Men’s Health: Strong, Fit, and Sexy

It is no secret that men take great pride in being perceived as tough. What does this mean? Providing for their family, being mentally strong, and being confident—adult men put immense pressure on themselves to be the best versions of themselves but ironically, are not willing to do as much as they should.

According to leading experts, most men avoid going to the doctor. As silly as it may sound, these men would rather silently suffer or choose to believe that they can figure it out on their own, rather than taking a simple visit to a doctor. This is not only an unhealthy approach but is also not necessary. It is counter-productive to not utilize healthcare providers and physicians who can help supply proactive information on how to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s important to stay informed to live your best overall life – whether that be nutrition, exercise, or mental health.

Staying Informed About Men’s Health

Believe it or not, men die on average five years earlier than women. This may be due to the fact that men are typically more dangerous and bolder in their decision-making. This isn’t to say that taking a risk is a bad thing, just that men tend to neglect their health and at times ignore their own well-being, telling themselves they will eventually figure it out. However, the top three causes of death for men are (in order), heart (cardiovascular) disease, cancer, and unintentional injury. Besides suffering from an unintentional injury, this is crucial to know because if you monitor your health and make thoughtful decisions, the chances of you living a longer and healthier life drastically increase.

On the bright side, once these facts come to light, one can start their journey to recovery and begin to get their health back on track. Those modifications can come through proper diet, simple lifestyle changes, and if necessary, medical or surgical intervention. There is a great opportunity to improve lifestyle habits in many men. In the United States alone, men self-report numerous risk factors for poor health, which include smoking, obesity, binge alcohol drinking, and not exercising. Improvements in these areas will add years on to a man’s life and will improve mental health as well. Furthermore, social factors that may have a negative impact on health are serving in the armed forces, incarceration, and high-risk jobs such as construction, mining, and shipping. Men should be counseled about the potential employment-related hazards they may encounter in these and other jobs.

Nutrition For Men’s Health

The simplest and best thing a man can do for themselves is eating clean. Yes, we all love a greasy cheeseburger and an ice-cold beer but in the long run, the key to a healthy lifestyle is feeding yourself food that your body actually wants!

There is a reason why you feel groggy and sluggish after a fat-filled dinner—it’s your body rejecting it and telling you that it would rather have something else. There is always going to be a certain vegetable or protein that you don’t want to eat. The great thing is we now live in a world where there is essentially an alternative to everything, allowing you to still indulge in your favorite guilty pleasures.

Dieting isn’t easy and for most men, it can be an excruciating battle. It’s hard to say no to a slice of pizza and not engage in “Taco Tuesday,” but when you lack good health, everything else suffers. Those extra calories are going to slow you down, you will have a harder time concentrating, and will even make you grumpy.

The key is to reward yourself, but only if you put in the work. There is nothing wrong with having a soda or eating a dozen chicken wings as you watch a football game, but doing this every day, that’s where you’re going to run into trouble. Most of your meals should consist of lean protein, organic vegetables, little carbs, and a lot of water. Boring? Of course, it is! But the results will have you feeling energetic and ready to take on the world.

A good strategy to take is setting a day where you know that you are going to want to lounge around all day and binge on your favorite foods—typically on the weekend. Life is meant to be enjoyed and part of the many pleasures we experience comes from a tasty meal. As good as it would be to eat these sugar-filled treats and salty snacks, the hard truth is that it is simply not doable. Setting a day where you do treat yourself will not only allow you to munch on your favorite foods, but it will also help teach the valuable lesson of discipline.

Exercising For Men

For some, clean eating is the tricky part and for others it is exercise. In today’s fast-paced world filled with social media and ten-second video clips, it is easy to feel uninspired when you check your phone only to witness how hard someone else is working which in turn will make you feel as if you are falling behind. There is no point in comparing yourself to how hard or little someone else works because they aren’t you and are not going through the same trials and tribulations. It’s best to stay in your own lane and figure out what works best for you.

Whether you enjoy working out in the gym or at home, the key is to just do it (Nike has a point)!. It’s so easy to say that you’ll start tomorrow. Tomorrow then becomes the weekend, that becomes next Tuesday, then suddenly, a month goes by, and you haven’t exercised a single day. No one expects you to work out like a professional athlete. Whether it be walking around the block for 30 minutes a day, or signing up for CrossFit, exercise is not only great for your body but your mind too. This is a time to be alone with your thoughts and listen to your favorite band or podcast, all the while giving your body what it truly needs.

Even though social media can be a distraction, it is also an amazing place to find information. Nowadays, you don’t even need a personal trainer because, with a few flicks of your thumb, you can find an expert who can give you quick and reliable information on how to get in shape. The best part is a lot of these people create exercises that you can do right from the comfort of your home!

