Life Fit Chat with That's Fit Life Fit Expert Laura Lewis brings conversation provoking tidbits to your table, served up with a touch of spice! Byte-sized information that pack some punch, brought to you every Wednesday and Thursday!

For those of you who have experienced "The Change" you may remember it as more of a Hormone Hell rather than a mere life "change." PMS, Menopause, Perimenopause ... is it possible to avoid the tumultuous time that many experience while a lucky minority are able to escape?! I regularly see a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and with her guidance she has treated me personally for various "imbalances" I have experienced over the years with herbal remedies. And I believe it is possible to bring a body back into balance via certain alternative therapies.

"Herbally" Speaking....There are certainly pros and cons to just about every therapy available on the market, but herbal remedies often have fewer, and less drastic, side effects than their pharmaceutical counterparts. Having said that, it is important to note that herbs are not subjected to the same governmental regulatory standards as pharmaceuticals. Before starting any new therapeutic regiment, be sure to consult with your physician. Let your health care provider know of any medications you are taking as some herbs can have harmful interactions with other drugs.

The American College of Obstetricians (ACOG) released the following guidelines on the most popular alternative therapies for menopause:

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• Decreases sex drive and/or erectile dysfunction
  
• Irritability or depression
  
• A lack of energy
  
• Increased body fat
• Decreased muscle mass or bone density

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Just like with women, men's hormones change later in life. Older men might feel irritable, less interested in sex, or -- in some cases -- be completely free of any symptoms whatsoever. This change is often called "male menopause," but, as this Mayo Clinic article suggests, that term isn't exactly accurate.

The primary difference between menopause as seen in women, and the hormonal changes in men, is the time frame during which these changes take place. According to Todd Nippoldt, MD, "In women, ovulation ceases and female hormone reproduction plummets over a relatively short time frame. In men, there's a gradual decline in the production of male hormones."

Additionally, men's levels of testosterone vary widely. Most lose about 1 percent per year after the age of 40, with a more noticeable drop between 45 and 50 -- and some hardly lose any at all. Still others, who had low testosterone levels to begin with, may not notice a change.

So, are you experiencing a mid-life crisis? It's certainly possible. But are you going through menopause? Not really.

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