News

This week's news ...

An update on HRT

A recent report on the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has found that oestrogen, whether alone or together with progesterone, reduce the risk of fractures, but increase the risk of stroke, gall bladder disease, urinary incontinence and blood clots.   

Oestrogen alone seems to reduce the risk of breast cancer, whereas oestrogen with progesterone increases the risk of breast cancer.

It seems, therefore, that the current literature does not present a very compelling argument for the use of HRT, but rather seems to indicate that the risks outweigh the benefit.

HRT is used for the relief of symptoms of menopause, but whilst there are safer, natural alternatives, it would seem that they should be used in preference to conventional medicines.

Nelson, HD et al 2012. Menopausal hormone therapy for the primary prevention of chronic conditions: a systematic review to update the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force Recommendations. Annals of Internal Medicine 2012, May 28.

Black Tea reduces blood sugar and cholesterol levels

Diabetes and heart disease are common problems that often need medication to deal with effectively.   However, there are a number of people that can be helped by natural approaches.

A recent study has shown that black tea can reduce fasting blood sugar levels, and also cholesterol and triglyceride levels.   It was also reported to improve the overall antioxidant status, which is linked to disease and ageing.   

So if you have been found to have raised sugar levels or raised cholesterol levels, it might be worth drinking more tea to see if you can reduce the levels before resorting to taking medications for the rest of your life.   It's certainly more enjoyable!

Bahorun T et al (2012). The effect of black tea on risk factors of cardiovascular disease in a normal population. Preventive Medicine 2102 May; 54 Suppl: S98-S102.

Topic of the Month

Each month we focus on a particular topic, answering your questions, providing you with information, and offering solutions to your health problems.  

This month's topic is ...

Impotence

Defined as the inability to maintain or sustain an erection, impotence, erectile dysfunction (or ED) may be just temporary or the symptom of something greater.   Either way, with so many different ways today to cure the problem there is no longer any need to ignore it, hoping it will go away.   The real danger erectile dysfunction poses is to a man's quality of life, affecting his self-esteem and relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and especially sexual partners.

Erectile dysfunction affects most men at one time or another in their life and the chance of occurrence only grows with age.   A 1999 survey conducted by the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) reported that 22 out of every 1,000 men sought help for impotence.   That's 2% of the population!   And almost 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 experience difficulties getting or maintaining an erection.

The first important factor is determining if the dysfunction is caused by physical or emotional issues. The only way to test if the problem is physical or psychological is by excluding physical diseases that may be at fault.

The majority of long-term erection difficulties are caused by some sort of physical ailment. The most common are vascular disease, which is the hardening of arteries, certain kinds of prescription drugs, and fatigue. These are just a few examples though in a long list. In these cases, blood is unable to surge or remain in the penis.

While approximately 70% of ED cases are physiological, the other 30% are caused by psychological factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, stress, depression and loss of self-worth. This sort of dysfunction starts with the brain.

The difficulty may be either long-lasting or temporary.   Either way, it's an embarrassing problem that can be easily avoided in the future.   There are many different methods to cure erectile dysfunction, both medical and non-medical.   It's important to remember that any sort of treatment should be used in conjunction with a healthy lifestyle.   Drugs, alcohol and smoking play a part in ED.

Medication prescribed by a doctor is common, either oral or injected directly into the penis.   Medications like Viagra have helped thousands of men across the country, but also have adverse side effects including nausea and dizziness and are incompatible with certain medications.   They must be taken about an hour before sex is possible.   Surgery is another method, but is expensive with a long recuperation period.   Surgery involves prosthetic implants, or a pump inserted into the genital area that the male would have to pump before sexual intercourse.

Therapy, penis pumps, and herbal supplements are three non-medical methods of curing ED.   Therapy, with a registered sex therapist or other mental health professional, is quite effective in cases of psychological-caused ED, but not in physical cases.   Therapy tends to be a long process, and some men are embarrassed to talk at length about their sexual problems.   Penis pumps are used by inserting the penis into a tube and using a pump until erection is achieved, at which point a ring is rolled onto the base of the penis to keep the erection hard.   It works, but the pump must be used each time before intercourse and doesn't address the real problem, only acting as a temporary fix.

A safe and easy method is herbal supplements, like VigRX Plus™.   These supplements are made from organically-produced plants chosen for their aphrodisiacal that have been used for hundreds of years in different parts of the world.   Herbal supplements are completely free of side effects and deliver quick results.   The user can stop the treatment at any time with no adverse effects.   Herbal supplements not only address the physical, but the psychological factors as well, as it increases libido.

It is important to talk to your doctor before undergoing any sort of treatment.

Read more on our impotence website.