That's Fit

My husband turns 40 in just over one week. He's shocked that it's happening. I think his mom is too.

My hubby only wants one thing for his birthday and I warn you: It's not something healthy. It's fudge. He loves this chocolate treat but rarely gets it because one year ago, he joined me in a diet overhaul. Sweets didn't make the cut. So I think I'll surprise him with some fudge since he's been such a good boy -- he's given up a whole lot of junk and has lost 40 pounds too. I'll also get him new swim suit -- his last year's model is too big and with a new one, he can swim that fudge right off his body. I'm getting him one more thing too -- a bit of advice on how to treat his body now that he's creeping on up in years. Much of this advice, housed in 10 friendly tips, is something we all can take -- except for the prostate and sex stuff -- so feel free to borrow anything you'd like, ladies. Here goes.

Eliminate "White Foods" from Your Diet. They are devoid of vitamins and minerals and stripped of their natural fibre so they rapidly drive up blood sugar levels, which contributes to weight gain, diabetes, and other health problems. John's is pretty good in this area already as fruits, vegetables, and lean meats make up most of his diet.

Stay Away from Dangerous Trans Fats. John is excelling here too -- no deep-fried foods, hydrogenated oils, or trans fats. He does love flax and salmon, though. Gotta love a dose of healthy fat.

Take a Potent Daily Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement. John doesn't do this, but maybe he should. Even though he's eating right, it's likely his food doesn't contain all the nutrients he needs.

Include Weight Training in Your Exercise Routine. Exercise is not a high priority for John right now -- amazingly, he lost all his weight without out it and somehow still has a pretty defined bicep. A bad back is his valid excuse but his heart and muscles might need to be challenged. His back may benefit in the process.

Maintain Your Optimal Weight. One year ago, John was nearing 207 pounds. His doctor told him his upper limit was more like 190 so he dropped to this number and kept on going. Now at 165-ish, he's at an optimal weight.

Drink Alcohol Only in Moderation. No alcohol for my guy. While studies show that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol protects against heart disease, John prefers not drinking the extra calories. He spent plenty of years enjoying a cold beer -- or two, three, four -- and now he's done.

Protect Your Prostate. At age 40, the prostate gland begins a growth spurt. If you're peeing a lot at night, this might be happening to you. This is no big deal but can be prevented by two extracts: Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and Pygeum (Pygeum africanum). Suggested doses are 160 to 320 milligrams of saw palmetto and 40 to 80 mg of pygeum daily.

Reduce Your Risk of Prostate Cancer. John can reduce his risk of prostate cancer through healthy lifestyle choices, like avoiding saturated and trans fats (check!), eating protective foods, such as soy, green tea and tomatoes (kind of check!), and taking a daily nutritional supplement (not yet!) containing high doses of the antioxidant selenium (200 micrograms) and vitamin E (800 IU) -- both are thought to significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer.

Maintain Vigorous Sexual Function. Most cases of erectile dysfunction (impotence) have a physical cause -- not getting enough blood to the area in question. To improve circulation, men must simply follow the diet, exercise and supplement recommendations above, refrain from smoking, and consult a physician about current medications -- some may worsen ED. Some herbs have also been shown to improve sexual function -- Ginkgo biloba, Panax ginseng, oats, horny goat weed, maca and seroctin.

Maintain Close Relationships. Strong social relationships will do John good as he ages. They reduce stress and enhance health.