Andropause and Depression
Andropause correlates directly with depression – a major player in the notorious mid-life crisis period men face in their late 40´s to late 50´s.
 
There are a wide variety of symptoms and conditions men experience during this mid-life transition – everything from the mental (i.e. irritability) to the physical (loss of libido, lack of energy, and weight gain.) Depression, left untreated, can be a disabling condition.
Andropause depression is due to dropping levels of testosterone. Low testosterone levels cause many depressive symptoms – among them, a general indifference to events surrounding you, the inability to concentrate, extreme irritability, and memory loss.
We might stress over things that might otherwise be worry-free in a normal situation and brood over certain matters. Our memory might go down the drain and we begin to see our lives in a negative light.
Energy levels plummet and enthusiasm for the activities we used to enjoy become flat-lined. Insomnia and restlessness is also a common symptom. Normal everyday things can become a burden to us, and the simplest shout of a child can make us excessively irritable.
Psychologists use a variety of battery tests to figure out whether you suffer from depression. Besides handing you test sheets to work with, they also place you under observation – noticing your behavior, tendencies, and habits while talking to them. Men tend to be rebellious creatures by nature. We love shrugging off our faults and being poised in the midst of emotional trouble. We take on the role as masculine creatures – lion kings of the jungle that reign over the sprawling landscape we call life.
Men can be in full denial when it comes to questions about their sexual ability and prowess. Refusing to understand that we aren't who we once were with our sexual performance as a result of Andropause is in our blood.
Fellas, it is time to become aware and acquainted with the severity of your depression. Off the bat, there are facts and figures supporting depression as a major problem. For one, 80% of all suicides in the United States are carried out by men.
The majority of people with this condition never seek the advice and counsel of therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Probably the most shocking fact of all is the male suicide rate is highest during the Andropause years. You read correctly – highest during the years we're specifically talking about.
How do we deal with these devastating changes to our lives? How can we manage stress to reduce the chances of clinical depression? For one, we must follow a daily exercise regimen. That coupled with a caffeine-free diet will boost our immune systems to fight disease. It will also slow down the aging process. Aim to maintain that explosive 30-inch, vertical leap well into your 60s!
Another is doing the activities we love. Don't stray from playing your pick-up basketball games with buddies or building those go-carts from scratch as a hobby. Stick to them and enjoy the satisfaction of doing so. Distract yourself from your current condition without ignoring it completely.
Maintain a social network of friends and family that will cheer you up when you need it most. Something as simple as having your young child shove a hand drawing of a red school bus in your face can provide for laughs and smiles. The most important piece of advice is to accept your condition and make accommodations. For example, low testosterone levels can easily be supplemented with testosterone cream.
It's bound to happen to all of us, and you either have the choice of making the best of it or letting it overwhelm you. Awareness is critical, and an optimistic attitude, followed with physical activity and a solid nutritional plan, is the best means of fighting Andropause, anti-aging, and the demon known as depression.
The information in this article is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice.

About The Author:
Cathy writes frequently on mid-life issues for women and men particularly menopause and andropause. A copy of her book can be found at http://www.howtoconquermenopause.com


