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Holding the approval of FDA in 1997 for the treatment of men baldness, Propecia was known before as a prostate cancer drug. With just about 30-65% of the man taking it orally show good result in hair improvement, the effectiveness of this drug is still a question for those with hair loss problem. It is most effective in the crown area, although Propecia has also proven to be effective in re stimulating hair growth around the hairline. In 2006, Merck’s patent on Propecia expired, allowing other companies such as Cipla and Ranbaxy to market generic versions of the drug with no infringement repercussions.

Some of the offshoot, generic brands of Propecia (Finasteride) are Finax Finasteride, Fincar Finasteride, and Prosteride. After the patent expired, these medications were sold around the world in 5 milligram doses.

The fact that the patent has expired has opened up doors for other drug companies other than Merck, to market finasteride in 5 milligram tablets as a treatment for male pattern baldness.

Of course, with or without a patent, Propecia and its duplicates do have side effects. The active ingredient in Propecia is of course Finasteride. Finasteride has been proven to cause birth defects in women with unborn babies, even if not ingested. All a woman has to do to get finasteride into her system is to handle to the crumbs from crushed tablets, and it gets into the blood. It can also be transferred through breast milk, and finasteride certainly is not healthy for infants.

Men and women may be equals in many ways, but there is no mistaking that they are biologically different and that they have different needs to keep their bodies working at their peak. Women face different health challenges than men and may deal with other diseases in different ways. Some of the most common conditions that can face both men and women include: cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, diabetes and obesity. Of these conditions, obesity may have the most impact on overall health as it can cause or worsen the effects of the other conditions.

What Are the Differences in Nutritional Needs for Men and Women?

Everybody needs the three macronutrients, carbohydrates, fats and proteins in their diet, as well as the many micronutrients that they get from healthy and well balanced diets. However, men and women need differing amounts, as do adult women and girls. Every stage in a woman’s life gives her different health challenges and different nutritional needs. For adults:

Calcium:

- Women under 50 need 1000 mg per day

- Over 50 need 1200 mg per day

- Men need 800 mg, the amount in about three servings of dairy (too much calcium can lead to prostate cancer in men)

Iron:

- Women under 50 need 18 mg per day

- Women over 50 need 8 mg per day

- Men need 8 mg per day

Omega 3 Fatty Acids:

No established nutritional needs or guidelines for amount however, men should only get Omega 3s from marine based sources because of the threat of prostate cancer from other sources.

Protein:

Need based on height, weight and activity level for both men and women.

Fiber:

- Women under 50 need 25grams per day

- Women over 50 need 21 grams per day

- Men under 50 need 38 grams per day

- Men over 50 need 30 grams per day

Why Women Need Protein

Protein plays a major role in the human body, actually being necessary to every cell and every process that it accomplishes every day. Protein is the hardest of the macronutrients to digest, keeping the body full for longer and is needed for building lean muscle mass. In addition to this process, the body needs protein to heal during injury or illness as well as to keep the immune system strong and healthy. Protein also plays a role in sleep, digestion and ovulation.

There is a debate about protein in relation to osteoporosis. The common misconception is that too much protein in the average diet can leach too much calcium from the system and lead to or exacerbate osteoporosis, especially in those who are susceptible to the condition. The theory states that protein increases the amount of liquid waste created in the kidneys which is then flushed out through the bladder, including the calcium that the body needs. Because many women are not getting enough calcium to begin with, this increased amount will create a harmful deficit.

It is now thought that women who are getting enough calcium in their diet are not adversely affected by protein intake and that they would benefit from a slightly increased protein amount. In addition, these women would also benefit from some weight bearing exercise before their body starts showing the effects of osteoporosis.

Other Benefits of Protein for Women

Protein, especially soy protein, has been shown to have many benefits for women that are related to relieving the symptoms of menopause including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bone loss, kidney and gallstone diseases and other. The proteins are also shown to reduce the risk of developing certain cancers and diabetes, increases the control of previously existing diabetes and improves the overall cholesterol profile.

Miso, a fermented soy bean paste has also been shown to decrease the risk and incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women with those consuming three or more bowls of miso soup daily having a 40% decrease in breast cancer risk.

The Right Amount of Protein, Regardless

All women should have several health tests done at the recommended intervals in their life to monitor and watch for certain diseases and conditions. In addition, women should have a consultation with a nutritionist or dietician to define the right number of calories for them and to further define the right diet that they should follow including the right number of carbohydrates, proteins and fat every day.

