Month: June 2019

There’s a ton of propaganda regarding the causes and management of male erectile dysfunction. The purpose of this article is to address the myths and facts about erectile dysfunction.

What is Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction, also known as ED, is when a man is unable to get or maintain an erection that’s firm enough for sex. It is sometimes called impotence, though health care providers don’t commonly use this term. About 30 million men in the U.S. are affected by ED. One myth concerning this condition is that it only affects older men. Studies have shown roughly one half of American men over the age of 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction. While it is more common in older men, age alone is not the cause. In fact, a lot of men still relish sexual intercourse as they age.

What Causes Erectile dysfunction?

ED can be caused by several factors: physical, medical, or emotional. Early on, ED was mostly thought to be an emotional problem. However today, ED is mostly thought to be a physical or medical problem with three basic causes.

An erection occurs when aroused, blood flows into the two chambers inside the penis called the corpora cavernosa. These chambers extend from the top of the male sexual organ deep into the pelvis. These chambers contain spongy tissue that has the ability to gain blood volume and grow in size. When not aroused, the arteries supplying blood to the penis are only partially open. This provides the blood flow required to maintain healthy tissue.

Therefore, the first cause is that not enough blood flows into these chambers. Alcohol,
smoking, cardio vascular disease and high glucose will have an effect on blood flow and result in to ED (impotence).

The second cause is that the penis can’t hold the blood during an erection, meaning that the penis can’t stay erect because blood doesn’t remain immersed long enough. This type of difficulty is termed blood vessel leak or cavernosal disfunction, and can happen at any age. This dispels the myth that Erectile dysfunction doesn’t affect younger men.

The third cause is nerve signals from the brain or spinal cord don’t reach the penis. This can be result of conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Certain illnesses (i.e. Diabetes-high blood sugar heart disease), injuries or surgeries in the pelvic area can cause damage to the nerves in the penis. Also, mood problems such as stress, anxiety, and depression can play havoc on one’s sex life.

It may also result as a consequence of taking certain types of medications such as blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antidepressants and ulcer medications. Also, erectile tissue can be damaged when one has undergone radiation treatment for prostate or bladder cancer.

This dispels the myth: it’s because you’re not attracted to your partner. Fact is many things can cause erection problems. Although lack of sexual attraction to your partner can be one among them, it’s far more likely to be something else.

The good news is there ar several safe and helpful treatments to assist men improve their sexual performance.  More on this later.

Symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction

Symptoms of ED might include: recurrent difficulty obtaining an erection, difficulty maintaining an erection, reduced libido.

Other rare symptoms that can be related to ED are: premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation, inability to ejaculate, low testosterone levels.

How to Prevent Erectile Dysfunction

Be Proactive

Prevention is better than cure! In my article https://universal-health-products.com/the-benefits-of-physical-wellness-2/, I emphasize in detail the importance of seeking wellness—the overall emphasis on being well. So before I address treatment options, let’s look at prevention measures—how to avoid ED.

It’s not uncommon to experience difficulty obtaining an erection on occasion, but if it starts happening more often, don’t ignore it. Talk to your doctor. You might have a health issue that’s inflicting it. The sooner you deal with it, the sooner your sex life can be back on track.

In the meantime:

Control your weight – Surprisingly those extra pounds can affect more than a waist line. They take put a burden on your sex life. If someone is obese, they’re more likely to get high cholesterol levels and diabetes, which can lead to erection problems. A study shows that men with a waist size over 40 inches are more likely to have erectile dysfunction. In order to stay ahead of ED, try to keep a healthy weight. This is a segue to the next one.

Watch your diet – ED is often linked to heart disease, therefore a heart-healthy diet would be good for your erections, too. Try to decrease the consumption of artery-clogging foods like full-fat dairy far, products, fried foods, and red meat. Eat a lot of garden-fresh fruits and veggies, fish, and whole grains. Cleaning up your diet can be beneficial in the bedroom.

Watch your blood pressure – High blood pressure can narrow your blood vessels, lessening blood flow through your body. If less, flows to the penis an individual may notice it’s isn’t so easy to obtain an erection. If you do not check your pressure often, it’s time to start. You may have a high blood pressure problem and not even know it. It’s not called the silent killer for nothing!

Watch your cholesterol – When cholesterol builds up in your blood vessels, it causes them to narrow, which can slow down your blood flow, similar to high blood pressure. That can cause difficulty to get or keep an erection. If your cholesterol is high, your doctor can suggest ways to lower it, like medication or a change in your diet.

