Drinking just one soda or soft drink a day could increase a man’s possibility of developing prostate cancer by around 40%, studies suggest.

Men who consumed 300ml or 16 .oz of a sugary softdrink a day seemed to raise their odds of succumbing to faster growing forms of the disease, according to a 15-year study.  The sugar in the drinks is believed to release insulin, which feeds tumours. 

Cell phones 'slashing sperm counts'  

Hours of chatting on a mobile phone are suspected to be slashing male fertility around the world, new research shows. Men who use mobile phones for more than four hours a day produce fewer and poorer quality sperm, according to results of a study released at an American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference in New Orleans.

London's Daily Mail reported that doctors think sperm counts and quality might be damaged by electromagnetic radiation emitted by handsets or the heat they generate. The Independent said the study suggested that microwaves from mobiles appear to reduce the number, mobility and quality of sperm by almost half, to the point at which some men might become infertile.

Sperm from heavy mobile users had a 30 per cent drop in the capacity for movement and viability when compared with sperm from men who did not use a mobile phone, The Guardian reported. The findings come at a time when many nations are asking why the fertility rates in their male populations are falling.

Almost 1 billion people around the world use mobiles and in some countries the number is growing at 20 to 30 per cent a year, The Independent said. The Guardian said the study was too preliminary to prove an unequivocal link between mobile phones and falling sperm counts. However, it said scientists want to look at mobile usage taking into account other factors such as age, weight, smoking, stress and whether people have sedentary jobs.

Ashok Agarwal, who presented his findings at the conference, said they did not prove mobile phones were damaging male fertility, but he called for more research. "People use mobile phones without thinking twice what the consequences might be," he said. "It is just like using a toothbrush, but mobiles could be having a devastating effect on fertility."

Original story can be found here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3839373a11275,00.html

Hormones circulate through the body by means of the bloodstream. They are the chemical messengers of the body and produce powerful effects on virtually every organ they encounter. Their effects are profound and range from regulating heart rate, body temperature and blood chemistry to generating sexual desire. They control almost every aspect of your existence, but in many cases, the medical community ignores testing and balancing them to biological normal levels, especially for men. 

In both men and women, aging causes hormone levels to change, resulting in various problems from hot flashes and night sweats in women to erectile dysfunction (ED) and prostate problems in men. Compounding the normal changes due to aging, nutritional requirements are harder to meet without supplementation due to a slowdown in the digestive apparatus. Thus, a plethora of conditions combine to cause an aging man or women to start to feel the ravages of hormone imbalances. 

Aside from normal aging, there are also a number of environmental problems that cause hormonal problems. The most serious of these is the estrogenic effects of various plastics in the environment. For example, high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) can cause alter male hormones producing various degrees of sexual dysfunction including erectile dysfunction. [1] The estrogenic effects of BPA and other plastics can also alter the hormone balance of women, exacerbating the symptoms of menopause and causing loss of libido.  

In addition, older adults tend to use more pharmaceutical drugs. While these medications sometimes help reduce various symptoms, no medication actually cures an illness or totally solves a problem. Only the body can do that. One result of using more pharmaceutical products as we age is problems that are linked directly to the use of a drug, like erectile dysfunction, loss of libido and depression. It is well known that antidepressants as well as medications for hypertension can cause a loss of libido, but few men are aware that their ED might be caused by blood pressure medication prescribed by their doctor. [2]  

Obesity is another problem. According to the latest statistics, more than 2/3 of the population is overweight, and at least 1/3 is obese. This excess weight, even in those that are moderately overweight is a major contribution to hormone imbalances. Estrogen—an anti-androgen—is stored in fat tissue and also produced by fat tissue. High levels cause more storage and more production. Thus, it is a vicious cycle. Excess estrogen in the body is stored in fat tissue and excess fat tissue produces estrogen. For overweight women, this results in a condition known as estrogen dominance, marked by extreme discomfort during the menstrual cycle, heavy bleeding, cramping and pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). Heavier people, especially men, tend to be high in an enzyme (aromatase) that converts testosterone to estrogen. Thus, overweight or obese adults lose testosterone and gain estrogen, and are often subject to symptoms like loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and other various sexual and emotional dysfunction. [3] A randomized trial over two years of 110 obese men, aged 35 to 55 years with erectile dysfunction found that a 10% weight loss resulted in a statistically significant improvement in sexual function for more than one-third of the men. [4]  

Other factors are low nutrient levels, poor diet, insufficient sleep, and excess stress. All cause serious hormone imbalances. The situation is similar in both men and women. Simply losing some weight can go a long way to improving health and hormone balance. Many studies have also shown that a weight loss of 5-10% in an obese adult can help lower excess estrogen, increase testosterone, and resolve many sexual dysfunction problems.

Menopause, and the male equivalent, andropause, are common triggers for osteoporosis in aging men and women. In women, it is primarily a decrease in significant decrease in progesterone as well as estrogen that causes osteoporosis. In men, it is more often related to a drop in testosterone and progesterone levels. Many people with low testosterone levels, particularly men, may incur depression or other cognitive symptoms. A recent study found that men with mild Alzheimer’s disease incurred significant improvements in quality of life, mood, behavior and psychological health as their testosterone levels were increased. [5]  

Hormone imbalances can come from many sources. Normal aging is responsible for minor imbalances, but the more critical ones are often due to nutritional deficiencies and lifestyle issues. Many aging adults are reluctant to take vitamin and mineral supplements. Some do not like taking any pills at all, and others believe the long-held but erroneous view that all needed nutrients can be obtained from the food they eat. While a young person that follows an ideal diet may get most of the nutrients he needs from food, it is extremely rare for an aging adult to avoid nutritional deficiencies without supplementation, regardless of diet.  

