men Tag

5 Things NOT to Say to Your Spouse Who is Going Through Menopause

You love your partner, through thick and thin, through good times and bad. However, when your spouse is going through menopause, you might find it puts a strain on your relationship. This is incredibly common! Like other stages of a long-term relationship, menopause brings huge shifts for your partner and the ways in which you interact, and it’s perfectly normal to struggle with the transition. 

 

With tensions running high, it might seem like the smallest things you say can upset your spouse. However, from their perspective, certain remarks are not small at all! There are some things that you should definitely avoid saying to your partner when they’re going through menopause. It will help to show that you understand and respect what they’re dealing with, and keep things positive. Here are a few of them to be aware of!

Aren’t You Too Young for That?

Menopause is something that’s associated with growing older, so it might surprise you to hear that your partner is beginning to go through it at a younger age than you thought they would. Menopause tends to occur on average between the ages of 45 and 55, but it is possible for it to happen sooner.

 

Telling someone they’re too young for menopause can feel like a well-meaning compliment, but for many women, it’s just a painful reminder that they’re aging. Menopause can be difficult mentally and emotionally as well as physically, and it’s kindest to tread lightly around the subject of age during this time. Your partner might be feeling sad about getting older without you realizing!

It’s Freezing in Here!

Hot flashes are the classic symptom of menopause. Everyone hears about them, every woman dreads them, and everyone who experiences them knows what a pain they are. They can strike at any time, interrupt your sleep, and make you wildly uncomfortable in the most inconvenient moments. When your partner is having a hot flash, she’s sure to be stressed, sweaty, and altogether miserable.

 

In these moments, the most considerate thing to do would be to avoid pointing out the hot flash unless she mentions it herself, and don’t make any comments about the temperature. If she’s turned up the AC and you’re cold, grab a sweater without making a big fuss. Complaining about the temperature might only make her feel worse!

Did You Gain Weight?

Menopause can lead to a lot of physical changes in a woman’s appearance, including weight gain, hair thinning, changes in body or facial hair, or changes in breast volume. Simply put, your partner is likely to be especially sensitive about her looks at this time, and off-handed comments might strike a little deeper than you intended them to.

 

If you notice a change in your partner’s appearance like thinning hair or weight gain, it’s best to keep any observations about it to yourself. Instead, focus on pointing out the things you find beautiful about your partner that she can feel confident about. Remind her that you find her attractive and sexy– a small compliment can go a long way!

You’re Lucky Your Period is Gone!

It seems like the one upside of menopause: no more dealing with a period each month! While this is true and it’s something many women consider to be a silver lining during menopause, it might upset your partner to have it pointed out.

 

For one thing, losing your period is just another reminder that you’re getting older, something few women are particularly excited about. It might also be saddening for some women to know that they’re out of their childbearing years– they may have wanted a bigger family, or never got the chance to have children when they wanted to. If your partner mentions being grateful that her period is gone, it’s great to join her in rejoicing, but otherwise, it might be best to avoid mentioning it. You never know what might be on her mind when it comes to changes in her body.

You’re Not in the Mood Again?

Changes in your sex life are a major source of relationship strain during menopause. The hormonal changes this transition brings are likely to affect your partner’s libido, as well as how comfortable and enjoyable sex actually is for her. You might find that you’re suddenly having much less sex than you used to, leaving you feeling frustrated and distant.

 

This is shaky territory. Guilting your partner or complaining about her lower sex drive or physical changes is never something you want to do. At best, it’s rude and inconsiderate, and at worst, it borders on coercing her into sex. However, you’re not wrong to feel lonely or upset with this change in your relationship! Those feelings are normal and worth fixing. Find a time to calmly and kindly talk to your partner about the shift in your sex life. Acknowledge her struggles and that you know this isn’t her fault, and lay out how you’re feeling and that you want to work together to fix the problem. Cooperating on finding a solution can result in your relationship coming out even stronger on the other side!

