4 Ways to help fathers live longer

• The best portion is not good for them

Traditionally in Ghana, fathers are given the best portion of food due to their role as providers of the home’s needs. The meat they are given is the largest portion as well.

At their age, this practice only makes men get more food than their bodies really need. It helps them put on excess weight which later increases their chances of getting metabolic disorders.

In some instances, children who should be given adequate amounts of meat end up with just a little, which rather makes them undernourished.

Men should be given adequate amounts of meat and food. Instead of four pieces of the meat, just one may be needed by their bodies. So take one and eat the rest later. Do not eat three eggs at breakfast because you are the man, one is enough.

It is also bad for men to use their purchasing power to over eat when they go to ‘chop-bars’ or restaurants. It is often assumed the more meat and drinks you can afford, the richer you are. This is very common among taxi and trotro drivers.

Someone should advise this group of men to rather send their monies home for their wives to prepare healthy and acceptable meals for the whole family.

• Packed meals for work is the way to go

It is not the best to assume that the fact that you are a man means you should eat from eateries when you are not home. Men should also learn to carry healthy meals along to their workplaces and sites, where they spend most of the day.

Any wife who wants her husband to stay healthy and live with her till they grow old together should start considering this practice of letting the men carry packed meals along to work.

Food flasks are not meant for children alone. The fathers should also have one. This might sound funny to most people, but when faced with the stark reality of having to live with a chronic disease, you will understand what I am proposing very well.

Some men in their 50s have developed diabetes due to the fact that they spent about 20 years of their past life paying attention to their work alone and not their health.

They eat any kind of food and at any time at all, as far as work would permit them. They do not do any form of exercise along the line. Now they are faced with stroke, diabetes, liver diseases, among others. When death strikes, the woman would have to continue taking care of the family alone.

A word to the women; if you feed the men well today, they will be stronger in 10 to 20 years time so that you can send all your children to school together. Leaving them to their own fate now is a nice way of preparing yourself for early widowhood.

• Advise them to stop drinking alcohol

Alcohol is a killer, but unfortunately, it is mens thing to drink alcohol. A man who refuses to drink alcohol is seen by his peers as a weak man. Tell your father that they are stronger without alcohol than with it.

Alcohol will weaken them sexually, it will cause them so many diseases and illnesses as well. When drunk, they can get involved in accidents while driving. This will shorten their lives and also cut short the bright future of the children.

It is just bad to drink alcohol. Do not be deceived by the erroneous impression that a little alcohol is good for the heart, it is not.

• Motivate them to go for a walk

Exercise is medicine, encourage your father to take a walk every day. Doing 30 minutes of an aerobic activity such as brisk walking, dancing, swimming, treadmill running, among others is what we need to stay well and healthy as men.

This is also more beneficial in protecting your heart from diseases and weaknesses. Exercise also improves sexual drive and performance. You can buy a pair of exercise shoes, track suits, an exercise CD or an indoor exercise machine for your dad, brother, boss or fiancé.