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Men's Health Issues
Health Topics on this Page
Sexual Problems
Only about twenty years ago information about men’s health problems were confined to medical textbooks. Some conditions such as the male menopause (or the andropause) were unheard of. Now all that has changed. The male menopause is real and recognized as a cause of decreased motivation, mood and sexual performance in middle aged and older men. Prostate health is also a widespread concern and discussed here amongst other topics specific to men.
Sexual problemsThere are a number of reasons for decreased sexual performance and maintaining erections, which is one of men’s main concerns. However, there is no need to worry - there are a range of natural health solutions for this problem.
A look at how Viagra works in the body can help. Viagra promotes a chemical involved in erections called nitric oxide, which is produced by an amino acid in the body called arginine.
Supplementing arginine can therefore help you. I’d recommend 2g a day. Another common cause is low levels of the hormone testosterone. This is quite common in men over the age of forty. I’d recommend getting your levels checked: it should be above 12nmol/1.
Also it is worth checking out a number of natural aphrodisiacs that have been heard to be effective in sustaining erections. These are Ginseng, damiana, muira puama and maca.
Ginseng is widely known as a “sexual rejuvenator” and animal studies have shown that it increases testosterone levels, help the body to adapt to stress and boost energy. You will need about 1g a day of either Panax ginseng or Siberian ginseng
Damiana is a central American shrub that is said to produce testosterone, although the exact way it does this is unknown. Try 400 to 800mg twice daily.
Muira puama comes from the Brazilian Amazon, and how it works is also a mystery. In a study in France, 62 percent of men who had taken it said it had changed their lives. Try 1g a day.
Maca comes from Peru’s central highlands, where it has been used in traditional culture to awaken a healthy passion. Experiments on animals showed increased sexual performance and improved erectile function even in rats with their testes removed! Try 3 to 5 g of ground maca. You can also find herbal remedies with a combination of these herbs just mentioned.
Andropause (Male menopause)
Around a third of men in the 40 to 89 age group complain of health symptoms that include: a loss of libido, an inability to get (or maintain) an erection, depression, and worsening memory and concentration. These are the classic symptoms of the andropause otherwise known as the male menopause.
Many doctors still deny the existence of the andropause despite all the years of research and evidence. However these symptoms need to be taken seriously, especially depression. Depression in men is hard to diagnose since men tend to get angry rather than sad. They are also more likely to commit suicide. Luckily there are many ways of combating the andropause.
If the above symptoms sound like yours, it is worth having your testosterone levels checked out. If it is low (meaning below 12nmol/1) then you may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy. Symptoms are as important, if not more important that actual levels in the blood. This is because most testosterone is bound up with other chemicals in the blood and are therefore unavailable
It would be best if your doctor also measures your Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) it is possible to get a more realistic picture of your actual “free” testosterone level. Salivary testosterone levels may be a better indicator, backed up by symptoms. The salivary test also measures your DHEA levels and is available at www.andropause.com These tests are also available through clinical nutritionists.
If you do have low testosterone, supplementing extra can really help. A study of 680 men aged between 50 and 89 found a direct relationship between testosterone levels and mood. In the UK, another study of 1,500 men treated with testosterone has found an elevation of mood once their levels became normal. Testosterone is only available on prescription from doctors.
Make sure you are eating a healthy diet with enough protein and slow-releasing carbohydrates. Essential fats are needed for healthy sperm and prostate, antioxidant nutrients protect testosterone from being destroyed and zinc helps everything to do with male sexual health and hormone balance.
Enlarged ProstateAn enlarged prostate is partly linked with hormone imbalances, including oestrogen dominance and a deficiency in testosterone. Both these can make the prostate become inflamed. There are quite a few substances around that can help with this condition. Zinc (15mg a day) and vitamin E (400mg a day) regulate hormone balance in the body.
Essential fatty acids from oily fish and flax seed oil act as a natural anti-inflammatory. The herb Saw Palmetto is well known as a treatment for prostate problems, as well as juniper berries and another herb, Pygeum africanum Some herbal supplements contain a combination of these.
An enlarged prostate has also been linked with exposure to oestrogen-like chemicals found in some pesticides and plastics. Try to eat organic whenever possible and avoid plastic packaging. Microwaving in plastic dishes and allowing cling film to come into contact with the surface of stored foods should also be avoided.