As we age, stomach acids tend to decrease making some nutrients more difficult to assimilate. This alone increases the risk for older adults to have nutritional deficiencies. Adding to this is the fact that many older adults tend to eat less, often opt for easy to prepare meals with limited nutritional value, and may be living on a restricted budget with little room for the cost of food supplements. Nutritional deficiencies in aging adults often become the rule rather than the exception. These deficiencies affect all of the body systems and are particularly critical for hormone balance, including thyroid hormones. Imbalances in one area are frequently reflected in another.  

Thus, for both men and women, balancing hormone levels by adjusting testosterone to estrogen to progesterone to DHEA to their biological normal, whether it is by diet or lifestyle changes, nutritional supplementation, or bio-identical hormone replacement can go a long way to improving one’s health.

Testing Your Hormones  

Correcting hormone balances involves first determining what the imbalances are with a saliva hormone test. Once a baseline is established, it is necessary to identify and eliminate as many of the causative factors as possible. It is especially important to measure hormone levels prior to implementing a program to rebalance them. Testing should occur before you start any program to balance your hormones and the test should be repeated at four to six month intervals. 

The best way to test your hormones is do this is with a complete hormone panel that measures critical free hormones appropriate for your sex and age. Establishing a record over a period of time also allows you to monitor and adjust your progress to best enhance your overall health. Excessive supplementation can cause serious problems, and insufficient supplementation will not be effective.  

Correcting Imbalances 

 Once you know where the imbalances are, you can start a program to address them. The best way to do this is to consult with a professional that is experienced in hormone balancing. Some balancing might be easy to do with dietary or lifestyle changes, but problems that are more serious might need to be addressed by using bio-identical hormone creams. All hormones are interdependent and improperly supplementing in one area can cause an out of balance condition in another. Thus, it is imperative to work with someone with extensive experience in balancing hormones.

Summary

A healthy body will always try to maintain a constant balance of its hormone levels at normal levels. Unfortunately, nutritional deficiencies, lifestyle, many medications, and the process of aging all contribute to hormone deficiencies. Restoring your hormone levels to their biological norm can be very rewarding in terms of how you feel and for your overall health.  

Low testosterone, progesterone or DHEA can cause a man or woman to lose the desire or ability for sex. Low DHEA can also cause skin problems and fat accumulation around the abdomen. Out of balance hormones increase your risk for contracting many chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, as well as reducing your overall health and vitality. Just remember that it is critical to test your hormone levels before starting a supplementing program and at regular intervals thereafter. Also, remember that hormones are very powerful, and a little goes a long way. More is definitely not better—and excessive supplementation can damage, rather than improve, your health.

Author bio:  James Occhiogrosso is a Natural Health Practitioner specializing in male and female health issues and author of the book "Your Prostate, Your Libido, Your Life."  He maintains an active practice helping both men and women overcome hormonal and sexual issues associated with aging, including loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and menopausal, and often acts as an advisor for men with prostate cancer whose doctors recommend a "watchful waiting" approach. Salivary home hormone test kits as well as bio-identical hormone creams are available at his website www.HealthNaturallyToday.com, via phone at 239-498-1547, or via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. "> This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also sign for his free “Health Naturally” newsletter on his website.

(CANVAS STAFF REPORTS) - Once thought to only happen to women, physicians are now stating that men too can experience a form of menopause.

More men are going into doctors' offices complaining of sexual dysfunction, weight gain, fatigue, depression and other vague symptoms. according to LiveScience

The website WebMD also reported that male patients are receiving hormone therapy with testosterone and talking about some relief of what's being called male menopause.

Read the rest of the story here:

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpps/health/are-men-experiencing-male-menopause-dpgoha-20100910-fc_9572905

Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 239-498-1547

“Watchful Waiting” and “Active Surveillance” are equivalent terms used to describe an option sometimes offered to men with “low-grade” or “favorable-risk” prostate cancer.  This is in lieu of immediate, aggressive treatment like surgery, seed implantation, radiation, and other modalities.  During the “watchful waiting” period, the man receives regular examinations by his urologist as well as periodic PSA blood tests to monitor his cancer for signs of growth or increasing aggressiveness.  Unfortunately, he is rarely told about nutrition, lifestyle changes, herbal supplements, natural products, or natural techniques that may help reduce his cancer or slow its growth. 

Aah, Thanksgiving the perfect time for getting healthy and randy.

It seems our old pal watermelon may be packing a lot more than just 92% water.

A member of the pumpkin and gourd family (hence the holiday connection), watermelon has recently been found to be full of the antioxidant lycopene, thiamine, vitamins A, C and B6, panothenic acid, magnesium and potassium.

Cell phones 'slashing sperm counts' 26 October 2006 Hours of chatting on a mobile phone are suspected to be slashing male fertility around the world, new research shows. Men who use mobile phones for more than four hours a day produce fewer and poorer quality sperm, according to results of a study released at an American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference in New Orleans. London's Daily Mail reported that doctors think sperm counts and quality might be damaged by electromagnetic radiation emitted by handsets or the heat they generate.