Fitness taboos, massage techniques and basic dietary health care for middle-aged men in spring and summer

150. What are the six things to avoid when exercising in spring? Experts say that spring is indeed a good time for people to engage in outdoor fitness activities. Some scientific and moderate outdoor activities can lay a good foundation for physical exercise and health throughout the year. However, after the cold winter, the functions of various organs, including muscle function, are at a low level, and muscles and ligaments are relatively stiff. Therefore, when engaging in sports at the beginning of spring, the goal should be to restore the body's functions, and attention should be paid to moderation. (1) Not suitable for early morning: In early spring, the temperature is low, the humidity is high, and the fog is heavy. The temperature difference between indoors and outdoors is huge. The body is suddenly exposed to cold, which can easily cause colds, asthma, pulmonary heart disease, etc. It is advisable to exercise outdoors after sunrise. (2) Not suitable for an empty stomach: In the morning, the body's blood circulation is relatively slow, blood pressure and body temperature are low, and the stomach is empty after a night of digestion. Therefore, before morning exercise, you should drink some hot beverages, such as milk, egg soup, coffee, oatmeal, etc., to replenish water, increase heat energy, increase blood volume, accelerate blood circulation, and prevent cerebrovascular accidents. (3) Avoid exposing limbs: When engaging in outdoor activities, choose sheltered, sunny, warm, quiet, and well-ventilated open fields or parks. Do not run against the wind, and especially avoid exercising with your body exposed. When you feel too hot and sweaty, reduce the intensity of your exercise, slow down your pace, or rest for a while. Never rush to take off your clothes and let the cold wind blow directly on you, as this can easily cause illness. (4) Avoid strenuous exercise: Exercise should be done within your limits, gradually, and comfortably. Do not overexert yourself, and avoid excessive or prolonged exercise. It is advisable to do more gentle activities such as walking, health exercises, Tai Chi, and calisthenics. (5) Avoid rushing: Do not exercise without preparation. Before exercising, gently move your body, twist your waist, relax your muscles, and move your joints to increase the excitement of the exercise and prevent accidental injuries caused by sudden exercise. (6) Avoid excessive sweating: Some people have misconceptions about exercising in the spring, thinking that they can only achieve their goal by exercising until they are drenched in sweat as usual. In the early spring when temperatures are still fluctuating between warm and cold, excessive physical activity and sweating during exercise can easily lead to catching a cold and developing various respiratory illnesses if one is exposed to cold air without taking timely measures to keep warm.

What are the five things to avoid when exercising in summer? (1) Avoid taking a cold shower immediately after sweating profusely: During exercise in summer, the body's metabolism is vigorous, and the body's heat energy increases significantly. The heat energy is dissipated through the expansion of capillaries in the skin. If you take a cold shower immediately, the capillaries will suddenly contract due to the cold stimulus, which is not conducive to the dissipation of body heat energy. The sudden cold stimulus will cause the open sweat pores to close suddenly, which will reduce the body's resistance and make it easy to get sick. (2) Avoid drinking a lot of water after exercise: You will feel particularly thirsty after sweating a lot during exercise in summer. Do not drink a lot of water. After exercise, the body's organs need to rest. Drinking a lot of water will put a heavy burden on the digestive system, circulatory system, and especially the heart. At the same time, after drinking a lot of water, the body will sweat more, which will cause the body to lose more salt and easily cause spasms. (3) Avoid drinking iced drinks immediately after exercise: In summer, during physical exercise, the blood in the body will be redistributed. A large amount of blood flows to the muscles and the surface of the body, while the digestive system is in a relatively ischemic state. Frozen drinks are too cold and can easily irritate the stomach. Excessive stimulation can also damage gastrointestinal function. If you consume a lot of cold drinks after exercise, you may experience a decrease in appetite or even gastrointestinal diseases. (4) Avoid exercising in strong sunlight: Summer sunlight contains strong ultraviolet rays. Prolonged exposure can cause significant damage to the skin and may lead to symptoms similar to heatstroke. Therefore, physical exercise in summer should be avoided in direct sunlight, and the duration and intensity of exercise should not be too high. (5) Avoid wearing too little clothing during exercise: People generally believe that the less clothing you wear in summer, the cooler you will feel. However, from a scientific perspective, summer temperatures are high, humidity is high, and ultraviolet rays are strong. When exercising, the sun can feel hot on your body, and excessive ultraviolet rays can cause pain, peeling, and other skin burns, and may even lead to skin cancer. Therefore, it is not better to wear less clothing during exercise in summer, and you should not exercise shirtless. You should wear thin and breathable clothing.

