Options for Raising Testosterone

You’ve not been feeling like yourself for some time.  In fact, it seems as if nothing at home or work is as much fun as it was in the past.  The problem could be that your testosterone levels are lower than they should be.  Fortunately, there are ways to correct this type of hormone imbalance and help you get back in the game.  By talking with your doctor about ways to increase testosterone levels, you could be feeling better in a matter of weeks.

Changing Personal Habits

There’s a good chance that over the years you’ve picked up some habits that are not helping your body produce a sufficient amount of testosterone.  As you talk with your doctor about how to increase testosterone safely, those habits will be one of the first things the medical professional will want to address.  

If you are a smoker, you now have one more reason to quit.  In addition to increasing the risk of more than one form of cancer, smoking can inhibit the production of testosterone.  

Since you spend most of the day in front of a computer, you’ll need to start getting up and moving about more.  Talk with your boss about adding a rising desktop to your workstation.  That will allow you to stand for part of the day as you take care of your assigned tasks.  Spending part of your lunch hour taking a walk in the park isn’t a bad idea either.

Getting Enough Sleep

Not sleeping deeply or long enough does more than make you cranky in the morning.  As you seek to learn more about how to increase testosterone, rest assured that questions about your quality of sleep will come up.  Getting recuperative sleep provides your body with some of what it needs to remain healthy.  That includes ensuring more reasonable production of hormones.  

You Are What You Eat

Along with reducing foods that tend to inhibit testosterone production, it helps to consume foods that contain nitrates and stimulate the production of nitric oxide.  That’s one of the building blocks your body needs to produce testosterone.  Nitrates are found in all sorts of foods, although the amount varies.  Your doctor can provide some suggestions on how to increase testosterone by including the right foods in your daily meal plans.

Considering Hormone Replacement Therapy

When the levels are only a little low, it may be possible to raise them using strategies like lifestyle changes, exercise, and diet.  For those who are facing a more serious issue, hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is the way to go.  Designed to provide what your body is not producing, the delivery of HRT testosterone may be in the form of an injection, a patch, or a gel.  Your doctor will go over the pros and cons of each option, and provide guidelines for their use.

Keep in mind that if you do agree to trying the replacement therapy, it must be done exactly as your doctor instructs.  Don’t get the idea that if a little is good, more has to be better.  Your doctor will monitor the dosage and see what an impact it’s making.  If there is a need to adjust the dosage for any reason, the doctor is the one to make that decision, not you.

Low T is not something you have to live with the rest of your life.  Learn more about how to raise testosterone and work out a plan of action with your doctor.  It won’t be long before you notice the changes and begin to feel like your old self again.

Understanding the Role of Estrogen in Women

Estrogen can oftentimes wreak havoc in a woman’s life with everything from PMS to pre-menopause to menopause. These hormonal ups and downs can be difficult to live with, but being more informed on the role of estrogen in your body can do wonders with your ability to handle your hormones as well as use HRT’s (Hormone Replacement Therapy) when needed. Below are several things to consider when it comes to finding out if hormone replacement therapy is right for you.

What Are Symptoms of a Hormone Imbalance?

There are many women out there who suffer from a hormone imbalance, in which case hormone replacement therapy may be necessary in order to balance out those hormones. For women, symptoms of a hormone imbalance include:

• During PMS: Breast tenderness, changes in skin, craving foods, frequent colds, low stress tolerance, headaches or bad migraines, monthly weight fluctuation, and more. Although many of these symptoms can be normal, they can be considered abnormal if the symptoms are worse than average.
• During Pre-Menopause: Signs of a hormone imbalance during the pre-menopause stage include a decrease in memory and concentration, higher than average fatigue, gaining weight, anxiety, hot flashes, palpitations, insomnia, and more.
• During Post-Menopause: Several symptoms of a hormone imbalance associated with post-menopausal include things such as night sweats, hot flashes, and even dryness in the vaginal area.

What is Hormone Replacement Therapy or HRT?

HRT is used to treat the common symptoms of menopause and aging by replacing female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, as well as HRT testosterone that the body no longer makes. This is the most effective treatment when it comes to treating the symptoms of pre-menopause and post menopause.