 

Menopause doesn’t have to mean that your relationship with your partner turns sour. It’s a period of change like others that you’ve gotten through together, and with plenty of open communication, love, and support, you’ll get through this one, too. If your partner is really struggling with the symptoms of menopause, hormonal replacement therapy might be a good way for her to find some relief. You can both learn more from Renewed Vitality today! 

When it comes to understanding your body and how it works, understanding your hormones is very important. Hormones are the chemical messengers of your body. They tell each organ, system, and structure what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. That’s a big job, and if one of your hormone levels is out of balance, it could cause things not to work right all over your body. 

 

Understanding your hormones, however, is a little easier said than done. There’s a lot of them, and they have complex and varied jobs that are hard to keep track of. To help you get a better handle on your hormones, the team at Renewed Vitality is breaking down what you need to know about these major body chemicals. Today, let’s take a look at testosterone!

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is a sex hormone, meaning that its primary functions are related to the reproductive system. It’s largely known as the male sex hormone since it performs lots of very important functions in a man’s body, but just like estrogen, everybody has some level of testosterone in their body, regardless of sex or gender.

What Does Testosterone Do?

As a male sex hormone, testosterone is vital to a man’s sexual development and function. Testosterone levels in the body start to rise around puberty, and contribute to increasing height and muscle development, the development of the penis, testes, and prostate, and body hair growth.

 

In maturity, testosterone plays an important role in sperm production and libido. Aside from this, it also affects your blood health, signaling the body to make new red blood cells, and is important to the health of your bones and muscles. Testosterone levels can even affect your mood and how your body stores fat!

Where is Testosterone Made?

Testosterone, like the other sex hormones, is produced mainly in the “gonads,” or the primary reproductive gland of the body. For men, testosterone production takes place in the testes. For women, the ovaries make the levels of testosterone they need.

What Happens If You Have Low Testosterone?

Low testosterone is a common complaint among men in their later years. While the symptoms of falling testosterone levels as you age are difficult to deal with, they’re not uncommon or unnatural. Testosterone levels naturally start to drop off as you age, but especially low levels can lead to symptoms like decreased sex drive or erectile dysfunction, low energy, low mood, memory problems, weight gain, thinning hair, and thinner or weaker bones. These effects of low testosterone can happen in women with an imbalance in the hormone as well as men, although they are much more common in males. The condition is often abbreviated to “low T,” but you might also see it referred to as “male hypogonadism.” 

What Happens If You Have High Testosterone?

Unhealthily high testosterone levels can lead to acne, weight gain, high blood pressure, increased risk of heart attack or blood clots, low sperm count, and mood swings, among a number of other side effects. High testosterone in men is often seen as a result of steroid use, but it can also be a sign of tumors or genetic mutations.

 

In women, high testosterone levels can lead to increased hair growth, weight gain, reduced fertility, and other symptoms. It’s most commonly a sign of PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, a fairly common reproductive condition.

What to Do About Testosterone Imbalances?

If you suspect you may be suffering from an imbalance in your testosterone levels, HRT, or hormone replacement therapy, might be a good option for you! At Renewed Vitality, we offer highly advanced bioidentical hormone replacement therapy that can help you feel more like yourself again! Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.

It’s a fact of life that things start to change drastically in your body as you age. Your joints get stiffer, your eyesight gets worse, and your hair turns gray. Some of the biggest changes, however, can come from changes in your hormonal levels as you age. These hormonal changes are called menopause for women and andropause for men. They can cause major effects in the body, not all of which are very pleasant, and occasionally these symptoms can get in the way of you living a full and healthy life as you get older. However, you don’t just have to suffer through it! Hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, can be an effective treatment for the symptoms of menopause and andropause.

What is Menopause?

Menopause is the natural decline of reproductive hormone levels as a woman reaches her 40s and 50s, eventually leading to the complete stop of her menstrual cycle. Symptoms of a woman entering menopause can be things like hot flashes, chills, night sweats, mood changes, thinning hair, dry skin, vaginal dryness, and more. This is a natural occurrence in a woman’s life, but the symptoms can be difficult to cope with.

What is Andropause?

