Fathers, take care of yourselves!

Here are some ways that fathers can take care of themselves:

1.Check your waist measurement. Although guts are necessary for survival in a tough environment, a waist 40 inches or more indicates risk for many chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular illnesses. Reduce belly fat for health's sake.

2.Schedule meal times. Many men say they are too busy to eat on time and may miss meals. This poor practice will often mean they come up short on some important food groups such as vegetables. Poor meal patterns can also lead to very large portions when they do eat. Some men miss breakfast and have a huge lunch; others miss lunch and 'pig out' in the evening when they are relaxing.

Indentify the reason for poor meal patterns and work to solve it. It may mean a quick breakfast of some raw cereal like oats with fruits and low-fat milk or soy. For those who have problems finding suitable lunches-on-the-go, an insulated container may work. But if travelling with food is a no-no, a convenient liquid, nutritional meal is a better choice than no lunch. Eating breakfast and lunch can reduce large portions at night.

3.Portion control. Most foods can be part of a healthy diet if they are consumed in the portions according to your needs. Fruits are very healthy foods but having, for example, three to four serving of fruits, several times for the day, in addition to other foods, will contribute to excess calories.

Nuts are another food that some men tend to consume in large amounts. Nuts are excellent sources of protein, good fats and selenium but, if used as a snack and not a sole source of protein, consuming more than a handful can contribute excess calories. Some men also have large portions of drinks, but if filled with sugar or are high-fat concoctions, they will add excess calories. Instead, go for an eight-ounce glass of your favourite drink.

4. Variety in the diet is crucial to a healthy lifestyle. Eat from the six food groups of staples, fats and oils, food from animals, peas, beans and nuts as well as fruits and vegetables, and always eat a variety of foods within the groups. Seafood such as oysters is rich in zinc - a deficiency of zinc can lead to poor sperm quality. Tomato sauce is rich in lycopene, an excellent antioxidant for prostate health. Avocados have excellent monounsaturated fats which help to lower 'bad' cholesterol.

Rosalee M. Brown is a registered dietitian/nutritionist who operates Integrated Nutrition and Health Services; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.