Your perfect scenario has happened to me - the HA dream manifested itself upon me

[gsjackson]

Benefit is no depletion of sexual energy due to ejaculation. As for prostate, I get PSA tests yearly and they are always extremely low, other than 10 years ago when I had just taken a long bicycle tour using a normal saddle (Brooks). I switched to a better bicycle saddle (Selle SMP model Lite 209 or Avant or TRK Medium) and PSA problem disappeared. Sexual Kung Fu is the Chinese Taoist term but Indian Tantra has equivalent techniques. And these sexual techniques have been independently discovered elsewhere many times in human history.

You and Yick both stay in shape so I'm not sure why you both seem resigned to a life of "nappies" and decrepitude when you're in your 70s and 80s. Lots of people manage to stay independent and pretty frisky well into the later years. Typically, they're people who have spent as little time as possible with doctors and the "health care" system and maintain good health habits.

Re the psa test, 25 years ago I asked a doctor friend who has somewhat contrarian views on the medical system whether I should get it. He said he wouldn't. Said there are lots of false positives resulting from that test. When that happens they always do a biopsy, and after that procedure you really do have problems, regardless of the outcome.

I've opted out of their entire testing regime -- psa's colonoscopies, etc. -- and stay well away from the system unless something goes wrong that seems within their very narrow wheelhouse. That's usually not anything internal. Turning 74 next month and never having worried much about medical stuff or paid for it seems in retrospect like the right move, even if I cash in my chips tomorrow. You guys have taken care of your bodies, and probably your minds as well, given that you both seem to be as honest as you know how to be, so trust them to steer you through old age on a steady course. This is a good age if you can manage to hang onto your health.

[MrMan]

Curious about Shemp's practice of not 'finishing up', and whether that increases performance or frequency for older men. I don't know that it would make the stuff down below work better. Prostate problems are a common problem for old men, and isn't that the very sort of thing that would swell it up? I'm not to a point where its an issue for frequency or function. I just wonder what the real benefits are from it, from a western medical perspective. Sounds like some eastern medicine or pseudo-spirituality practice.

Benefit is no depletion of sexual energy due to ejaculation. As for prostate, I get PSA tests yearly and they are always extremely low, other than 10 years ago when I had just taken a long bicycle tour using a normal saddle (Brooks). I switched to a better bicycle saddle (Selle SMP model Lite 209 or Avant or TRK Medium) and PSA problem disappeared. Sexual Kung Fu is the Chinese Taoist term but Indian Tantra has equivalent techniques. And these sexual techniques have been independently discovered elsewhere many times in human history.

I'm not a believer in Chinese medicine or Indian traditional practices. They could have some remedies that work. I had a Chinese Singaporean friend who insisted that the Chinese medicine treatment for his asthma was five live baby rats. Either he didn't believe in it, or it wasn't worth it to him to eat baby rats.

I suppose ejaculating could 'deplete' us of zinc and minerals. But like with sweat, urine, and even blood from an injury, you can eat to replenish whatever you lost. Ejaculations are supposed to be good for the prostate. There was a study that showed that 21 of them a month during certain prime reproductive ears of life predicted prostate issues later one. That's about one a night when a woman is off her period. That sounds about right.

Does having sex without ejaculation make erections better or more likely to occur in old age? If that's the case, that could be a useful addition to the bag of tricks if the wife was wanting more than her husband could dish out. I can't recall ever having an issue with it. But depriving myself sounds like torture, and probably not good for the prostrate if done too much.

[MrMan]

Benefit is no depletion of sexual energy due to ejaculation. As for prostate, I get PSA tests yearly and they are always extremely low, other than 10 years ago when I had just taken a long bicycle tour using a normal saddle (Brooks). I switched to a better bicycle saddle (Selle SMP model Lite 209 or Avant or TRK Medium) and PSA problem disappeared. Sexual Kung Fu is the Chinese Taoist term but Indian Tantra has equivalent techniques. And these sexual techniques have been independently discovered elsewhere many times in human history.

You and Yick both stay in shape so I'm not sure why you both seem resigned to a life of "nappies" and decrepitude when you're in your 70s and 80s. Lots of people manage to stay independent and pretty frisky well into the later years. Typically, they're people who have spent as little time as possible with doctors and the "health care" system and maintain good health habits.