Andropause is the male counterpart to menopause– natural decline of reproductive hormone levels as a man ages. Its most common symptoms are fatigue and decreased libido, but other symptoms can include decreased muscle mass, mood changes, erectile dysfunction, depression, and other problems that can get in the way of you enjoying your life in and after middle age.

Replacement Hormones

To counteract the effects of menopause, a woman needs to increase her estrogen and progesterone levels. Estrogen does many things, including maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels, influencing how the body uses calcium and preventing osteoporosis, and maintaining a healthy vaginal environment. Progesterone regulates blood pressure and helps to improve mood and sleep.

 

Treating andropause with HRT requires testosterone. Among its many jobs, testosterone regulates sex drive, bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass and strength, and the production of red blood cells.

How Can HRT Help?

Hormone replacement therapy seeks to add hormones back into your system to help boost your levels and alleviate your system. Replacement hormones can come in pill, patch, cream, gel, or spray form, or they can be given in suppository form or by subcutaneous delivery. By using natural, bioidentical hormones like the ones at Renewed Vitality, you can help to counteract the symptoms of menopause or andropause that you experience.

 

Hormone changes as you age can leave you uncomfortable, unhappy, and feeling like you’ve lost control of your body and your life. With hormone replacement therapy, you can have your life back again! If you’re interested in this form of treatment, be sure to contact Renewed Vitality today to get started.

Most people are familiar with the concept of hot flashes. They’re a very common symptom of menopause, and so many women will experience them at least a few times in their later years. You may be wondering, however, if men can ever experience hot flashes. The answer is yes, they can, but the underlying causes of hot flashes are of course different from the causes of hot flashes in women. Let’s take a look at why a man might be suffering from hot flashes, and what can be done to relieve them.

What is a Hot Flash?

A hot flash is a sudden and unexpected warm feeling that doesn’t correspond to the temperature of the environment. The sensation of heat is often felt in the face, neck, chest, and upper body, and can often cause sweating and redenning of the skin. Loss of heat during a hot flash can lead to chills after it ends, and they can often occur during the night and are then referred to as night sweats. 

 

Hot flashes are not a condition on their own and are a symptom of some other issue that might be happening. They can be bothersome and uncomfortable, and when they occur at night, can lead to lost sleep. 

What Causes Hot Flashes in Men?

While hot flashes in women are usually a sign of changing hormone levels, like those seen in menopause, in men they have a few different causes.

Androgen Deprivation Therapy

A treatment for prostate cancer called androgen deprivation therapy works by restricting the production of testosterone in the body. This helps to stop the cancer cells from growing or spreading, because testosterone stimulates their growth. However, the lowered levels of testosterone cause hot flashes for the majority of the men who undergo this treatment.

Lifestyle Stress

Hot flashes can sometimes occur alongside other symptoms in a man such as erectile dysfunction, lowered libido, or mood changes. For these symptoms together, it’s common that some kind of stress, depression, anxiety, or other mental health issue is aggravating them.

Low Testosterone

Low testosterone can occur for many different reasons, and can cause hot flashes. Some of the underlying causes of low testosterone (also called hypogonadism or low T) include undescended testicles, physical testicular injury, Klinefelter’s syndrome, hemochromatosis, pituitary disorders, HIV or AIDS, and many other conditions. Other symptoms of low T include infertility, low energy levels, low muscle mass, decreased sex drive, hair loss, and more. If these symptoms occur along with hot flashes, speak to your doctor about your testosterone levels and what might be causing them to be low.

What Can You Do to Relieve Male Hot Flashes?

Hot flashes can be difficult to manage, and even more challenging to avoid, but there are some steps you can take to make them easier to deal with.

Avoiding Triggers

Spend a week or so being observant about what you’re doing right before and during a hot flash. You might be able to identify some things that trigger them, including warm rooms or tight, hot clothing, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, or spicy food. Avoiding these things can help you to avoid hot flashes.

