Did you know that erectile dysfunction (ED) is very common among American men of all ages and that the risk of its development increases with age? Understanding its causes and adopting natural ways to address its complexities can help tackle its power to undermine self-confidence, quality of life, and intimate relationships. Erection Physiology A penile erection is essentially a spinal reflex that is generated through the complex interplay of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (reflex aspect), combined with local genital stimulation and/or stimulation from erotic or emotional stimuli that involves the limbic system of the brain (psychological aspect)....

One of the plagues of aging is falling—even perfectly healthy seniors with no pre-existing medical problems have a greater chance of taking a tumble than someone younger. Nationwide, an older (over 65) person is in the ER every eleven seconds due to a fall. By age 85, two-thirds of all injury-related deaths are due to a fall. In 2013, approximately 50% of traumatic brain injury cases were due to elderly. Since 2014, twenty-nine million elderly Americans sustained injuries resulting from a fall, amounting to health costs of $31 billion! Furthermore, 95% of hip fractures happen in our older population,...

Healthy aging is our birthright and yes, it can be yours at any age! We have been conditioned to believe that aches, pains, body issues, brain fog, emotional issues, incontinence, decreased libido, and so on, automatically come with aging. This is an old paradigm and an unrealistic way of thinking. For more than a century, our belief systems have been connected to a society that has focused on disease rather than health; on treating illness rather than preventative healthcare. The messages we are being sent have not been supportive of healthy living, nor do they invite and empower you...

September is a big month for many families: Students are back in school and Grandparents’ Day takes place on September 12th. In honor of these annual traditions, the following is an anecdote about how I recommended that loving grandparents use 529 college savings plans to meet both their estate planning needs and help their grandchildren prepare for a successful future, academically and financially. Joan* and Peter* are proud parents and grandparents. While Joan and Peter do not have the luxury of living close to their families, they have the benefit of substantial assets that enable them to afford a...

We are all aging—but we are also living longer lives, so it is important to keep our bodies and minds as healthy as possible. Here are a few tips to help us get the most out of those years. 1. Be Active It doesn’t need to be a marathon. Even walking is a great for physical and mental health. Keeping active helps keep us fit and allows us to be independent in continuing to do the activities enjoy as we grow older. 2. Get Enough Sleep According to Chinese medicine, it is important to go to sleep before 11...

Before the 2016 Summer Olympics, many of us in the U.S. had never heard of cupping. We learned that swimming champion Michael Phelps received regular cupping sessions as part of his performance and recovery regimen. Some benefits of cupping include a decrease in muscular tension and inflammation and promotion of cellular repair after working out, which decreases recovery time after undergoing strenuous training. In addition, cupping improves lymph flow, decreases pain and restriction of movement, releases and softens scar tissue and adhesions, and sedates the nervous system. But cupping isn’t just for athletes and is not limited to the...

The placebo effect has gained significant exposure and acceptance over the past 10–20 years for two reasons: In the world of clinical research, literally thousands of studies have now demonstrated beyond any trace of doubt that the placebo effect is real and measurable. The public is now hearing about the placebo effect credibly through well-researched books such as You Are the Placebo, by Dr. Joe Dispenza, and Mind Over Medicine, by Dr. Lissa Rankin. The placebo effect is a biopsychological phenomenon commonly involving patients who unknowingly receive inert treatments, yet the patient can be cured by the power of...

Most of us know that oral health is very important. We take measures to maintain good oral hygiene, going for regular dental visits and having two cleanings per year. But is that all that needs to be done to maintain good oral health? What about replacing the teeth we lose? Many of us may be under the misapprehension that because we have 32 teeth, losing a couple of them is not a big deal. However, there are issues we face when we lose teeth. Each tooth has a different function, and it is important for missing teeth to be...

Music is primal to life and expressed by each of us every day, whether through dancing to a favorite tune, keeping rhythm with a pencil, or remembering a special time when hearing a forgotten melody. It is central to our lives and is embedded in our culture, defining how we acknowledge milestones, rites of passage, and celebrations, as well as providing comfort, transformation, and inspiration. Music links us to our world and provides a pathway back to our past. A number of research studies have looked at the therapeutic use of music as an important adjunct to medical treatment...

