Unlike in the earlier centuries when the life expectancy of men was restricted to the 40s or at the most 50s when war, disease and the pressure to survive in oppressed societies was larger, the men of the current era are lucky and certainly blessed. Because now, 40 is not even half the age we are capable of living, what with advancements in science and medicine and the luxuries of democratic governments and easier lifestyles. If you are one of those men over 40, see if you can improve your lifestyle with these tips on our list.
Take a moment to sit down and think – about what your habits are every day, who you are relating to, what work you do, and whether you are really happy with what you do? If your answer to all those questions were in the affirmative and you truly are having a blast, then do not read further. But if you still have doubt, then you should go ahead and read so that you can go back and make your life over 40 worth living.
Wake up feeling grateful, exercise to maintain a healthy body, eat balanced meals, dress neatly. Visit a salon and have an impromptu makeover. If you still want to explore, then you can completely go bald (a must try). Do something different that you have never thought of all these years. If you have led a disciplined life since leaving high school and college, at the age of 40, you would be financially well settled, be in a fulfilling relationship, and would be planning your next vacation on an exotic island or an African Safari right now. You could go on a marathon or cross country run to test your stamina and mental strength. Take up a new sport like golf or swimming, visit the theater or go to concerts and plays more often, and be open to building new friendships.
Do something outrageous (but within your limits of principles) like skydiving or flyboarding or try your hand at underwater football. Keep your weekend calendar as busy or relaxed as you want it to be but every few weeks take off on a weekend trip to a new place. Fresh experiences might be invigorating and induce a fresh lease of life in the monotony of work. If you are unable to travel frequently, do not worry. Just gather your family and friends over every other week to cook meals together or volunteer for a common cause that makes sense to you. It could be visiting elderly family members at a retirement home or hospice, or taking care of abandoned animals like cats, dogs or horses, or teaching underprivileged children how to read or calculate, it could be anything. The sky’s the limit when it comes to finding new ideas to intensify your zest for life over 40.
Whether you prefer to maintain a clean-shaven appearance or a jawline with the stubble of a shadow, shaving forms an essential aspect in the grooming routine of most men. Shaving may not exactly be rocket science, but having some shaving tips to guide you can surely prove to be helpful in getting the look that is just right for you. Here are some shaving tips to ensure that you get the best shave possible.
First of all, before you shave, wash your face well with a mild soap and water. Most men think this is not important and they directly go to the shaving part. However, the pores of the skin may get clogged with oil or grime, and this can be an irritant when shaving. Using warm water or taking a hot shower before shaving may also help to open up the pores.
Do not dispense with shaving cream. Ideally opt for a shaving cream that is creamy in texture, as this will offer maximum protection to your skin. It will also help you with a smooth finish. Shaving cream performs a very important function of moisturizing the facial skin as a preparation for shaving.
As far as possible avoid the foamy aerosol shaving creams as they have a tendency to dry the skin. Be careful in your choice of shaving cream, especially if you have sensitive skin.
You should use a shaving brush to evenly apply shaving cream all over your chin and jawline. Don’t just dab the cream on with your fingers. Using a brush to apply shaving cream ensures an even spread and also raises the individual hair a little bit so that you get the closest and cleanest shave possible.
Many shaving creams also contain exfoliating agents that help to gently scrub dirt and dead skin cells from the surface of your skin. This will also prevent any infection that may result from an unexpected nick. A good shaving brush offers just the right amount of stiffness and softness.
The razor you use for shaving needs to be as sharp as possible. A blunt edged razor may cause unnecessary skin irritation as you would have to press down harder. Nowadays you have a wide array of razors that are both manual and battery operated available. Many men also like to opt for multiple razors to ensure a complete shave. If you are using a disposable razor, then do change the blade at regular intervals.
When shaving, shave in the direction of hair growth in order to avoid cuts or irritate the skin. Shave sensitive areas like the region around the lips or near the nostrils with care.
After shaving rinse with cold water and gently pat dry. Several men also use after shaving gels and creams to keep their skin moisturized.
Surveys reveal that although a large number of Americans are turning vegetarian or vegan every day and are embracing healthier lifestyles, modifying eating patterns and favor natural, organic food products for themselves and their children, the sale of vitamins and supplements have not diminished at all. Dietary supplements are in widespread use with close to 50% of Americans taking at least one supplement every day with the intention of becoming healthier. The top selling ones are vitamin D, vitamin Q10, calcium, multi-vitamins, folic acid, and probiotics. If you can’t meet the needs that your body requires from food alone, you may require vitamins and dietary supplements. Seek guidance and consultation from your doctor or dietitian before taking supplements, however.