A woman’s protein needs changes during her lifetime including her youth, pregnancy, and during her senior years. An active, athletic woman will automatically have a higher protein need than a sedentary woman. A pregnant or lactating woman will have a higher protein need than one who is not pregnant. Women who are recovering from illness, surgery or injury will have a higher protein need than a healthy woman in her age group. Protein need is very individual and is determined by life stage, weight and activity level.

The Right Type of Protein for Women

In addition to having the right amount of protein in the diet, it is important to have the right type of protein in the diet as well. Protein can come from either plant or animal sources. Animal proteins, including eggs and dairy are complete proteins because they have all nine essential amino acids (amino acids that the body cannot create on its own and must have supplied) while plant proteins are not complete.

Soy protein is the exception to this rule. In addition to dietary protein sources, there are a number of protein supplements which can be beneficial to a woman’s diet for a wide variety of reasons. Whey protein, for instance can be useful for keeping blood pressure and cholesterol within normal limits.

Women and Protein: A Case Study

Linda, age 55, is entering menopause. She is a small framed Asian woman, putting her at increased risk for osteoporosis so she is afraid of the information that she is reading about protein and that condition. She is not eating very well because of this fear and becomes very ill. In addition, she is miserable dealing with the menopause. She goes to her doctor and admits that she is not eating and that she is afraid. The doctor sends her to a nutritionist and also sends her to the lab for blood work and a Dexa scan (a test for osteoporosis that will measure her current bone density). Linda is borderline in the testing, meaning she will start medication for osteoporosis. She is prompted to start taking a calcium supplement as well as increasing the amount that she is getting in her diet. She is also told to increase the amount of protein in her diet which will help her stay active and will also help her ease the symptoms of menopause as well.

Biological make-up and different character traits spell the difference between men and women. As although men tend to have more physical endurance and capacity than women, men have the tendency to neglect their bodies and consequently, their health. The male-female life expectancy gap may have decreased, but it is still a fact that men need to pay more attention to their health. Men are often at a disadvantage in some respects regarding health issues. Men are more inclined to smoke and drink than women. They tend to be more prone to work related stress as they often define themselves by their careers.

Men’s health issues are a global concern, and with the male to female ratio of 1:10, the male population is apparently lagging behind. Issues such as heart diseases, STD, erectile dysfunction, obesity, diabetes, prostate and colon cancer to name a few are rising to an alarming rate as men are becoming negligent of their health and are oftentimes more reluctant to seek medical advice. One of the common men’s health issues is prostate cancer. This disease is a common word of mouth among men as it is becoming prevalent. Studies have once concluded that lean men are more inclined to develop prostate cancer than obese men.

But recent researches found the contrary as it was later discovered that obesity can increase the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is harder to detect in the initial stages among obese men until the disease becomes chronic and combative measures may be inefficient in the end. The best recourse for prostate cancer is still prevention entailed by an obliging diet and a healthy lifestyle. STD’s and HIV/AIDS are also two of the most alarming men’s health issues. As some men tend to have multiple sexual partners without the use of condoms, men are generally at risk for sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis and HIV/AIDS.

Men’s health issues on STDs are becoming a major concern with the HIV/AIDS-afflicted percentage on the rise. Obesity is also one of the widespread. Generally preoccupied with work and wedged to a sedentary lifestyle aggravated by smoking and drinking, men are also prone to obesity. As obesity consequently leads to other inauspicious health conditions such as heart diseases and diabetes, obesity is one of the men’s health issues that should not be neglected. Posing men at a higher risk for heart failure, preventive and combative means must be undertaken for obesity. Erectile dysfunction is also one of the most covered men’s health issues.

Also known as impotence, erectile dysfunction can cause so much frustration not only in sexual performance but in procreation as well. Erectile dysfunction as one of the men’s health issues may have physiological or psychological causes or can be a manifestation of other health conditions such as diabetes. With the social and cultural expectation of men being breadwinners and having complete responsibility over their families as well as keeping up with expectations for masculinity, men are more prone to stress and to engage in unhealthy lifestyles. Men’s health issues are concerns that men themselves should have the initiative to pay attention to.

With the significant imbalance on male-female ratio, it is no doubt that men’s health issues are becoming a major concern. Men’s health issues should be addressed to so as not to further deplete the male population. We all take measures to preserve diminishing flora and fauna. What more of the male species of the human race?

