by  Allison Ramsey

Photos by Melissa Carugati

First, a little about me, I am currently studying a doctorate in Naturopathy to become a certified Traditional Naturopath; under the umbrella of Naturopathy is Homeopathy, Herbal Medicine, Holistic Nutrition, Life-style Balancing, and Hydrotherapy.

Some of us have been in a room with a middle-aged woman standing by the fan ranting about how hot she is or have been out fishing with the grumpy old man wanting to tell everyone how to live their life.  Better yet, some of us have witnessed a middle-aged man’s glances toward women while in his speedy bright sports car.  Hot flashes, grumpy old men syndrome, and mid-life crises are often hormone driven.

American society is starting to recognize and research men’s hormones and possible imbalances more.  Research has shown there is a monthly testosterone fluctuation in men which can be referred to as their so-called ‘period’.  Some men can identify these monthly fluctuations of their ‘period’.  These intuitive men are able to sense hormonal fluctuations by detecting one or all of the following changes: mood, energy levels, work and sports performance. Men’s hormonal changes throughout the month are not as dramatic as women’s.  Surely some men reading this will let out a huge sigh of relief.

Around age 40 male testosterone levels start to drop slowly by roughly 10 percent a year.  The decreasing testosterone stage is referred to as “andropause”, the male menopause.  According to many Traditional Naturopaths, men in andropause benefit from a detailed lifestyle program focusing on bodywork therapies, natural foods, and supplements for their changing needs.

Andropause affects all of the following areas of a man’s life:  physical, hormonal, interpersonal, psychological, sexual, social, and spiritual.  The dropping testosterone levels in andropause account for the following noticeable changes: enlarged prostates, depression, less strong or less frequent erections, lower energy, anxiety, impotence, and a lower than normal sex drive.  High fat dairy foods, red meats, and fried foods in excess, all deplete adrenals and male energy.  However, eating a mostly fat free diet can lower testosterone levels even more.  It is advisable to focus on fat intake from healthy fats such as, olive oils, fish oils, nuts, and seeds.  There are many helpful herbals and supplements for balancing and toning the male reproductive system, therefore aiding men in sustained and increased sexual vitality.  Some of these helpful herbals are Maca (commonly referred to as Peruvian Ginseng), and Panax Ginseng.  A personal consultation would need to be scheduled for proper herbals and dosages specific to the client.  Exercise has shown through studies to aid men in andropause with their sexual abilities.  The psychological side effects of andropause can be difficult for men to handle and cripple their self-esteem.  When a man is experiencing infrequency in sexual abilities, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and unexplained weight gain, these often cause anxiety.  A man may even view this phase of life as demoralizing and want to deny it is happening, and turn to a drug such as Viagra. Viagra will aid in the problem temporarily yet not aid in the underlying issues.

Spiritually a man in andropause usually feels restless, and in search of his soul’s calling, accompanied by a strong urge to follow this calling.  Every man is different in what their souls may be calling them to do; this is where the debate begins on what the calling is and if it is healthy.  Some men try to fulfill a lack of self-esteem in unhealthy ways such as spending more money to achieve a higher image, escort services, and/or a withdrawal all together from life.  When conscious steps are taken to improve problem areas in a man’s life, all these side effects can be diminished, or at least improved drastically.

When men seek professional help from a Wellness Consultant, Traditional Naturopath, and/or other natural health care professionals, they will be on the right track to maintaining their muscle mass, energy, sexual drive, prostate, and hormone levels. Depression often leads to cravings for sweets and carbohydrates which are linked to low serotonin levels.  Some physicians will prescribe TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) to men in andropause.  Also, 52 percent of American men between ages 40 and 70 are impotent, and this could surely be equated to grumpiness and/or the need to acquire more material possessions to stay occupied or distracted.

Since I have shocked the men enough for now, it is time to focus on women’s hormones. Women’s hormones seem to always be beautifully and delicately dancing with one another in order to stay balanced.  I have clients with hormonal issues, and friends and relatives whose lives are rattled by hormonal disruptions monthly.  There are natural remedies to aide these suffering women.  Indicators a woman has a hormonal imbalance include: fibroids, endometriosis, headaches, PMS, depression, low libido, infertility, absence of menstruation, heavy menstruation, painful/difficult menstruation, spotting between periods, and/or frequent water retention.  Wow, that would make any woman sweat!  Vitex is one herbal medicine that is highly recommended and most commonly prescribed in Europe for night sweats and hot flashes. A personal consultation would need to be scheduled to fully recommend the proper herbals and dosages for the client.  Due to successful results using natural hormone balancing and herbals, many American women are opting for these treatments.

Most American women in at the onset of menopause have already worn out their adrenals and have poor liver function.  When an unhealthy woman enters menopause, the hormonal fluctuations increase and all the symptoms are worsened.  Some of the side effects of menopause lasting up to one year in vibrant women are: hot flashes, reduced libido, irritability, mood changes, and irregular heart palpitations, calcium metabolism disturbances which increase the risk of osteoporosis, vaginal dryness, and skin dryness.  A medical doctor may prescribe HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).  Around 80 percent of American woman do not use HRT at all.  Women are opting out of HRT because it has been shown to have the following side effects: weight gain, uterine and breast fibroids, low libido, heavy bleeding, severe leg cramps, migraine headaches, and PMS-like pain.

Women choosing a natural menopause can benefit from lowering stress and caffeine levels because they both increase the frequency of hot flashes.  Also I recommended Vitex for any woman wanting to balance her hormones, nourish, and rebuild her reproductive system.  Poor circulation and tingling in the limbs often occurs during menopause, and Ginkgo biloba is excellent for increasing circulation and nourishing the brain.  When dealing with low libido and vaginal dryness, I highly recommend both Ginseng and Maca.  Head hair loss is a side effect of menopause, but adding sea greens to a woman’s diet will aid in hair growth and boost adrenals.  That’s a great reason to eat more sushi!  There are many more herbal medicines specifically for menopausal women, life-style balancing, and natural methods to discuss in a personal consultation.  It is imperative to only purchase herbs and supplements from trusted sources and companies.

In conclusion, men and women have their own unique concoctions of hormones, with many possibilities for hormone imbalances.  A saliva test to determine hormone levels may be purchased from People’s Pharmacy in Austin and/or a Natural Health-Care Practitioner.  Let the journey to optimal health begin; please ask for guidance if needed!  Santé!

special thanks t0:

Ferarri of Austin

models:

Barbara Morin, Leo Wilson