Watch your diabetes – If one has diabetes, they might find themselves with ED if they don’t take care of it. The is a result high blood sugar which will injury the nerves and blood vessels in the penis. It is best to talk to a doctor about ways to get and keep diabetes in check so one can stay in the groove.

*Don’t smoke – If you’re a smoker – one word – QUIT! That’s a dirty four-letter word to some. Need another reason to kick the habit? Here’s one: Men that smoke are double as possibly to acquire erection issues as men who don’t. Smoking hurts your sex life because it also narrows your blood vessels. Additionally, erectile dysfunction medications might not work as well for men that smoke.

Watch your drinking – Drinking and sex don’t always go together. More than a couple of drinks can dampen your libido, soften your erection, or make it difficult to have an orgasm. If alcohol is the cause of your ED, it will probably go away when you cut back on or even quit drinking.

Pass on the Drugs – Recreational drugs can lead to erection trouble. Both uppers (i.e. cocaine and amphetamines) and downers ((i.e. marijuana and opiates) can cause problems. These drugs slow down your central nervous system, and some can also damage blood vessels. If one thinks that they have a drug problem, this is just one more reason to seek help.

Get Exercise – Exercise is good for your sex life in lots of ways. It helps your heart and blood vessels remain healthy, keeps your weight in check, lowers stress, and in general just makes you feel good. And your workout doesn’t even have to be strenuous. A study shows that even a 30-minute walk daily might lower the probably of getting erectile dysfunction.

Watch your Testosterone – Testosterone levels gradually start to fall around age 30 and continue to drop as you get older. If it gets too low, it will affect your sexual drive and your ability to obtain an erection. A blood test can reveal if you have low testosterone, and there are plenty of ways to treat it.

Stay away from Anabolic Steroids – Too much of a good thing, is a bad thing! One might not suppose pumping their body full of additional testosterone to build up muscles would hurt their erections, but it can. All that artificial T turns off your body’s ability to create its own, which means the problems will start when the steroids are no longer being consumed. You can get a lot of other bad side effects, too, from shrunken testicles to baldness. It’s best to stay away from these risky drugs.

Manage your stress – When you’re stressed out from relationship problems, a major life change, or work, your libido can take a downturn. And if you end up with ED, it may lead to even more anxiety. So cut down your stress levels, and you’ll see benefits in the bedroom.

Treat sleep apnea – Analysis shows a link between the disorder and ED. When you get treated for apnea, you may see improvements in your erection problems as well. So if you think you might have sleep apnea, or if you know you have it and aren’t doing anything about it, it’s time to talk to your doctor. In my article https://universal-health-products.com/sleep-apnea-the-facts/
I detail all the facts on sleep apnea with a possible solution.

Know the side effects of Your Medications – ED is a common side effect for many prescription drugs, such as: Diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, muscle relaxers, cancer drugs, antihistamines, opioid painkillers. If you use any of these medications and start to have erection problems, don’t stop taking them on your own. Talk to your doctor about possible fixes.

How to Treat Erectile Dysfunction

If you do not have one or more of the above mentioned medical conditions (i.e. high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc), one option is a natural treatment for ED. In some cases it can be a deficiency in one’s diet that can be the cause. Healthy food and (some) vitamins and natural supplements can improve your overall health and blood flow. And anything that improves blood flow can treat some of the potential underlying causes of erectile dysfunction (as well as making you healthier).This is where dietary supplements can be a handy solution. In my article, https://universal-health-products.com/dietary-supplements-the-facts/, I address the important role dietary supplements play in meeting our dietary needs.

Dietary supplements for ED

Some natural supplements are shown to extend nitric oxide levels and increase blood flow to the penis. Therefore, it’s important to know the ingredients contained within a supplement.

Some of the major ones are:

L-Arginine HCL I – This chemical compound and aminoalkanoic acid is changed into nitric oxide in your body, and numerous studies have demonstrated its effectiveness on male sexual performance and erection quality. In one study, Thirty seven percent (37%) of men with impotence reported a big improvement in their ability to realize and maintain an erection when taking l-arginine daily for just over a month.

Pomegranate 40% Ellagic Acid – Pomegranate contains high amounts of antioxidant-rich ellagic acid, which is very effective at boosting blood circulation.

MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) – MSM is an organic form of sulphur, a mineral that, as well as supporting blood flow, is crucial to your cell and tissue health – including those in the penis.

L-Methionine – An essential amino acid, L-methionine is thought to work by blocking the conversion of histidine into the hormone histamine. Histamine plays a key role in achieving climax; the higher the degree of it, the more quickly one is to likely to ejaculate, which is why high levels of histamine have been linked to premature ejaculation. By lowering your histamine levels, L-methionine can help you last longer by delaying ejaculation.