Natural plant substances found in lentils and soya can help counteract these oestrogen like chemicals, so be sure to eat plenty of these. Go for a sensible healthy overall diet, avoid meat and milk (because of the growth hormones they can contain), keep saturated fats to a minimum and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables which are high in the antioxidants A and C.
Food sources are: sweet potatoes, carrots, watercress, broccoli, melon, pumpkin seeds, tomatoes, cabbage, courgettes, apricots, cauliflower, lemons, mangoes, peppers, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, and kiwi fruit, among lots of others.
Prostate CancerProstate cancer is the most rapidly increasing cancer in men. It may affect as many as 1 in 4 at some point during their life. Its causes are similar to breast cancer, and the health and nutritional approach for treating it is much the same too. This involves avoiding the high risk factors which are: a diet high in saturated fats, eating dairy and meat regularly, low fibre intake, obesity, smoking, exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals and pesticides, and high levels of testosterone.
The best diet to avoid prostate cancer is a diet low in animal products like dairy and meat (or a vegan diet with no animal products). Eat organic whenever possible, eat plenty of fish, especially mackerel, herring, trout, and wild or organically farmed salmon – these are rich in omega 3 fats, and lower your risk.
Flax seeds and oil are the best vegetarian source of omega 3 fats. Eating beans, lentils and Soya protein regularly (like tofu and Soya milk) along with pumpkin seeds also lowers risk. Another good healthy food is tomatoes, as they are rich in lypocene, a cancer-fighting chemical.
Make sure your supplement program contains at least 3,000cg (10,000iu) of vitamin A, 400mg (600iu) of vitamin E, 3000mg of Vitamin C and 12mg of beta-carotene, plus selenium and zinc. Also consider supplementing genistein and daidzein, the protective factors found in Soya, and the herb Saw Palmetto (300mg a day) which helps an enlarged prostate.
Genital ThrushThrush, an overgrowth of the candida Albicans fungus is common. We all carry some of it in our large intestine, but if you eat the wrong kind of diet the fungus can get out of control. If your immune system is run down, or your sexual partner has a low grade infection you are more likely to pick up thrush.
What to do about it? There is a 2 part strategy to getting rid of it. You should wash both before and after sex. Use a cream containing Nystatin, which is an anti-fungal drug, applied locally.
Three days should be enough to clear up an active infection. Then make sure your skin is well aired. As fungi flourish in warm damp places, wearing loose cotton underwear is better than tight ones.
At the same time, control the fungus on the inside as well. Take vitamin C (try 2,000 mg a day) zinc, cats claw and berry extracts. Control candida in the gut by supplementing a good probiotic supplement and maintain a candida unfriendly diet, which means no sugar, yeast, alcohol and other fermented products.
Shaving rash/sore skinSupersensitive skin is a very common health problem among men. Generally speaking, the more healthy your diet, the smoother your skin is likely to be, and the less likelihood of it becoming inflamed. Eating a lot of fried food, ot drinking a lot lf alcohol and smoking, will all leave your skin ultra-sensitive and prone to becoming sore and raw when you shave.
It is also a good idea to look at the way you shave. When preparing to shave, don’t use very hot water on the skin as this will just irritate it before you’ve even begun. Most shaving foams are alkaline, and strips the skin of its protective acid, so use shaving oil instead. The one I would recommend is Dermalogica’s Professional Shave which contains essential oils that calm down the skin after shaving as well.
Do not shave against the direction of hair growth. Whilst this gives a smoother shave, it’s better to shave in the direction of hair growth with a very sharp razor. Shaving removes the top layer of skin cells, leaving the skin prone to inflammation, so afterwards, use a good moisturizer or apply some Aloe Vera gel.
Further Reading
Click Here for help on Premature Ejaculation Over 70% of males suffer from this embarrassing problem. Learn how to overcome it in a safe and easy way. How to naturally regrow lost hair eBook on stopping hair loss and regrowing hair naturally
The Reality of Sex
Welcome To Mens Best Health - Your health determines your success in business and in love. Improve it and preserve it. Let Mens Best Health help you on your way!
more information on an anti-cancer diet Infertility can also be a problem for men - more about this here Teenage boys have unique nutritional needs and often suffer from emotional problems and difficulties Find out more here about what causes this.
More information about candida albicans
Good quality supplements including Saw Palmetto, Ginseng and probiotics are featured here
More information about the benefits of herbs
Men's Health Information Organization - Website Dedicated to Providing Quality Information on Men's Reproductive Health (Andrology) - Vancouver British Columbia Canada.
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