Today I wanted to talk a little bit about hypogonadism in men. This is a clinical condition in which low levels of serum testosterone are found in association with specific signs and symptoms including diminished libido, fatigue, erectile dysfunction, depression, irritability, decreased muscle and bone mass, and anemia.

Common causes of hypogonadism are natural aging, chronic illnesses such Type 2 diabetes or HIV, congenital disorders such as Kleinfelter's Syndrome, mumps and other viruses, as well as trauma to the hypothalamus, pituitary, or the testes.

The prevalence of hypogonadism is more than you might think. Hypogonadism increases with age. Age-associated Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) levels reduce bioavailable testosterone. As mentioned above, the prevalence is also higher in Type 2 diabetics.

A doctor's challenge is looking for these subtle, but common symptoms. It is important for the doctor to recognize that hypogonadism can cause confusing overlap with other conditions associated with sexual dysfunction, most notably, depression.

If you think you have hypogonadism, ask your doc to check your free testosterone. Remember, you want to be fasting for this test in order to get the most accurate results. Obtaining a total testosterone level, FSH, LH, SHBG, or prolactin levels are really not necessary when we are talking about physiologic replacement.

Replacement androgens can overcome the problem of hypogonadism, but should never be used in men with known or suspected cancer of the breast or prostate. All women should avoid skin contact with application sites in men who use gel replacement.

This is just a brief overview of this condition. I invite you to talk to your doctor about this if you have any signs or symptoms mentioned above.

For healthy growth, your nails need proper nutrition. B-vitamins, calcium, folic acid and vitamin C are all very important; since the body needs all of these nutrients to maintain nail health. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
A vitamin-B deficiency, especially biotin, will produce ridges along the bed of the nail. A diet lacking in calcium contributes to dry and brittle nails. Lack of folic acid, a B-vitamin, and vitamin C are partially responsible for the development of hangnails, a painful and bothersome problem. Insufficient essential oils in the diet cause cracking. If you don’t eat enough sources of essential fatty acids in your diet you can supplement with flaxseed oil or evening primrose oil, both of which are great sources of the two essential fatty acids, Omega-3 and Omega-6. Remember: B-vitamins are abundant in organ meats, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. You can find calcium in all dairy foods, as well as dark green leafy vegetables. Citrus fruits are plentiful in vitamin C - try to include these every day. Essential fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as tuna, salmon and sardines, as well as in flax seed oil, nuts, seeds, and tofu.

Hello from Long Island, NY!!! I am out here visiting with Dave and Colette for the Easter Weekend. The flight here was perfect. I arrived around noon and then hit the grocery store with Colette. She picked me up in her fancy little car and we cruised with the top down. The weather was beautiful........sunny with a warm breeze..........so refreshing! WE looked like two hot chicks scooping the loop back in high school...........it was so fun!

It is not hard keeping on the diet with these two. Dave and Colette stock up on only the best salmon, steak, and chicken. Everything is organic. I brought some of my goodies with me, but for the most part I have everything I need.

We have been training as well. Yesterday we did arms at Gold's, and today we did hammies at Dolphin gym. Colette has a nice life here. She has everything she needs. I am so happy for her. Her and Dave have a beautiful house right on the water. I have their two little dogs around my heels all the time who just love to love everyone. They are getting a lot of TLC from me. I love the little girls! Maybe I need to think about getting a little dog to hang around my ankles............unconditional love!

I hope everyone has a wonderfully full Easter. Feel good!

Consider this.............."What we think, we shall get...........whether we want it or not!" If you feel tired, depressed, weak, irritable, lonely, unloved.............you will be just that--tired, depressed, weak, irritable, lonely, unloved. Do you understand? What you think is what you get! And belive this--you will attract it in abundance!

People may ask "How do you do it? How do you stay positive all the time?" My first answer would be to think positive. Say to yourself........"I feel good!" Get up each day saying, "I feel blessed!" Do this and you will be blessed and feel good. You can also Associate yourself with other positive people. It works. I love going to work out in the morning because my workout partner, Mark, is thee most positive person I know. He loves life. He realizes just how perfect he is and he lives it every day. It is so refreshing for me to see him each day. It is like a great cup of coffee!

Try these things and see how great your workouts go, how fun work can be, and notice how everyone responds to you. It is amazing!

