Fellas, Let’s Figure It Out: Nutrition talk

March 6, 2024 Columns

Nutrition plays a pivotal role in the overall health and well-being of men, impacting various aspects of our lives, ranging from physical performance to mental acuity.

Today, I’ll be sharing some actionable nutrition tips to help you improve your health and wellness one meal at a time.

The number-one easiest way to improve your health via diet is to cut out extremely processed food.

Fellas, Let’s Figure It Out is a column appearing in every issue of Nexus (photo provided).

Let’s take, for example, fast food french fries. Who doesn’t love fries, right? 

Well, the vast majority of fries are cooked in canola or vegetable oil. I would argue that these highly processed oils have been a major contributor to the increase in obesity levels that has occurred over the last 50 years.

Search on YouTube for how seed oils are made. I promise you will never look at “normal” food the same way again. 

An easy way to avoid unhealthy oils is to pivot to extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil. Potatoes air fried in olive oil with some good seasoning beat McDonald’s fries any day.

Another potential area for change in diet is the type of milk you consume. While alternative milks have become quite popular these days, they are not necessarily that good for you.

Options like oat or soy milk are often filled with unhealthy additives, which can be quite harmful to your health. They also lack many of the vitamins and minerals that are in animal milk.

If you choose alternative milk because of lactose intolerance, consider trying A2 milk, which is now available at most grocery stores. It’s made from cows that only produce the A2 protein, not the commonly irritating A1 protein that causes most discomfort.

But enough about what you shouldn’t eat—what kind of food should men be eating to fuel their bodies for success?

Well, meat is king, man.

Both lean and fattier sources of protein derived from animals are fantastic for the male body and will help your body repair itself from the stresses of life. Chicken, beef, and turkey are all fantastic options.

To clarify, I’m not advocating for a full carnivore diet, although it looks fun. It’s vital that you also consume a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables for your body to operate at peak performance. 

Make a change; your body will thank you.