Stuck in the Food Muck-Part 1 of 3
Often times we know that we are not happy with our weight, health, and fitness. We know that we should make changes in our eating, exercise, and lifestyle habits, but sometimes we just get stuck in our old ways of thinking and eating.
Why do we get so stuck in not-so-good-for-you habits and stay stuck when we know better?
There are many reasons for getting stuck.
The more aware you become of what keeps you in the food rut, the more likely you will free yourself from the food muck in order to reach a higher level of health and fitness.
What keeps you stuck in a body less than your ideal? Could it be:
1. Conditioning
2. Habits
3. Emotional bondage
4. Ignorance
5. Laziness
6. Complacency (self-satisfaction)
7. Too many voices
8. Fear
9. Doctor worship
10."It won't happen to me"
In this article, let's explore the first three reasons why we get stuck.
1. Conditioning: From the time we were very little, we were taught by our mothers, grandmothers, teachers, doctors, peers, and our government that, in order to be healthy, we must eat from the infamous "Four Food Groups," which was created and pushed by the egg, dairy, and meat industries and, in 1956, endorsed by our government.
Since that time and even decades before that time, the law of the land was to center all three meals a day on meat, milk, cheese, eggs, cereals, and/or refined bread.
Vegetables and fruits were relegated to the lowly status of side-dishes.
That is how we were raised and conditioned to think and eat, and that is how most of continue to think and eat today—in spite of the fact that there is a wealth of information that tells us that it is the very "Four Food Groups" that has led and continues to lead Americans to premature, life-robbing diseases and early deaths.
But we get trapped by our conditioning.
2. Habits: We formed deeply ingrained habits based on our conditioning. To make matters worse, not only did we form the habit of eating an excess of meat, dairy products, and refined breads and cereals from the "Four Food Groups," we also formed the habits of eating fast foods, junk foods, processed foods, packaged foods, refined foods, manmade foods, pop, coffee, alcohol, and sugary drinks.
And, let's face it. Even if we know certain foods are not good for us, it is tough to change our habits. Even if we know there are healthier choices, we stay stuck in our habits. How long do you think it takes to break a lifelong habit? 21 days like some people say? No way. It takes many, many years sometimes to break lifelong habits.
3. Emotional Bondage: Because we have eaten a certain way for all of our lives, we are emotionally attached to certain foods. Different foods are strongly tied to our earliest memories. Food is our friend. It comforts and soothes and satisfies. We eat when we are sad. We eat when we are happy. We eat when we are alone. We eat when we are with people.
Many of our lives revolve around our favorite foods so much that we would rather die than give them up. When food holds us in emotional bondage, no matter how logical it is to make changes, it is tough to break those bonds with our old buddies and forge new eating habits. It's tough, but not impossible!
Do these reasons resonate with you? Read parts 2 and 3 of this article to explore what else keeps us stuck in the food muck.



Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a motivational health speaker, writer and lifestyle coach. Visit Dr. Leslie at Http://DrLeslieVanRomer.com for practical direction, hope and inspiration.


Stuck in the Food Muck-Part 2 of 3
Often times we know that we are not happy with our weight, health and fitness. We know that we should make changes in our eating, exercise, and lifestyle habits, but sometimes we just get stuck in our old ways of thinking and eating.
Why do we get so stuck in not-so-good-for-you habits and stay stuck when we know better?
There are many reasons for getting stuck.
The more aware you become of what keeps you in the food rut, the more likely you will free yourself from that rut so you can reach a higher level of health and fitness.
What keeps you stuck in a body less than your ideal? Could it be:
1. Conditioning
2. Habits
3. Emotional bondage
4. Ignorance
5. Laziness
6. Complacency (self-satisfaction)
7. Too many voices
8. Fear
9. Doctor worship
10."It won't happen to me"
In this article, let's explore ignorance, laziness, and complacency.
4. Ignorance: Many people simply do not know that what they we eat has a direct effect upon their health. If they do know that food plays a role in their health, they don't know how important food really is.
And certainly many people continue to eat what they were taught to eat when they were children. After all, their mothers knew what was best for them, and they just continue to eat what they were taught to eat by their mothers and have eaten all their lives.
They do not know that most experts agree that the fat, cholesterol, and even the animal protein found in animal products, along with the white sugar, white flour, and white salt products are direct contributors to loss of health, debilitating conditions, diseases, and premature death.
A diet, filled with whole fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, and seeds, promotes health and reduces the chances of getting life-shortening diseases. Many people just don't know that.
Ignorance is not bliss. It is deadly.
5. Laziness: If we are aware, most of us are lazy at some times in our lives and some of us are lazy when it comes to changing eating habits. We know better, but we are simply too lazy to change our thinking and our patterns. Does that sound familiar to you?
As Jim Rohn says, the pain of regret is far greater than the pain of self-discipline. And haven't we all experienced that lesson more than once in our lives? Yet, how many of us still haven't learned that lesson?
6. Complacency (or self-satisfied): Some of you convince yourselves that you eat "well enough." You eat in "moderation," you tell yourself. You eat "balanced" meals. You eat "plenty" of fruits and vegetables. You don't eat that much meat, cheese, and salty or sugary snacks. You take good care of yourself.
You think that you are doing "good" enough so, therefore, there is no need for you to make any changes at all. So, you stay stuck in your comfortable, self-satisfied ways and don't try to make any changes that could make a difference between life and premature disease and early death.
Often times, the people stuck in complacency are the hardest people of all to reach.
They already know it all. There is nothing left to learn.
Do complacency, laziness, or ignorance keep you stuck in the food muck?
Part 3 of this article explores: "too many voices," "fear," "doctor worship," and "It won't happen to me."


Dr. Leslie Van Romer is a motivational health speaker, writer and lifestyle coach. Visit Dr. Leslie at Http://DrLeslieVanRomer.com for practical direction, hope and inspiration.