Men’s Health To Best Life The best way to gain men’s health to best life fitness is to exercise and get check ups on a regular basis. It is surprising to see the figures for men who don’t make regular visits to the doctor.

Men’s health issues will arise and if not looked at there is a definite chance that a serious problem can be overlooked. 1-5 men will get prostate cancer, yet few men actually get a regular check up and thus only know there is a problem once this men’s health issue has gotten to a critical stage. This is not the way to men’s health to best life secrets.

One of the best things a man can do for himself is to watch what he eats and get enough exercise. These two simple, yet hard to do, items are the corner stone to men’s health and staying fit. Of course, there is the problem of work and being too tired to exercise, but do you need to have a wake up call with a serious men’s health risk to get your butt moving?

Here are a few tips to men’s health to best life practices that you can employ now.

1. Eat smaller meals throughout the day. This will help keep your metabolism high and will burn more fat, while keeping your energy up all day long.

2. By having a simple exercise routine to supplement your healthy lifestyle, you will lose weight faster, build more muscle, have more energy for more of the other activities you want to do in the day, and you will be gaining a cornerstone of men’s health to best life practices.

3. Take one meal to cheat and have a beer and pizza, or whatever foods you love. Statistics have shown that those who allow themselves some of the foods they want will stick with a diet. Just make sure you have this cheat meal only once a week.

To learn more please visit The Healthy Blogger [http://www.thehealthyblogger.blogspot.com] to find out more about how to improve your health.

Prostate cancer, one of the most common forms of cancer in men, is not widely talked about in male circles. Yet, statistics have shown that one in six men should expect this diagnosis. This slow growing disease and today’s treatments ensure that only a few may die from it. Of course, the more you know about the disease the better the chance of being one of the few to prevention and fighting it if necessary. High risk category patients will be those who have a family history or are currently experiencing symptoms, but regular examination can spot the cancer early by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigens in the blood. Using the most effective means of testing is the digital rectal exam where the doctor inserts a finger into the rectum and manually checks for abnormalities on the prostate. As uncomfortable as this may seem, priority will encourage you to seek regular testing the catch the cancer early to increase the chances of experiencing the effects of prostate cancer, which are much more uncomfortable than the examination.

Prostate cancer in its most common form develops in the glandular cells, typically very slowly with the possibility to spread to areas surrounding the prostate and continuing to attack the lymph nodes, lings, liver, and possibly other organs if not quickly diagnosed and treated. The prostate gland is walnut sized in the front of the rectum and below the bladder and produces the fluid that protects and supply nourishment to the sperm cells. The scary part about prostate cancer (and many other types of cancer as well) is that the signs are not always immediately noticeable. You may have the disease for months before it grows big enough to become noticeable, and by then it may be too late. Therefore if you have even the slightest suspicion of a tumor, you should get an examination just to be doubly sure.

While the risks of prostate cancer increases with age it is also more likely to occur in black men rather than white and Hispanic men; and occurrences appear to be extremely low in Asian men. The reason for this is still unknown but at any rate, family history plays a big factor and can double your risks of actually contracting prostate cancer. Many cases of prostate cancer are symptom free with minor notification like difficulty in urination, hip and /or back pain, burning during urination, or just a weak stream of urine, or pain during ejaculation. The encouragement to see a doctor if you experience these symptoms won’t be necessary as most men will immediately seek medical attention if these symptoms occur. Detection of the cancer is priority one, and if detected the doctor will then grade the cancer stage from 1 to 5 depending on the amount and presence of the number of cancerous cells as compared to the amount of abnormal cells. A determination of the aggressiveness of the cancer is then evaluated to produce what is called a Gleason score. The higher the score the more aggressive the cancer.

There is high hope of cure if detected and treated early. Treatments include the watch and wait approach which, as the name implies, monitors the progression for slow growing cancerous cells. Radiation treatments that can be linked to impotence, Radical prostatectomy where the prostate gland is removed, Chemotherapy drugs used for advanced stages, or hormone therapy which can slow the progression and manage the disease. The main point is to seek immediate care if you think that you may be experiencing problems and not to let the examination scare you out of your chances for survival. Take care of your body, particularly as you enter the older stages of your life. Being cautious leads to longevity and happiness, and prostate cancer is certainly something that you need to be cautious about. For further reading, check out a book from your library, or ask for literature from your doctor.