Although a vast section of the American population chooses to have home cooked meals and include fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts in their everyday diet, there is still a large number of people for whom everything from the first coffee of the day till the sweet dessert at night is procured from retail store shelves, packaged neatly in boxes or cans with attractive designs. Irrespective of their basic differences, both these sets of people invest a large part of their income to buy essential food supplements like B and C vitamins, magnesium, zinc, calcium, protein powders and drinks, and joint supplements.
While living conditions and lifestyles are improving on one hand, so are the number of health deficiencies in humans. For example, spending more time indoors in air-conditioned environments, in front of the television, computers or other electronic gadgets and with very little or almost no exposure to the natural sun, vitamin D deficiency is on the rise. Though spending more time exercising or playing outdoors is the best way to increase the direct absorption of vitamin D from its provider, the sun, taking the daily advised quota of vitamin D through supplements is soaring.
There is a significant reduction in infant mortality and a tremendous increase in the life expectancy of people in the last decades because of advanced medical research and the easier access to therapeutic and healing facilities.However, along with this progress, the frequent sanitization of our environments in the name of clean living has led to the destruction of invaluable friendly bacteria that helps strengthen our immune system naturally. The increase in the demand for probiotic nutrient supplements has proven this clearly because maintaining a healthy gut and a strong digestive system to absorb the beneficial fiber and essential nutrients from the food we eat is a fundamental requirement.
Increase in literacy rates and the general awareness of people, easy access to books, magazines and information on the internet, and the interest generated by advertisements by pharmaceutical companies and medical associations alike, have boosted the production, availability, and consumption of vitamins and food supplements.
It is often found that the ladies have been perfectly planning their wedding for a long time, while the guys panic in the last minutes. The day is big for the both the bride and the groom. And thus, you as a groom must get some things perfectly done. Wedding plans can be confusing if you are not sure of the things to do on time. This wedding survival guide for grooms can be beneficial for them to sort out things in the perfect manner, just as the ladies do. Instead of getting into silly fights and debates at the end, a little pre-planning can always help.
Here are a few tips for the confused grooms.
Wedding involves so many different tasks to be done on time. Make a list of all the jobs, along with their deadlines and the delegate. Breaking down the tasks into several parts eases the planning of the wedding.
This one is an easy part of the wedding survival guide for a groom. Meet two to three professional photographers and look through their previous works. Discuss the theme with your partner, so that you can finalize the best one among them. Take help from online portals to get ideas for modern-themed wedding photography.
They are your best-helping hands in the wedding. You can get lots of ideas from them, related to the theme of the wedding, the cars to hire, your hairstyle for the day, and much more. Make sure your gifts are ready for them!
If you are planning to bring in bands for your wedding reception party, then make the bookings in advance. Decide on the music and have discussions with professionals for whom you hire for the party.
This one is a crucial part of the wedding survival guide for grooms. Today, you have numerous wedding websites where you get ideas for wedding suits for grooms. Take your lady’s help for this as she is the one who can best guide you in picking the right style.
If you want to impress your girl a bit more before or on the wedding day, then these tips can work wonders.
It would be great if you plan a surprise honeymoon after the wedding. This takes away all the stress that the both of you had while doing the wedding plans. Just look your best and enjoy every moment of the day. You are sure to find everything falling into place perfectly.
It is truly said, all work and no play makes one dull and gray. This is true of any of us at any stage in our lives. As children, we exult in playing, but as we grow older and life’s myriad responsibilities creep up on our shoulders, we realize that we have very little time left for recreational activities. For optimum physiological and psychological wellness, especially as we attempt to balance the pressures of a career and a family, recreational downtime is essential to prevent burn out.
While reading, carpentry, photography, music, painting, writing and so on are considered worthwhile hobbies, there are many men who seek adventure hobbies that give them some chills, thrills and a lot of excitement. Many men also prefer outdoor activities and adventure hobbies that are sports based rather than hobbies that restrict them to be indoors.
Take a look at some of the most interesting adventure hobbies for thrill seekers.
Many people are of the opinion that learning a martial arts form offers something for body and mind. While honing one’s skills of defense and strategy, most martial arts training also focuses on enhancing strength and endurance. Whether it is kung-fu, tae-kwon-do, ju-jitsu, karate or other such traditional martial art forms, they all provide a hint of adventure and excitement while also stimulating body and mind.
Most men, in recent times, take up fencing as a leisure time adventure hobby. Fencing is a sport that requires only two people and hence, is doable for most.
Another very popular option for adventure hobbies is rock climbing. This requires significant upper and lower body strength, stamina and determination. It is also an exhilarating experience to successfully climb and reach the top of a targeted mountain or cliff. Rock climbing is an intense activity requiring concentration and endurance.
Hiking is another adventure hobby that can be taken at any pace that one wishes. As far as adventure hobbies go, hiking offers a variety of terrain options depending on whether one is a novice or at an advanced level.
