Men's Health UK November 2021

DR AMIR ENGLUND CANNABIS SCIENTIST King’s College London researcher Dr Englund explains the hazy facts behind weed-infused foods and how edibles influence your brain p23 SCOTT BRITTON MH ELITE COACH The Battle Cancer charity founder shares his home workout tools. Retire those 10kg rubber dumbbells and level up with his kit p120 FREDDIE BENNETT AUTHOR AND IRONMAN Swapping alcohol for ultramarathons, Bennett set up online community Over the Influence. Read his tips about unwinding without the booze p84 DR GREGORY SCOTT BROWN PSYCHIATRIST Struggling to focus? Dr Brown discusses the rise in self-diagnosed ADHD, and whether you might be affected p58 SHAUNA COXSEY ROCK CLIMBER The country’s top competition climber, Coxsey knows about performing at your peak. Use her tips to get to grips with climbing p130 TAREK SHUHAIBAR SPORTS NUTRITIONIST Having gone from an anxious crash-dieter to a nutritionist and coach, Shuhaibar explains why progress beats…

The subject of body image – the way we see others, the psychological effects of being seen – has rightly been the focus of much discussion, debate and crusading in recent years. Understandably, the spotlight has been on women. After all, you don’t need to be a patriarchy-pegging feminist to acknowledge the way society, media, advertising, fashion and films have placed disproportionate pressure on women to conform to a prescribed ideal of beauty over the years. But men are not immune to such pressures, regardless of their origin. And their susceptibility is increasing. In this issue, Men’s Health contributing editor Jamie Millar addresses the topic of male body image with moving candour, beginning with his own experiences – attempting to reconcile the appearance and demeanour of adolescent heroes with his own…

When, back in January, we did our annual audit of the wellness trends predicted to take off this year, two keywords emerged: slow down. Our fitness-industry futurists pointed to a new appreciation of breathwork, low-intensity training and mental health-focused movement. Punishing yourself with a 5am HIIT class seven days a week? Very 2019. Plus, as a new study shows, easy doesn’t mean ineffective. According to a paper published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the slow, focused, mindful movements that make up traditional tai chi practice can match aerobic exercise for health benefits. Researchers studied 543 participants – all of whom were 50 or older and carrying extra weight around their middles – for over 12 weeks and found that regular tai chi reduced waist circumference and cholesterol in the same way as…

Leg day might traditionally be regarded as the least enjoyable of your weekly sessions, but core day is a strong contender, too. True, a solid midsection will bolster your performance during all exercises, but planks, sit-ups and hollow holds do little to sustain your attention. Fortunately, we have a steadfast way to shake things up. ‘This is a movement that requires a fair amount of coordination and bodily awareness,’ says MH fitness editor Andrew Tracey. ‘You have to fire and stabilise multiple muscles at once, while also maintaining your balance.’ And for your investment, you’ll also benefit from stronger shoulders, arms and back muscles. The key is to keep your movements controlled, resisting the urge to loosen up and allow your torso to rotate. ‘As soon as you let a link in…

01 FAST BOWL When it comes to breakfast, Brits have their blinkers on. But if you learn to look past quick-fix carbs like muesli or toast, you might find that your first meal of the day can also be your most nutritious. For the biggest bang for your breakfast buck, kick off like the Japanese do – with help from Shuko Oda, head chef and co-founder of Koya. A DASHI Heard of umami, the ‘fifth flavour’? It was first identified in dashi: this Japanese stock is made with a mineral-rich combination of kelp, fermented tuna and dried anchovies for that moreish salty taste you find in a billion bowls of ramen. B MACKEREL Oily fish has long been a breakfast staple on both sides of the world, though kippers on toast have since fallen out…

01 STATE OF PLAY Cannabis contains over 100 chemical compounds called ‘cannabinoids’. The best known are CBD – the stuff they sell at your local Boots – and psychoactive THC, which is ‘the one that gets you high’, says researcher Dr Amir Englund.* In the UK, products must contain less than 0.2% THC. For fully charged edibles, you need to hop on a plane: recreational cannabis use is now legal in 18 US states, as well as Canada. 02 AT FIRST BITE When you smoke cannabis, its THC enters your bloodstream and quickly reaches the brain, explains Dr Englund, ‘it takes about five minutes for you to feel the effects’. Edibles, such as gummies or truffles, hit differently. ‘First it needs to reach the gut, where it’s released slowly.’ Edibles can take an…