Top Men’s Health Concerns and How Acupuncture Can Help
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been used to treat men’s health concerns for thousands of years and are growing in popularity. The reason for this growth in popularity is that many health issues that men face, such as high blood pressure, prostate problems and depression, respond extremely well to acupuncture treatments.
Primary health issues that affect men include:
Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease is the leading men’s health threat, with heart disease and stroke topping the list of the first and second leading causes of death worldwide. By integrating acupuncture and Oriental medicine into a heart healthy lifestyle, you can dramatically reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Taking even small steps to improve your health can reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease by as much as 80 percent. Steps to prevention include managing high blood pressure, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and getting better sleep. All of these issues can be helped with acupuncture and Oriental medicine
Acupuncture has been found to be particularly helpful in lowering blood pressure. By applying acupuncture needles at specific sites along the wrist, inside the forearm or in the leg, researchers have been able to stimulate the release of natural opioids in the body, which decreases the heart’s activity and reduces its need for excess oxygen. This, in turn, lowers blood pressure.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in men. Tobacco smoke causes 90 percent of all lung cancer, so you should make every effort to quit smoking for improved health and longevity. If you are ready to quit smoking, acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help.
Shown to be an effective treatment for smoking and other addictions, acupuncture and Oriental medicine treatments for these issues focus on jitters, cravings, irritability, and restlessness; symptoms that people commonly complain about when they try to quit. Treatments also aid in relaxation and detoxification.
In one study on substance addiction, a team from Yale University successfully used auricular (ear) acupuncture to treat cocaine addiction. Results showed that 55 percent of participants tested free of cocaine during the last week of treatment, compared to 24 percent and 9 percent in the two control groups. Those who completed acupuncture treatment also had longer periods of sustained abstinence compared to participants in the control groups.
Depression and Mental Health
Men are four times more likely to commit suicide than women, reports the Men’s Health Network, which attributes part of the problem to under- diagnosed depression in men. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 6 million men have depression each year in America alone. It is now believed that the male tendency to hide feelings of depression and to not seek professional help has skewed previously reported numbers. Depression in men does not present solely as extreme sadness. Depression in men may present as anger, aggression, burnout, risk-taking behavior, mid-life crisis or alcohol and substance abuse.
When people are suffering from depression, brain chemicals and stress hormones are out of balance. Sleep, appetite, and energy levels are all disturbed. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can alleviate symptoms associated with depression and mental health issues by helping to re- balance the body’s internal systems.
The growing body of research supporting the positive effects of acupuncture on depression, anxiety, and insomnia is so strong that the military now uses acupuncture to treat troops with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat stress syndrome.
Prostate Health
The prostate is prone to enlargement and inflammation as men age, affecting about half of men in their sixties and up to 90 percent of men as they approach their seventies and eighties. If left untreated, benign prostate gland enlargement, which presents with symptoms such as frequent nighttime urination, painful or difficult urination, can lead to more serious conditions such as prostate cancer, urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine can be used to treat prostate problems by relieving related urinary symptoms and preventing the more serious conditions from occurring. The few studies completed on acupuncture and prostatitis show positive results, with participants noticing a marked improvement in their quality of life, a decrease in urinary difficulties, and an increase in urinary function.
Reproductive Health
While reproductive health concerns may not be life threatening, they can still signal significant health problems. Two-thirds of men older than seventy and up to 39 percent of men around the age of forty report having problems with their reproductive health.
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine are well known for improving male performance; in fact, there have been medical textbooks devoted to the subject. Chinese Emperors took their performance quite seriously and would consult with a team of physicians if they experienced any difficulties in the bedroom.
Acupuncture can be used for a variety of reproductive health concerns including low sperm count, diminished sperm motility, diminished libido and male menopause (also known as male climacteric or andropause).
In This Issue
- Top Men’s Health Concerns and How Acupuncture Can Help
- Foods Men Should Eat Every Day
Foods Men Should Eat Every Day
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Adding nutrient-rich super foods to the diet can give men a healthy
boost.
Here are just a few foods that can help maintain muscle mass,
prevent prostate cancer, and more.
Avocados
Avocados are a good source of vitamin K, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C,
folate and copper. Rich in potassium, avocados contain more of this nutrient
than bananas. Potassium is needed to regulate nerves, heartbeat and,
especially, blood pressure. An added bonus for men: Avocados
inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Blackberries
Blackberries are packed with Vitamin C, calcium and magnesium,
with more than double the amounts than their popular cousin, the
blueberry. Vitamin C is a powerful stress reducer that can lower
blood pressure and return cortisol levels to normal faster when taken
during periods of stress. Magnesium and calcium act together to help
regulate the nerves and muscle tone.
Too little magnesium in your diet can cause nerve cells to become over
activated and can trigger muscular tension, soreness, spasms, cramps,
and fatigue. Blackberries also score high on the oxygen radical
absorbance capacity (ORAC) scale assesses the antioxidant content of
food: the higher the score, the better the food’s ability to neutralize cell-
damaging free radicals that lead to cancer.
Spinach
Spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. Spinach
can help protect against prostate cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease
and stroke, lower blood pressure and strengthen muscles.
Walnuts
When it comes to their health benefits, walnuts are the king of nuts. Richer
in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-oxidants than
red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken,
walnuts are one of the all time super foods.
Yogurt
Eating yogurt that contains live bacterial cultures every day improves
digestive health, boosts the immune system, provides protection against
cancer and may help you live longer. Not all yogurts are probiotic though,
so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.”
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About The Author: Julee Miller
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