One day, some time after publishing my book about women’s hor­mones, Stop the Needless Suffering, I looked around in my own per­sonal life and in the world around me and thought, “What about men?”

What I saw was the fatigue, the hollowness, the secrecy behind sex­ual dysfunction, and the too frequent diagnosis of prostate cancer in my friends. I then launched into the study of male hormones. What I found is that men are suffering too—also needlessly.

It was distressing to see that hormone changes in men, responsible for altered physical, sexual, and cognitive functions, are universally ac­cepted as a natural part of “growing old.” This is absolutely not the case, and it is high time to debunk that myth.

A healthy lifestyle and a natural restoration of hormone balance can change all that. A man’s sex life can improve with age, he can protect his heart, bones, and other body organs, and he doesn’t have to feel depressed or walk around with enlarged breasts or a “beer belly.” I made a mental note to myself, “One day I’ll write a book about men’s hormones.”

Initially, I was totally focused on why, when, and how hormone imbalance occurs in men—from a physical standpoint. Then one day I heard an advertisement for a free online dating membership, and cu­riosity got the best of me. Being single, I signed up for a trial mem­bership. What I learned after reading countless profiles of what mid­dle-aged men are searching for in a relationship has forever changed my life. Read this book, and then give it to the woman who loves you. What you both will learn will change your lives too.

Mid-life men can and do experience physical and hormonal changes—which can be corrected. What I uncovered is another huge component that isn’t openly addressed. This component may be even more signifi­cant than the physical element. Critical to a man’s well being and vi­brancy is an emotional component.

It was at this point of discovery that I decided it was time to write the men’s “hormone” book. There is simply no point in living a life of quiet desperation. Men with Hormones and the Women Who Love Them will openly address both the physical and the emotional compo­nents—in the same book.

As you read the book, you may quickly identify yourself as one of the thousands of men who are suffering in silence. There are nearly six thousand baby boomer men turning fifty every day. A boomer male turns sixty about every fifteen seconds. Here’s the good news—men, you absolutely can return to your natural vibrant, healthy, and sexy state.

Men with Hormones and the Women Who Love Them is designed to be a simple, easy-to-read guide to help you to 1) see that you are not alone, 2) become aware that there is a reason behind the feelings and body changes that you are experiencing, 3) encourage you to seek out a qualified health care practitioner to assess and treat any hormone imbalance, and 4) encourage you to start today implementing a fun, practical solution to transform your life.

Isn’t it about time you get back to feeling sexy, vibrant, and alive?

My mission is to stop the needless suffering . . . one man and one woman at a time. Once you read the information in this book, please reach out to help someone else. We are all on this journey together. Let us empower each other to live a full, blissful, joyful, balanced life.

Outrageous! The KV Pharmaceutical Company has recently been given the right to replace a $10 high risk pregnancy progesterone treatment with a $1500 synthetic injection, a total cost of $30,000 by the end of the pregnancy.

See the entire article in today’s edition of mercola.com, “How to Turn a $10 Treatment into a $30,000 Drug Money-Maker.”

The bottom line is as Dr. Mercola explains: “Using natural progesterone costs 99% less than its clearly inferior synthetic option. If you do need it, using natural progesterone is not only less expensive, it is far more effective and has less side effects.”

At a time when our American public is struggling desperately to cope with exorbitant insurance fees and medical bills, WHY does the FDA allow such a travesty. . .when an inexpensive, effective, natural treatment has been in place for 50 years?

I encourage you to open the article and forward it to your congressmen. Let our voices be heard!

Are you struggling with depression? Are you taking drugs for depression? If so, today’s article in mercola.com is a MUST read: “Depression is NOT a Chemical Imbalance in Your Brain – Here’s Proof.”

Stress is our #1 risk factor today. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates that 1 in 20 Americans are depressed. “Every year, 230 million prescriptions for antidepressants are filled, making them one of the most-prescribed drugs in the United States.” 

DRUGS do NOT fix the root cause. I love what Dr. Mercola said:

“Where does the normal grieving process fit into our modern lives—is it something that should be drugged, or is it a normal phase of life that everyone on the planet has to move through? And when does an emotional phase go from being a natural part of the changing emotional landscape that is life to a problem that needs to be “fixed”?

The article gives clear evidence that drugs are destroying lives rather than saving them.

Dr. Mercola offers these suggestions for bringing your life back into balance:

Exercise — Increases the level of endorphins, the “feel good” hormones, in your brain.

