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DRSladic.com
March 2023
LOW LIBIDO? How Age and Underlying Health Concerns Can Impact Desire
Between 13%–28% of men and 15%–40% of women experience low libido, according to clinical sexologist Leigh Norén, which is about 132 million Americans. But despite its prevalence, libido is something many people are still embarrassed to talk about — especially if they’re experiencing problems. And while there are tests we can run to measure hormone imbalance to confirm low libido, it’s often a feeling that individuals can verify on their own. Individuals with low libido experience no desire or motivation for sexual relations, and the cause can vary between individuals and sexes.
As humans, our primary goal is to procreate our species and pass on our genes. So, from ages 0 to 20, our bodies are preparing to make us into someone that can eventually procreate by growing sexual organs and developing hormones like testosterone. But after we reach our sexual peaks, our bodies drastically switch from procreation to simply keeping us alive. With this switch, low libido becomes prevalent because hormone production becomes secondary. Our bodies will start to focus on things like stress, lack of sleep, or weight gain because these issues threaten our ability to survive. This switch is more evident in females, as their body will physically shut down their ability to procreate to focus on survival via menopause. And while it’s completely normal that your libido decreases as you age, many try to circumvent its natural causes by taking hormones or supplements. However, I typically find that there’s a reason someone’s body isn’t producing enough testosterone, and injecting new hormones or taking a pill can be a temporary solution at best. The best way to naturally increase testosterone, in both males and females, is exercise. This is because the healthier you are overall, and the less your body needs to worry about your survival, the more time it has
for testosterone production. I understand this solution is one for the long haul, and you won’t become physically fit overnight. Therefore, your libido won’t increase overnight, either. So if you’re looking for a natural accompaniment to help increase your libido in the meantime, here are a few herbs and minerals that do so.
• Maca root • Cocoa • Zinc • Yohimbe • Nitric oxide
“But after we reach our sexual peaks, our bodies drastically switch from procreation to simply keeping us alive.”
But remember, these supplements will not magically solve your issues with low libido because many other factors are at play inside your body. At Natural Solutions for Health, I can perform an initial assessment, blood test, and consultation to formulate a plan that naturally targets the underlying health issues causing your low libido. If you or your partner are experiencing low libido, give me a call at 1 (877) 861-5927 , so I can start working on getting you healthy again.
But most commonly, low libido is often a result of low testosterone for both men and women. The thing is that our bodies naturally work this way as we age. For males, sexual libido is at its highest at age 20. For women, this peak occurs later in their mid- 30s. After each of these respective peaks, sexual libido naturally declines because your body is shifting its intentions.
–Dr. Tom Sladic
THOUGHT OF THE MONTH
“Nature has given us all the pieces required to achieve exceptional wellness and health, but has left it to us to put these pieces together.”
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SOAK UP THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN
HEALTH BENEFITS OF VITAMIN D
It reduces the risks of depression. Studies have shown that those who are deficient in vitamin D become more prone to mood disorders and depression. To ensure that you support your mental health, step outside and get some happy, feel-good rays! It’s possibly linked to weight loss. While it’s not fully proven that vitamin D helps with weight loss, many studies have found links between vitamin D supplements and shedding a few pounds. In one study, one group of people taking vitamin D and calcium supplements lost more weight than another group taking placebos.
With spring on the horizon, we all will be able to get outdoors a little more and soak up some sun — and extra vitamin D! Bring on the picnics, pool days, hiking, sports activities, and leisurely walks through the park!
This spring, be sure to get outdoors and soak up some vitamin D; however, don’t forget to protect your skin, too! To avoid overexposure, only about 10–15 minutes a day of unprotected sun is recommended.
Let’s take a look at the many benefits this vitamin provides for our bodies.
It boosts your immune system. Vitamin D helps your body fight off sickness. In fact, it’s been proven that deficiencies in vitamin D are connected to an increased possibility of developing infections and autoimmune diseases such as the flu, heart disease, and diabetes. It counters osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, a loss in bone mass, is common as we get older. However, vitamin D is one of the key players in helping to slow down bone loss and prevent or treat osteoporosis so we can maintain a healthy skeletal system.
It prevents and helps multiple sclerosis.
Not only is vitamin D proven to lower a person’s chances of getting this horrible disease, but for those who already have it, it can also reduce symptoms or slow down the disease’s progression.
TARGET THAT TESTOSTERONE! 5 Ways to Naturally Increase Your Libido
Low testosterone often causes low libido, and many men and women attempt to increase their testosterone for a higher sex drive through injections. However, this solution misses the underlying health concerns that cause the body to believe there is a reason for increased survival measures.
on regulating cortisol and other stress- induced hormones, so producing testosterone is no longer a priority. This stress-hormone shift reinforces the idea that you’re in danger and that procreation isn’t what you need to be worried about at that moment. So if you’re stressed often due to work, your relationship, or other life events, your libido may drop as your body focuses on survival. Incorporate stress-relieving activities into your life, like meditation, journaling, quality time with others, or counseling. Add more protein to your diet. Protein has amino acids designed to help your body build muscle, and healthy testosterone levels inherently come with increased muscle mass. Eat a low-sugar diet. While it may be difficult, try eliminating excess sugar from your meals or drinks. This is because extra sugar in your diet actually
lowers your body’s ability to produce testosterone in the first place.