What are the precautions for exercising in summer? If you exercise vigorously or for a long time in a hot environment, you are prone to heatstroke, which is commonly known as heat illness. Therefore, people who exercise during the hot season should pay attention to the following five points: (1) Try to exercise in the early morning or after dinner when the temperature is relatively low. Avoid exercising between 11 am and 4 pm and avoid exposing your upper body and head to the sun without protection. (2) You can choose some gentle exercise programs, such as walking, jogging, alternating walking and running, Tai Chi sword, fitness exercises, etc. The intensity should not be too high, and the exercise time should be controlled within one hour. (3) Warm up before exercising and do relaxation exercises after exercising. Avoid blowing cold air or taking a cold shower when you are sweating profusely, so as not to induce illness. (4) Drink 500 ml of water before exercising. During and after exercising, you should drink water in small amounts and frequently, generally 100-150 ml each time. The water temperature should not be lower than 10℃ to avoid adverse stimulation to the stomach and intestines. (5) When exercising in high temperatures, increase the intake of high-quality protein and reduce the intake of fats. Increase the proportion of staple foods in the three meals to improve the energy reserves in the muscles and enhance the heat resistance during exercise. Choose leafy green vegetables and fruits to make cold dishes, or drink some lightly salted water to increase the intake of vitamin C and sodium.