Address your stress — Depression is a very serious condition, however it is not a “disease.” Rather, it’s a sign that your body and your life are out of balance.

Meditation or yoga can help. Sometimes all you need to do is get outside for a walk. But in addition to that, I also recommend using a system that can help you address emotional issues that you may not even be consciously aware of. For this, my favorite is EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique.

Eat a healthy diet — Foods have an immense impact on your mood and ability to cope and be happy. Eating whole foods, avoiding sugar and grains will best support your mental health.

Support optimal brain functioning with essential fats — I also strongly recommend supplementing your diet with a high quality omega-3 fat.

Get plenty of sunshine — Making sure you’re getting enough sunlight exposure to have healthy vitamin D levels is also a crucial factor in treating depression or keeping it at bay.

A gem I recently discovered is Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s CD, The Power of Positive Thinking. He has so many wonderful points in his message. Here are a few:

When you wake up in the morning you have 2 choices concerning happiness. You can choose to be happy.

Practice happy thinking.

Say affirmations out loud, such as:

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I believe that this is going to be a wonderful day.

I am grateful for all that I now have and shall have.

God will see me through.

Practice love. Love is a unique way to create happiness.

Tolstoy said, “Where there is love, there is God.” I might add, where there is love and God, there is happiness.

Treatment for insomnia: a relaxed trust in God.

Practice emptying the mind. Have a daily practice of silence. Listen to the beauty in silence.

Say beautiful words out loud through the day, such as “tranquility.”  Your mind will go there.

Throw your heart over the bar, and your body will follow.

The rough is only mental.

I will end this article with some words my son gave to me. He was driving and heard a song on the radio. He immediately called saying, “I think you will like these words.”

Everybody dies. Not everybody lives.

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Maybe today is the day to start living?

Bruce Lipton, PhD, author of Biology of Belief, gave an incredible free seminar last month. I finally paused to type the notes so I have them to refer to time and again. Thought you might like to see them as well. Lots of food for thought. . .

Placebo effect: Positive thoughts lead to a healing response.

Nocebo effect: Negative thoughts are as powerful as a placebo, but in the opposite direction.

The power of the nocebo effect is evidenced in the story told of the pulmonologist friend of Deepak Chopra. A chest x-ray revealed a black spot on his lung. He was told it was a malignancy. He was dead three weeks later. While cleaning out his office after his death, they came upon a chest x-ray taken some 20 years earlier. . .the same black spot was in the same exact place.

How many times do patients receive a “diagnosis” and then go home and die?

Dr. Lipton went on to talk about the mind. Positive thoughts involve using your mind. There are two parts of the mind that work differently:  1) the conscious mind, and 2) the subconscious mind.

The conscious mind is the thinking mind. It is the creative mind, connected to identity.

The subconscious mind is the “tape player mind” in that it is equivalent to a tape player.

The subconscious mind is a million times more powerful than the conscious mind.

The subconscious mind runs biology 95-99% of the time. Your body just works as if on autopilot.

Positive thinking and creative process comes from the conscious mind.

The conscious mind competes with programs in the subconscious mind.

The conscious mind operates less than 5% of the time.

The subconscious mind operates 95% of the time.

The conscious mind is a small processor.

The subconscious mind is a tape player. There’s nobody in there. You have to change the tape player in the “record” mode to change the recorded program.

Personal note. . .so, to make a big impact in your life, you have to change the recorded tapes in your subconscious mind. Just focusing on being positive won’t get the job done – not if positive thinking only accounts for 5% of time. To make a significant impact, the other 95% has to change.

The interesting, and frustrating, thing is that most of our “programs” have been installed before the age of six. You may not have any idea of the programs that are running your life.

How do you change the tapes? There are many available modalities. They include EFT, routine affirmations, Reiki, Dr. David Hawkins’s technique of contemplation vs meditation, the tools found in The Emotion Code, etc. I recently also discovered a technique in Laura Day’s The Circle. It takes commitment on a daily, sometimes, hourly basis, but given the end result, it seems well worth the effort.

Last year my friend Marie sent me this list.  I think I still have some work to do. . .

