by BJ Armstrong

Health articles are not just for women. So, this one is for men also because I know that some men are into fitness. Just check out the YMCA. Us women need healthy men, right! Therefore women, this article is for you too.

Research says men die younger than women. Why? Men often ignore symptoms and deal with health problems only when they absolutely have to. But men, taking a greater interest in health and fitness may add years to your life-span.

Let's start with alcohol (I realize women drink also). If sex is on your agenda for tonight, hold off on the alcohol until you're done. If you're a heavy drinker, talk to your doctor about getting help to stop.

Do you have fatigue and lost the desire for life in general? Ask yourself these questions...

* Am I getting enough sleep?

* Am I getting enough exercise?

* Am I eating a healthful diet?

* Am I suffering from a vitamin deficiency?

Very often, it's a sign of poor nutrition and poor health habits. Could it be a deficiency of the following:

Vitamin A (helps the sex hormone) Eat foods rich in beta-carotene. Take 10,000 - 15,000 units daily.

Vitamin B-6 (boosts the level of hormone that regulates Testosterone) Good sources

include cantaloupe,  cabbage, wheat germ, and blackstrap molasses.

Zinc (keeps the prostate gland healthy).

Yohimbe (available by prescription) the herb is much weaker. This herb is the only Food and Drug Administration has approved for men.

Upon taking these vitamins, hopefully, they may help some men.

Women and men both can have cancer. Cancer of the prostrate is the second most common form of cancer in American men, surpassed only by lung cancer. In the United States, the risk of getting prostate cancer is one out of eleven for white males and one out of nine for African-American men. All men should be aware of the warning signs and symptoms. According to American Institute for Cancer Research, men should report any of the following symptoms to the doctor:

* Any changes in urinary habit.

* Blood in the urine.

* Painful urination.

* Continuing pain in the lower back, pelvis, and upper thighs.

What about hair loss, men? This can start as early as teenage years, but generally it begins in mid-life age. About two-thirds of all men have male pattern baldness, which is a genetic condition passed down by either parent.

However, the good news is ... genes can skip a generation. Male baldness begins gradually, starting at the front of the scalp at either side or the crown. Why so many healthy men lose their hair is still a mystery really. There's lots of debate on this subject. For years, men have sought a cure for baldness. To this date, there is no tried and true cure for baldness.

Since early times, men and women have searched for a fountain of youth. Maybe its as close as the local gym (or better yet, the YMCA). Study after study confirms the fact that exercise may be one way to help the aging problem and make you feel better. For most people, by age 45, there is a decline in muscle mass and an increase in body fat. There is a decrease in bone density and  loss of flexibility. In addition, men listen up, exercise may help prevent any diseases that cut your life shorter than women's. Interestingly, even men who began exercising late in life (after age 65) lived up to six months longer.

In a study at the Institute of Aerobics Research and the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, researchers followed thirteen thousand men and women for eight years to determine if there was any correlation between fitness and longevity. Based on their findings, the researchers concluded that something as easy as taking a brisk daily walk could add years to your life.

See you at the gym!

2. Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; all things are become new."