Paintball is another popular activity that ranks among the favored adventure hobbies among men of all ages for it creates an atmosphere of faux conflict without any threat of injury.
Many men are also turning to ancient skill based sports such as archery, for its high precision dexterity and body-mind coordination.
Deep sea SCUBA diving is another of the adventure hobbies that not only offers an adrenaline rush from the thought of being under several miles of water but also affords you an opportunity to have a ringside view of undersea life.
Apart from the above-mentioned adventure hobbies, surfing, canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, parasailing, and sailing that popular for sports enthusiasts.
We are all more than aware that as we blow off the candles on that birthday cake each year, aging quite insidiously creeps up on us. Theoretically, we understand that the organs and organ systems undergo significant changes with aging but the hardest part is coming to terms with aging. Aging should be a beautiful transition of body, mind and soul. In order to age in a better way, one must consider the following do’s and dont’s.
Let us take a quick look at what happens to the body with aging.
From a purely physical perspective, one of the immediate and observable outcomes of aging is the gradual reduction of height, with many people’s postures actually turning to a stoop. This decrease in height and erectness of the spine is caused by the erector muscles gradually becoming lax.
Coming to the physiological implications of the process of aging, we must realize that every organ and organ system and therefore, their functions gradually decelerate.
With aging, the cardiovascular functioning also tends to slow down. The various arteries and blood vessels also become stiffer with aging. This may, therefore, lead to hypertension and other cardiac complications. The ideal way to ensure optimum cardiac health even while aging is to ensure that we follow appropriate diet and lifestyle practices, being mindful of quantity and quality of food, of ensuring adequate daily exercise and trying to sleep for at least 6 to 8 hours a day. Aggravators of cardiac ill health include smoking, stress and poorly managed lifestyle habits.
With aging, the entire musculoskeletal system also undergoes a high degree of wear and tear, especially with regard to the weight-bearing joints. Depletion of calcium levels, aggravated by vitamin D deficiency may also cause brittleness of bones, thereby making even a small fall risky.
A gentle exercise routine that works all weight-bearing joints and muscle is necessary to counter the effects of aging on the joints. Make sure your diet consists food items that are rich in calcium to avoid any bone-related diseases.
Metabolism slows as we age, with indigestion and heartburn being common. It is recommended that we eat small, light and easily digestible meals as we age. Ideally, the last meal of the day must be finished at least 2 to 3 hours before retiring to bed. Eating a nutritive and fiber-rich meals are equally important to prevent constipation.
Prostrate issues are very common in men as a result of aging and can be prevented by ensuring timely urination, prevention of constipation and maintaining optimum body weight.
At a cognitive level also, aging causes the gradual decay of brain cells in different parts of the brain, especially in the region associated with memory and retention. An active lifestyle with good nutrition, stress management, regular exercise and adequate sleep are seen as essential in enhancing brain function.
An alcoholic beverage is any drink that contains more than a minimal amount of ethanol or ethyl alcohol. This is achieved by a process called fermentation, which is the natural result of yeast digestion of the sugars found in ingredients like fruit, cereal grain or other starches. Almost any source of sugar and yeast can produce alcohol. An alcoholic beverage, a depressant when consumed in low doses causes euphoria and sociability but when consumed in high doses causes intoxication, stupor and unconsciousness. Long term consumption of alcoholic beverages can lead to alcohol abuse, physical dependence and alcoholism.
Tiny traces of ethanol may be present in non-alcohol beverages, including juices. Some beer, wine and spirit drinks although designed to look and taste like alcoholic beverages, contain very little ethanol in them and are hence termed as ‘non-alcohol beverages’.
Alcoholic beverages, although recipes vary are broadly classified into three categories:
It is typically made with barley that is sprouted and roasted, cooked with water, fermented with yeast and then flavoured with the flowers of the Hops plant.
Wine is made from grapes and sometimes other fruits that are made into a juice and then fermented.
These are made from grain, fruit or other sugar sources that are first fermented and then distilled in a heating and cooling process that concentrates the alcohol.
Alcohol is one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world. Archaeologists have discovered Stone Age jugs that have lead them to believe that fermented drinks existed as early as the Neolithic Period (10,000 BC). Animals also react similar to humans when they consume alcohol.
Alcoholic beverages have been classified as a Group 1 Carcinogen. Studies show that alcohol consumption can cause cancer in the female breast, colorectum, larynx, liver, oesophagus, oral cavity and pharynx. It is a probability that alcohol is also the cause of pancreatic cancer. Alcohol in carbonated drinks is absorbed faster by the body than alcohol in non-carbonated drinks. The short term effects of alcoholic beverages include psychological effects on the user, a flushed appearance in the face, lethargy, sedation, balance problems, blurred vision, respiratory depression and pulmonary aspiration. The long term effects of alcohol on the body includes increase in the risk of heart disease, stroke, atrial fibrillation, reduce in life expectancy, cancer, liver cirrhosis and alcoholism.