Health:
1.       Drink plenty of water.
2.       Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3.       Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4.       Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5.       Make time to pray.
6.       Play more games.
7.       Read more books than you did in 2010.
8.       Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9.       Sleep for 7 hours.
10.    Take a 10 to 30 minute walk daily, and while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11.    Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12.    Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13.    Don’t overdo. Keep your limits.
14.    Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15.    Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
16.    Dream more while you are awake.
17.    Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18.    Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19.    Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others. Love, Love, Love!
20.    Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
21.    No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22.    Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.  Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23.    Smile and laugh more.
24.    You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree…
Society:
25.    Call your family often.
26.    Each day give something good to others.
27.    Forgive everyone for everything.
28.    Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29.    Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30.    What other people think of you is none of your business.
31.    Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
Life:
32.    Do the right thing!
33.    Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
34.    GOD heals everything.
35.    However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36.    No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37.    The best is yet to come.
38.    When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39.    Your Inner Christ is always happy. So, be happy.

In preparation for my forthcoming book about male hormones, I reviewed Dr. John Lee’s Hormone Balance for Men, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Prostate Health and Natural Hormone Supplementation.

The following key points are taken from his book:

Hormone imbalance in men, just as in women, can create ill health and disease.

Estradiol (estrogen) dominance and testosterone depletion are important factors in causing prostate cancer.

The metabolic actions of the prostate gland are determined in large part by hormones, especially estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone, which are made by the testes. These in turn are mediated by pituitary hormones, especially FSH and LH, just as ovarian function in women is.

Both the prostate gland and the uterus develop from the same embryonic cells, and both respond to the same hormones – estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone.

It is estimated that benign prostatic disease (BPH) affects over 40 percent of American men by age 50 and over 70 percent by age 60.

In the prostate (and in hair follicles) is an enzyme (5-alpha-reductase) that converts testosterone into dihyrotestosterone (DHT).

Higher DHT levels in hair follicles is a primary cause of male pattern baldness.

DHT stimulates the proliferation of prostate cells. It is speculated that elevated DHT is the cause of prostate cancer.

Inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to DHT is often a treatment goal for men with BPH. While there are pharmaceutical drugs to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, it is better to use saw palmetto berry extract or progesterone, both of which inhibit 5-alpha-reductase and are safer than the pharmaceutical drugs.

Prostate cancer occurs more often in men with low testosterone than in men with higher testosterone levels.

How does conventional medicine ignore the fact that, at the age of highest testosterone levels (age 18 or so), prostate cancer rarely, if ever, occurs?

Prostate cancer occurs because testosterone and progesterone levels fall with age and estradiol levels rise, leading to estrogen dominance in older men.

Estrogen levels are particularly apt to increase in aging men who are overweight because fat cells convert testosterone and adrostenedione into estrogens, which stimulates prostate growth.  Thus, the more fat a man carries on his body, the higher his estradiol levels are likely to be.

Even if a middle-aged man’s testosterone levels are normal, if his estradiol levels are high he can have estrogen dominance symptoms such as weight gain, larger-than-normal breasts, gall bladder problems, anxiety and insomnia, and prostate enlargement that leads to urinary problems.

All disease comes from metabolic imbalance. When the underlying metabolic imbalance is corrected, the disease goes away.

Hormonally, the best protection involves good physiologic levels of both progesterone and testosterone.

Stress increases cortisol levels, which make the body somewhat resistant to using its other hormones.

Estrogen dominance is responsible for more cancers of the breast, prostate, and endometrium than any other cause. Estrogen dominance has many causes, including insulin resistance, stress, and early (especially embryonic, during early life in the womb) exposure to petrochemical toxins (called xenoestogens) such as pesticides and toxic chemicals that out-gas from certain plastics and adhesives (such as carpeting).

Progesterone maintains testosterone, which is a direct antagonist of estradiol.

Aging men developing breasts is a clear sign of estrogen dominance, a sign that the man is low in progesterone and testosterone.

A man’s prostate gland is very sensitive to the hormonal changes that occur around middle age (e.g., declining testosterone and progesterone, rising estrogen).

From about age 40 on, testosterone levels drop at the rate of about one percent per year.

Although testosterone does play a role in male libido, it isn’t just a sex hormone. Maintaining sufficient levels of the hormone can lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and fibrinogen, raise HDL cholesterol and human growth hormone (HGH), lower blood pressure, normalize abnormal heart rhythms and angina, improve insulin resistance, build muscle and decrease body fat.

Testosterone deficiency is associated with a higher risk of heart disease and depression. Testosterone also builds bone, improves wound healing, improves oxygen uptake, and improves immune system function.

