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Male Menopause and the Vegetarian

As a vegetarian you are conscious of what you put in your body, and what your body does with it. If you don't know already, I have some very good news for you: you're doing one of the most important things you can to deal with male menopause!

One of the first nutritional guidelines is to limit your intake of meat and animal fat, and you've got that already sorted, and so I won't preach to the choir. In fact, most of what I will be telling you may already know; I will be addressing my remarks to vegetarian newbies or those considering the step up to pure vegetarian food. 

One interesting fact you may not be aware of is the time that it takes before male menopause is apparent. At around the age of thirty, the testosterone level in your body begins to dip, but very slowly. The reduction of testosterone is about 1% a year. By the mid-fifties or sixties that depletion can become apparent. Some guys are never affected by it; some can feel it quite strongly. Part and parcel with the lack of testosterone comes possible hair thinning or loss, longer recovery time from injuries or illness, a slowing down of endurance, less acute eyesight, and sleep disturbances.

Psychological disturbances may include fear and anxiety, irritability, indecisiveness, loss of self confidence, depression, purposelessness, feelings of loneliness and lack of love, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and feeling unattractive. The sexual symptoms could involve reduced interest in sex, fear of impotence, fantasies about sex with younger partners, relationship and intimacy issues, loss of erection or problems with keeping the erection during intimacy.

Dependent upon what you might be using in any prescription medicine, you have a great variety of herbs to help ease any number of symptoms. Ginseng for all-over well-being, of course, lots of good antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, not to mention in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussel spouts, cabbage, and cauliflower), the dark green veggies (spinach, collard and mustard greens, kale) and citrus fruits. St John's Wort, valerian (also called nature's valium) for peace of mind and helping sleep; any of the good sleepy teas out there for getting to sleep. For the sexual side effects there are yohimbe, horny goat weed, ginko (also good for concentration and mental functions), or any number of herbal tonics or elixirs you might find at your local health food store. The advice of a qualified herbalist can really be invaluable at this time, especially if you are new to herb lore. Your doctor can give you some advice and recommendations as well.

The importance of drinking good water can't be overstated. The brain and muscles are 75% and 60% water. Without adequate hydration you can't clear waste and toxins from the body, and this is very important for your health. Without sufficient water, you can have a mineral imbalance that will affect your hormone balance, which you really want to avoid right now, during male menopause.

So let's hoist a tankard of pure fresh water and toast to your very good health!