by life and experiences that lead them into depression, mental health, oppression, obesity and violence you name it. Some men don’t care to eat and live a healthier lifestyle. I’m not here to counsel or judge but to speak the truth. Dear men, living in health matters. Not to show off your muscles to another woman or to prove to the world for validation but come to the place of becoming healed eternally, emotionally, physically and spiritually and to be able to become the best version of yourself. I find that there is so many counseling sessions, conferences and events for woman more than for men these days. But not enough shows to build an empower men to be the best version of themselves. In this article I’ll dive into the reason why men need to stay fit and healthy.

Men you can live in health and pass that legacy down to your sons and the next generation. It’s not always about the woman being healthy. As I think and meditate on men health and fitness. I see some men wising up and some not wising up. I find some men always pointing figures at the woman as the problem. Question to ask yourselves today as you read this article; who’s the most to die early? My answer is men. We have more woman in population. Let’s do a reality check. According to my research, I discovered that average man pays less attention to their health than the average woman. Compared to women, men are more likely to

• Drink alcohol and use tobacco
• Make risky choices
• Not see a doctor for regular checkups

Men are assailed by the diseases that can affect anyone—heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, depression… But they also have unique issues such as prostate cancer and benign prostate enlargement.

Many of the major health risks that men face can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle: regular exercise, a healthy diet, not smoking, stress reduction, and alcohol consumption in the moderate range (no more than two drinks a day) if at all. Regular checkups and screening tests can spot disease early, when it is easiest to treat.

So don’t be an average man — get on board with protecting your health today men (Men’s Health, 2023).

Major health tips for men:

• Visit your doctor- Schedule yearly checkups with your doctor and keep these appointments. Your doctor can help monitor your weight, blood pressure, and the level of cholesterol in your blood. Excess weight, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Your doctor can recommend lifestyle changes, medications, or other treatments to help get your weight, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol under control (Rogers, n.d.).
• Eat natural foods and stop relying on steroid’s (Rogers, n.d.)
• Workout and stay fit (Rogers, n.d.)
• Get your vitamins (Rogers, n.d.)
• Break unhealthy habits. Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your health. Secondhand smoke is also very dangerous. Other health-damaging behaviors include excessive alcohol consumption and recreational or habitual drug use. Lastly, if you use recreational drugs, it’s important to stop. They’re linked to many health conditions. For example, cocaine use can cause heart attacks and strokes. Injected drugs of all sorts can lead to serious infections and skin breakdown at the injection sites. Some men also use anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass. This can lead to serious health consequences. Possible outcomes include sterility, heart disease, skin disease, and behavioral problems (Rogers, n.d.).

BY RACHEL MARY RILEY

There are so many methods to lose weight quickly and keep it off. However, through my journey and continuous studying, I have discovered that losing weight naturally is one of the best natural ways to reach your goals, create a healthier lifestyle, and keep that weight off for good. In this article, I shed some light on some major ways to lose weight naturally. You don’t always have to use supplements to get in your best shape.

Juicing: What’s the hype all about?
Juicing is like a combination of rich greens and fruits juiced together and you can have it in the: morning, day or evening. Some folks replace their protein shakes with fresh squeezed juice, and some folks have it when they are intermittent fasting.

What is the difference between homemade juices and store bought juices?
According to research, “Store-bought juices can often be high in sugar and stripped of valuable nutrients like fibre and other phytochemicals,” (Pankonin). Juices made at home are often higher in fibre, and you can control the amount of added sugars or alternative sweeteners that you use.

If you don’t have time to make them yourself, it is recommended that you look for juices that are vegetable-based—think green juices, tomato, and other veggie juices. “These will generally be lower in calories, but still contain a lot of nutrients and hydration,” (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d.).