Testosterone is a direct antagonist to estradiol. Unopposed estrogen can be lethal. Progesterone is necessary to prevent potent undesirable effects of unopposed estradiol. Progesterone helps maintain normal testosterone levels and inhibits production of DHT.

Hormone Levels and Dosing: the goal is to restablish healthy ratios between estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone.

Saliva testing, which measures bio-active hormones, is recommended over serum testing. (Note: hormone test kits for men are available without prescription on www.CanaryClub.org).

I men over 60, typical saliva hormone levels are:

• Estradiol at 2.0 – 2.7 pg/ml
• Progesterone at 20 – 30 pg/ml
• Testosterone at 20 – 30 pg/ml

(Testosterone levels in men aged 30 – 35 are 200 – 300 pg/ml. This level of testosterone does not hurt these 30 to 35 year old men, and it will not hurt men who are 65 to 70 years old.)

The ratio of saliva testosterone to estradiol should be about 200 to 300 to 1.

General dosages for men deficient in progesterone and/or testosterone:

• Transdermal progesterone. . . . ..5 to 8 mg/day
• Transdermal testosterone. . . . .1 to 2 mg/day

“Roll Up Your Love” is the daily Kabbalah message for today:

“The only tool you need is love. It’s the most efficient, the fastest, and it always gets the job done.

But it’s the hardest to use.

Today, roll up your sleeves, and put more love into everything you do.”

Last evening I listened to a conference call on “Chakra Healing” given by Carol Tuttle. Chakras are energy centers in our body, and there are seven of them.

Carol said, “If we could give each chakra a voice, and if each chakra was vibrant and healthy, this is what they would say”:

1st chakra, the Root Chakra:  I have the right to exist because I was born.

2^nd Chakra, the Sacral Chakra: I feel pleasure and delight in the flow of life.

3^rd Chakra, the Solar Plexus: I can accomplish both easy and difficult tasks with grace and ease.

4^th Chakra, the Heart Chakra: I am completely loved, and I am completely loveable.

5^th Chakra, the Throat Chakra: I speak my truth, and it is liberating.

6^th Chakra, the Third Eye: I see my life becoming more enjoyable every day.

7^th Chakra, the Crown Chakra: I am one with God, with greatest omnipotence.

The Root Chakra is most often associated with life’s basic survival needs. Financial security has always been associated with the Root Chakra.

One of the most interesting concepts discussed on the call last night was the shift of financial security from the Root Chakra as a primal need to the 4^th chakra, the Heart Chakra. The premise is that when you do what you love, the money will follow.

Instead of fearing not having enough money, what if you shift your focus to, “How may I serve you?” What if you extend unconditional love to all with whom you have contact? What if you open your Heart Chakra wider and wider?

Love has long been recognized as the highest vibrating energy.

Perhaps when you roll up your love, the side benefit will be the ability to roll up your financial future as well.

Perhaps the Beatles were right, “All You Need is Love.”

Yesterday I happened upon a recorded call by noted brain expert, Dr. Dan Amen. WOW. He paints a clear picture: decrease the fat in your body and increase the lean if you want to enjoy longevity and have a functioning brain.

Per Dr. Amen, the #1 indicator of longevity: the amount of lean muscle on your body. “Walk like you’re late for 45 minutes four times a week and do weights to build lean muscle mass.”

The more fat on your body, the less blood flow goes to your brain, which results in a smaller brain – which results in you putting your keys in the refrigerator and not remembering where they are.

Your waist size should be half your height. Pride yourself in getting back into the clothes you wore in college.

Diet and exercise are so important. Dr. Amen stresses that calories do count, the quality of those calories count. On the call, Dr. Amen described a mouth-watering green salad that included salmon and blueberries.

Dr. Amen says people ask him if he believes in moderation. He is clear about his answer: “Absolutely not.” Does one believe in cocaine or arsenic in moderation?

“Sugar is pro-inflammatory. Kill most of the sugar in your diet.” Sugar is also one of the major culprits in hormone imbalance.

Listening to Dr. Amen speak makes me even more excited about a company I learned about several months ago: It Works. A principle endorsed by this company, and evidenced in all of their products is this: elimination of fat and building of lean muscle mass.

Some examples:

Targeted applicators: when applied to your body (in your own home), toxins and fat are eliminated from the body resulting in fat loss, not water loss.

It’s Vital: An incredible multivitamin comprised of whole foods.

