> Health and Disease > Men's Health Issues

"Broccoli? No thanks," said my dinner guest when I offered him a bowl full of crisp steamed vegetables. "I’m a meat-and-potato man!" As if to proudly underscore his statement, he rubbed his rounded belly. Minutes later, I overheard his wife asking him, "Did you remember to take your blood pressure pills today, dear?"

If only this meat-and-potato man could be persuaded to change his mind and include broccoli and other veggies in his regular diet. He may never need to be reminded about blood pressure medication again.

The fact is, high blood pressure is closely linked to diet. In a study by Duke University Medical Center, a group of patients with high blood pressure was put on a diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables. After only two weeks, the average blood pressure dropped to levels previously attainable only with medication. Interestingly, this group had a near-normal salt intake, but most high blood pressure patients are told by their doctors to eliminate or severely reduce sodium consumption. Just adding a few servings of vegetables to the daily diet achieves better results than tossing out the salt shaker!

Veggies and Virility

Eating vegetables normalizes blood pressure, but that’s not the only benefit of a plant-based diet. An increased intake of vegetables has been shown to promote cardiovascular health and prevent cellular damage. A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reported that a diet high in vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains improved blood flow and prevented damage to the cells that line the arteries in a group of men with high cholesterol. Vegetables improve blood flow–the "secret ingredient" of a happy love life–since a healthy vascular system is required to obtain and sustain an erection. A vegetable-based diet and regular exercise just might be the most potent aphrodisiacs available–and available without prescription.

As for high cholesterol, there’s no better way to fight it than with vegetables and fruit. Both are high in fibre, which is known to effectively lower LDL serum cholesterol levels. Fibre? Don’t you get that from bran cereals? Indeed, but most commercial brands are also high in refined sugar, which causes cellular damage, one of the major reasons why cholesterol moves in and lines the arteries in the first place. If you like bran cereal, by all means get a natural, unrefined version from your health food store. But remember that the fibre in fresh fruits and vegetables is a gentler bulking agent and is especially effective in normalizing blood cholesterol levels.

Heart-Friendly Vegetables

An increased intake of vegetables also promotes heart health. A study using (not by) a group of male physicians in the US aged 40 to 84 clearly suggests an inverse association between vegetable intake and risk of coronary heart disease. An interesting aspect of this study lies in the fact that its original objective was to investigate the benefits of whole vegetables rather than certain isolated nutrients that have long been associated with improved heart health (for instance, folate and antioxidants). The results were adjusted for various factors, including vitamin supplementation. Still, the men who ate the most vegetables came out on top with a healthier heart, which shows that taking supplements is not enough. A healthy whole foods diet must come first; vitamins and minerals in supplement form are just that–supplements, not substitutes.

No Cooking Required

Among men, the phrase "I don’t know how to cook" is still a popular answer to why they eat so few vegetables. But it’s a poor excuse. Most vegetables don’t need to be cooked. In fact, they’re best eaten raw or crisply steamed, and steaming requires no culinary talents or experience. In the interest of freshness and nutrient content, it’s always best to do your own chopping and to look for organic vegetables (which are seldom seen pre-cut). But if an already-chopped salad will make the difference between eating or not eating one, by all means go for it! Most supermarkets today cater to busy shoppers who have no time or inclination to wash and chop, offering pre-chopped bagged varieties in their produce section.

Prostrate Cancer Prevention

Simone Gabbay is a registered nutritional consultant in Toronto, Ont. She is the author of Nourishing the Body Temple.

Source: alive #228, October 2001