Get enough sleep. Testosterone levels increase at night. So if you sleep well, your testosterone levels will go up. If you have trouble sleeping at night, take some magnesium before bed to help you fall asleep and stay asleep through the night. Exercise! By using your muscles, your body will naturally produce more testosterone to build and maintain them. And typically, the more muscle groups you can activate, the more natural testosterone your body will produce. That’s why squats are a highly beneficial exercise for testosterone because they activate multiple muscle groups like your quads, hamstrings, and even your core. These lifestyle changes will naturally increase your body’s testosterone production and promote the return of healthy levels of libido!
So, how can you naturally fix low testosterone and low libido?
The most straightforward answer is to improve your overall health so your body can focus on getting your testosterone levels up. But when it comes to these health measures, here are a few key things you can do to target testosterone specifically.
Ensure your stress levels are under control. When you’re chronically stressed, your body focuses
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HEALTHY BREAKFAST HASH
THE LOW LIBIDO JITTERS Why Your Sympathetic Nervous System Is to Blame
If you’ve experienced issues with low libido, it likely came with some emotional baggage.
Both men and women have reported feelings of shame when experiencing low libido, and they often begin to believe something is wrong with them for not desiring sex as much as their partner or peers. But this feeling of shame and embarrassment actually promotes low libido because it triggers your body’s sympathetic nervous system. Your sympathetic nervous system is responsible for your body’s fight or flight reaction and ability to determine if there is a severe threat to your life. When your body decides something is dangerous, it will increase your heart rate and divert blood flow to the areas of your body that would help you fight or flee. The issue is that anxiety or stress can also activate your sympathetic nervous system, and when you feel anxious before sex, you continue to feed that low-libido cycle. The pressure you feel from your partner to initiate or perform during sex compounds this anxiety too. So, an easy way to help improve your libido is to activate your parasympathetic nervous system before sex, or the part of your body responsible for your ability to “feed and breed.”
Healthy Breakfast Hash doesn’t need to look perfect: In fact, if you make a hash like this one, the idea isn’t to look pretty! A hash is easy to make and can be customized to your unique tastes.
Ingredients
• 1 large potato
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• A pinch of salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large tomato
Directions
1. Boil and chop potato, then chop tomato.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine all ingredients, and cook until egg is scrambled.
Luckily, there are simple ways to manually switch your body to a parasympathetic response before it’s time to get intimate.
Try breathing exercises. When you feel stressed, confused, or anxious about your low libido, take a few deep breaths from your belly. Long ago, when humans would run from predators, our bodies would default to shallow inhalations in the chest. Even today, our bodies understand this chest breathing to mean danger. Conversely, our bodies would resort to belly breathing when we were not running or hunting and felt safe. So by taking a few slow, controlled breaths from your belly, you can signal to your body that you’re safe and ready to feed or breed. Take a walk. Studies have shown that by taking a leisurely walk, our brains release endorphins that promote relaxation. Next time you feel anxious, get a breath of fresh air and go for a stroll, even if it’s around your yard a few times. On top of these two proven strategies, any other activities that make you feel relaxed can signal to your body it’s safe and improves your libido.
Blood Testing and Lab Options: • We are now affiliated with Quest Labs, which is especially helpful for anyone who lives in a state where Labcorp is inconvenient. • New York is a state with many Quest Labs locations, which will really help the people we have there. • In Ohio, you can now bring a blood test kit to Pomerene Hospital. Many were using Charm, which charges $75. Pomerene's fee is only $25 for the draw. We still use Labcorp, but we're just adding options for your convenience.
To order a blood test, call (248) 912-2962.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. The Cause – and Solution – of Low Libido
2. Want a Vitamin Boost?
What You Can Do to Naturally Promote Testosterone
3. Healthy Breakfast Hash
Tips for Low Libido Anxiety
4. Chronic Headaches? Maybe PT Can Help!
A PAIN IN THE WHAT? PT Can Treat Chronic Headaches
We all experience headaches now and then, and we usually consider them a mild problem, easily handled with over-the- counter medications. But when headaches become chronic, they can upend a person’s
Neck muscles just beneath the base of your skull can spasm when placed under stress by poor posture, osteoarthritis, or injury. The spasms initiate a tugging movement, which causes irritation and leads to a pounding or aching sensation in the head. The
Since musculoskeletal issues cause these headaches, physical therapy can help relieve the strain. Depending on your specific condition, your physical therapist may work with you to improve your neck mobility, strength, or posture. With better spine alignment, tension and cervicogenic headaches typically become less frequent. Meanwhile, myofascial release therapy can help loosen your muscles to reduce the impact of a headache. Physical therapy cannot treat every type of headache, but it can probably help more than you imagine. For example, physical therapy techniques can help lessen pain during a migraine, and manual therapy may help treat cluster headaches. Your physical therapist will also refer you to another health care provider if physical therapy is insufficient to address the problem. In the end, you’ve got nothing to lose by trying physical therapy — except, perhaps, your chronic head pain.
life. Perhaps surprisingly, physical therapy can help in many cases.
amount of stress on the muscles may seem small — like working at a computer or frequently
After determining the type of headaches a person is experiencing, a qualified physical therapist can often construct a treatment plan to reduce the pain and improve a patient’s quality of life.
looking down at your cellphone — but it can significantly impact your ability to comfortably complete daily tasks.
Cervicogenic headaches are another common type of headache that originates in the neck, this time in the upper spine. Damage to the spine’s nerves, discs, and joints can cause pain that spreads upwards. While these headaches often start as occasional events, they can become more frequent with time.
Tension headaches are the most common cause of head pain, and many believe they are caused solely by stress or anxiety. But while your emotional state can undoubtedly contribute to the intensity of a headache, your neck muscles are the real culprit.
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