Greens: Two tiny scoops in water or juice provide the daily requirement of fruits and vegetables. I say this is the best insurance policy available. Why? Because cancer and disease thrive in an acidic body. The Greens helps to keep your body alkaline and rich in antioxidants.

New You: This product assists your pituitary to release its own human growth hormone – critical for the development of lean muscle mass, not to mention its other multiple anti-aging effects.

A 27 minute in-home video that leads you through some simple exercises to build lean muscle mass. All you need are a pair of hand weights.

You can see these products as well as others at www.RosieBrown.ItWorks.net.

Lean is where it is at if you want to live a long, healthy life with a functioning brain well into your old age.

“Health is the greatest possession.” ~ Lao Tzu

“Act as a master of your life by putting your health, well-being and happiness first.” ~ Marianna Olszewski

“Make one person happy each day and in forty years you will have made 14,600 human beings happy for a little time at least.” ~ Charley Willey

This quote that appeared in my mailbox today sent me on a mental voyage of some lessons learned last week while vacationing in a small Caribbean island.

One evening, I happened upon a local male vocalist in the balcony, crooning sweet dinner music for the patrons below who were enjoying a posh, candlelit dinner. I found myself mesmerized by his impeccable voice. Not one to ask permission, I made my way to the balcony and pulled up a chair a few feet behind him.  Tears seeped from the corners of my eyes as he sauntered from one beautiful melody to another – Moon River, I Did It My Way, You Are My Special Angel, and on and on he sang, each note more perfect than the last.

Totally absorbed in his music, he didn’t seem to notice anyone around him until the last note of each song was sounded and the guests erupted in applause. At that moment, a brief, sweet, almost surprised smile came to his face as he humbly muttered “Thank you so much,” and then he was off into the next musical selection – and on and on the evening went.

When he smiled, it was obvious that he has been in need of dental care for many years. The suit he was wearing was several sizes too big, the shoulder seams hanging down his upper arm. It seemed as though someone must have given him a suit so that he would have something to wear in order to be able to perform, in order to be able to survive. And yet, here was this beautiful man with a gorgeous voice out in the middle of the ocean creating memories for all of us to carry in our hearts for as long as we live.

That man makes people happy. I wanted to tell him in person how incredible he is, but there was no opportunity to get to him. Therefore, I left him a note at the front desk to tell him how awesome he is.

“Make one person happy each day. . .”

What an opportunity we have. What a gift we can give to one another. Even a kind smile to a passerby might be the only bright ray of sunshine in their day today.

The question came up this morning, “Need info on progesterone use for breast cancer survivors. “After responding, I thought the comments might be helpful to others as well. If you have additional thoughts or opinions, please also share them.

I take a spiritual and physical approach to understanding the root cause of breast cancer.

Spiritually, I believe in the work of Louise Hay. She says the probable cause of breast problems is: “A refusal to nourish the self. Putting everyone else first. Overmothering. Overprotection. Overbearing attitudes.”

I also believe in Bruce Lipton‘s teaching about epigenetics…just because someone has a family history does not mean you will get the disease. It is all up to the power of your thoughts and belief. Likewise, healing will be dependent on your thoughts and belief.

I visited with an accupuncturist yesterday. She advised her patient: “Your thoughts are your main job. Stay in the moment. When you find yourself straying to the future or past, bring yourself back to the present moment. See the beauty in this moment. Focus on who you are talking to. Notice the sun. Your body will take care of itself. You are giving it the right tools (diet). Now get out of your body’s way so it can do its work.”

Physically, I believe that when hormones are out of balance, problems occur. If it were me, I would have the right labs done to evaluate my levels. Whatever I was low in, I would bring up to its proper level (via bioidenticals), no matter which hormone it is. It is when we are out of balance that disease occurs.

In my early days, I thought progesterone was THE answer. It probably was since so many women are so very low in progesterone. There was probably a good reason that they experienced such wonderful results. However, I have learned that progesterone is only one hormone. It is important that all hormones be in balance…all the sex hormones, the adrenal, and the thyroid.

It is also important to evaluate dietary intake in order to be aware of foods that have estrogenic effects, such as soy. Cosmetics and skin care products can also contain ingredients that have estrogenic effects. Your skin is your body’s largest organ. Whatever you apply to your skin is readily absorbed. Therefore, it is important to use pure, safe, and beneficial hair, cosmetic, and skin care products. You could be dosing yourself with extra estrogen and not even know it. See www.RosieBrownRN.com.