Alcohol can be used as aperitifs and digestifs, the former is used to serve before a meal to stimulate appetite while the latter is used to improve digestion after a meal. They can also be used as flavouring agents in making stocks and for braising and are also a source of food energy as many of the alcoholic beverages contain carbohydrates. The laws on alcohol regulate the manufacture of alcoholic beverages, thereby seeking to reduce the adverse health effects and social impacts of alcohol consumption.
Body odor can be a highly embarrassing condition that has a variety of causes. It is an unpleasant smell that is given off from live bacteria that breed in specific areas of an individual’s body. Here are some guidelines to understand what exactly causes body odor and some simple tips to keep yourself free from body odor.
It is a common misconception that body odor is caused by sweat. Sweat by itself is odorless. It comprises 99 percent water with some dissolved salts like sodium and potassium. However, sweat when combined with some bacteria that are known to breed especially in the folds of the skin or damp regions like the underarms, inner sides of the thighs or near the groin, is what causes an offensive smelling odor. The apocrine glands that are located near the genitals or other hairy regions, apart from producing sweat also create a slightly viscous substance that is an ideal breeding ground for odor-causing bacteria. This condition may be further aggravated in those who experience excessive sweating.
One of the immediate and most practical ways of eliminating or reducing body odor is regular bathing and maintenance of hygiene especially in the folds of the skin and other areas that are prone to sweating.
If you exercise regularly and are prone to sweating, it is advisable you use a gently scented soap or shower gel to first get rid of the stench. Always wash off any cleansing agents that you use thoroughly with water and ensure that you dry the skin all over the body well, giving special attention to the fingers, toes, armpits, and genitals.
You could then opt to use a deodorant which is available both as a roll on or in spray form. While deodorants do not act on the stench causing bacteria, they do to some extent mask the odor caused by the bacteria.
If you sweat a lot or live in a very humid climate, you could additionally use an antiperspirant deodorant combination skin product. The antiperspirant essentially inhibits the flow of sweat to the surface of the skin. Hence, by reducing the sweat produced, they also partially inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria.
As a further precaution against body odor, you could opt for one of the colognes and deo sprays that are available at various price bands in the men’s cosmetics and skincare products line up. Be careful about overdoing the perfume or cologne, for even a pleasant smell may turn out to be overwhelming, especially when you are in a closed or air-conditioned space.
However, the bottom line to overcoming body odor is to ensure that you keep all parts of your body clean and dry, for body odor causing bacteria thrive only in warm and moist areas.
Have you ever wondered what are the differences between a college and a university? Some people ponder as to why some institutions are called colleges while the others go by the name universities. Most people assume that colleges refer to private institutions whereas universities are funded by the state. There are yet others who think that a university provides better quality education than a local college. In reality though, the difference between colleges and universities are much harder to define.
A college is a smaller institution that generally offers undergraduate and degrees. Some colleges like community colleges and junior colleges offer only two-year programs, but most colleges offer a Bachelor’s degree and sometimes even an associate degree. A university, on the other hand, is an institution that offers both undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees. Universities typically offer a graduate program that leads to a master’s degree or a Ph.D. Some universities offer a special program where students can earn both an undergraduate degree as well as a graduate degree in a short period of time. As universities have more students enrolled in them than a college has, they offer more classes and programs. These institutions may also have medical or law school for students interested in pursuing professional degrees.
Most of the times, the thin line between a college and a university can appear to be blur. However, there is no questioning that both of them are academic equals. Choosing the best out of the two completely relies on the individual need of the student. If a student is looking for a variety of classes under one campus, then the university may be the right choice for him/her; but if the student is looking for a smaller, more personalized classroom setting and a personal interaction with the professors, then a college would best suit his/her needs. Anyone with plans on just getting a bachelor’s degree would fit better in a college as the name of the college, in the long run, might not be as important as you fitting in.
Some universities in spite of offering students a graduate program prefer to call themselves colleges simply because of the tradition. Another common factor between colleges and universities is that both these institutions offer a graduate program and they can both be either public or private. The term ‘going to college’ can mean going to a college or a university in the United States. Admission requirements for universities and colleges differ only according to selectivity; some colleges are more selective than universities.
In spite of all the differences between colleges and universities, they are both great academic centers, which challenge the mind of students and mold them to be the best that they can be in the near future. Colleges and universities help a student to become a great citizen of the nation first, so that they can make an impact on the society with their professional careers.
