PULSE.

DOWNWARD-FACING DAD: Bruce Eric Van Horn tackles the daunting task of persuading men that real men can and should do yoga. In ``Yoga for Men'' (book and instructional CD, Andrews McMeel Publishing; $14.95), Van Horn tries to make yoga more appealing to the male population by giving the postures humorous, business-y titles. So the warrior pose becomes ``firm footing in a changing marketplace,'' the camel pose becomes ``bending over backward to serve your customers,'' and the handstand becomes ``shouldering responsibility.'' Van Horn, founder of Yoga for Business Inc., also includes a section on yoga practices designed to improve prostate health and sexual performance. Cute names aside, a yoga workout is a yoga workout. For men who want to do yoga but shy away from classes filled with women, ``Yoga for Men'' provides a solid at-home alternative.

- Mariko Thompson

STAY HEALTHY, MAN: Men tend to wait too long before going to the doctor, are more likely to neglect their diets and pay less attention to emotional well-being. Is it any wonder males' life expectancy today lags behind females'? Knowing that men are less inclined to think about their health, Dr. Timothy Johnson, medical editor for ABC News, created a special guide just for men: ``Dr. Timothy Johnson's On Call Guide to Men's Health'' (Hyperion; $24.95). The book contains sections on nutrition, fitness, mental health and common health problems. The A-to-Z guide to common health problems examines everything from male pattern baldness to male menopause (the catch phrase for the gradual decrease of testosterone levels that comes with age). Johnson also deals with the effect of stress on the body and discusses the importance of interpersonal relationships for emotional well-being. Throughout the book, Johnson emphasizes prevention and offers strategies for a healthy lifestyle. What better gift for Father's Day - this Sunday - than the gift of health?

- M.T.

NEW TOOL BOX: Instead of a handyman tool, how about a grooming tool for Father's Day? He's probably already got a boxful of wrenches and screwdrivers, but what about the proper razor for his nifty little soul patch or long sideburns? In the new book ``The Art of Shaving'' (Clarkson Potter; $17), Myriam Zaoui and Eric Malka share tips on choosing the correct brush, razor and blade and avoiding nicks, ingrown hairs and razor burn. On the subject of male vanity, read on. Nivea, a traditional drugstore favorite with women, now has a men's grooming line, including shaving gels for sensitive skin and an exfoliating facial scrub with vitamin E, priced at $2.99 and up. Aramis, one of the first men's fragrances, has branched out with two fashion-forward skin-care collections - Lab Series for Men and Surface. The Lab Series has nongreasy gels to reduce shine and improve skin texture for a more comfortable shave, while Surface introduces products that are more like cosmetics but packaged in steel-gray containers. There's a tinted moisturizer, tinted blemish stick, pore-minimizing cream and even an oil-free rosy gel to make pale, tired skin look healthy. The products are $15 and up at department stores.

- Barbara De Witt

WWW.DOCTOR.COM: When Dr. Jerold Spitz designed MDhub, the idea grew from two common complaints that he heard frequently around the office. Doctors complained medical examinations were interrupted by nonurgent phone calls from patients. Patients complained they spent too much time on hold whenever they called.

So Spitz created a free Internet message service, www.mdhub.com, that benefits both patients and doctors. Patients with Internet access can fill out requests for routine needs such as appointments, prescription renewals and referrals. The requests are then faxed to the doctor's office.

``At first, the doctors say, 'The last thing I need is another fax,' '' Spitz said. ``Then they realize the fax replaces a phone call. And instead of paying their staff to take down a message, the message is already there.''

MDhub is powered by another Spitz creation, the Little Blue Book, a database compiled for doctors so they can find and contact other doctors. The database contains more than 370,000 physicians.

The MDhub request forms are user-friendly. The appointments page, for example, has limited text fields, check-off boxes and drop-down menus that allow patients to provide the reason for scheduling the visit as well as preferred days and times.

So far, only 10,000 doctors have been contacted by patients using MDhub. If a doctor is contacted by MDhub for the first time, the service sends an introductory note along with the faxed request, Spitz said.

Dr. Spasoje Neskovic, a family practitioner in Glendale, has used the service for about a year. On his MDhub homepage, he posts announcements, lists useful Web sites and provides the names of insurance plans that his practice accepts. His younger, computer-savvy patients love the service. He's trying to teach his older patients who have computers to use MDhub too.

``It's an innovative messaging system,'' Neskovic said. ``It was developed by a physician, so it really works well.''

Now if only MDhub could do something about time spent in the waiting room.

- M.T.

CARING FOR KIDS: Dietary supplement company Natrol and the nonprofit Children's Hunger Fund have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for their ``Care for Kids'' campaign. Chatsworth-based Natrol has been contributing a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its products to the Children's Hunger Fund, which provides food, clothing and other basic needs for children throughout the world. Under the program, Natrol donates $3 to the Pacoima-based CHF on behalf of customers who submit two proof-of-purchase labels. For more information on the ``Care for Kids'' program, call [phone].

- M.T.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1) no caption (book: ``Yoga for Men'')

(2) no caption (book: ``OnCall Guide to Men's Health'')

(3) no caption (mens's grooming line Surface)

(4) no caption (MDhub)