A Gay Man’s Guide To Better Health

Peter Minkoff is a lifestyle writer at Queer Voices magazine, living between Australia and Europe. Besides writing, he also worked as a freelance fashion stylist for many magazines. A true craft beer and soy latte aficionado, he loves spending his days at the beach and visiting second-hand stores on a daily basis. Follow Peter on Twitter for more tips.

The truth is that gay people pay attention to trends. Yes, this might seem like a prejudice (and many dislike being labeled “following all the latest trends”), but this fact doesn’t make it less real. Gay guys are first in line when new fashion trends are being introduced; they are always keeping up with all the latest trends, and purchase the latest gadgets. But since a couple of years ago, a new trend has been introduced – one that nobody saw coming. The trend of staying healthy and being fit is one of the best trends as it encourages people all over the world to quit unhealthy habits such as smoking or eating junk food, and embrace exercise, healthy diet and active lifestyle. If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon yet because you have no clue what this actually means, take a look:

Keep a positive outlook on life

Let’s start with the most complicated tips. Even though it might seem relatively easy, being positive about all the things that are happening to you might be quite challenging, especially in this day and age. But letting go of negativity is a huge step towards being healthy, which is even more important in the gay community. LGBT people are more prone to being depressed and negative, so this is something that all of us, as a community, have to work on. Surround yourself with positive people, always what you want to do, and try to find a silver lining in all your endeavors. Practice mindfulness, enroll in a yoga class, or meditate every day for fifteen minutes and you’ll see how far you can go.

Devote yourself to exercise

Next up, there is always the option of working out. Actually, if we’re talking about your health, this is not an option, but rather something that you ought to do. Getting up from your bed and hitting your gym might seem hard now, but once you start and make a routine out of it, you’ll be able to work out several times a week. To keep your body healthy and have visible results, make sure to use supplements, especially if your diet is not proper. Make sure to know which supplements to use, though – if you need to speed up your metabolic rate and want to burn some fat, you can always go with Yohimbe supplements that will also improve your athletic performance. Remember that you’re not going to the gym only because of your summer body  – you also want to keep it healthy and make yourself more athletic.

Follow a proper diet regime

How many times have you told yourself that you have to change your diet and to start eating healthier food? In case you haven’t started this yet, the time is now. Nobody’s telling you that you have to avoid junk food (especially if you like it), but cutting it down a bit and turning to healthier options such as proteins and vegetables is not difficult. Also remember to eat a strong and healthy breakfast, rich in nutrients and protein, do not eat late and drink plenty of fluids.

Include regular check-ups

No matter how scary it might sound, visiting the doctor and opting for regular check-ups is a great way to keep up with your health and make sure everything is fine. Apart from the regular HIV and hepatitis tests that you should be taking, see your doctor at least twice a year for a regular blood test to determine if everything is in perfect order. The results will tell you if you need to be more active if there is any food that you should be taking or giving up on and if there are other tests that you would have to take. All of us take health for granted, and more often than not, we turn to “trendy” healthy options such as workouts and drinking smoothies, overlooking the options that are actually there to help us see the true picture, such as regular check-ups.

As you are able to see, nothing from the list is impossible, yet they do require dedication and a strong will to become a healthier gay guy. Let’s show the world once again how conscious we are.