Healthy Lifestyle Changes

Building in more exercise, nutritious foods, and plenty of sleep will help to improve many things about your physical health, including hot flashes. Prioritizing fitness and health and taking care of your body can help to make these episodes easier to deal with.

Treat the Cause

If you can identify the underlying cause of your hot flashes with your doctor’s help, such as environmental stress or low testosterone, you can begin treating the underlying cause of your hot flashes and stopping them altogether. 

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy can often be a great treatment for men looking to deal with their hot flashes, although with some exceptions. Men with a history of prostate cancer are advised not to undergo any testosterone replacement therapy since testosterone stimulates prostate cancer cells. However, if you and your healthcare provider think this might be a good option for you, contact Renewed Vitality today! We are the Reading area’s hormone replacement therapy resource and can help you start to feel like yourself again.

Diet is a major part of how our bodies operate. Food is the fuel that we put into the burner, and so it can largely dictate how our bodies grow and respond to the environment, and it can even affect hormone production. While there are several other factors regarding the production of testosterone, the food we eat plays a role. Let’s unpack the causes of lowered testosterone, and what can be done about it.

What Are The Causes Of Low Testosterone?

There can be a wide range of factors when it comes to lowered testosterone production. Over time, production can naturally wane and decrease, or it can be related to pituitary or adrenal gland issues. Diet can also play a part. Some foods provide the nutrients necessary for healthy testosterone production, while others can impede it. Here are some foods you should eat—and some you should avoid—when seeking to boost your testosterone levels.

Food To Boost

Diet doesn’t always return immediate results when it comes to hormone production. Think of it as a way to improve your internal environment so that your body can more easily produce testosterone. Eating foods rich in these nutrients that your body needs to produce testosterone is a better option than just taking supplements because of the overall effect of a healthy diet.

Vitamin D Low-Fat Milk

Vitamin D is a major resource the body needs when it comes to hormone production, specifically testosterone. Milk is an important component of any diet to develop and maintain strong bones and teeth, but with the added benefit of a vitamin D boost, you’re further increasing the benefits.

Zinc Rich Foods

Red meat, beans, and seeds are all excellent sources of zinc. This mineral is important in testosterone production, and when eaten in the right amounts, can provide benefits beyond simply boosting zinc levels. However, eating too much red meat has been linked to serious health risks like raised cholesterol and potential bowel cancer.

Fatty Fish & Fish Oil

Fatty fish—like salmon, sardines, and trout—are full of important omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty acids have been found to have a positive correlation towards improved testicular function, and therefore improved testosterone production. Other benefits include reducing risk factors for heart disease, improved eye health, and even combat depression and anxiety.

Eggs

More specifically, egg yolks. These are great sources of vitamin D as well as other nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and more. While you need to keep an eye on your intake if you have known cholesterol issues, most people can safely incorporate this nutrient rich food without much concern.

What To Avoid

Plastic-Wrapped or Canned Foods

According to a 2013 study, those who worked in environments with lots of BPA had lowered testosterone levels. While the average consumer isn’t exposed to nearly that level of BPA, one article found that a vast majority of men attending a fertility clinic had BPA in urine samples. While reducing your intake of foods prepackaged in this way may not make all of the difference, it can’t hurt, and encourages eating fresher foods.

Highly Processed Foods

Trans fats have been linked to decreased testicular function in men. These kinds of fats are most commonly found in highly processed foods that are also high in extra sugar and sodium. Whenever you look at something that might be an easy-to-grab snack or is extra convenient, take a look at the nutritional label to see what you’re putting into your body.

Alcohol

Before we get ahead of ourselves, this does not mean that alcohol should be avoided at all costs, but drinking in excess can have detrimental effects. In one study, it was found that it had a reversing behavior across genders; men who drank more had lower testosterone, and women who drank more had higher.

How Do You Plan For A Testosterone Rich Diet?

Whenever you set out to correct bodily function with diet, it’s important to discuss this with a hormone specialist or a professional nutritionist. Everyone’s bodies work differently, so talking to a professional about your concerns is the best way to get a baseline for yourself.

