Let's talk about a topic chiropractors don't tackle very often – male hormone balance and erectile dysfunction (ED). By the age of 40, about 5 percent of men struggle with ED. By the age of 70, that number increases to about 15 percent.1 Although these numbers might seem small, the proportion is higher among those who are sick, unhealthy or seeking medical care. In your office, these numbers could be as high as 20-30 percent of your total male patient base.
If you've noticed you have a set of male patients who don't seem to respond to treatment, they may be suffering from an underlying hormonal imbalance. You need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance, and be willing to step in and provide help.
The Modern Challenge
Hormone-disrupting chemicals assault us everywhere we turn. Steroid growth hormones are injected into livestock starting at birth. Meat producers want cows to grow as large as possible in order to make the largest possible profit, so growth hormones are used up until those animals are slaughtered. When you or your patients buy a cut of conventionally raised beef from the grocery store, it still contains traces of those growth hormones.2 The plastic wrap packaging also leaches additional estrogenic hormone-like substances into the meat that ends up on your dinner plate.3
If your patients eat conventionally raised meat or dairy regularly over a long period of time, they will be more prone to hormonal imbalances. Over time, exposure to estrogenic hormones from food and the environment can affect the natural balance of testosterone and other hormones in the body.4
Although men with low testosterone often turn to prescription drugs to alleviate symptoms, chiropractors have the skills and knowledge needed to reverse the problem at its source. The way to do this is through a nutritional protocol designed to cleanse the body and support healthy hormone production.
Recommend a Plant-Based Diet
Get started by recommending a clean and healthy plant-based diet. This type of diet should be centered around fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grains and legumes. Basically, your patient needs to start eating whole, unprocessed foods and avoid eating anything that comes out of a box, bag or can.
Eating whole foods is not only healthier, but also helps to ensure that the patient is coming into less contact with hormone-disrupting chemicals used in plastics and in food processing. If a patient is struggling with hormonal imbalance, they should also avoid meat and dairy – and especially conventionally-raised products – to the greatest extent possible. Making this one change will make an enormous difference in your patients' level of health.
"Reset" the Body With a Brief Cleanse
At the start of your patient's nutritional protocol, ask them to complete a brief three- to five-day lemonade or juice cleanse. This type of detoxification protocol is designed to give the body a break from the task of digestion, which allows it to focus instead on healing and repair. If a patient is struggling with hormonal dysfunction, this period of detoxification will help the body "reset" itself and re-learn how to produce the right hormones in the right balance. In more than 25 years as a chiropractor, I've seen this process produce incredible results in countless patients. It just works.
Recommend Specific Supplements
To facilitate the best possible results, you can recommend a set of supplements designed to nudge the body back into a state of balance. I suggest starting with an herbal blend that contains powerful botanicals such as damiana and saw palmetto berry. These have been used successfully for thousands of years to treat ED and correct underlying hormonal imbalances.
Beyond this, I also recommend a set of supplements designed to heal inflammation and dysbiosis in the gut. Start with a quality probiotic and digestive enzyme, and consider adding more if an individual has specific needs.
Optimize Your Male Patients' Health
Although chiropractors don't often think about ED and male hormonal imbalance, it is a real problem that affects many of your patients and can impact the results you see in your clinic. Treating this problem at its source is a win-win for both doctors and patients.
Patients will appreciate that you are able to provide real and lasting help for ED, and you will be thrilled to see that your adjustments last longer and work better in this set of previously hard-to-treat individuals. Over time, you will develop a loyal base of satisfied patients who trust you as a holistic doctor who provides comprehensive support for what they need. Building this kind of trust and loyalty takes time, but you will find it is absolutely worth the effort.
References
- "18 Million Men in the United States Affected by Erectile Dysfunction." Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2007.
- European Commission. Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health, 2002.
- Yang CZ, Yaniger SI, Jordan VC, et al. Most plastic products release estrogenic chemicals: a potential health problem that can be solved. Environ Health Perspect, 2011;119(7):989-996.
- Cotton P. Environmental estrogenic agents an area of concern. JAMA, 1994;271(6): 414.
Dr. Todd Singleton, a practicing DC for more than 25 years, ran the largest MD/DC/PT clinics in Utah before switching to an all-cash nutrition model in 2006. He created a very successful cash practice in Salt Lake City and now spends his time speaking, teaching, consulting and visiting other offices all over the U.S. For more information on implementing nutritional protocols in your clinic, call 801-917-0900 or visit www.doctorsingletonsarticles.com.