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The SEX-PACK

Postcards are funny things, on the one hand they’re a very good way to let friends & family know that you’re thinking of them even though you may be far away. On the other hand they’re excellent tools to rub everyone you knows face in the fact that you’re off on a sunny holiday whilst they are back in cold, dark & dreary Britain. With this thought in mind, I’m writing this article on the balcony of a sun-drenched villa overlooking the crystal clear sea from this beautiful Island in the Maldives. The beaches have perfect white sand, the sea is sapphire blue and the food is absolutely amazing.

Whilst taking long walks on the beach, I get talking to several couples and, after exchanging the usual pleasantries, a common theme seemed to emerge. They all talk about having to “Prepare” for the holiday. Now I’m not talking about packing their suitcases or getting factor 500 sun cream. No! I’m talking about getting their bodies in shape and the most important part for most men is Getting the Six-Pack!

Actually, given it’s reported affect on women, it should be called:

“The SEX-PACK!

If there’s one thing that separates the Men from the Boys, it’s the Six-Pack. To many of us, it appears to be an unobtainable dream that is reserved for young athletes, models or film stars. Well in this Olympic year where sport and health are being preached across the country, here are a few tips on how to achieve that elusive six-pack:

1)We ALL have a 6-Pack

That’s right, it doesn’t matter what sort of shape you are in, you have a 6-pack. It’s just that it’s probably hidden under a few layers of fat or it hasn’t been worked enough to become visible. Knowing this info helps us understand that simply doing 1,000 sit-ups per day will not get you the abdomen that you desire. You can build up your abdominal muscles quite well but nobody will see them as they will be covered in fat.

2) With food, “Less is More”

If you are serious about having a cracking 6-pack, watch what you eat. Any body builder will tell you that when competition time comes they cut out all added sugars or fats. This allows their bodies to use up any excess fat that they have onboard and therefore increase their muscle definition, this is key for achieving a 6-pack.

3) Exercise Fast & Light and Slow & Heavy

Many guys do sit-ups all day long with very little visible improvement. This is because:

  1. the load on the abs is too light, therefore the muscle is not able to bulk up. to overcome this, put a weight on your chest to increase your strength during sit-ups.
  • b) they are moving too slow. If you are doing sit-ups without weights then make them as fast as possible, this not only puts the muscles under more stress but also helps to increase definition.

4) Don’t forget your Back

By exercising your back as well as your abs you will build up greater core strength, improve your posture & prevent injuries.

So whilst you’re watching Usain Bolt being beaten by Yohan Blake (yes I did say it), remember that their abs can be your abs too.

Now, back to the sea, wish you were here 😉

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The Importance of Impotence

After watching too many episodes of “Law & Order” one could be forgiven for thinking that there are only two forces that drive most men. The desire for Money and the desire for Sex. To lose a job or to lose the ability earn money is a serious thing. To lose the ability to make love is a Disaster!

Impotence or Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is characterized by the inability to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual performance. A penile erection is achieved by the hydraulic effect of blood entering and being retained in the sponge-like bodies within the penis. This causes the penis to become hard and erect to aid sexual intercourse. In – The Massachusetts Male Ageing Study- it was shown that 52% of men (aged 40-70) had experienced ED (mild 17%; moderate 25%; severe 10%).

There can be many reasons for ED such as side-effects of medication,  MS, Depression & Stress. By far the biggest cause of ED (>50%) is Atherosclerosis, that’s where the arteries which supply the penis are narrowed due to deposits of cholesterol & fat in the vessel walls.

This is obviously serious because if the arteries supplying the penis are getting blocked, then so are the arteries supplying your Heart, Brain, Kidneys etc. this means that you are at high risk of heart disease, hypertension and stroke. In fact the research tells us that 25% of men diagnosed with ED will have a stroke within 5 years! Very serious indeed.

So, what do you do if you have ED? The first thing to do is see your GP immediately. Do not wait a few months or years like many men do due to embarrassment. Believe me, your doctor has seen it all before and should make you feel at ease. The good news is that just as heart disease (clogged arteries to the heart) is reversible, so is the clogged arteries to the penis reversible. By changing your diet to a low fat Plant-Based Diet, high in vegetables, beans & whole-grains & increasing your daily aerobic exercise to 30-45min per day, those arteries will quickly start to open up again. Just by increasing the radius of the artery by 7% can give an increase in blood volume of >200%. If you’re able to make these simple changes you may be able to avoid medication or at least reduce the dose and length of time on them. It will also help your heart and all of your organs to keep Pumping away!