A Prayer for Today
God, I am Your child and that means I am destined to live a life of victory. I know that through you, all things are possible

In all my excitement about the start of Holy Week, I failed to mention that my friend, Melissa, got third in her figure show this past weekend in Liberty, Mo. Liberty is located just outside Kansas City. I went with a few other friends and I had a wonderful time. During the afternoon, we walked around the Plaza and enjoyed some sunshine! I took the day off from training, but I brought my meals. I am in precontest mode so it was only natural to bring my own goodies. What a great time I had, though. I was so proud of Melissa. Last year she did not place in the top 10.............this year 3rd! She was very excited as well! I was so glad I could be there to support her! Congrats go out to Melissa Steffen!

It's the talk of the town.......it's the buzz. Aslan is on the move.........Jesus is on the move! The divine son of God is on the move.

This morning at church, I learned that Jesus is on the move! Today is Palm Sunday--the first day of Holy Week. The bible tells us that the intensity and drama is building. The people are gathering from all over to see Jesus on the move. Holly week is given to us because this is our chance.......God is calling each of us to act.......yes, "Act"! Holy week is not just something we do. It is who we are. It is an action--not just a ritual or tradition. It is who we are on Sunday and the whole week through. It is who we are at work, at home, in social circles, and it is who we are in church. God is giving us this week to see what the buzz is all about.

Jesus is on the move. He is telling us to move with him. He says, "Come with me, move with me, have faith in me!" Holy week is all about movement.........purposeful movement. Ask yourself, "Is Jesus on the move in my life?"Do you pour yourself and your love into your friends, family, co-workers, grocery store clerks, etc? Or, do you wonder why things are not going so well for you? Well, maybe that is because you are sitting still! Get on the move! Trust me, you will warm up!

You know, the most important thing to consider about Holy week is that Jesus walked right into His own death. He knew He was going to be killed. So why did He go? You know the answer.......He did it for YOU! He knew what you would need and He put your needs before His own. This is truly honorable, so very loving. And years later, He is still doing it for us. He is giving each of us the gift of eternal life with His father. So, what are you waiting for? Why not get on the move with Jesus.........run with Him! You won't have to ask why your life is so bad. You won't have to ask why nothing goes your way when you gossip about another child of God. Don't be bitter! Don't stand still! Get on the move! Aslan (the Lion........Jesus) is on the move this week. Run with Him! Let Jesus be on the move in you!

Hosanna...............Praise God...............God Save us!

Eating healthy is a lifestyle. A common mistake is that if you burn off calories at the gym, you can eat whatever you want. Some naturally thin people also think they do not have to watch what they eat either. Unfortunately, relying on metabolism to take the place of healthy eating habits completely misses the point of living a healthy lifestyle.

To truly understand the importance of establishing healthy eating habits, you need to ask yourself a very simple question: “Why do humans need to eat?” Simply put, humans need to eat to supply their bodies with nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals) that can supply the body with fuel for energy, aid in tissue growth and repair, and act in various biochemical reactions. As you are well aware, most people eat because they like to eat. When we eat like this, we stuff ourselves with unhealthy choices. This sets ourselves up for unhealthy outcomes........diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure to name a few.

As a bodybuilder or athlete of any kind, you will find that certain foods make you perform better. This goes the same way at work. You focus better and perform much better. In a sense, it is a science, but not rocket science. Your car does not run on greasy french fries and neither do you!

Choose wisely. Eat to grow!

...........God is so good! Yes, He is! Last night, thanks to Buck and Laura Olsen, I was invited to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (www.iowafca.com) annual banquet. Not only was the guest speaker incredibly inspirational, but I had the opportunity to see two of my Spencer High School teachers/coaches inducted into the FCA Hall of Fame. I can remember my attendance to FCA gatherings and these two guys were not only spiritually passionate, but they were passionate about including God in athletics! This was my first real introduction with the Lord. It was not until many, many years later that God is starting to work in my life...........Unfortunately, it was I who had my door closed to Him as He had been knocking the whole time. As I have invited Him into my life recently, He has blessed me in so many ways. Last night was just a small glimpse of His love for me. I reintroduced myself to Andy and Mike, but no introductions were needed as they recognized me right away. It has been years, but God brings people into our lives and for great reasons. They saw the passion I had for life right away. I told them about my becoming a doctor and bodybuilder. I told them about my successful athletic career at Wartburg College. Most importantly, I informed them that recently I have been trying to spread the Good News to my patients each and every day. After a few other introductions, I was asked if I would consider being a "Huddle Leader" in my area. There is no doubt that the Lord is speaking to me--I am seriously considering an upcoming participation in mid July after my show in NYC.

Each of us has dreams and passions planted in us from day one. Expose them and let the light of your heart brighten someone!