Nutrition. Vitamins. You.
Photo by Rita Morais on Unsplash Hormones are the chemical messengers in your body that carry messages between your cells and organs, and control most of your bodily functions, from basic needs like hunger to complex systems like reproduction. They are created in the endocrine …
We’re heard the term “hormones” since our early teens. Many individuals associate hormones with the reason you start to get acne as a teen or the reason women go through menopause. But, you need to answer the questions, what are they exactly, and what do …
Very often, when healthy hormone balance is highlighted, the focus tends to be on women’s hormones. Healthy hormone balance is just as important for men but little attention gets paid until there is a problem. Men’s hormones impact everything – prostate health, sex drive, muscle strength, energy levels, mood, sleep and even hair loss. Men’s hormones (especially as they get older) tend to greatly affect the prostate. The health of the prostate can be very revealing about a man’s health in general, as it is also dependent on healthy hormone balance, proper intake of several important nutrients, exposure to plastics and other synthetic hormones and even lifestyle factors like stress. It is never too early or too late to support the health of the prostate and making the effort to balance hormones is an essential step.
It is important that men maintain the delicate balance of testosterone. Testosterone levels usually peak before they turn 30 and then slowly decrease from there. But why is it so important? Testosterone is the primary male hormone and it is fairly sensitive to be converted into other hormones. Free testosterone can be converted into estradiol (a type of estrogen) though an enzyme called aromatase. What has substantial effects on the prostate is the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
DHT as an overactive form of testosterone and, while it serves an important purpose, too much DHT after puberty is not a healthy thing. During puberty, DHT helps the prostate grow and reach a mature size, which is normal. However, when too much testosterone gets converted into DHT, there can be negative consequences for prostate health. As DHT is responsible for contributing to prostate growth, when the body loses its ability to regulate DHT, it can be stimulated to excessively grow. Like all hormones, DHT must be kept in balance. Without DHT, the prostate would not be able to heal and repair itself, so some is necessary and even helpful. However, excess DHT has been implicated in conditions like BHP, which is benign prostatic hyperplasia.
BPH is a benign, or noncancerous, condition characterized by an enlarged prostate. BPH is a very common condition that affects half of all men in their 50s and 80% of men in their 80s. Approximately 8.4 million men over age 50 in the United States, including 3 million age 50 to 59, 2.6 million age 60 to 69 and 2.8 million age 70 to 79.i BPH tends to effect urination, specifically frequent, often-urgent need to urinate, especially at night, the need to strain to get urine out, the inability to completely empty the bladder, “dribbling” or leaking after urination or even a weak urine stream often are the result of BPH. These symptoms can really affect sleep quality and overall quality of life.
Urination issues are usually the biggest complaint among men with poor prostate health, but the good news is you can restore the health of your prostate and maybe even sleep the night through again. BPH also tends to be effected by excess inflammation. A two-pronged holistic approach of modulating inflammation and balancing hormones is a powerful combination for prostate wellness.
Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash It’s true that men are more likely to lose their hair than women, mostly due to male pattern baldness. But ladies aren’t exempt from hair loss. Thinning hair and hair loss are also common in women, and these issues …
Photo by Alan Ko on Unsplash If you’ve noticed that your sleeping habits have been off along with your diet lately, it’s important to note that there is an interesting correlation between the two. Research has found that sleep, particularly too little of it, directly …
Many women are extremely particular in seeking the right preparations and care for their bodies before and during pregnancy. However, what about the mother’s health after the baby is born? It’s important to understand that post pregnancy practices are just as important are pre-baby practices. Dr. Selassie just had a beautiful baby girl and I asked her to share some of her own advice and tips for moms who are post pregnancy. Here are some things you moms to be and moms with new babies should consider.
After going through such a life changing event and embarking on a new life with a new child, a mother can experience a lot of emotions ranging from utter joy and bliss to feeling sad and completely overwhelmed. In most women, these emotions level out as soon as hormones start to normalize and the baby starts to sleep through the night.
It’s important to rest as much as you can. Many new mothers make the mistake of catching up with her things-to-do-list when the baby is sleeping, but she should really be resting right along her little one. If feelings of depression persist, a woman should definitely share her feelings with a loved one and visit her doctor, as she may need medication. Remember that prevention is the key. A woman taking fish oils throughout her pregnancy has a 20% chance of avoiding postpartum depression.
Other than your love and affection, breastfeeding is probably one of the best gifts you can give your baby. Babies who are breastfed tend to have better development, stronger immune systems, tend to avoid developing diabetes or heart disease as adults, they get optimal nutrition and have fewer allergies, asthma, eczema, and better digestive health. Breastfeeding gives your newborn baby all of the nutrients it needs to start their life in a healthy fashion. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for your breasts.
In general, supplements are OK to take while you are breastfeeding. You just want to make sure that you do not take supplements that will cause you to detoxify too quickly, because the toxins will get dumped into your breast milk. If you have any questions about the supplements you are on, make sure you speak to an Invite Nutritionist or Naturopathic Doctor.
Exercise is great for you. Is an excellent way to get back in shape, get rid of that extra body fat, strengthen your immune system, and detoxify in a gentle way that’s safe for your nursing baby.
I think that giving yourself 6 months to 1 year to get back to your pre-pregnancy body is safe, responsible, and doable.