Revitalization Assessment Quiz

Don't overlook testosterone as one of the primary influencers of sex drive. Even though it's considered a male hormone, it crucially influences both male and female libido.

A lack of interest in sex may be due to declining levels of this hormone. Your physician can perform a simple blood test to determine testosterone levels.

If testosterone levels are found to be low in men, some physicians may prescribe the testosterone patch, which is worn against the skin and may restore testosterone levels to normal.

For women with low testosterone levels, physicians sometimes prescribe a 2-percent testosterone cream that is applied vaginally two or three times a week. Besides improving libido, this cream may also act as a lubricant for vaginal dryness. Many women find that using testosterone cream rekindles their sex lives and their energy levels.

Researchers have found that women who report that they feel loved and emotionally supported tend to have less severe coronary artery blockages than those who do not. Intriguingly, this finding held true even if the other subjects reported having more relationships. Most important, this connection between feeling loved and being heart healthier was independent of diet, smoking, exercise, cholesterol, family health history, and other standard risk factors. Coronary artery disease, or heart disease, is the leading killer of Americans--both women and men.

Studies in men had similar findings: coronary artery blockage is eased in those who feel loved. Men may also be interested to know that several studies involving thousands of men, such as the 1965 Alameda County, California, study, found that men and women lacking love, support, and community ties were 1.9 to 3.1 times more likely to die prematurely.

Helping others and giving to others appears to have measurable psychological and physical health effects. In several studies of older adults, the effects of aging had more to do with what they GAVE to their social support network than what they RECEIVED from it. On average, the more love and support the study participants offered to others, the better their health. They suffered less from age-related physical illness and depression than those who never gave.

So, doing good for others may also literally help you feel and look better--and possibly age slower. Whether you're married or single or have a large extended family, helping others even just a little each day will help you make a positive impact in the world and renew your life force.

Answer: True.

Ginkgo Biloba: Scientific studies have found that ginkgo biloba can be a powerful brain tonic that improves mental functions. One of its greatest powers is its ability to enhance overall blood circulation, even to the brain.

Because it improves blood circulation to the arteries and small blood vessels (capillaries), ginkgo may help perimenopausal and menopausal women who use it feel more clear-headed, balanced, and energetic.

Dozens of studies have also shown that this health-renewing tree leaf extract is extremely effective in prevention and treatment of early Alzheimer's disease and strokes. One important caution for those taking ginkgo biloba: if you are having any surgery, stop taking it a week before the procedure, as it may promote heavier-than-normal bleeding.

Antioxidants: Much persuasive evidence about the cell-renewing properties of antioxidant vitamins exists. Antioxidant vitamins such as A, B-Complex, C, and E can be used to fight off free radicals, which are molecules generated by cells in the body when it is fighting viruses, germs, or toxins. Antioxidants are enzymes that can protect your body by capturing free radicals and disarming them before they lead to cellular damage. When free radicals harm unprotected cells, they change the molecular structure of the cells. Damaged cells lead to a weaker immune response, which in turn may lead to illness.

The amount of free radicals in your body is determined by the food you eat, the toxins you breathe, and your exposure to cigarette smoke and household chemicals and contaminants. Beware: fatty foods, especially, create hordes of free radicals! To protect yourself, you may consider taking daily dosages of antioxidants such as beta carotene (the precursor to vitamin A), vitamin B-complex, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Please consult your doctor before you start a new vitamin regimen. Warning: please note that if you suffer from kidney disease, taking any form of A can be toxic.

Weight loss can become more difficult with age. The good news is that there are scientifically proven strategies for getting skinnier at this time of life. Before trying these, though, you should first have your physician check whether your weight may be affected by a thyroid disorder.

The best weight loss strategies for both men and women involve increasing metabolic energy via physical exercise. Believe it or not, strength-training workouts coupled with a low-fat diet high in whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables is the best strategy to raise metabolism, burn calories, build strength, and shed fat.

After we pass through our 30s, metabolism usually slows down by a few percentage points each decade. This means that as we age, it gets harder to lose weight. Genetic heritage helps determine metabolic rate and body shape, but lifelong habits and the aging process also influence metabolism and body shape.

At around age 40, most women lose about a third of a pound of muscle each year and gain at least that much body fat. They also lose smaller amounts of bone. This evolution speeds up at perimenopause and during early menopause, when a woman may lose five pounds of muscle in just five years. You can avoid this by doing muscle-building exercise such as strength training and eating a low-fat diet high in whole grains, fish, fruits, and vegetables.

Another tip for losing weight is to drink water before and between meals to keep yourself hydrated and feeling full. This way you'll avoid misinterpreting dehydration signals as hunger pangs.

