For men: Eating to help your health

When women come to see nutritional consultant Bonnie Witler, it's often because they want to look better. Men, she says, are a bit different: They tend to seek her assistance because they want to get better.

"It usually follows a scare: Their blood work wasn't good, they have high cholesterol, they have a gut and the doctor says they really need to lose weight," Witler said.

What comes next? There are a range of things men can do to eat right, or at least better, said Witler, whose Weigh to Health practice is based in Syosset, and Nancy Copperman, a dietitian and director of public health initiatives with the North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System.

GET COLORFUL Turn your plate into a rainbow. Focus on bright colors such as reds, yellows and greens. "Every time you see a color, it represents nutrients you're getting, like when you choose a sweet potato rather than a white potato," Witler said.

potent plate "If you're a young guy and you want to help your wife conceive, you'll want to work on your weight and make sure you eat foods high in zinc, folates, carotenoids and vitamins E and C," Copperman said. "They can help protect the sperm through their antioxidant capacity." Foods on your plate should include spinach, beans, whole grains, broccoli and almonds, she said.

For older men worried about erectile dysfunction, specific foods may not help, Copperman said, but losing weight can make a difference.

BOOST FIBER, CALCIUM Copperman said that men tend to get only about half the fiber they need. "If you are under 50, you need to eat 38 grams of fiber a day," she said. "A slice of high-fiber bread might only have two grams, so a sandwich would give you four. You still have to make up the rest." Men older than 50 should shoot for at least 30 grams of fiber a day. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains will do the trick, she said.

As for calcium, men -- not just women -- face the risk of developing osteoporosis as they get older, she said, so they should be sure to consume four servings of dairy a day up until the age of 50. Federal government recommendations call for men to take in 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day from age 19 through age 70, and then 1,200 milligrams a day after that.

MOTIVATION Men can develop eating disorders, including binge eating, bulimia and even anorexia. Seek professional help if you think you may have one. And consider the motives behind the way you eat.

"Men may engage in emotional eating -- eating when you're sad or distressed, or even when you're happy," Witler said.

But the message from nutritionists seems to be that it's fine for food to boost the spirits -- as long as men make sure it gives their bodies a lift, too.