Andropause, also known as "Male Menopause" typically occurs around 40-50 years of age. During this time, men experience hormonal shifts (primarily a decline in testosterone) that can often present as symptoms such as:
Muscle and hair loss
Erectile dysfunction
Infertility
Weight gain
Sleep issues
Hot flashes
Depression
Fatigue
While this phase is completely natural, it is a topic that has been left out of many healthcare conversations. This has resulted in many men feeling ill prepared and unaware of why they are experiencing a lack of "zest for life" during some of their most prime years.
The good news is that there are many actions that you can take leading up to and throughout andropause that can help you to keep YOUR ZEST ALIVE:
Exercise: At least 5x/week to help stimulate androgen hormones, insulin sensitivity and support detoxification.
Keep blood sugar balanced: focus on eating lots of colorful vegetables along with quality protein and fats. Avoid starchy carbohydrates (rice, bread, pasta, white potatoes), sweets, juice and other foods that will spike your blood sugar.
Blood sugar balance is CRITICAL to:
- ensuring that your cells stay "insulin sensitive"
- keeping body fat low
- avoiding excess estrogen production via a process called aromatization.
Eat foods rich in antioxidants to help fight off inflammation: enjoy an array of organic fruits and vegetables as these are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants that help your immune system to repair cells and defend against cancer, disease and pre-mature aging.
Support your Liver: drink plenty of water, limit alcohol, incorporate infrared sauna, eat cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, onions, garlic, etc...), move your body daily
Manage stress: prioritize rest and relaxation time, practice meditation and/or deep breathing, go for a nature walk, reduce/avoid caffeine, listen to calming music, get off your electronic devices
Avoid external toxins:
- Focus on eating organic produce, grass-fed meats, pasture-raised poultry & eggs and wild caught fish.
- Drink clean filtered water (avoid plastic bottles)
- Reduce alcohol & avoid drugs
- Quit smoking
- Only use natural body care & cleaning products
There are thousands of toxins in our environment that when absorbed, inhaled and ingested can be converted by your body into hormones that disrupt your endocrine system. This can lead to hormonal imbalance and can contribute to serious health issues including infertility, obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, heart disease and cancer.
Work with a Naturopathic Doctor: we utilize state-of-the-art testing & interpretation to guide our individualized treatment plans that will focus on optimizing your over-all health so that you can feel fantastic throughout all phases of life.
Reach out to learn more about what it's like to work with us, and how we can help you to achieve your health goals:
Resources:
https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323027#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
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