Zinc (as Citrate) – This essential mineral plays a vital role in your testosterone production. Low testosterone levels will cause mayhem with one’s libido and their erections, nevertheless most men don’t get enough of this mineral in their diet.

**Cordyceps – Used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years as a natural aphrodisiac, many studies have proven the powerful ability of this type of fungus to increase sex drive and sexual function. Scientists believe this is due to two chemicals which appear to have a direct effect on the area of our brain responsible for controlling sexual desire.

Niacin – Also known as vitamin B3, studies have shown that niacin boosts blood flow by helping blood vessels relax and expand. Niacin also helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, which means more stamina for sex.

All the above natural nutrients are available in health food stores and websites. However, a supplement that contains these valuable ingredients together in a unique blend with proper potency can deliver very favorable results.

The Best Supplement For Erectile Dysfunction

For information on a supplement that contains a powerful combination of these nutrients, click on this link.

Please feel free to leave any question, comment, or concern below

Best of health!!

Walking is the most underrated form of exercise. It isn’t nearly as popular an exercise as running or jogging.  However, walking can be as good as a workout, if not better, than running. This is why I’ve decided to write this post to bring out the benefits of walking exercise.

Is walking better than running

Honestly, it is true that running is more physically demanding, which leads people to label it a better or healthier workout.  But the two really shouldn’t be compared against each other.  Running, due to larger muscle mobilization, greater forces used and faster motion capability, will always have the well-known leg up on walking.  But even though walking might not be a “ better” physical exercise, it may be a better exercise choice for some people.  For example, individuals with knee, ankle and back issues and additionally for people who are overweight to obese. Walking may be a lower impact exercise and may be executed for longer durations of time.

Walking will yield a great deal of similar advantages of running.  But running burns nearly double the quantity of calories as walking.

If you’re unaccustomed to exercise or aren’t able to run, walking will still assist you to get in form. Walking is accessible for nearly all fitness levels. It can boost your heart and give you more energy overall.  Let’s look at the benefits.

Benefits of walking

Burns Calories

Walking can help you burn calories which can help you maintain or even lose weight. Your actual calorie burn will depend on several factors, including: how fast you walk, how far you walk, the terrain (more calories are burned walking uphill than on a flat surface), and your weight.

If an individual wants to burn more calories or slim down quickly, running is a better choice. For example, for somebody who’s a hundred sixty pounds, running at 5 miles per hour (mph) burns 606 calories. However, walking briskly for a similar period at 3.5 mph burns simply 314 calories.

But walking may also provide varied advantages for your health, including helping you maintain a healthy weight.

You can confirm your actual calorie burn through a calorie calculator. For a general estimate, you can also refer to this chart.

Strengthens the heart

Walking a minimum of half an hour every day, five (5) days per week will cut back your risk for coronary cardiopathy (heart disease) by approximately nineteen percent (19 %).  And your risk may be reduced even more if you walk more days and when the duration or distance you walk per day is increased.

Can help lower blood sugar

Taking a brief walk following a meal could facilitate lowering your blood glucose level.

Taking a brief 15-minute walk three (3) times every day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) improved blood sugar levels more than by taking a 45-minute walk at another point during the day according to a small study.  However additional analysis is required to confirm these findings.

One might consider taking a post-meal walk a regular part of a routine. It can also help to fit exercise in throughout the day.

Eases joint pain

Walking will facilitate the protecting of the joints, including your knees and hips. This is because it helps lubricate and strengthen the muscles that support the joints.

Walking might also supply benefits for individuals living with the inflammatory disease arthritis, such as reducing pain. And walking five to six miles per week might also facilitate the prevention of arthritis.

Boosts immunity

Walking could cut back your risk for developing a common cold or the influenza.

One study tracked 1,000 adults during flu season. Those who walked at a moderate pace for thirty to forty five minutes every day had forty three (43%) percent fewer sick days and fewer upper respiratory tract infections overall. If they did come down with it, their symptoms were lessened.  This was compared to adults in the study who were sedentary.

You should try to get in a daily walk to experience these benefits. If you reside in a very cold climate, you can try to walk on a treadmill or around an indoor mall.

Boosts energy

Going for a walk when you’re tired may be a more effective for boosting energy than grabbing a cup of coffee.  And more healthy too!

Walking increases oxygen flow through the body. It can also increase levels of the hormones that help elevate energy levels.