Afterthought

No one said dieting and eating healthy is easy, but that is why it is so rewarding. It is a testament to yourself, a way of proving that through hard work and dedication, you can accomplish something that most men struggle with. The key is to be consistent and not allow yourself to fall victim to your guilty pleasures. There are many ways to stay active without “exercising.” Playing sports with your friends, taking long walks, and even certain interactive video games are awesome ways of being active without the intimidating need to enter a gym. Even though junk food and certain fast food options may seem more affordable, there are simple ways to eat clean without breaking the bank.

Getting started is difficult, but in the end, this journey is worth it. You will feel better, be a kinder person, and will drastically increase your health so you can spend more time with your loved ones. The time for excuses is over. No more saying tomorrow or that you are too busy. Look, we’re all busy and all have other things going on in our lives, but fortunately, the staff at Chai Care can supply you with healthy tips and methods on how to get your life back on track!

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.

Nov 30, 2022

Days of Being Wild (But Healthy)

The way I see it, we’re all on fire. Souls burning and our bones crumbling to ash. Isn’t it beautiful?

The Wildcard

For as far back as I can remember I have been deemed the wild card. You dare me to do something, whatever it is, and without thinking twice I say yes. It’s always been a great joy of mine to watch everyone’s eye bulge and stare in awe as they witness someone do something that they never would. My life has been guided by temptation and impulsive urges to live freely and recklessly but it’s always been a mystery as to where I was hoping it would take me. All I knew was that I was meant to follow my gut, even if it led to the worst of places.

A Healthy You VS The Restricted World

Most people like to play things safe. They consider this to be the smart move that will ultimately build a proactive and healthy life. These are the same people whom many would consider boring and spiritless. This doesn’t make them a bad person, just spineless.

Acting on impulse and emotions can be considered reckless and even dangerous but after all, aren’t we animals? You don’t judge a lion in the wild for behaving the way they do yet when human beings do it’s frowned upon. In a lot of ways, we have neglected our primal instincts and replaced them with a superficial structure with a cozy safety net that protects us from any impending harm. This may sound beneficial but it’s actually preventing us from achieving anything worthwhile.

This system was made in hopes to prevent chaos and disorder and yes, that’s ultimately a good thing, but it also separates us from what we truly are. We have designed man-made techniques for ourselves—jobs, healthcare, school, and entertainment, but it’s merely a way of controlling us and how we behave. It’s time to put all that to the side and live freely.

The key is to have a well-rounded emotional outlook. Embrace the entire spectrums of emotion, not just the positive ones. In this modern world of prescription drugs, endless social media, and a non-stop news cycle, it’s easy to suppress our true selves with superficial supplements that are nothing more than a way to numb the pain. Get off your phone, stop waiting around for someone to tell you how to live your life, and make a spontaneous decision because the person you are meant to be is distracted by our contemporary pursuits.

Take A Risk

Why not take a chance and do something bold? Is it because you fear doing it or fear how much you may enjoy it?

If you consider yourself to be cautious and safe, it’s time to switch things up. Commit to doing something based on emotion rather than safety and I can guarantee the rush and thrill you achieve will be worth it. However, if you are going to go down the road of pandemonium, you should do it the right way.

There are certain facts of life that you can’t ignore. Let’s say you’re ready for an adventure. You are done playing by the rules and need some juice of excitement, but you have medical issues that can’t be ignored. There is a major difference between taking a risk and neglecting your health. At the end of the day, the only way you can be a risk-taker and live an extreme life is if you are physically up for the challenge. Get checked out and receive the necessary information you need otherwise; the party will end before it even starts.

Embrace Your True Self

You’ll never know who you really are if you don’t take chances. All of us are on a journey of self-discovery and the only way to find out who you are meant to be is by seeking it. Most people sit around waiting for something magical to happen only to realize that’s not the way life works. Failure and danger are a natural part of life so why not embrace it? The true test of a person’s will won’t be found through easy and safe accomplishments, only when things take a turn for the worst will you discover who you really are.

There is a catch. If you want to roll the dice, you have to be willing to pay the price. At some point, things are going to go sideways, and you need to understand that there will always be consequences for your actions. When that day inevitably comes, embrace it. This is part of the game and is the most important part. This is where life-changing lessons will be learned and is a crucial moment for self-discovery. This may be for better or worse, but either way, you’ll learn something about yourself that you never would have gained if you had played by the rules.

Life is rare and precious. This world will eat you up and spit you out but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. It’s up to you and only you to bring excitement and madness into your life—don’t let anyone tell you how your life should be lived. Be bold and take great chances. Remember, fortune favors the bold and no one remembers those who sat on the sidelines.

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.

Nov 09, 2022

Rationalism vs Rationality vs Rationalization

Living a proactive and healthy life is simple if you let it be.