In the case of lowered testosterone, diet is a great place to start, but a doctor may have other recommendations. Exercise and hormone replacement therapies can also be incorporated alongside dietary changes to further improve testosterone production.

No matter what your gender is, sex, and our relationship to it, changes over time. Attitudes, conversations, and the actual performance of the act vary with age and preference. Just because it changes however, doesn’t mean it can’t still be enjoyable for you and your partner. We’ve compiled a few simple tips on how to keep the magic alive in the bedroom (or wherever) throughout the years:

1.	Accept That Things Change This is point number one for a reason. Over the years, our bodies change and so does what works for each of us. Treating your body like it’s 20 when you’ve been using it for 60 years or more can have repercussions. Know your body and embrace those changes!

 

Communication Is Never Not Important When it comes to sex, communication is always a major part of the partnership. If you’ve never clearly and openly talked about sex with your partner, then maybe it’s time to start that ball rolling. Communicating expectations, desires, likes, and dislikes is key to adapting to the natural evolution that a sexual relationship goes through.

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Talk To Your Doctor Some changes related to sex are less about being in the mood, and more about your body behaving differently than it used to. If an open dialogue about sex with your partner is important, then it’s equally important to have conversations with your doctor or a medical professional as well. Some common issues adults run into as we get older involve blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and a host of others. Talking with your doctor about these factors and how they apply to you is always a good idea to get a solid baseline to plan from.

It’s Not Just About You Whenever there is a piece of advice here, remember that it applies to both you and your partner. Talking about your desires is important, but just as important is listening to the person you are with. Understand that if you have concerns or hangups about sexual intimacy and sexuality, your partner might as well. Try to create an open and free atmosphere that you both feel comfortable engaging in these discussions that are about both of you.

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Apply What You’ve Learned Life is all about learning and growing from applying that experience. Don’t ignore this, especially when it comes to sex! Rather than the trial and error that goes along with young age, you now have the confidence in your body’s capability. Being sure of what you want and what fits in with your body can be a major boost to self-confidence and a huge factor when it comes to your sex life.

 

Don’t Rush Things Make it about more than the act of sex—turn it into an evening. Set aside time to make the whole experience more romantic. Try to reinvigorate the time leading up to the act. Have intimate conversation, read suggestive poetry, engage in something together that you have not yet experienced but have an interest in. Bring you and your partner closer together to draw out that intimacy and pleasure.

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Don’t Stress So Much Stress isn’t a great thing to bring into sex at any age, but as we get older, stress can seriously hamper our ability to enjoy intimate experiences. Depending on your stress contributors, sometimes an honest conversation with your partner can help alleviate it. Many people attach a great deal of stress to sex in general. Take that well-earned confidence from over the years and realize that sex is nothing to stress about.

Sometimes It’s Chemistry It’s not just the joints and bones that change over the years. Hormones shift over time which can lead to decreased sex drive or a total shift in what sex can mean for a person. If your hormones are causing issues when it comes to sex, seeking out hormone treatments or supplements can yield results. Talking with experts in the field of hormone replacement therapy is a great starting point for determining what your needs might be.

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Experiment With The Formula Over time, anything we do can become routine. Even the most enjoyable tasks can fall into a regular rhythm. In order to break that sameness around sex, it’s time to shake things up. Trying new sexual positions, different kinds of sex, even where you have sex can spice up your sex life in unexpected ways. Being open to these changes necessitates conversation for everyone involved, so remember that communication!

 

Work On Yourself Outside Of Sex Your life out and about can also impact your sex life. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, your sex life can suffer. Increasing your physical activity, even when it’s just around the house can result in improvements all over including sex. Reducing the amount of alcohol you drink and quitting smoking are also both major steps you can take to greatly improve your quality of life in addition to helping out with your sex life.

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Embrace The Change

Sex is something that can be enjoyed even as you get older. It can improve your mood, bolster your health, and creates and strengthens interpersonal connections. Even when it’s different from what it used to be, it can still be a fantastic and intimate experience. Don’t let age change your ability to enjoy your life.