What are the methods of massage? Massage is the application of techniques to the skin to adjust the physiological and pathological state of the human body, thereby achieving the purpose of treating diseases and maintaining health. Massage not only has the effects of adjusting endocrine, strengthening gastrointestinal motility, separating tissue adhesions, and repositioning, but also regulates the function of the cerebral cortex, causing the brain nerves to generate impulses, thereby playing a role in exciting or inhibiting the nerves. Scientific research has proven that various massage techniques are a series of reactions caused by the force generated by various movements on the body. After the human body receives massage, the large and small circulatory systems can be unblocked, blood circulation can be improved, the metabolism of various organs and tissues can be accelerated, fatigue can be eliminated, and pain can be relieved. Massage has the effect of prolonging life. The following are some massage methods for your reference. (1) Shower massage: Shower massage uses the temperature and pressure during showering to stimulate the skin to achieve the effect of massage. The areas where muscles are most prone to relaxation are the arms, buttocks, and inner thighs. In these areas, perform longitudinal, transverse, and spiral stimulation. Alternate between warm and cold water. The temperature of the warm water should make the skin feel warm, and the temperature of the cold water should make the skin feel stinging in order to be effective. If you feel so cold that you are shivering, it is not necessary. Adjust the temperature to a suitable level. Spray warm water and cold water twice, and finally spray warm water to finish. After the massage, apply lotion all over the body. (2) Head and face massage: ① Forehead rubbing method. Take a sitting position, bend the index fingers of both hands into a bow shape, and press the second interphalangeal joint of the fingers against the center of the eyebrows. Rub the forehead to both sides, and rub back and forth 30 to 50 times. ② Forehead side pushing method. In a sitting or supine position, use the spiral surface of the thumbs of both hands to press against the temples on both sides and push straight from front to back, 20 to 30 times on each side, until you feel soreness. ③ Ear covering and pillow tapping method. In a sitting position, cover the ears with the palms of both hands, and press the other fingers against the sides of the pillow. Use the index, middle and ring fingers of both hands to gently tap the pillow three times at the same time, which can produce different drumming sounds. ④ Hand rubbing and face washing. Sitting position, first rub your hands together to warm them, then press your palms firmly against your forehead and rub downwards to your jaw, repeating 10-20 times until your face feels warm and comfortable. (3) Chest massage: ① Place your hands under your armpits and massage in a circular motion around the nipples. Massage in a spiral motion from the lower edge of the sternum upwards to the collarbone. Repeat each movement 8-10 times. ② Open your hands and press down parallel from the sternum to the outer edge of the chest. Massage in a figure-eight motion between the breasts. Repeat each movement 20 times. ③ Start drawing circles from the center of the breast and move upwards to the collarbone. Massage in a spiral motion from the outer edge of the breast in small circles. Repeat each movement 8-10 times. ④ Stand up straight, raise your right hand and stretch it upwards, while extending your right leg downwards. Hold for 5 seconds, then switch to stretching your left hand and left leg, straightening your body as much as possible. Alternate stretching left and right, repeating each movement 8-10 times. (4) Abdominal massage: ① Double palm abdominal massage. Take a seated position, place one hand firmly on the abdomen, and place the other palm on top of it. Rotate and rub in a clockwise direction with both palms for 3-5 minutes. The force should be gentle and even, and do not press hard. ② Oblique rubbing method. In a seated position, place the thenar eminence or palm of both hands firmly on both sides of the ribs and rub back and forth obliquely until the local area feels warm. (5) Buttock massage: ① Stand barefoot and relaxed. ② Place both hands behind the waist, with the 10 fingers together. Push down with the fingers to the root of the thigh, and then push up to the waist. Repeat 30 times. ③ Place the palms above the buttocks and draw circles in a clockwise direction on the left and right buttocks 30 times respectively. ④ Make fists with both hands and tap the buttocks with the palms. Pay attention to the even force and tap rhythmically for more than 2 minutes. ⑤ Keep the ten fingers naturally together, with the knuckles slightly bent, and pat the buttocks rhythmically until the buttocks relax. (6) Upper limb health massage: ① Palm rubbing method. ① Sitting position, place the palm of one hand on the surface of the shoulder and rub it up and down vigorously until the area feels warm. ② Rubbing the palms. Take a sitting position and rub the palms of both hands together vigorously, from slow to fast, until they feel warm. ③ Rubbing the back of the hand. First, place one palm on the back of the other hand and rub both hands back and forth vigorously, from slow to fast, until the back of the hand feels warm. Then rub the back of the other hand in the same way. (7) Lower limb health massage: ① Palm kneading the thighs. Take a sitting position, bend your waist slightly forward, place the heels of both hands on the sides of the thighs and massage from top to bottom with force, repeating 5-6 times. ② Palm striking the lower limbs. Take a sitting position, bend your waist slightly forward, and use the heels of both hands to strike the lower limbs from top to bottom with force, repeating 5-6 times, until it feels relaxed and comfortable.

How can middle-aged men perform sexually beneficial massages? Middle-aged couples often neglect exercise, unaware that exercise invigorates the body, activates cells throughout the body, and can enhance libido. Wives can help their husbands with male health massages, allowing both partners to fully enjoy sexual pleasure. The specific method is as follows: The husband lies flat or stands, trying to relax his whole body and focus his attention on his genitals. The wife places her left hand on the husband's navel and her right hand supporting his testicles, gently massaging them until a slight soreness is felt, for at least 200 times. Then, she places her right hand on the navel and massages with her left hand, repeating the same number of times. The wife alternates between her left and right hands massaging the husband's perineum (the area from the scrotum to the anus) 100 times or more. Using the husband's navel as the center, the wife massages his abdomen counter-clockwise 100 times with her left hand, then massages his abdomen clockwise with her right hand.