Smart Choices

You know the rules, don’t you? Eat healthy, exercise, get regular check-ups, and receive medical attention when needed, and you will have the much-desired lifestyle that you have only read about, yet most people have a difficult time following this structure. I’m sure you have made the typical excuses, “I worked all day and don’t want to go to the gym”, or “I’ll be fine, I’m sure I didn’t break anything”, and the coveted “I don’t want to waste my time at urgent care”. These are all rationalizations that lead to lazy, destructive lives due to a lack of knowledge on how to improve your decision-making. Lucky for you, there is a formula.

Most people don’t know the difference between rationality, rationalism, and rationalization. They all may appear similar, but they are strikingly different from one another, so much so that your entire life can change just by understanding these individual philosophies. Each idea represents and examines concepts and strategies in life, however, depending on which one you choose your existence will either turn out to be one with good health and happiness and the other, well, not so much.

Rationalism:

An Invisible Examination

Although the words may sound similar, rationalism is much different from rationality. The main point is that rationalism is knowledge that cannot be confirmed with observation.

The best, albeit counterintuitive example would be intuition (see what I did there?). This is the ability for people to know things that are determined by the unconscious mind, in other words, something that you don’t see but can feel. We all have had moments where we have some sort of gut instinct that something eerie is lurking in the shadows and perhaps it’s best to take a taxi home rather than walk only to discover the next day that there was a mugging at that very spot. Coincidence? It’s impossible to say because this philosophy is cloaked by its own theory, thus making it more skeptical than rationality.

Think of it like this, you step on a jagged piece of glass, and it punctures your heel. You aren’t sure how deep the cut is so you don’t think it may be worth visiting an urgent care facility because it is a waste of time. The wound won’t stop bleeding and the pain won’t decrease. Is it better to listen to your gut where there is no visible proof or take an easy ride to a medical facility to have it examined? The choice is simple, get it checked. It sounds obvious but the safer play is to always use legitimate proof.

But really, at the core, rationalism simply means the school of thought that argues that the truth can only be found through mental operations that bypass the evidence offered by senses. René Descartes is arguably the most famous rationalist philosopher famous for his extremely skeptical attitude to the input from senses, and for stating “I think, therefore I am” – the quintessential example of deriving the truth by logical reasoning from the data available to the mind without the input from senses.

Rationality and Health

Rationality is the method for solving problems with logic and well-structured thinking.

If X than Y.

If you eat unhealthy food, your body gains fat. If you smoke cigarettes regularly, you are more likely to have lung cancer. If you break your arm, you should visit an urgent care facility and get a cast.

These are simple examples of cause and effect. If you do “X” then “Y” will happen. It’s a simple mathematical equation that can radically improve your life, but many people have a hard time solving it. The conundrum isn’t that the equation is confusing but that it requires consistent discipline, sacrifice, and most of all, toughness. Whoever said that working out every day and eating clean is a simple task was a liar and most likely was preaching to the choir. This formula is simple in theory yet difficult to live by due to the everyday struggles that people have. Children, work, relationships, and personal obligations all can complicate this equation yet it’s crucial not to fall into the trap of excuses.

Having a sense of rationality will not only construct a proactive life but will also help you sustain one. It’s an important foundation to live by because it will create a consistently safe and well-thought-out strategy on how to avoid danger and physical harm while simultaneously helping maintain your health and safety. With that being said, don’t confuse rationality with rationalism.

Rationalization: A Wrong Way to Use Logic

The worst thing you can possibly do is rationalize a situation. This is an act of attempting to explain or justify behavior with logical reasons even if they are not appropriate.

Cigarette smokers are the best example of this. Take John. His boss has been chewing him out all day due to his lack of accomplishments. He is then asked to stay late so he rationalizes to himself that a few puffs will calm his nerves and give him some newfound energy even though it is scientifically proven that cigarettes are extremely harmful to the human body and don’t really supply any organic vitality.

People are always looking for ways to rationalize their self-destructive behavior so they can ignore the problems that they are too scared to face. This negligence is not only harmful to yourself but to those around you. Think of your children, partner, or friends. These people care deeply about you and want what is best for you so when they suggest you should change your eating habits or pay a visit to a nearby urgent care facility for a physical, listen. To rationalize make-believe stories about your health is as foolish as it is incorrect.

These are the moments when it’s time to use the basic rationality formula—if you have been feeling unwell, then you should seek medical attention to receive a diagnosis.

A Healthy Philosophy

The best approach to pursuing a proactive life is to live with a sense of rationality. Be calculated and wise with your decisions rather than following unproven theories because when it comes to your health, it’s never safe to trust anything besides facts.  Be smart, be safe, and always use your head rather than your heart!

* Legal disclaimer: The content of this article and the entire Chai Care blog is for educational purposes only; it does NOT constitute medical advice and must not be considered as such. Please consult a medical professional regarding any symptoms or health concerns you or your loved ones.