November marks Men’s Health Awareness.

In the world of nutrition and wellness, men often get left behind. The stats around men’s health is quite harrowing. According to the NHS, more than 100,000 men are dying prematurely in the UK. Men have a 4 year lower life expectancy than women, and this recently dropped to 79 years, the last time it declined was in the 1980s. Men are also more likely to die from cardiovascular disease and suicide, compared to women.

What can we do to support men? I think simple steps such as opening up and chatting is a good place to start. Toxic masculinity goes far and is an underlaying cause for why men don’t seek help, until sometimes it is too late.

If you are a man reading this and thinking - what can I do? The good news is that there is lots you CAN do.

Take time to de-stress - prioritising movement, getting outdoors, rest and relaxation. Taking a walk at lunch or at break times.
Get outside - getting outdoors in nature is crucial. Many studies show how profound this is to mental and physical health. The morning is the perfect time to get outdoors, in nature, this can help set the sleep/wake cycles too which is often a problem with indoor workers.
Ditch the screens - phones and devices are addictive. There is no doubt about that. Most of us are having over 6 hours of screen time per day. This is an major cause for concern for children and adults alike. It can lead to a whole host of issues from depression and addiction to insomnia. Aim to limit screen time to 2 hours per day. You can set alerts on your phone which prompt you to come off. Set Sunday as a no-phone-day.
Try going dry - alcohol is often used as a crutch for many, it is easy to slip into bad habits. In the end of the day, it is a poison. If going cold turkey is too tricky for you, aim to have 3-4 alcohol-free days in the week and make sure you limit the other days to 1-2 drinks. Aim to drink more water too.
Reduce/Remove ultra processed foods - once you’re in the habit of this one, it actually is quite easy. The UK is one of the worst countries for eating processed foods. Cooking from scratch is one of the best changes you can make for your health, and it isn’t too difficult either. Often it can be cheaper and more rewarding too.
Zinc & Selenium - these two minerals are crucial antioxidants for men’s health. They’re needed to keep the prostate healthy.
Join a community - men can often get in to a spiral of work-sleep-work-sleep, without having real connection or relationships. It often doesn’t come as easy as it does for women. Find a hobby you like and join a local community where you can make friends while doing something you enjoy. If you look at societies around the world who have long life expectancies, one of the things they have is a strong sense of community. We are social-beings who need real connection to thrive.
Nettles - nettles are a great herb to include in your diet. They are very nourishing and can help support your urinary health. A simple nettle tea can be included daily, or using nettles in your food (especially in the Spring) or a nettle supplement if you prefer.

Written by Rosie Rayner, ND.

Why we all need Nettles in our lives

Urtica dioica, also known as the common nettle grows in abundance all over the UK. Most commonly it is seen at hedgerows, riverbanks and alongside paths and even pavements. It’s a perennial that is often seen as a nuisance to some gardeners and farmers as they can encroach on to other plant areas. They can grow to 8 feet tall, but are generally 3-5 foot on average. Nettles like mineral-rich soil and will start to sprout in March.

The genus name, Urtica relates to the Latin term, to burn and when one comes into contact with the hairs that cover this plant, the sensation of burning, thanks to the formic acid that has just been injected, is all too familiar. This is why nettle is one of the most well-known plants, even to children. The family of the herb, Urticaceae, contains over 2500 different plants, many of which contain stinging hairs. When cutting nettles for food or medicinal use, you will likely want thick leather gloves, ideally up to the elbows.

For food use, the tops of the nettles are best used, and cut before the end of the summer otherwise they go a bit dry and chewy. New leaves (at the top of the plant) are the best (Apr-June). For the root, the best time to collect them is in the autumn when the plant dies back and all the life and vitality is stored away underground.

Nutritionally, nettle has an impressive array of constituents. For a plant, it’s very high in protein, and has good levels of calcium, magnesium and iron. This makes it a great herb to use in cooking, especially for those who are convalescing, postpartum or who struggle with anaemia or mineral loss. It can be used to make soups and spreads. An easy way to create a nettle soup, is to use a leek and potato recipe and swap the leeks for nettle (tops).

We use Nettle Leaf in our Nettle Plus and we also have Aquasol Nettle Root tea powder which can be used to make a lovely tea, or can be added to smoothie or other recipes to increase plant points.

By Rosie Rayner, ND, mBANT, mANP