Reader question of the week: “My friend told me that you recommended that she have sex a minimum of three times per week. Isn’t this excessive?”
Answer: From whose point of view? Her husband might think three or more times a week is excessive if his testosterone (T) is low. I was there. Sleep is exceedingly more important as the T level decreases. Younger men? Thirty minutes sleep is sufficient if the opportunity presents itself. I replaced your friend’s testosterone and she WANTS to have sex at least three times per week. Three times a week is a good number to maintain the vaginal mucosal health. The old adage rings true- If you don’t use it, you lose it! What other doctor will give an order for sex three times a week?
At Fusion Medical Spa we primarily deal with reversing the aging process in the body. Whether reversing the effects of age on the endocrine system through bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, or reversing the effects of age damage in the skin through lasers and dermal fillers; the end effects are the same- a body that looks and feels younger.
New terms for the same definition of reversing the aging process are “anti-aging”, “regenerative”, and “ageless” medicine. According to the World Bank, life expectancy in the United States went from 70 years in 1960 to 78.2 in 2010. Our life expectancy has increased due mainly to advances in medicine. However, these advances have come with a price. Instead of adding years on the “front-end”, the additional years are added after age 70. Instead of years with extra youth and vitality, the additional years come after the body has “retired”. Anti-aging and regenerative medicine focuses on restoring youth and vitality to the “retired body”.
Would you rather have quantity or quality? I can tell you from my personal experience with low testosterone at age 40- quality wins. I have no desire to live extra years feeling like I am just punching the clock. I have already received my 20-year letter from the military telling me that I am eligible for retirement. Why retire? I have finally achieved a rank where my opinion is valued and I can make a difference. Moreover, my body doesn’t feel like it is ready to retire now that my hormones are balanced.
Have you already retired? Don’t get me wrong; retirement from the workforce can be a great thing. Premature retirement of your body? Definitely not a great thing. One of your main jobs after retirement should consist of working to keep your body in good shape. What can you do to combat the aging process? Focus on proper diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle. Take care of your body. Do an inventory of how you feel, and then take steps to change the negatives into positives. Reduce your prescription medication intake if possible. Weight loss and a healthy diet typically result in reduced need for medications to control diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Invest in you!
Final note: I appreciate the positive response my articles have received. More and more people have joined the fight against the aging process and I need to spend more time dedicated to helping them win the war. To that end, I will be moving my articles from a weekly format to a twice a month format. I will always be available for a free consult at my practice or to answer reader questions submitted via email. Thanks for your support!
Disclaimer: Dr Stephen Rath, MD, DABA is a board certified anesthesiologist, Air Force flight surgeon, paramedic, and pilot as well as the owner and medical director of Fusion Medical Spa located in Ruidoso, NM. He is eligible for retirement, but hasn’t yet figured out what he wants to do when he grows up. Comments or questions? His email address is: DrRath@FusionMedicalSpa.net.