Did you know that June is Men’s Health Month? We are the first to admit, as a female-founded company, we at F-Factor often focus predominantly on women’s health and wellness. With Father’s Day this past Sunday and the month of June winding down, we wanted to shine a light on the men we love. Men’s health is an important but sometimes overlooked part of the wellness world, but we’re happy to change that! So grab your favorite guy as we highlight some key nutrients integral for men’s health.

VITAMIN D

Though we commonly associate bone health with women, it does not mean it’s not equally important for men! Vitamin D is also important for immune health and disease prevention for both women and men alike and is especially important in testosterone production. While it is difficult to reach the recommended intake of vitamin D through food, men should still try to consume fatty fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms, which contain the highest amount of vitamin D. A few minutes of sunlight a day will also help to improve vitamin D levels and promote bone health and immunity.

FIBER

The daily fiber requirement for men is a whopping 38 grams per day for optimal health and disease prevention, but most men don’t come close to meeting this requirement.

If you’re new here and curious where you stand, plug a few days of eating into a food tracker and average your daily fiber intake. Scary right? But not to worry! If you‘re interested in increasing your fiber intake, you’re certainly in the right place. Replace refined carbohydrates like white bread and rice with their whole-grain counterparts, add in high fiber fruits like raspberries and blackberries, and throw some legumes plus your favorite veggies together in a salad for a fiber-packed lunch or dinner.

OMEGA-3 FATS

Are you a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy? We love a great steak every once in a while, but it’s especially important to include omega-3 rich foods like fatty fish a few times a week.

Omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, so they help fight inflammation within the body and can actually decrease LDL, or bad cholesterol, and triglycerides. Omega-3s can also increase your HDL, aka your good cholesterol. Talk about a win-win!

MAGNESIUM

Magnesium is a mineral involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions, but less than 50% of us get enough of it. Magnesium is important for optimal heart health and exercise performance, and low levels have been associated with chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension [1].

WATER

Last, but certainly not least, is H2O. I often refer to water as the “forgotten nutrient,” as it’s essential for health but most of us wouldn’t even think of it if asked about healthy nutrients. Proper hydration is incredibly important for health, but a lot of men would sooner grab a soda, coffee, or sports drink than good old water.

Sugar-sweetened beverages can add a ton of excess calories and carbs to your day. To cut back and improve hydration, try adding fresh fruit or citrus to your water and trading soda for unsweetened flavored sparkling water.

Notice that you might not be getting enough of some of these nutrients? There’s no time like the present to fix that! Small, incremental changes can yield big results when it comes to nutrition, so starting now is most important. If you or the man in your life needs some help, encourage him to become a part of the F-Factor community today, through Instagram and our Official F-Factor Facebook Group.

References:

• [1] Rosanoff, Andrea et al. “Suboptimal magnesium status in the United States: are the health consequences underestimated?.” Nutrition reviews vol. 70,3 (2012): 153-64. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00465.x