Nice Care Medical Centre

Your fantasies might have taken a backseat for the time being or might have remained silenced for more than a while. The other processes of your usual life go on perfectly except for a few changes that you either consider as minute or you attribute them to any cause other than lowered libido (interest in sex). 

Loss of libido can create hurdles in a man as well as a woman's life and thus should be corrected at the earliest possible. Even if you don't care much about an impaired sex life, libido loss can affect your overall health that can prove to be harmful in the long run.

Some may say that it’s all in the mind. Yes, but to a certain extent only.  Considering the following causes, you would agree that it is not always in the mind that one loses interest in sex.

The common causes of decreased libido can be listed as below:

1. While in males, testosterone levels may sharply drop due to aging, in females the estrogen levels may drop after surgeries pertaining to the vaginal tract, after menopause or after childbirth and subsequent breast- feeding.

2. Exhaustion from prolonged office work or extensive travelling.

3. An instance of sexual abuse in the past can result in lowered libido.

4. A lousy lifestyle where you either smoke or drink regularly can prevent you from experiencing sexual desires.

5. Irregular sleep patterns can be a contributing factor as well.

6. Illnesses like cancer, diabetes and neurological disorders can hamper your sex drive.

Ways to deal with your libido loss:

1. Make significant efforts to change your lifestyle. If you have an erratic lifestyle, sexual dysfunction is almost inevitable. You need to follow a routine to prohibit your libido from deterioration.

2. Meditate and/or workout daily.  Indulge in brisk walk, jogging, yoga, light exercises, swimming, play games like, badminton, table tennis, squash, etc.  Over a period of time, it can restore your interest in sexual activities.

3. Try and reduce the stress level from your life.  Spend quality time together and with family. Take time out for a movie, an event, a long drive, or a vacation.  Share your day’s activities with each other.

4. Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Cut down on drinking and smoking and gradually give them up completely.

5. Take at least 8 hours of sleep so as to wake up latest by 6:00 in the morning. 

6. A counseling by a good sexologist can help to a great extent in overcoming this problem. A major part of my treatment for libido loss consists of Counselling. Many of my patients are now happy to revive their sexual life through my treatment. One can consult me in private if they want to say goodbye to Loss of Libido.

Menopause brings about a lot of changes in a woman's body. It not only signifies the end of her fertility and child bearing days but is a sign of growing age and the body progressing in a new direction of aches, pains and vulnerability. While some of these are natural, others can prove to be dangerous as it significantly increases the risk of heart disease (unlike common myths, women do get heart attacks). The risk factor is also goes up if the woman suffers from diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure. One of the widely known but well ignored fact remains that women with a sedentary lifestyle increase their risk and vulnerability to all of these diseases. A family history in heart disease can also turn into a risk factor when menopause sets in.

The natural age of menopause is considered to be around 50 and when a woman reaches this age, the estrogen levels in her body experience a sharp drop. This hormone is partly responsible in maintaining heart health in women. Other factors that are triggered during menopause include changes in body fat distribution from a gynoid to an android pattern, reduced glucose tolerance, abnormal plasma lipids, increased blood pressure, increased sympathetic tone, endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation. 

Experiencing menopause? Here's how you can lower your risk of heart disease

A healthy lifestyle never comes by accident, only by choice. And this is an essential key in controlling diseases that come as a side effect of menopause too. Here are some thing you can do:

1. Walk / Exercise: This isn't a 5-day week practice. You need to exercise throughout the week in order to maintain heart health. It helps your heart to pump blood through your body and also reduces risks to other diseases like high blood pressure and cholesterol. One key benefit is that it helps keeps the weight off - that should be good reason to walk an extra mile.
2. Choose a healthy diet: Most people mistake a diet to be about not eating the things you really like. A good diet can be made very tasty and can also be portioned in such a way that it leaves less room for craving. As always avoid the junk, deep fries and extra helping of cheese.
3. Hormonal therapy: There has been contradicting evidence on hormonal replacement therapy for estrogen can lower the risk of heart disease. Some women continue to be advised this treatment based on their particular case history, especially for women who undergo surgical menopause (when the uterus and other reproductive organs many have to be removed due to life threatening conditions like cancer).

'Congratulations! You're pregnant!' Almost all women long to hear these words and nothing should come in the way, even diabetes. So, if you are a Type 1 or Type 2 diabetic, here are a few things you should keep in mind to have a healthy baby :

1. Your blood sugar must be monitored regularly

The most important thing you can do to have a healthy baby is to keep your blood sugar as close to normal before and during your pregnancy. Testing is recommended a minimum of four times a day. Glucose passes through the mother's blood to the fetus and hence if your blood sugar fluctuates, so will your baby's. High blood sugar levels are especially harmful during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy when the baby's brain, heart, kidneys and lungs are formed.

2. Your pregnancy is considered high risk

High blood sugar levels can increase the risk of a miscarriage as well as the risks of your baby being born with birth defects. Diabetes can also increase the risk of developing preeclampsia during the second half of your pregnancy. This could result in a C section or premature birth. Thus, maintain regular checkups and keep your doctor in the loop of all your activities.

3. You should watch out for signs of ketosis

When you have low blood sugar, the body produces ketones that can be passed on from you to your baby. This production of ketones is a result of the body's burning of fat instead of glucose to provide energy and can develop a condition called ketosis. Symptoms you should watch out for are stomach aches, nausea, fatigue, muscle stiffness, frequent urination and fruity breath.

4. You need Vitamins and Supplements

Most women require vitamin and mineral supplements at the time of pregnancy. Of these, folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D are the most important. These supplements help in the healthy growth of the baby.

5. You should exercise regularly

Maintaining a regular physical activity routine is very important for diabetics who are expecting a baby. This will help you regularize your blood sugar, relieve stress and strengthen your heart. Avoid activities that increase your risk of falling and aim for at least thirty minutes of daily exercise such as walking, swimming or yoga.

6. Check your medication

Some medication can be detrimental during pregnancy such as cholesterol and blood pressure medication. Consult your doctor to find a suitable alternative, if needed. You may also need to change the kind of insulin you take and its frequency and amount. As you get closer to the delivery date, your insulin requirement may even double or triple.

The key to preventing complications during pregnancy is controlling your diabetes. So take your insulin regularly, maintain regular checkups and eat healthy. You need to be seen by your obstetrician more frequently. Your pregnancy will be monitored closely by more frequent ultrasounds and NST. If your sugar level remains under control and pregnancy is advancing well, a natural onset of pains is aimed for and a normal delivery is expected.