STRIPLV HEALTH 0919
BOOSTING TESTOSTERONE NATURALLY 
FEELING YOUNGER, STRONGER AND JUST OVERALL - BETTER
Many physicians are reluctant to prescribe testosterone replacement therapy for their male patients. Unfortunately, not all physicians are properly educated in this area of specialty, and patients continue to experience their aging symptoms, feeling out of control, which can lead to depression. 

Just like women, aging men need their hormones to feel strong and confident. Men may not get the hot flashes like women, but they can experience low self-esteem, erectile problems, weight gain and depression, which can be misdiagnosed—but it it can simply be the decline in testosterone levels. Again, like the ladies, hormone therapy for men can have many benefits – and can even prevent heart disease.

There are many factors that can lower testosterone levels, like smoking, weight gain, certain drugs, diabetes, and hypertension. By making positive changes in the areas of your life that you can control, like exercising daily and following the right diet, testosterone levels can be boosted naturally. Other natural boosting helpers can include checking your vitamin D levels, as most of us are deficient (especially those who live in a cold climate with little to no sun exposure). Supplementing with the right amount of vitamin D3 (approximately 4,000 to 5,000 IU a day) can naturally boost your testosterone levels, as D3 plays a part in its production. Also be sure to add an extra 80 mg daily of zinc.  

On July 16, 2014, in a surprising yet enlightening statement, the FDA rejected a citizen’s petition to add a “black box” warning to all testosterone products in addition to other demands included in the petition stating: “After careful consideration, and, in light of the foregoing, we herby deny your petition in its entirety. The FDA will continue to evaluate the cardiovascular risks of testosterone, and, if warranted, will take appropriate regulatory action to protect the public when its evaluation has concluded."
 
VODKA FOR BETTER BREATH
The bubbles of champagne may be a festive choice for over the holidays – but the elevated PH levels in champagne can cause bad breath. Opt for vodka when celebrating with fellow guests, since vodka kills odor-causing bacteria.

IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOSTERS
To keep your immune system strong over the holidays, eat plenty of blueberries and red grapes, which have been found to be the two best foods for your immune system. The boosting components are resveratrol (found in the skins of red grapes) and pterostibene (in blueberries), and can be found in the fruit itself, in juices and in red wine.
 
LITHIUM – THE NEW PROZAC?
According to psychiatrist Anna Fels, lithium just might be our answer to happiness. Dr. Fels’s article, “Should We All Take a Bit of Lithium?”, which appeared in The New York Times, states there is some scientific evidence suggesting tiny doses of lithium just might be the answer to depression and even dementia. That explains why drugstore soda fountains of the 50s were such a big hit with their effervescent ingredients (not talking carbonation – but actual cocaine in Coca-Cola, and yes, it was lithium that put the “Up” in the original recipe for 7-Up).  Dr. Fels’s article is thought-provoking in regards to the possibilities of lithium as an aid in mental health. “In 1990, a study was published looking at 27 Texas counties with a variety of lithium levels in their water. The authors discovered that people whose water had the least amount of lithium had significantly greater levels of suicide, homicide and rape than the people whose water had the higher levels of lithium. The group whose water had the highest lithium level had nearly 40 percent fewer suicides than that with the lowest lithium level.,” she wrote.

EATING FOR YOUR HEALTH
Eating 12 walnut halves daily (around 30 minutes before mealtime) helps control appetite. It may also increase lifespan by 20 percent. One ounce of chocolate daily (that has 70 percent cacao), may cut risks of stroke and heart attack by 30 percent. Three cups of coffee per day may cut stroke risk by 30 percent and also helps to prevent Parkinson’s disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. One glass a day of wine for women and two for men helps to boost good HDL and lower the bad LDL. 

CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING DRUGS
MAY INCREASE RISK OF CATARACTS

Physicians most commonly prescribe statins as the drug of choice to lower bad cholesterol levels. After a study of 46,000 adults, statins have been found to increase the rist of developing cataracts by some 27 percent. “Statins may interfere with the eye’s ability to repair damaged tissue,” says Dr. Paul Thompson, Chief of Cardiology at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. “They save lives,” he says, “but if your risk of heart disease is very low, statins’ risks may outweigh the benefits."
 
WAS IT GOOD FOR YOU?
THE FEMALE ORGASM – NATURE VS. NURTURE

Seems some women are simply born to orgasm. According to a study published in the journal, Hormones and Behavior, women born with a shorter distance between their clitoris and vagina, (less than 2.5cm), more easily experience orgasms.The easier it is for her partner to stimulate all sensitive areas, the more likely a woman will regularly climax. Sex experts advise the use of adult toys for those in need of bridging the gap.