A MAN'S HAIR

You spend lots of time trying to get the hair on your head looking just right. Every thought about the shampoo and conditioner you are putting on it? If it's getting gray or your looking for a change you may have thought about dying or coloring your hair. And if you have male pattern baldness, your may be interested in ways to keep it.

Facts on Foods That Speed Up Metabolism

By Lynn Harris

Revving Your Engine

Metabolism is a process that breaks down carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the food you eat to make the energy your body needs to build and maintain itself. Proper nutrition keeps your body functioning well, but the right foods can also speed up your metabolism. The amount of calories you eat, your genes and the amount of calories that you burn while eating and exercising determine your metabolism. The body breaks down carbohydrates, then fats and finally proteins. The food that you eat makes up 5 to 10 percent of your metabolic rate.

Stocking Your Cupboard

Foods that speed up your metabolism are vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, fish, healthy fats and whole grains. Look for these vegetables when shopping: spinach, broccoli, carrots, asparagus, cabbage, beet roots, assorted beans and dark, leafy vegetables. Any type of fresh fruit is good for you, but try eating blueberries, melons, apples, citrus fruits and tomatoes. Skinless poultry and eggs are excellent sources of protein. The omega 3 fatty acids in fish boost your metabolism by burning up to 400 calories a day. The enzymes in your body that burn fat increase while those that store fat decrease. If you are not a fish eater, take omega 3 capsules that contain a minimum of 300 milligrams total of EPA and DHA. Eat healthy fats like nuts and peanut butter. Whole grains found in brown rice, cereal, barley and oats speed up your metabolism as well. Consume foods with B vitamins, magnesium and fiber to increase your metabolism.

Too Much of a Good Thing

Portion control is still important. Just because these foods are good for you doesn't mean that you can go overboard. Eat several small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day. A good habit to start is reading the Nutrition Facts Labels on food containers. These labels tell what a single serving size is and the nutrients found in that serving.

Losing While You Eat

Know the caloric content of the foods that you eat. Nutrition Facts Labels tell the number of calories in a serving also. There are negative calorie foods that burn more calories during digestion than the foods contain themselves. For most people, a healthy number of calories per day is between 2,200 and 2,800 depending on their sex and size.

Balance It Out

Eating the right foods to speed up your metabolism and supplement your diet by incorporating other good habits. Drink plenty of water during the day. Six to eight glasses is a good goal. Exercise at least three times a week. Use free weights to help stimulate your metabolism by building muscle tone.

About this Author

Lynn Harris is a freelance writer who has worked in health insurance and benefits for two and a half years. She writes on topics such as health issues concerning expectant mothers and young children, in addition to fitness and exercise. Lynn keeps herself fit by incorporating healthy eating, various forms of cardio and strength training into her daily life.

Find out more about this topic, and all things health and fitness at Livestrong.com.

How Men can Protect Their Scalp From the Sun

Men who are bald or who have bald spots or thinning hair or even a receding hairline have to be especially careful in the summer months when the sun is beating down to ensure that their scalp is adequately protected. The scalp is particularly vulnerable to both the UVA and UVB rays of the sun, and this is especially the case for those with a minimum of hair on their heads. The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that more than 90% of malignant skin cancer is due to excessive exposure to the sun with little if any SPF protection.

What is SPF?

SPF stands for “sun protection factor” and it shows up as a number on the sunscreen bottle such as SPF 15, SPF 30 and SPF 40. The SPF number will let you know how much protection you will receive from UVB rays which are the light rays from the sun that are most damaging to skin, both on a short term as well as long term basis. UVA rays are harmful as well as they can encourage the development of cancer and they cause wrinkles on the skin. To be as well protected as possible, choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains the ingredient avobenzone (Parsol 1789) or zinc oxide.

How much sunscreen is necessary?

It is highly unlikely that you would ever overdo an application of sunscreen. As a general rule of thumb, apply approximately a teaspoon to your head and neck and then apply another teaspoon to your bare scalp and ears. Sunscreen must be reapplied to be effective so reapply every two to four hours that you spend outdoors and more often if you are in the water.

Hats are where it’s at

A bare scalp and thinning hair requires a hat for added protection. Always choose a hat with a wide brim all around that will protect your head, neck, sides of your face and your ears. A baseball hat will protect the top of your head but not the rest of it. The fabric of the hat makes a difference too. Choose a fabric that has a tight weave and therefore will not make it easy for light to penetrate through it.

