Man Health
Natural Strategies For Maintaining Male Health
Although men and women are both susceptible to
many of the same diseases, those areas of men's health that
pertain to the sex hormones and male sex organs vary greatly from
those of a woman. Correct balance of male sex hormones is one of
the most important aspect of a man's health.
Maintaining Youthful Hormone Balance
Myth: only women go
through menopause (a decrease in production of sex hormones).
Fact: Both men and women have decreased hormone outputs
with advancing age, but the decrease is not as rapid in men as it
is in women. Men may have hot flashes, psychogenic changes, bone
mineral loss, decreased libido and/or sexual function, weight
gain, depression and other symptoms identical to the female
menopause.
Normal weight is crucial to hormone balance. Fat
cells manufacture estrogen. This can lead to an excess of estrogen
in men. Ever see a man with a beer belly and breast-buds?
(Female-like development of breasts)? This is caused by an
estrogen excess made by the fat cells. Maintaining normal weight
is important for balanced sex hormones. Perhaps this is the reason
that overweight and obese men have a higher incidence of prostate
cancer and benign prostatic hypertrophy.
In males, higher levels of dihydrotestosterone,
a hormone derived from testosterone, is associated with benign
prostate hypertrophy (BPH) and possibly prostate cancer. Increased
levels of estrogens in males also appear to play a role in the
development of BPH.
Other non-sex-hormone factors can create
imbalances in the sex hormones. An excess or deficiency of thyroid
hormone will change sex hormone levels, and no amount of sex
hormone replacement will correct the problem until the thyroid
function has been compensated for. Changes in liver function cause
a shift in the relative amounts of various hormones. That is
because the liver processes most sex hormones. I have found many
menopausal-aged people, both men and women, who still had normal
or even high levels of the circulating sex hormones. Additional
mammalian hormones in this instance are inadvisable, because they
can create an excess of hormones with the attendant problems.
Self-Help for Hormone Balance
Without a laboratory test, it is difficult to
know exactly which hormones are out of balance and by how much. If
you are truly interested in preventing the age-related changes
that occur with diminished sex hormones, then laboratory testing
and personal consultation is advised. Still, there are some good
self help measures that you can take.
First, remember that overall good health is critical to the body’s
production of hormones. Inadequate nutrients from diet is a major
factor in hormone imbalance. Excesses of certain foodstuffs,
especially alcohol, refined carbohydrates (sugars), and "trans"
fats can all change hormone levels for the worst.
Faulty liver function, as evidenced by high cholesterol levels,
contributes to inadequate transformation of hormones. Improving
liver function is a key step in normalizing hormones and the
body’s response to hormones. (It is possible to have adequate
hormone levels and still have symptoms of deficiency or excess if
the liver is not working properly).
DIET AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS
Diet: eat a nutritious diet high in
nutrient-rich foods.
Increase consumption of soy products.
Achieve and maintain a normal weight.
Exercise regularly. 30 minutes, 3 times per
week minimum. Running is especially valuable for improving and
maintaining erectile function in men!
Don't smoke! The climacteric (menopause)
occurs sooner in people who smoke.
PRIMARY SUPPORT
• BASIC Program such as
Maxi Multi's or
Once Daily My Pack
(Multivitamin/mineral supplement with extra
antioxidants)
•
Flax Oil
l to 2 Caps, 3 times per day with meals.
•
DHEA: 2 caps (25mg)
with breakfast. This is a conservative dose for a male. Higher
doses might be needed, but it is inadvisable to take higher than
50mg per day without first obtaining a hormone profile. See
"Dr. Myatt's Comment" below.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
For Erectile Dysfunction (ERD):
• Dr. Myatt’s “Up-and-At-’Em” tincture:
80-160 drops per day, between meals in water
OR
•
St John's Wort Plus+: 1 capsule, 2
times per day with meals.
For Libido:
• Korean
Panax Ginseng: 1 cap, 2 times
per day with meals.
AND/OR
• Maca: 1 cap, 2 times per day between
meals.
For Prostate Health:
•
Saw Palmetto: 1 cap, 2 times per
day. This may be increased to 3 times per day if symptoms of BPH
are present.
AND
•
Lycopene: 1 cap per day.
OR
• Saw Palmetto/Pygeum Plus+: 1-2 capsules, 2 times per day with
meals.
ALSO:
Support any organ system that scored high on the Self-Health
Questionnaire (see page 6-8 in the
Holistic Health Handbook)
DR. MYATT'S COMMENT:
Hormone testing takes the guesswork out of hormone balancing and
make correction surer and safer. If you do not see noticeable
improvement in six to twelve weeks with self-help measures,
consider consulting myself or another holistically-oriented
physician. Youthful hormone balance is one of the best
health and longevity measures you can take!
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