Dad maintains that in the ‘good ol’ days, men’s simple shaving habits were best, but they’re mostly all wrong.

For one, dad said to pull skin taut and to shave hard against the grain. Besides the risk of skin irritation and ingrown hairs, this technique causes nicks and cuts. Shave once in the direction of the hair grain, using very light pressure. For a super-close shave, reapply the shave cream and do a second run against the grain. If your razor is sharp enough, this step might not be necessary.

Actually, dad’s dull razor was one of the big reasons his shaving style was so masochistic. Dad was armed with either a ‘straight razor’ (think the Sweeny Todd jack-knife kind), or the more common ‘safety razor’ variety. Instead of using Dad’s razors to shave, use a sharp, single-blade razor with a coated-edge blade and discard it after 4 or 5 uses.

Accompanying dad’s dreadful razor was likely a shaving brush and shaving soap. With these, dad probably taught you to work up a rich, foamy lather before hacking away at your stubble. With this approach, you can’t see where you’re shaving. Besides slicing off a corner of your nose, you could easily shave off a sideburn. Secondly, soapy shaving creams create blade resistance, and since they don’t provide enough skin protection, they cause ingrown hairs, razor burn, razor bumps, and redness. Instead, use a clear, lubricating shave gel like the Advanced Shave Formula; it creates a slick, moisture-rich cushion that helps a blade glide easily over skin.

Using the right aftershave is just as important as using the right shaving cream, but again, dad’s advice was pretty bad. Remember the movie Home Alone? The scene where, after splashing on his dad’s aftershave, bratty little Kevin shrieks like a banshee? When dad first introduced you to his scented after shave, your experience was probably similar, only slightly less theatrical. Heavily perfumed, alcohol-based aftershaves are painful for a reason – they’re bad! They dehydrate and stress freshly shaven skin. Instead, opt for a gentle, nourishing aftershave like the Post-Shave Repair, which helps heal and protect skin after a shave.

For more on shaving, read “How to Shave for Results.”

If they weren’t so harmful, some of the nutrition viewpoints from Dad’s day would be rather amusing.

Old-Fashioned cookbooks recommended large amounts of butter, meat and potatoes for good health. Harmonizing with this nutritional philosophy, the staples of Dad’s day were buttery casseroles and high-cholesterol dishes. The man of today should try to limit saturated fatty foods popular in dad’s day, as these can raise blood cholesterol and put men at risk for heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

But Dad’s ideas on increasing fat intake weren’t all wrong. Some fats, like Omega 3 fatty acids, are good for you. Why? Because they’re critical to the cardiovascular system - even the FDA has indicated that they may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. The American Heart Association also recommends that men consume foods rich in Omega-3, at least twice a week. To ensure you receive the necessary amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids from a pure source, consider taking a daily nutritional supplement like the Omega-3 Supplement Formula.

Dad probably told you to eat your fruits and vegetables - and he was right – but he was probably wrong about how much you’d need. The USDA recommends that men consume at least five servings of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables a day. Antioxidants offer a wide array of health benefits and help protect against skin aging. The caveat? With today’s commercial convenience, ‘antioxidant rich’ is hard to get. In addition to vitamin-depleted soils, foods are largely stripped of their vitamins during processing and shipment. MenScience’s Advanced Antioxidants Supplement was scientifically designed to provide a broad spectrum of highly effective antioxidants.

Dad and you probably share the widely held misconception that nutritional fiber is only for regularity. Sure, fiber ‘keeps you regular,’ but that’s only the crude by-product. Researchers have proven that a diet rich in soluble fiber helps prevent heart disease, gallstones, kidney stones and diabetes, plus insoluble fiber helps metabolize food and sugar more effectively. Lastly, since fiber is filling and found in low-calorie foods, it’s also great for weight control. Sadly, according to the USDA, American men aren’t getting nearly enough fiber. To get more fiber (soluble and insoluble) eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains and stay true to the foods’ natural form, because the more processed a product is, the lower the fiber content.

For more on exercise, read ‘Building a Better Body.’