For most of us, aging is not something we look forward to; the impact it has on our physical (and mental) health is dramatic. As kids, all we want to do is grow up. Our bodies rebound quickly when injured. Our skin is fresh and new. Then, during our magical 30s and 40s, wrinkles start to pop up and we begin to see our first white hairs. Some of the more dreaded aspects of aging come when our 50s and 60s hit and we start losing muscle tone, our skin becomes thinner, and the list of medications to deal...

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an organic compound that is fast becoming my favorite supplement. Among its many functions is its critical role in ATP, or energy production of every cell in the body. In the body, CoQ10 is converted from ubiquinone to its active form ubiquinol and occurs in higher concentrations in our most vital organs, including the liver, kidneys, and heart. What Does CoQ10 Do for Us? Because of the role CoQ10 has in energy production and cellular metabolism, the areas of the body that it impacts could be innumerable. Found in the part of our cells called...

We all carry with us the wounds and the joys of childhood. Often the voice of our inner child may speak to us, perhaps recollecting wounds from our early years and bringing with it the connection to a time with fewer responsibilities, when playing and being carefree were all we faced each day. Recently I spent time going through old photographs of myself and my family. As I sat and looked at the photos and read some poems I had written, I was struck by the realization that I could still connect with that very young child, being held...

Feeling tired today? According to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2020 poll, the average American feels sleepy three days a week, and close to half said this sleepiness impacts their daily activities, mood, and mental acuity. It’s no surprise that Americans are feeling sleepy. The average length of sleep per night is less than six hours, which is far from the recommended 7–9 hours. How many hours of sleep do you average per night? The CDC found that Connecticuters who average fewer than seven hours of sleep a night are more likely to be obese and to suffer from heart...

Knowing how contentious this issue is, part of me would rather just write about something else, but I feel like the discussion/news is so one-sided, I should speak up. #1: VACCINE MAKERS ARE IMMUNE FROM LIABILITY The only industry in the world that bears no liability for injuries or deaths, resulting from their products, are vaccine makers. First established in 1986 with the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, and reinforced by the PREP Act, vaccine makers cannot be sued, even if they are shown to be negligent. If a company is not willing to stand behind their product as...

As a psychotherapist and relationship specialist, I hear the word “trust” quite often in therapy sessions. In fact, lack of trust is one of the top causes when relationships start to deteriorate. Trust is a necessary ingredient for happy and successful relationships, romantic and otherwise. Yet the ability to trust others can be elusive for so many of us and without it, happy, healthy, and high-functioning relationships cannot be sustained. Why Can Some People Trust More Easily Than Others? Like many therapeutic explanations, childhood plays a key role in the answer to this question. The type of attachment we...

You’ve probably sat through a Zoom meeting and watched a weak presentation, thinking, “What an incoherent presentation that was!” Or maybe you saw somebody mumbling and staggering out of a bar late at night and said to your friend, “That guy is totally incoherent.” Notice how we refer to these scenarios as incoherent. Even if you don’t know the definition of incoherent, you’ve likely figured out that it is used to mean sub-par, confused, disordered, and so on. Lasers create what physicists call coherent light, since the waves and particles emitted by the laser are completely ordered and in...

Clean, hydrating water once flowed freely on our planet. It is a gift from Mother Earth and at Spring Aqua, we believe Mother Earth got it right. According to the Hydration Foundation, a leading research organization focused on actual cellular hydration, 99% of the molecules making up your body are water-based. At Spring Aqua, our goal is to provide water nourishment that is clean of toxins and is hydrating and life-promoting for your body. Several world-famous mountain springs attract millions of people annually because of the healing properties of the water. The Netflix documentary Down to Earth features Zac...

According to the American Psychiatric Association, sleep disorders involve problems with quality, timing, and amount of sleep, resulting in daytime distress and impairment in daily function. Sleep is a basic human need and is critical to both physical and mental health, and how much sleep we need varies depending on age and the individual. According to the National Sleep Foundation, most adults need about seven to nine hours of restful sleep every night—but many of us get less than that amount. Insomnia and Sleep Deprivation Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, with more than 30 percent of American...