Benefits of Receiving Therapy

There are so many benefits to receiving hormone replacement therapy that you don’t want to have to go without it. Not only does it help relieve the symptoms of pre- and post-menopause, but it can prevent so many different types of health problems. When estrogen declines in the body, it puts women more at risk for osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. However, with hormone replacement therapy, the risks of these health issues greatly decline, allowing you to lead a more normal life without the fear of a quickly depleting body.

Should You Receive Therapy?

This is a question that you should always ask yourself if you have a hormonal imbalance. Do the risks outweigh the benefits? Is hormone replacement therapy the right choice? What does estrogen do to your body when the hormone is lacking? The first step in finding out if this is the right option for you is to talk to a experienced and qualified physician. They have your best interests in mind and want you to be able to feel and look your best.

If you find yourself experiencing the hormonal imbalance symptoms that are associated with PMS, pre-menopause, or even post-menopause, then it might be time to consider receiving hormone replacement therapy. Talk to a professional to get all your questions answered such as what does estrogen do or how you can benefit from HRT.

What does estrogen do to you when it lacks in your body? If you want to be in control of your hormones rather than let them be in control of you, consider the possibility of receiving hormone replacement therapy. Find out how you can be on your way to a happier, more balanced life today. You don’t have to live with imbalanced hormones any longer!

Take Control of the Aging Process

Aging and the life course? What does that mean? Do we have to simply trudge on through life, aging as we go – and with nothing to stop it?

Far from it. In fact, there's a lot you can do to slow, stop, even reverse the aging process in many cases. And guess what? It doesn't involve fancy creams, expensive pills, or invasive surgery. Just some good common sense.

What can you do to take control of aging and the life course you choose?

• Eat well

Your diet is your body's fuel and building material. Eat junk and you'll literally reap what you sow: Low energy, weight gain, and a myriad of health problems. Feed your body well and you'll do the same – this time with glowing health and plenty of energy. Focus on a diet of lean protein, complex carbohydrates, plenty of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables (with no sugar added), and good fats like omega-3s.

When you eat to fuel and rebuild your body, you also reduce inflammation and oxidative stress caused by free radicals; both of these things contribute to the aging process and the development of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and even Alzheimer's disease.

• Sleep enough

We live in a society that actually values being "efficient" and running on as little sleep as possible. Unfortunately, that's not what nature intended. Most adults need at least 7 to 8 hours of restful, restorative sleep every night to function at their best. (The upshot of that is, you'll actually be more productive, not less, during your waking hours.) Your body and brain need sleep to rebuild and repair from the stresses of the day. Skimp on it, and you'll greatly accelerate the aging process.

• Exercise

Moderate exercise keeps brain and body active. It also helps prevent the muscle and bone loss we naturally begin to experience in our 30s.

Start slow if you haven't been active

If you've been sedentary for a while, don't start out by trying to run a 5K. Instead (with your doctor's permission), start by walking around the block and lifting light weights. As you increase your endurance, you can increase the difficulty of your exercise program, as well.
 

• Get some sun – and wear sunscreen

We need a little bit of sun every day. While it's true that too much sun can cause skin cancer and other damage, some exposure every day helps give us the vitamin D we need for best health and boosts mood, too. When weather permits, spend 10 to 15 minutes a day outside without sunscreen when the sun is at its least intense, such as midmorning or late afternoon. Wear sunscreen at all other times to prevent skin damage.

• Take a multivitamin for good measure

While most experts agree that supplements do more harm than good in overdoses, taking a good quality multivitamin can help fill in any nutritional gaps in your diet. Caution: A multivitamin doesn't substitute for eating right. It's just a way to make sure you get everything you need to be your best, and slow down aging and the life course.

• Consider hormone replacement options

If you're doing everything right and still don't feel your best, consider hormone replacement options. These can truly make you feel "like your old self" -- without the dangers or side effects of old. That's because they're natural, customized to your needs. Hormone replacement can:

• Restore libido
• Reduce depression
• "Roll back" age-related body changes by reducing body fat and increasing muscle and bone mass
• Restore vitality and energy
• Improve sleep

... and so much more. Try it today!