How can middle-aged men maintain acid-base balance in their diet? The body's acid-base balance is closely related to the acidity and alkalinity of the diet. The acidity or alkalinity of food is determined by the types and amounts of elements it contains. Foods rich in phosphorus, sulfur, and chlorine are considered acidic foods, such as barley, corn, flour, peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, white sugar, white rice, brown rice, alcoholic beverages, meats, chicken, duck, egg yolks, fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish. Foods predominantly rich in calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium are considered alkaline foods, such as soybeans, red beans, mung beans, broad beans, peas, vegetables, fruits, chestnuts, lotus root, lilies, dairy products, kelp, wakame seaweed, tea, and coffee. All physiological activities require a relative balance of acids and bases in the body; otherwise, illness can result. In our daily diet, staple foods are often acidic. Consuming excessive amounts of acidic foods like meat, poultry, eggs, and seafood can easily exceed the body's needs. Similarly, long-term excessive consumption of refined sugar or alcohol can lead to an acidic blood constitution. This not only depletes alkaline elements like calcium and magnesium, causing calcium deficiency, but also increases blood viscosity, leading to various forms of acidosis. Middle-aged men are more prone to neuralgia, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, stomach ulcers, and cerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a proper balance of acidic and alkaline foods in our daily diet. We should eat more alkaline foods such as vegetables and fruits and control the proportion of acidic foods to maintain the body's acid-base balance and facilitate the full absorption and utilization of nutrients.

What nutrients do middle-aged men need to supplement? (1) Nucleic acid: It is a high molecular compound and the core substance that governs life activities. It is the basis of protein synthesis and plays a key role in major life activities such as human growth, development, reproduction and heredity. Foods rich in nucleic acid include beef, horse meat, animal offal (liver, heart, kidney), sardines, salmon, shrimp, clams, oysters, poultry, lentils, spinach, mushrooms, oats, onions, asparagus, nuts, wheat germ, radishes, beets, etc. Experts recommend eating seafood once a week, animal liver once a week, beef and beans once or twice a week; eating bamboo shoots, carrots, onions, oats, spinach, cabbage, etc. every day, and drinking 5 cups of tea or juice can ensure the supply of nucleic acid. (2) Antioxidants: It has been reported that antioxidants, especially vitamin E, can prevent free radicals from damaging blood vessel walls, thereby preventing cholesterol blockage, heart disease and sudden death. Whole grains (especially wheat germ), nuts and vegetable oils all contain vitamin E. Vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants, especially dark green vegetables and orange fruits. Regular consumption has anti-aging and anti-cancer effects. (3) B vitamins: Vitamin B₆ and folic acid are B vitamins that help break down excess cysteine, an amino acid that is a risk factor for heart disease. Vitamin B₆ is found in chicken, fish, whole grains and legumes. Folic acid is abundant in leafy green vegetables, orange juice, legumes and grains. Vitamin B₆ plays a vital role in fat metabolism. (4) Enzymes: Middle-aged men have decreased digestive capacity because of decreased secretion of digestive enzymes such as amylase, protease and lipase. Catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) can effectively eliminate free radicals produced in metabolism. Free radicals can damage the structure of human cells, causing the proteins and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) components in cells to lose their activity, inducing cardiovascular disease, dementia, cancer, cataracts, arthritis and other diseases. Foods rich in enzymes include shiitake mushrooms, yams, ginger, green beans, leeks, garlic, green peppers, eggplants, ginkgo nuts, gynostemma pentaphyllum, maifanite, radishes, pumpkins, papayas, lettuce, pineapples, hawthorns, royal jelly, and jujubes. (5) Zinc: Zinc is an active component of enzymes throughout the body. According to statistics, the production of more than 200 enzymes in the human body and the neurotransmitter system in the brain cannot be separated from zinc. Because zinc and copper are concentrated in the hippocampus of the brain, they play an important role in maintaining cell integrity, cell proliferation, gene regulation, nucleic acid metabolism, and immune function. Foods rich in zinc include seafood (oysters, shellfish, and sea fish), lean meat, whole grains, and legumes.