Improve your mood

If you’ve had a bad day, walking can help you turn that frown upside down. As stress is reduced and you get some fresh air, your mood is uplifted.  That’s why many doctors recommend going out for a walk as an important part of depression treatment, as well as other conditions.

Extends life

Walking at a quicker pace may extend your life. Researchers
found that walking at an normal pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 % reduced risk of overall death.

But walking at a brisk or rapid pace (at least four [4] miles per hour) reduced the chance by 24 percent. The study looked at the association of walking at a faster pace with factors like overall causes of death, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Increases muscle Tone

Walking increases muscle tone especially in the legs.
Walking can strengthen the muscles in your legs. To build up additional strength, walk on a route that consists of rising and falling areas (hilly) or on a treadmill with an incline. Or include stairs in your designated route.

*Also exchange walking with other cross-training activities like cycling or jogging. You can also perform resistance exercises like squats, lunges, and leg curls to further tone and strengthen your leg muscles.

Clears thinking

Walking might facilitate clearing an individual’s head and assist them to think creatively.

A study
that incorporated four experiments compared individuals attempting to consider of new concepts as they were walking or sitting. Researchers found participants scored higher while walking, notably when walking outdoors.

The researchers determined that walking releases a free flow of concepts and could be an easy way to increase creativity and acquire physical activity simultaneously.

The next time you have to think something through, try taking a walk while doing so.  It may save you some time!  Nothing like killing two birds with one stone!

Thirty minutes a day

The recommended time interval is thirty minutes to achieve the benefits mentioned above.  Just half an hour each day will increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, cut back excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.

For example, let’s look at burning calories.  At a brisk walking pace, one would burn a hundred to three hundred calories in half an hour.
(depending on your weight) or two hundred to six hundred calories in a hour. By walking
for 30 minutes or more at a time, some of those calories will be from stored fat. During the first 30 minutes of exercise, your body is burning sugars stored as fuel.

On a weekly basis, if you eat 3,500 calories less than your energy requirement, you will lose one pound per week. If your calorie intake and output are in balance, allowing you to maintain a steady weight, and you begin walking 30 minutes a day without increasing your calorie intake, you can calculate what amount of weight you can lose.

If you weigh one hundred fifty (150) pounds and walk uphill for half an hour at 3 ½  mph every day for one week, you will burn two hundred (200) calories. Multiply two hundred (200) calories by seven days, for a total of 1,400 calories. In four weeks, you will have burned 5,600 calories. This equals a weight loss of 1.6 pounds in four weeks.

 To summarize: to induce the health advantages, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can on most days of the week. ‘Brisk’ means that you can still talk but not sing, and you may be slightly winded.

Moderate activities like walking cause very little health risk however, if you currently have a medical condition, seek advice from your doctor before beginning any new exercise program of physical activity.

Please feel free to leave any question, comment or concern below.

Good health!!

Most adults today take at least one dietary supplement either every day or at the minimum occasionally. Today’s dietary supplements include vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and many other products. Dietary supplements are available in a range of forms: standard tablets, capsules, and powders, as well as drinks and energy bars. Popular supplements contain vitamins D and E; minerals like calcium and iron; herbs like Echinacea and garlic; and specialty products such as glucosamine, probiotics, and fish oils. The purpose of this post is to supply information on dietary supplements. Hence, the title— Dietary Supplements: the facts. So we begin with a definition of a dietary supplement.

What is a dietary supplement

The words “dietary supplement” describes an extensive and varied category of products that you consume to support good health and supplement the diet. A dietary supplement is not a medicine, nor should it be considered a substitute for food. It is a supplement; it enhances the diet.

In an ideal world, we’d easily be able to get all the nutrients we need from diet alone.  But because of our demanding schedules, there has been ever-increasing reliance on processed convenience and fast foods. These processed foods are often high in calories yet offer little or no nutritional value. Therefore, dietary supplements are needed to fill the gap to provide us with the nutrients we need.

Dietary ingredients can be one or a combination of vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, concentrates, metabolites, constituents, or extract.

What do dietary supplements accomplish

What do dietary supplements do? If you don’t eat a nutritiously nourishing variety of foods, some supplements might help you get adequate amounts of essential nutrients. However, supplements can’t completely take the place of the variety of foods that are important to a healthy diet.

Types of dietary supplements

As mentioned earlier, dietary supplements include: vitamins, minerals, herbals and botanicals, amino acids, enzymes. Below is an explanation of these essentials. These are all available under one roof.

