Male Grooming Is About More Than Vanity: Here Are My Top Tips On A Healthy Male Lifestyle
I recently heard that male grooming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. The UK’s recent trend for beards is apparently partly responsible for Amazon’s sales leaping 18% in the first 3 months of 2014, and HSBC have even reported the new ‘yummy’ (young urban male) is restoring global spending, thanks to their own vanity. It seems as though there are more and more products out there for the male peacock; Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs both launched make-up ranges for men last year. Now I believe in looking good and feeling good but I think and hope it’s more than just vanity and fashion. It shouldn’t just be about appearance, it should be about a healthy lifestyle and taking care of yourself. Male grooming is certainly a current popular trend in western culture and it can’t be a bad thing. With the hope that us men are not turning into women in the process, here are my top tips on being a healthy (not feminine) modern man.
Eat Sensibly
There is a reason there is such a thing as the ‘caveman
diet’, also known as the Paleo diet. It’s
because cavemen ate nutrient rich, natural foods. They ate lean meats and fish,
“good carbs” and a third of their diet was fruit and vegetables. Everything was
organic and absolutely nothing was processed.
Now I’m not saying turn into a caveman but it’s something to think about
when choosing your food. Far too many of us indulge in fast food and sugars,
which are not only bad for our weight, but our heart, teeth, skin and overall
health. Eating the right food doesn’t have to be hard or boring, there are
plenty of delicious healthy recipes
online and advice on the best nutrition. Macrobiotic products
are great to include in your diet as they emphasise fibre-rich vegetables and
beans, and steer away from dairy and sugar.
Drink Sensibly
Alcohol and partying was something else the cavemen didn’t
get to experience. Although I love to have a good time and I will always enjoy
a drink, excessive alcohol intake shouldn’t be a daily or weekly occurrence.
We’re all guilty of over consuming but there are
long term and short term consequences on our physical and mental health. Don’t
worry, scientists still state moderate drinking (1 or 2 drinks a day) does have
health benefits! Just be aware not to drink too much too often.
Although many of us groom for appearance, it does also
interlink with our health. First of all I always tell men they must clip their
nails; fingers and toes. Long fingernails on men are eye-catching for the wrong
reasons. Long toe nails can also cause pain while wearing shoes, and they can
break causing fungus or loss of the nail. Next we should all exfoliate, cleanse
and moisturise our skin on our body and face. Exfoliating is important for
preventing and eliminating ingrown hairs and dead skin, it should be done once
or twice a week. A cleanser will clean your skin properly, while a moisturiser
ensures there is no dry skin. Lots of male grooming
products are available these days so don’t always use your girl friends or
mums moisturiser, they don’t like that!
Live An Active
Lifestyle
Again, I have to mention cavemen because they are the
perfect example. They lived an extremely active lifestyle as their job was to
catch food to survive however, many of us today live a sedimentary lifestyle,
sat over a desk. Now, I love my desk because I love my work but I know sitting
all day is bad for me. Whether you have a desk job or not, finding time to be
active is important for your health. Going to the gym is great if you enjoy it
however, I think it is more important to have a hobby such as a sport. Tennis
and football are both great ways to get fit and keep active, think about what
sports you enjoy and go do them. They don’t even need to be competitive sports,
even rock-climbing, cycling and swimming are great ways to get your body in
shape. Walking is also important, it might not be physically strenuous, but
getting fresh air and clearing your mind is extremely good for you.
I think it’s important to focus on your health rather than just
your appearance, but the two often go hand in hand. If you know more than me on
the subject then please share your ideas by commenting. Don’t forget to check
out the rest of my work on The
Spoon Drawer and follow me on Twitter for all the latest - @EdwardPhelan1
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