The Incidence of Smoking and Drinking on Male Sexual Healt

Studies published by the medical and health community are unanimous. As much as forty percent of men in North America experience some form of sexual health dysfunction. Because many men refuse to face the truth, several experts believe the true figure to be much higher.

Health diseases, such as cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes, are common causes for erectile dysfunctions. However, lifestyle choices like drinking and smoking are also a major factor causing sexual health disruptions and are often overlooked. In reality, drinking and smoking have a negative effect on the normal flow of blood and directly interfere with male sexual performance.

Various studies have established a direct correlation between a quality sex life and a healthy blood flow. While diet, exercise and appropriate supplements effectively promote the sexual performance of men by maintaining and enhancing their level of libido, sperm production and motility and sexual activity, they do not guarantee positive results for people who smoke and drink large quantities of on a daily basis. Not to mention men that consume drugs such as cocaine, heroine and ecstasy which interfere even more with their blood flow or their stamina.

A recent study conducted by the Section of Endocrinology of the Lahey Hitchcock Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts, revealed that smoking causes an important reduction in the number of spontaneous erections occuring during sleep. These erections are one of the most significant indication of a quality blood flow and good sexual health. A drop in the frequency or intensity of erections indicate a risk that some form of erectile dysfunction may develop in the short run. The study has also shown that refraining from smoking for as little as 24 hours brought about a dramatic increase in the quality of spontaneous erections. Needless to say, smoking also has several other "side effects" such as high blood pressure and lung cancer.

Another study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry from the University Medical School of Lubeck, Germany, concluded that heavy drinkers suffer more often from erectile dysfunction than those having an occasional drink. Alcohol tends to induce a pleasant state of relaxation and is generally thought to have a positive effect on the libido. Nothing is further from the truth. It is a suppressant and has a major negative impact on the libido. It also reduces the ability for men to achieve and maintain a quality erection.

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which is managed and operated by the University of California, has conducted its own study regarding the effects of smoking among teenagers. Their findings were frightening. They revealed that smoking has a disastrous impact on the quality of semen and that teenagers who are heavy smokers are jeopardizing their chances to have children and also increasing the risk of having children who suffer from various genetic problems due to the damaged DNA received from the father or mother.

Let's cite one last study, conducted by The University of Berne, Switzerland. The results of their own research unveiled facts backing the findings of the University of California. Statistical analysis conducted in Switzerland demonstrated significantly lower semen quality in smokers compared with non-smokers. Sperm concentration was also strongly affected.

Men are free to make their own decisions. Freedom of choice is an important principle that comes with consequences. Not even the energy of youth can offset the toll that smoking and drinking are bound to take on male sexual health. There are some things that should be sacrificed for the sake of a healthy and satisfying sex life. Let me ask you this delicate question : Should drinking and smoking be one of those?(Marc Deschamps/ForMenOnlyMagazine)




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The Truth About Flat Abs Exercises

Indirect flat abs exercises:

Using dumbbells as a part of your exercise program can help you in your goal to achieve flat abs. One activity to use is renegade dumbbell rows. First, you should start from the pushup position. Grab a dumbbell with each hand and bring one dumbbell up while grabbing your body with the other arm. Next, you will swap sides and continue going from side to side in a rowing motion. This exercise will work on all of your midsection to help you achieve your goal of flatter abs.

You can use a dumbbell to do front squats. This action is similar to back squats, but the dumbbell will be in front of your body instead of behind it. You will cross your arms to help stabilize the barbell. Next, you make fists and push them into the bar while it is against your shoulders. Elbows should be kept on the front side of your body during this exercise.

It takes some practice in the beginning, so you should have a professional trainer at your fitness club to help you with the movements. Your abs have to be very stable and strong because the barbell weight is in front of your body rather than the back. Although this is mainly an exercise for the legs, you will really feel this in the abs!

The way to do mountain climbers is to begin in a push up position and then move your feet in and out with your knees beneath your chest and then return to the position when you first began. It kind of looks like you are climbing a mountain but you are laying down on the floor. If you desire to do a harder version, you could also move yor hands 8 to 10 inches in front and back as well as moving your legs. This actually makes it an exercise for your whole body and it is harder to do than the regular mountain climbers.

Direct flat abs exercises:
According a recent authoritative study, the best training to help define the six pack abs and the waist is the bicycle exercise. Here?s how it?s done:

First, lie on the floor face up with your fingers laced behind your head. Then, bring your knees toward your chest while lifting your shoulder blades off the ground. Do not pull on your neck. Now, your left leg should be straightened out as you turn your torso to the right. Bring your left elbow toward your right knee. Now, switch to the other side and bring your right elbow toward your left knee. You should continue to alternate this motion as if pedaling. Do 12 to 15 reps.

A Crunch Ball Exercise. A new device called an exercise crunch ball is great for flattening abs especially in the rectus abdominis region of the stomach. Listed below are the instructions in using the device properly:

Let your lower back rest above the ball as you lie down facing upwards. Carefully put it at the back of your head while your arms are crossed over your chest. Raise your torso above the ball by tightening the muscles of your abdomen while curling a bit and pushing your ribcage end towards your hips. As you do this position, don?t let the ball move. Then, slowly go back to your original position and do it all over again for at least 12 to 16 counts.

