Power for Powerful Men

Reducing Your Risk of Cancer..

SMOKING IT..

EATING IT..

BURNING IT..

DRINKING IT..

MOVING IT..

WEIGHING IT..

SMOKING IT...

Even filters won’t stop this one.

Smoke should leave a finely tuned engine not enter it. Tobacco kills six million people in the world each year. That’s like the population of the island of Ireland being wiped out every year.

Low tar products or filters only con you and cigars are not a safe option. The simple fact of the matter is that smoking kills, be it from cancer, heart disease or a number of other diseases.

Not a lot of men know this, but smoking is also one of the causes of erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction is one type of impotence. Perhaps that’s why the film stars tend to smoke after the steamy love scene rather than before!

If you smoke, quitting is the most important step you can take to reduce your risk of cancer, and not just lung cancer. So, what about setting a date to quit? Tips on quitting

EATING IT...

Fuel Foods

Make sure your diet is full of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain foods and pulses.

Wholegrain foods include brown bread, rice and pasta.

Pulses include peas, beans and lentils.

These foods help keep energy flowing without piling on the weight. And as they are lower in calories and high in fibre, they can also protect you against cancer.

The great thing is they also make you feel as though you have a full tank so you’re less hungry.

Each day aim to eat:

• 5 or more portions of fruit and vegetables
• 6 or more portions of high fibre foods such as brown bread, porridge, brown rice and pasta

Meat and potatoes anyone?

Not a vegetarian? No problem. You don’t need to miss out on the meat option. Lean red meat is rich in nutrients like protein and iron. But when you eat large amounts it can increase your risk of certain cancers, such as bowel cancer. Choose a portion about the size of a deck of cards and you will come up trumps.

Eating processed meats such as sausages, rashers and hot dogs can increase your risk of cancer even more. Why not have eggs for breakfast and chicken, turkey or fish for lunch some days of the week. You could even try a meatfree day!

Food 'On the Run'

A stressful life often means having to eat on your feet. Not all of us have the luxury of sit down meals during the day. But this doesn’t mean the upright meal has to be downright dangerous. You can choose healthy foods that reduce your cancer risks.

The supermarket or restaurant salad bars can be a green light for the man on the move. Gone are the days of boring dry leaves. The modern salad is crunchy, calorie light and currency easy.

A tasty healthy evening meal doesn’t have to be hard work either. Using a wok, throw in thinly sliced vegetables, some lean meat or fish and a light coating of olive oil. Serve with rice and a low fat sauce of your choice. Follow this with fresh fruit and yoghurt. Hey presto – you have a tasty healthy meal that didn’t cost the earth.

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN YOUR DIET

TAKE AWAY FOODS

Also things like sausage rolls, pastries, cakes and ready-made meals are best avoided. They often have high levels of fat in them.

SALT

People in Ireland tend to eat a lot more salt than we need. Cutting down can reduce your risk of cancer and other diseases. Try adding less to your food during cooking and at the table. Use things like black pepper, herbs, lemon juice, garlic or spices to flavour your food instead

HIDDEN SUGAR AND SALT IN PROCESSED FOODS

The food may not taste sweet or salty but it doesn’t mean they aren’t packed with them

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

are not a replacement for a healthy balanced diet

BURNING IT...

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland. What is a worry is that the number of new cases diagnosed every year is on the increase. Almost all cases are caused by Ultraviolet Rays (UVR) from the sun or sunbeds and can be prevented.

PROTECT YOUR BODYWORK BY FOLLOWING THE SUNSMART CODE

• Cover up, always, whether at work, play or on holiday
• Get a hat, a big hat to cover ears, nose and neck.
• Look for shade from 11am to 3pm, whether working or relaxing.
• Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher and UVA protection. Look for the UVA symbol on the bottle (the letters UVA in a circular shape). Slop loads on 20 minutes before you head out in the sun. Reapply it every 2 hours and more often if you have been swimming, sweating or towel drying.
• Get those shades on to protect your (next) best asset – your eyes. Make sure they protect you against UVR that do the harm.

DRINKING IT...

High-octane fuel: low performance

Nothing’s sadder than a foot hard down on the pedal and nothing happens. The great myth is that alcohol improves performance. Not so. Alcohol is high in gut-adding calories, and is linked to cancer, liver conditions, high blood pressure and of course, failing to rise to the occasion.

But who said anything about giving up?

Instead, try switching to soft drinks, non alcoholic beers or shandies as the evening goes on - or have a few glasses of water in between to help keep you in top gear for the whole night.

You might be in the right condition to see that your mates are doing exactly the same thing for the same reason.

MOVING IT...

Leaves you breathless

Getting fit doesn’t mean you have to spend your time in a room full of machines last seen in the Chamber of Horrors. Charity shops are full of fitness equipment bought by well meaning men (or their partners).

Sport is a great way of keeping fit. But most of us think we need to be sportier than we really need to be to stay healthy.

30 minutes of physical activity each day is what’s needed to help reduce your risk of a number of cancers. If you are already active for 30 minutes a day you could step up the effort.

But any activity is of some benefit, whether at work, leisure or a sport. So try walking past your regular bus stop to the next one or get off one stop early. Use the stairs instead of the lift; walk up the escalators instead of staring at the adverts. What about trying some hoovering or gardening! Small things like these will make activity with your mates or kids that much easier and less embarrassing.

WEIGHING IT...

Fat but fit?

We guys eat too much fat. You can be fit and fat but the extra fat still causes you problems. It increases your risk of cancer and other diseases such as high blood pressure and heart disease. Extra fat stored around your waist puts you at an even greater risk of cancer.

So, are you a healthy weight? There are two ways you can check this out. Measure your Body Mass Index (BMI) or your waist.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Draw a line across from your weight and up or down from your height. Where these two lines cross is your BMI. To reduce your cancer risk aim to be at the lower end of the normal BMI range.

If you are underweight or overweight, it is important to see your doctor. A medical check-up and advice on diet and lifestyle may be needed.

Remember, BMI is not always an accurate measure if you are an athlete or very short in height.

WHAT DOES YOUR BMI MEASUREMENT MEAN?

• Less than 18.5
  You are underweight,which can lead to some health problems
• 18.5-24.9
  You are a healthy normal weight and at lower risk of cancer
• 25-29.9
  You are overweight, which increases your cancer risk
• Greater than 30
  You are obese and your risk of cancer is even greater

TO MEASURE YOUR WAISTLINE

Find the top of your hip bone.

At this point, measure around your waist. Make sure the tape measure is snug but not marking your skin.

Take the measurement at the end of your normal breath.

If you are overweight check out our booklet - It will give you further tips to help you tackle the problem.

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