Author: Dale Roby

Water-soluble vitamins consist of members of the vitamin B complex and vitamin C. They are generally found together in the same foods with the exception of B12 which is present only in meat and dairy foods. The others are found in whole grain cereals, legumes, leafy green vegetables, and fruits. The water-soluble vitamins generally function to assist the activity of important enzymes such as those involved in the production of energy from carbohydrates and fats. They are often referred to as “cofactors”. Other roles may be defined with further research. The water-soluble vitamins are not stored to a great extent…

A nutraceutical (or nutriceutical) is any food or food ingredient considered to provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention and treatment of disease. Food and food substances can qualify for health claims only if they meet FDA requirements, which require that the claims be supported by sufficient scientific evidence. However, nutraceuticals are not regulated as strictly as drugs. Significant variability can occur in both the potency and the purity of these products. Many dietary supplements will not contain claims of a particular use on the label because there is not scientific evidence of this claim. However, unproven claims can…

ST. JOHN’S WORT St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an aromatic perennial widely used to treat mild to moderate depression. The bright yellow flower of the plant supposedly has its brightest appearance on June 24th, the birthday of St. John, thus giving it his name. Other names for the plant include include “goat weed” or “klamath weed”. Many of the substances in the brain that are affected by St. John’s wort are neurotransmitters, substances that mediate the signal that is passed from one nerve to another. Depression is thought to result from abnormal neurotransmitter activities. Because several neurotransmitters have been…

A healthy fitness level is the result of exercise. Some people get their exercise on the job. For example, commercial fishermen can spend months hauling 300-pound fish around. Nurserymen are often in excellent shape for doing the same thing with sod, trees or shrubbery. Low-tech farmers get their exercise by working the land by hand. In America and many other industrialized countries, most people need an exercise regimen to counter the effects of sedentary jobs. Exercise can be aerobic or anaerobic. In aerobic activity, the body needs oxygen due to prolonged exertion. Such exercises include running, swimming, soccer, basketball, fencing, and dance. These…

Conventional wisdom has long claimed that children who grow up without their fathers mature sexually earlier and begin sexual activity sooner than peers in two-parent homes. The leap that often followed was causal: father absence causes early sexual behaviour. Recent research urges more care—especially with the classic warning that correlation does not equal causation. What the Newer Analyses Suggest Psychologist Jane Mendle and colleagues used family-based comparisons (twins, sisters, cousins) to examine age at first intercourse. When genetically related youths were compared, the closest relatives showed the closest timing—regardless of whether a father was present. In other words, shared genes…

Across the last two centuries, people have argued about how much biology and psychology shape human behavior. Sexual orientation is now widely understood as a complex, natural variation in human experience—not a disorder to be “treated.” Attempts to “cure” homosexuality have repeatedly failed and, more importantly, have caused harm. What the Evidence and Ethics Say Homosexuality is not an illness. Major health bodies are clear that efforts to change sexual orientation (often called “conversion” or “reparative” therapy) are ineffective and carry risks such as shame, depression, and fractured family relationships. For a succinct, research-grounded overview, see the American Psychological Association’s…

A man knows it’s time to retire when his children are talking about their own retirement, his passion for golf edges out his passion for work, and even the chief of police looks suspiciously young. Jokes aside, the transition works best when you prepare for it—financially, physically, and mentally—before your final day on the job. Why Plan Your Retirement Lifestyle (Not Just Finances) Most men plan portfolios; fewer plan daily life. That’s a mistake. The habits you build now—health checks, training routines, social ties, hobbies—are the scaffolding for a satisfying retirement. A gradual wind-down (reduced hours, mentoring, consulting) often beats…

For those young men who were fortunate enough to return from the trenches after the First World War, many came home to a lifetime of nightmares, anxiety, guilt, and despair. What we then called “shell shock” was met with deep stigma. Talking therapies emerged to meet this new wave of suffering, and the post-war reorganization of services for veterans reshaped mental healthcare for everyone—a legacy we still feel today. Yet most veterans were left to reintegrate as best they could, without formal help. The result was a collective, generational trauma. My own grandfather fought in the trenches and later lost…

Mental health has its fashions, and mindfulness is certainly having a moment. By “mindfulness,” most people mean simple, regular meditative exercises that train attention and awareness. Beyond trends, the question is: does it help? What recent research suggests Growing evidence indicates that mindfulness-based approaches can be both helpful and feasible for a range of mental health difficulties. This includes conditions once thought to be poor fits for meditation (for example, experiences like hearing voices or pronounced paranoia) when practices are carefully adapted and used with clinical guidance. In depression, where relapse risk increases after each episode, mindfulness training is being…

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a difficult subject for many men, and there are several ways to help. Medical approaches sometimes use low-dose antidepressants because a known side effect is delaying ejaculation. Physical approaches build body awareness and control. Psychological approaches focus on attention, anxiety reduction, and learning the sexual arousal cycle without panic. What most self-help books and even some therapy manuals assume, however, is a cooperating partner to practise with. That’s a problem when PE often begins in the teen years and can lead men to avoid dating and sex entirely. Many of the single men I see aren’t…