Remember: The prime factor in determining metabolic rate is the amount of lean tissue in the body. The more lean tissue you've got, the thinner you are and the higher your metabolic rate. Note that research shows that you can increase metabolic rate by 15 percent or more by doing strength training, building muscle, and becoming more active in everyday life.

Carve out time in the day for renewing yourself by setting the alarm a little earlier and starting out the day with a relaxing meditation, which can effect substantial mind/body changes in just five to ten minutes.

Scientists have proven that meditation may decrease blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing rate, while slowing down brain waves and promoting deep relaxation. Here are three clinically proven, health-enhancing meditations:

Breath Meditation: Take slow, deep breaths until you feel you've reached a comfortable rhythm, usually for five to ten minutes. Focus your mind and body on each part of the breath, from inhale to exhale to the pauses between each inhale and exhale. Become aware of the rhythm of your breathing. If your mind wanders, simply bring it back gently. Hint: you can do breath meditation while walking, doing the dishes, stuck in traffic, or on the bus. The oxygen that it pumps through your body will refresh you all over.

Mantra Meditation: A mantra is an ancient word meaning prayer. Breath meditation can be combined with the action of internally repeating a sound (om), a word (quiet), a sentence (I am feeling peaceful), or a prayer in rhythm with your inhaling or exhaling breath. If your mind wanders while saying yours, just take another breath and start all over again. Do this for five to ten minutes at first and see if you can work your way up to 30 minutes.

Visualization Meditation: If you respond more to visual stimuli than verbal cues, try picking an image that makes you feel calm, safe, or loved. For example, a blue sky with clouds, a childhood home, a forest, a family member, or a pet. As you visualize this special image, be there with it in your mind. Use your sense of smell, sound, taste, and touch. Do this for five to ten minutes.

Feeling serene in today's multi-tasking world may be as easy as wearing a scent that pleases you. Research shows that good smells are good for mind/body health. When the brain perceives a pleasing or calming aroma, it broadcasts positive sense signals throughout the body via the autonomic nervous system. These signals may positively influence heartbeat and blood circulation and help balance hormone and immune functions.

At New York's Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, studies found that patients under high stress conditions, such as those undergoing claustrophobic MRI scans, experience calming physiological changes (including lowered blood pressure) after breathing soothing aromas. Research conducted at Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation has also found that lavender, rose and jasmine can calm minds and bodies to varying degrees.

So breathe in an uplifting scent and you'll inspire your body to maintain peak health and renewed spirits. Men and women can spray on a calming citrus scent before going to work during the day. Women can apply a soothing lavender or rose-based scent before going out at night or going to bed. Try using an essential oil room infuser to fill your bedroom with calming scents that may bring on restful sleep.

Answer: Skin health and beauty depend not only on nourishing skin, but also on eating and sleeping well, drinking lots of water, and exercising frequently. Some skin care pointers:

• All skin types: Use a daytime moisturizer with SPF 15 or more.
• Combination skin: Follow a moisturizing cleanser and toner with a rich daytime cream. Daily exfoliation may prove irritating. Use deep moisturizer at night. To revive skin: try a moisturizing mask--a quick treatment to make your face look great.
• Oily skin: Cleanse, tone, and moisturize when and where needed. There are many excellent moisturizers for oily skin. Use exfoliating scrubs once a week; try a face mask for deep cleansing. Remember to moisturize at night.
• Normal skin: Try daily cleansing, toning, and moisturizing. Exfoliate with a good face scrub weekly; keep your face looking smooth and firm with nighttime cream or lotion.
• Dry skin: Can't find products that work? Consider seeing a dermatologist for special attention, or for help with any new skin problems that persist for more than two weeks.
• Care for your hands with frequent use of hand lotion during the day and cream at night. For feet, rub in foot or body lotion after bathing.

Having a sensually pleasing work or home environment can feed your senses, calm you down, and make you feel so much more alive.

If you work, put a colorful calendar, photograph, or art print on your desk or office walls. Change your wall art to reflect seasonal changes. Lift your spirits by keeping a little dish of rose-scented potpourri on your desk or file cabinet. If you're lucky enough to have a window office, move your desk so you face out the window.

Some ideas for creating a pleasing home environment include:

• Buy a few stems of fresh flowers once a week and place them in the rooms where you spend the most time.
• Make a centerpiece for your kitchen table out of fresh seasonal fruits and snack on that rather than processed food,
• Repaint your bedroom in the most soothing shade you can find.
• Burn aromatic candles to relax or uplift your mood.
• Buy or make some velvety soft lounging pillows for the couch or bed.
• Keep the radio tuned to a classical music station during the day so you're greeted by beautiful, soothing music when you get home.
• Listen to tapes of songbirds or ocean surf while you do housework.