Pay attention to your scalp

Be your own skin specialist on a regular basis by doing an inspection of your scalp as well as your ears and neck on a consistent basis to check for any suspicious, bumps, lumps, growths or moles. Be particularly wary of moles that are more than one color and those that are raised or are asymmetrical in shape or ones that have irregularities in the borders and finally those that are as wide as, if not wider than a the eraser on the end of a pencil. If you find any of these then schedule a visit to your doctor right away. It might be wise to have a yearly check up for moles with your doctor or dermatologist, not just on your scalp but your entire body.

Did you pig out at the cookout? 6 Food fixes that beat bloat fast!

by Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, PREVENTION

Lately I’m all about what to eat (as opposed to what not to eat) to look and feel great, and I’m also all about enjoying myself on vacation. So this July 4th weekend, go ahead and have that burger, beer, macaroni salad and whatever else is on the menu at your mid-summer fete, and then make the necessary diet adjustments AFTER the party. Here, 6 simple swaps that will help you lose a little water weight and keep calories in check:

1) Season Food Without Salt

Smart Swap: Add zing to your meals with salt-free seasoning blends such as the Original and Italian medley Mrs. Dash instead of salt, salt-based seasonings, and highly processed foods. The reason? You may be attracted to your saltshaker, but water is, too. When you take in higher than usual amounts sodium, you’ll temporarily retain more fluid, contributing to that sluggish feeling, a puffy appearance, and extra water weight. Yuck.

Get your sexy summer body and your confidence back!

2) Thirsty? Stick to plain H20

Smart Swap: There's nothing like a nice cold carbonated beverage when you're hot and thirsty but plain old tap water is a better way to stay hydrated—those tingly bubbles just end up in your belly, causing it to puff out more.

Try these simple, belly-flattening beverage alternatives

3) Up the protein, lower the carbs

Smart Swap: Use one slice of whole grain bread for your sandwich at lunch instead of two, and swap snacks like pretzels for nuts or seeds. At dinner, try to stick to lean protein sources and, if you must have a carb, try something made with whole grains like quinoa or brown rice. Unless you’re running a marathon this weekend, loads of high-carb foods like bagels, bread, pasta, pretzels, and cereal will just boost bloat. The science-y reason: as a backup energy source, your muscles store a type of carbohydrate called glycogen, and every gram of glycogen is stored with about 3 grams of water. But unless you have a vigorous exercise routine, you don't need all this stockpiled fuel. When you decrease the carbs, you'll temporarily train your body to access this stored fuel and burn it off. At the same time, you'll drain off excess stored fluids.

Get loads of healthy warm-weather recipes and meal ideas!

4) Cook your veggies

Smart Swap: Eat veggies, just eat them cooked—steaming is quick and easy. Fruit is gorgeous and plentiful right now so indulge in moderation. When you’re trying to watch your weight it may be temping to fill up on a grapes, but if you want a flat belly filling it with all that volume is counter-productive: A half-cup serving of cooked carrots delivers the same nutrition as one cup raw, but it takes up less room in your GI tract. The same goes for fresh fruits: Compare the size of a few grapes to a few raisins. Big difference! While you’re at it skip those notorious gas-causers like broccoli and cauliflower and cook up green beans, mushrooms, and squash—which is bountiful right now anyway.

5) Season food with belly-friendly flavors

Smart swap: some people love their food four-alarm spicy (I’m one of them)! Feel the heat for one night, then lay off the barbecue sauce and garlic for a few days while debloating. Give dishes a flavor boost with in-season fresh or dried herbs like dill, basil, mint, sage, tarragon, and rosemary. You can also use curry powder, lemon or lime juice—all perfect with fish or chicken. Try to avoid Black pepper, nutmeg, cloves, Chili powder, hot sauces, onions, garlic, mustard, barbecue sauce, horseradish, catsup, tomato sauce, vinegar; Spicy foods can stimulate the release of stomach acid, which can cause irritation.

Spice up your dinner with these delicious, 30-minute chicken recipes

6) Satisfy an oral fixation with seeds, not gum

Smart Swap: If you chew gum by habit or just like to bite down on something crunchy, reach for some nuts, like roasted or raw unsalted sunflower seeds. You probably don't realize this, but when you chew gum, you swallow air. All that air gets trapped in your GI tract and causes pressure, bloating, and belly expansion—none of which are swimsuit-friendly.