Reverse Crunch. Lie with your lower back flat on the surface. To maintain your balance, use your arms to support your weight and bend a little bit to pull your legs closer to your hips that make an L-shape form. Let your muscle contract while you bring your hips towards your chest and wait for 3 seconds and loosen up. This position can be repeated as many times as you can. Progression: Hanging Reverse Crunch.


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Male Menopause

Male menopause is the result of decreased levels of the male hormone, testosterone. Most commonly, reduced testosterone is reported by those suffering from underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity or high blood pressure. These diseases are common in men over the age of 45.

While some reduction in testosterone levels occurs normally as men age, there are several conditions in which there may be a more rapid decrease. Testosterone production can be interrupted at any age through damage to the testes. The testes make testosterone, and they may be damaged due to an injury, surgery, radiation, infection, or chemotherapy. Testosterone production is mediated by parts of the brain called the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. So if either or both are damaged or not working properly at any age, they do not send the signals required for normal testosterone production to the testes, resulting in reduced testosterone levels.

When testosterone levels drop, men may experience symptoms similar to what women experience when going through menopause. These symptoms include reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, fatigue, and muscle weakness. Testosterone deficiency has also been linked to osteoporosis in men.

Significant testosterone deficiency can be treated with hormone replacement therapy. However, most men experience a very gradual reduction in testosterone levels as they get older, and do not require any treatment. Also, hormone replacement therapy carries an increased risk of prostate cancer, and should be carefully considered. If a decision is made to undergo hormone therapy, the treatment can be administered through injections, oral medications, implants and patches. To treat symptoms such as depression, doctors may prescribe anti-depressants. Because obesity is a major factor implicated in testosterone deficiency, a doctor may also recommend certain lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet and regular exercise.

Early Menopause provides detailed information on menopause, early menopause, male menopause, menopause and osteoporosis and more. Early Menopause is affiliated with Endometriorsis And Infertility.(Kevin Stith/ehealthaticles)



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Diet For Healthy Prostate

Researchers from Canada have found that having a diet of red meat, organ meats, soft drink and bottled water increased the risk of getting prostate cancer. They compared the diets of 80 men with prostate cancer, and 334 healthy men, and the diet just described more than doubled the risk of developing prostate cancer.

So what prostate diet can reduce the risk of prostate cancer? Swedish researchers examined the diet of 1499 men with prostate cancer and 1130 men who were healthy, and they published their findings in the Cancer Causes and Control journal. They found that eating foods rich in phytoestrogens decreased the risk of prostate cancer.

Phytoestrogens are plant molecules that have a weak estrogenic effect. They are made converted in the intestines from plant precursors by bacteria as they digest food. They are taken up by the same parts of the body that process the hormone estrogen.

Interestingly, one of the treatments for prostate cancer by doctors involves using estrogens to reduce the level of testosterone in men with advanced prostate cancer. It does this indirectly, through its effect on the hypothalamus, as less luteinizing hormone releasing hormone is produced by the hypothalamus. This means not as much luteinizing hormone is released by the body, which suppresses the production of testosterone.

High doses of estrogens for men can lead to cardiovascular complications. But phytoestrogens obtained from diet, in less quantities than a drug, and with a milder effect to start with, should not pose a problem. And researchers don't yet know what exactly causes phytoestrogens to have such a protective effect, whether it is similar to that of the estrogen treatment for advanced prostate cancers. And they don't know which phytoestrogens are the most active.

So what phytoestrogen foods could you include in a diet for a healthy prostate? Soy beans and nuts are a good source. Soy and nuts contain a type of phytoestrogen called isoflavones, whilst berries and seeds contain lignans. Foods could include peanuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and berries.

The only possible concerns with soy is that a study in mice found that male mice that had a type of heart disease that people also have, suffered heart failure when fed a soy based diet. Whether this extrapolates to the human population is yet to be established. But it may be wise for those me who have this particular genetic heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, to be cautious about soy products in their diet.

But for other men, soy products could be good news. A meta analysis, which is a study of related studies, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that diets high in soy lowered men's risk of prostate cancer by 30%.

Another important mineral to consider for men is zinc. Zinc is used by men's bodies to make some of the male hormones, and for general prostate health. A deficiency in zinc can lead to problems with the testicles, the prostate, and the health of the sperm. Foods that are great sources of zinc include seeds like pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower; nuts like almonds, brazil, cashews and walnuts; and foods like lettuce, oats and onions. Raw onion is particularly suggested by Paul Bedson, a natural therapist. He also suggests vegetable juice made of equal parts of beetroot, carrot, and cucumber in cases where the prostate gland is enlarged. Cranberry juice, a cup drunk three times a day, is also recommended in this case.


References:
1. phoenix5.org/Infolink/advanced/estrogen.html
2. Australian Healthy Food, March 2006
3. Australian Healthy Food, November, 2005
4. Paul Bedson, The Complete Family Guide To Natural Healing
5. nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=65785&m=1NIE213&c=qgtqmovbyiaxdub


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