9 Natural juices recommended for weight loss

Blueberry green juice
Blueberries are the stars of this juice, which are packed with vitamin C, and anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that give them their gorgeous purple colour. This yummy juice also gets a fibre boost thanks to the almond or soy milk, mixed greens, banana, and pineapple (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Beet, carrot, kale and carrot juice
“The Ginger is good for digestive health and the apple adds the right amount of sweetness,” (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Berry beet juice
This sweet, fruity juice combines beets, strawberries, and raspberries with a bit of ice and water for a cold, fibre-packed juice that will help you stay hydrated (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Watermelon raspberry juice
With just three ingredients, this juice is the easiest one to make and possibly the most refreshing, thanks to the lime juice and watermelon, plus fibre from each fruit (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Green juice with spinach and apples
“Spinach and apples are high in fiber, which can be both nutritious and super filling,” says Pankonin (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Morning green juice
This green juice has six ingredients that are all filled with fibre and flavour to help keep you full: celery, spinach, cucumber, green apple, mint leaves, and a tiny bit of fresh ginger (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Kale, carrot and cucumber juice
“These vegetables contain a lot of fluid and fibre, which can be both hydrating and keep you satiated,” says Pankonin (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Strawberry cucumber juice
Besides the strawberries and cucumber, this juice gets an extra punch of fibre thanks to carrots and apples (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

Wild blueberry chia fresca juice
“Boosting fibre intake is tied in many studies to positive outcomes with long-term weight management, so adding foods like chia seeds is a great way to make sure you’re getting your anti-inflammatory omega 3s, filling fibre, and satiating protein all in a delicious, low-sugar juice,” says Hultin. “The blueberries and fresh lime brighten up this antioxidant-rich juice,” (The 15 Best Juices for Weight Loss, According to Nutritionists, n.d).

BY RACHEL MARY RILEY

Since the pandemic I have gotten into the habit of taking vitamins that will assist me with weight loss. Some people think you can just take your protein shakes, supplements and think that vitamins won’t assist you. My dear, you need vitamins for your body.

Magnesium: Magnesium is one of the top vitamins that helps to break down your digestive system. How you take it matters. According to my research, magnesium may be helpful for regulating blood sugar and insulin levels in people who are overweight or obese.

A 2013 study found that taking higher amounts of magnesium helps better control insulin and glucose blood levels. Magnesium supplements might be helpful for reducing unpleasant menstrual symptoms in women because of its ability to reduce bloating and water retention (5 Vitamins and Minerals to Boost Your Metabolism and Promote Weight Loss, 2020).

Magnesium is an important mineral that your body needs in order to function. It helps you do a variety of important things including produce energy, regulate blood sugar, and cause necessary chemical reactions in the body. Magnesium helps your body conduct nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm by playing a role in the transport of calcium and potassium. Your heart, muscles, and kidneys all need magnesium to work properly. The mineral also helps build teeth and bones (5 Vitamins and Minerals to Boost Your Metabolism and Promote Weight Loss, 2020).

Iron: The body needs iron for healthy growth, development, and metabolism. Iron is also vital for correct cell functioning and the creation of some hormones. Iron is essential for carrying oxygen in red blood cells. The red blood cells carry oxygen to and from muscles and tissues in the body. If a person has low iron levels, they may not send enough oxygen to their muscles. Muscles that are low in oxygen cannot burn fat for fuel as well as they should. Low iron also interferes with optimum metabolism in the body (Vitamins and Minerals That Boost Metabolism, 2018).

Vitamin B: The B vitamins play many essential roles in energy metabolism in the body. The B vitamins include:

• B-12
• Biotin
• Folate
• B-6
• Pantothenic acid or B-5
• Niacin or B-3
• Riboflavin or B-2
• Thiamine or B-1

Deficiency in one of the B vitamins can affect other B vitamins, which can disrupt a person’s metabolism.

• B-12 is essential for the metabolism of proteins and fats
• Trusted source
• It needs B-6 and folate to work correctly
• B-6 also helps metabolize protein
• Thiamine helps the body metabolize
• Trusted source
• Fat, protein, and carbohydrates

The ability to process fats, proteins, and carbohydrates is essential. A healthy metabolism ensures that the body uses these nutrients for energy rather than storing them as fat.

People must regularly eat foods that contain B vitamins to meet their daily needs (Vitamins and Minerals That Boost Metabolism, 2018).

Vitamins D: Vitamin D is critical to a healthy system. Your body can get all the vitamin D it needs courtesy of the sun. Yet, most people today spend too much time indoors, or they live in climates where the sun doesn’t always shine.

Getting enough vitamin D from food is difficult, so supplements are often recommended. A 2011 study found that overweight and obese adults taking calcium and vitamin D supplements lost significantly more stomach fat than people not taking any supplements.

Food sources: While the sun is the best source of vitamin D, you can also get this vitamin from food, especially fortified foods (Vitamins and Minerals That Boost Metabolism, 2018).

So, now that you know better, do better. Stock up on vitamins, and watch the pounds drop off.