Re the psa test, 25 years ago I asked a doctor friend who has somewhat contrarian views on the medical system whether I should get it. He said he wouldn't. Said there are lots of false positives resulting from that test. When that happens they always do a biopsy, and after that procedure you really do have problems, regardless of the outcome.

I've opted out of their entire testing regime -- psa's colonoscopies, etc. -- and stay well away from the system unless something goes wrong that seems within their very narrow wheelhouse. That's usually not anything internal. Turning 74 next month and never having worried much about medical stuff or paid for it seems in retrospect like the right move, even if I cash in my chips tomorrow. You guys have taken care of your bodies, and probably your minds as well, given that you both seem to be as honest as you know how to be, so trust them to steer you through old age on a steady course. This is a good age if you can manage to hang onto your health.

As we age, his could turn into a geezerly medical discussion forum. I remember Contrarian Expat talking about how taking testosterone left a man ready to perform any time, in an almost braggadocious manner. I remember thinking I am ready to perform any time already. But in my 50's, i don't know what's around the corner.

My dad is in his 80s and he determined not to be one of those old people who takes a bunch of medicines to counteract the effects of other medicines. He takes one thyroid pill. The downside is he refused to get a cancer cut off his arm, not a big deal either, because he thinks the doctor just wants the money. He seems pretty healthy and energetic for a man in his mid 80s.

I ought to ask him if he did the colonoscopy routine. They were trying to sell me and my wife on it. Our health care provider was telling us what a great colonoscopy she had. They injected her and she woke up like nothing had happened. I'm thinking of skipping the colonoscopy and finger up the butt thing, too. But if they did a colonoscopy, maybe they could check the prostate at the same time, so I wouldn't be aware of it. Different specialties, though.

[Shemp]

Re the psa test, 25 years ago I asked a doctor friend who has somewhat contrarian views on the medical system whether I should get it. He said he wouldn't. Said there are lots of false positives resulting from that test. When that happens they always do a biopsy, and after that procedure you really do have problems, regardless of the outcome.

The problem here is the biopsy, not the PSA test. I gave an example of correct use of elevated PSA test in my OP: namely, investigate causes of elevated PSA, then identify bicycle saddle as possible cause, change the saddle. I also had low testosterone at one time. Again, instead of rushing off to get pumped full of testosterone injections like most idiots my age, I made various changes to my diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors, which fixed the problem at its root. My last testosterone test was 26.6 nmol/L = 767 ng/dL, which is good at any age and excellent at age 63.

So these tests can be very useful as early warnings of underlying problems that are not otherwise evident. It's up to the test taker to use the information properly. All my tests are self prescribed. Just walk into a lab in Europe (Serbia this last time) and tell them what I want tested. I haven't seen a doctor since my vasectomy and no doctor other than that for over 40 years.

[yick]

Benefit is no depletion of sexual energy due to ejaculation. As for prostate, I get PSA tests yearly and they are always extremely low, other than 10 years ago when I had just taken a long bicycle tour using a normal saddle (Brooks). I switched to a better bicycle saddle (Selle SMP model Lite 209 or Avant or TRK Medium) and PSA problem disappeared. Sexual Kung Fu is the Chinese Taoist term but Indian Tantra has equivalent techniques. And these sexual techniques have been independently discovered elsewhere many times in human history.

You and Yick both stay in shape so I'm not sure why you both seem resigned to a life of "nappies" and decrepitude when you're in your 70s and 80s. Lots of people manage to stay independent and pretty frisky well into the later years. Typically, they're people who have spent as little time as possible with doctors and the "health care" system and maintain good health habits.

Re the psa test, 25 years ago I asked a doctor friend who has somewhat contrarian views on the medical system whether I should get it. He said he wouldn't. Said there are lots of false positives resulting from that test. When that happens they always do a biopsy, and after that procedure you really do have problems, regardless of the outcome.

I've opted out of their entire testing regime -- psa's colonoscopies, etc. -- and stay well away from the system unless something goes wrong that seems within their very narrow wheelhouse. That's usually not anything internal. Turning 74 next month and never having worried much about medical stuff or paid for it seems in retrospect like the right move, even if I cash in my chips tomorrow. You guys have taken care of your bodies, and probably your minds as well, given that you both seem to be as honest as you know how to be, so trust them to steer you through old age on a steady course. This is a good age if you can manage to hang onto your health.