Vitamins – What is a vitamin? Complex organic compounds that are required in small amounts by the body for normal growth and metabolism. A crucial part of a balanced diet, vitamins occur naturally in foods and may be added to processed foods to increase their nutritional value. Vitamin supplements play a crucial role in this need.

What is a vitamin supplement? A vitamin supplement is a preparation, in various forms (Pills, capsules, etc.) to serve as a dietary supplement with vitamins. The objective is to fill the gap left by a lack of vitamins supplied in one’s diet.

Minerals— identical to vitamins, minerals help your body develop, grow, and maintain a healthy state. The body uses minerals to perform many functions. From building strong bones to transmitting nerve impulses, minerals run the gamut. Some minerals are used to make hormones or maintain a normal heartbeat.

Like vitamins, mineral supplements are available in various forms.

Herbals— an herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbals are one type of dietary supplement that contain the plant substance that’s beneficial to the body. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants.

Many consider herbs to be natural and therefore healthier and gentler than conventional drugs. Many use herbs for a variety of medical conditions, as well as for overall health and well-being. For others, herbal use is grounded in traditions passed down from generations prior.

Some commonly used herbs include: Garlic (which may help reduce the risk of heart disease and lower high blood pressure), Ginger (used as a digestive aid), ginseng (which may help improve cognitive function and augment athletic performance).

Botanicals— A botanical like an herb is a plant or plant parts valued for its medicinal or therapeutic properties and are contained in the same forms as herbs. In fact, Herbs are a subset of botanicals.

Amino Acids—Amino acids play a role in the development of protein within the body and are crucial in promoting wound repair and encouraging healthy tissue in muscles, bones, skin and hair. Amino acids are also central in eliminating waste deposits related to metabolism.

Enzymes— Enzymes ar biological molecules (typically proteins) that considerably speed up the pace of nearly all the chemical reactions that surface inside cells. They are very important to sustain life and serve a broad scope of important functions within the body, such as aiding in digestion and metabolism. Almost all organic chemistry reactions in living things require enzymes.

Why are enzymes important? With enzymes, chemical reactions go much faster than they would without the enzyme. Enzymes control the speed of chemical reactions in your body. Without enzymes, these reactions would take place too slowly to keep you alive. Some enzymes, like the ones in your gut, break down large molecules into smaller ones.

Why take dietary supplements

What are the benefits of taking supplements? Scientific evidence shows that some dietary supplements are beneficial for overall health as well as managing various health conditions. For example, calcium and vitamin D are important for keeping bones strong and reducing bone loss; folic acid decreases the risk of certain birth defects; and omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils may facilitate some individuals with cardiovascular disease. Other supplements require additional study to conclude their merit. One thing to note, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not determine whether dietary supplements are effective before they are placed in the market.

It is also important to note that overuse and interactions can undermine health benefits. Dietary supplements are products designed to bump up your daily intake of nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. Many are safe and provide vital health advantages; however there are some that create health risks, particularly if overused.

The best way to approach dietary supplements

The best way to approach dietary supplements is to take a multivitamin. Why? Simply because it’s the most balanced way to ensure that we’re getting the vitamins, nutrients, and minerals required for optimal conditioning of our bodies. It’s the best of all worlds, nutritionally.

Why take a multivitamin you ask? Well, yes, we can get a lot of nutrients from food, especially fruits and vegetables, but the simple fact is we don’t.

When we don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables, we miss essential nutrients, which can leave us vulnerable to serious negative health conditions. Adults should consume 1 1/2-2 cups of fruit and 2-3 cups of vegetables daily. Yet, studies found that 76% of adults don’t eat enough fruit and 87% of adults don’t eat enough vegetables.

So how do we get our nutrients? A multivitamin of course. A multivitamin supplement is like insurance, a daily guarantee to ensure your body gets the vitamins and minerals it needs. It can make up for the shortfalls that happen when we don’t get what we need through food.

Here are a few more key reasons to take a multivitamin: slower aging, can reduce cardiovascular disease, reduces cancer risk, boosts immunity, supports eye health, contains water-soluble vitamins that’s needed on a daily basis, healthy hair and skin, and feeling better overall. Thanks mostly to the B-complex vitamin family, taking a multivitamin is associated with a boost in energy levels, feelings of well-being, as well as a decrease in stress and anxiety. This alone, makes it worth maintaining a multivitamin regime.

Where to buy dietary supplements

Dietary supplements are widely accessible in health food stores, drug stores, grocery stores, fitness centers and on-line sites and they are available in several forms including: two piece capsules, soft gels, tablets, bottles of liquid, powders and gummies.

Please feel free to leave any comment, question or concern below

Good health!