Last month was “Heart Health” Month, so let’s get down to the “heart of things.”  Many men are most concerned about performance; in business, in sports, and in the bedroom. 

So let’s look at the hard facts. Nearly 800,000 Americans will be afflicted by CHD, Cardiovascular Heart Disease. This is the number one killer for men.

25% of men at age 65 suffer from Erectile Dysfunction. This is a warning sign of cardiovascular disease. 

So how do you change that? 

First of all, if you do what you did, you get what you got.  If you want to change, you need to change a few things.

You have to ask yourself, what are the root causes? 

Here are the top three that you can do something about:

1. Franken Foods

2. Toxin

3. Stress

• All three keep you in a Sympathetic Dominant State (Fight or Flight). 
• All three interfere with hormone balance.
• All three contribute to insulin resistance and nutrient deficiencies. 

If you have erectile dysfunction, you may also suffer from the “silent killer”  (high blood pressure). Both involve endothelial dysfunction or damage to the lining of blood vessels. 

There are many things in our environment contributing to the fall of the American penis. Here are some of the most common:

Too much sugar and alcohol in the diet leading to “skinny fat” around the waist, or widening waistlines.  Have you heard that the “bigger the belly, the smaller the brain?” This is because sugar also causes plaque in the brain, a major contributor to memory loss and eventually Alzheimer’s. Insulin resistance is an early sign of diabetes. Alzheimer’s has been classified as type 3 diabetes mellitus for this reason. 

Stress increases cortisol, which increases blood sugar, and increases insulin resistance. There are many hidden stressors you might not even be aware of. Does your doctor check for them? Not likely, unless they are certified in functional medicine.

Too much estrogen from Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, EDC’s. I wrote in my book how we are finding male frogs with female parts and vice versa in nature. Why would we think we are any different? There are increasingly more endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food, water, and the environment.

1. Eating and drinking out of plastics and then putting those plastics in the dishwasher and reusing them can leach 100’s of hormone disrupting chemicals.  Microwaving food in plastic increases this problem.  Have you ever microwaved spaghetti sauce in Tupperware and found a permanent orange ring in the plastic? This is osmosis. The sauce has become part of plastic, and plastic has become part of your meal. This is NOT a good thing!

2. Extra fat cells are Estrogen Factories (resulting in “man boobs”).

3. Estrogen is also made in the adrenal glands (where your stress hormones are made and stored). Chronic stress can elevate estrogen.

4. Pesticides. Golf courses are laden with EDC’s. The good news is that a healthy body is designed to detoxify chemicals under the right conditions.

5. Triclosan is found in antibacterial soaps, mouthwash and toothpastes. Contact me for healthy alternatives. 

6. Nonorganic produce and conventionally raised animal proteins. Hormones are given to animals to fatten them up quicker. The stress hormone cortisol is high in animals in CAFO’s (Concentrated Animal Feeding Organizations). You ingest these chemicals when you eat these poor quality products. Buy organic and humanely raised animal protein fed from their natural, non-GMO diets. 

These are also contributors to estrogen-dominant Breast & Prostate Cancers.

So what’s a guy to do with all this excess Estrogen? 

Maximize, Minimize and Prioritize.

Maximize nutrient-dense food, feel-good hormones.

Test your Testosterone levels including Free Testosterone and SHBG, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin. Also check, DHEA, Cortisol, Insulin, fasting glucose and HgA1c.

Minimize Toxicity and Inflammation

Test for hidden stressors in the environment, mold, heavy metals, imbalance in gastrointestinal microbes. These same chemicals are interfering with our natural gut flora.

Prioritize Self Care. Invest in functional medicine testing and health coaching. Address all the stressors in your life. Hold onto the good stress, this creates hormesis and will make you stronger. Do something about the rest of your stressors.

All health begins in the gut and really in the mouth. If you have amalgams, root canals, implants, you may have infections brewing underneath, and toxins on the surface that you are swallowing every day. See a biological dentist trained and certified by www.IAOMT.org

Most of all, KNOW and BELIEVE that you have the natural ability to heal from within. 

Last but not least, if this is overwhelming, have no fear. Join me in April for a metabolic reset to release excess weight and balance your hormones. Ladies, this works for you too, so grab your spouse for extra fun and accountability.

Or if you are all in, commit to at least three to six months to create a Personalized Prevention Plan to prevent the fall of the American penis. Here’s where you can schedule your initial consultation.  Believe it or not, this is one area of performance that should work well into your 80’s.