Life is a bit of a crapshoot though, my mum passed at 79 from lung cancer and she never smoked or drank, maybe hereditary, I don't know but though I don't do any of those things either, nothing can be guaranteed. I am pain free at the moment at 52 and I still train hard or as hard as I have ever done - can't do it every day like I used to but I can imagine being mobile and mentally healthy in my seventies but that is the decade where it gets 'touch and go' I am hoping to live for as long as I can but who the hell knows if I can make it until my 80's - even Prince Charles will need permission from God to see 80.

[yick]

Re the psa test, 25 years ago I asked a doctor friend who has somewhat contrarian views on the medical system whether I should get it. He said he wouldn't. Said there are lots of false positives resulting from that test. When that happens they always do a biopsy, and after that procedure you really do have problems, regardless of the outcome.

The problem here is the biopsy, not the PSA test. I gave an example of correct use of elevated PSA test in my OP: namely, investigate causes of elevated PSA, then identify bicycle saddle as possible cause, change the saddle. I also had low testosterone at one time. Again, instead of rushing off to get pumped full of testosterone injections like most idiots my age, I made various changes to my diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors, which fixed the problem at its root. My last testosterone test was 26.6 nmol/L = 767 ng/dL, which is good at any age and excellent at age 63.

So these tests can be very useful as early warnings of underlying problems that are not otherwise evident. It's up to the test taker to use the information properly. All my tests are self prescribed. Just walk into a lab in Europe (Serbia this last time) and tell them what I want tested. I haven't seen a doctor since my vasectomy and no doctor other than that for over 40 years.

What was the diet to get your testosterone up, Frank? I am eating more protein than ever, 150-200 grams most days. I don't know if it is that helps with testosterone levels.

[Shemp]

@yick: I'm not sure it was diet. I made changes in all of diet, exercise and lifestyle.

As for diet, I currently eat Mediterranean style. Today was 600g bread (about 45g protein), 300g can of mackerel in tomato sauce (about 50g protein, the rest liquids or fat), 500g yogurt (15g protein), 85g dark chocolate (10g protein), maybe 120g peanuts (30g protein), 2 green peppers and an apple. So about 150g protein. I am hiking 25km today (in Bulgaria), so eating more bread and peanuts than if sedentary.

Very important change is to eat all of my food in one midday meal if sedentary or one morning and one midday meal if hiking (aka intermittent fasting because most of day is fasting). Plus i do a 7 day water fast each year, which has many benefits: strengthens immune system, kills off cancer cells, etc.

I also started taking a vitamin pill because I read food nowadays is lacking zinc and boron, among other minerals. And I began to get more sun and confirm my vitamin D is okay with my annual blood test. And I donate blood every year or so to reduce ferritin level to the minimum acceptable level, also checked with blood test.

Morning exercise is a few minutes calisthenics (pushups, pullups, side and upward facing planks, plus 100 squat jumps and 1 minute running in place on days when not hiking or bicycle touring) then 20 minutes yoga. Hiking with a backpack is additional exercise, of course.

Lifestyle change would include making sure to get plenty of sleep.

Another lifestyle change might be resuming my sex life, because that low testosterone coincided with a long dry spell. Not sure which is cause and which is effect here, however.

I also go easier on the hiking and bicycle touring than previously. No more stressing myself out with very long days. Too much stress is very bad for testosterone.

[MrMan]

@yick: I'm not sure it was diet. I made changes in all of diet, exercise and lifestyle.

As for diet, I currently eat Mediterranean style. Today was 600g bread (about 45g protein), 300g can of mackerel in tomato sauce (about 50g protein, the rest liquids or fat), 500g yogurt (15g protein), 85g dark chocolate (10g protein), maybe 120g peanuts (30g protein), 2 green peppers and an apple. So about 150g protein. I am hiking 25km today (in Bulgaria), so eating more bread and peanuts than if sedentary.

I am interested in keeping testosterone high as I age. What about this diet is good for testosterone? Is it the dark chocolate, the fish, and the pepper. I've read fatty acids on lists of testosterone boosting foods. If it were me, I'd definitely go with something besides macherel.... of all the fish.... But I digress. I've read that the runny yolks of eggs are similar to testosterone and easily converted. Avacados are supposed to be good. Fenugreek and ashwaganda are supposed to discourage production of cortisol, a stress hormone that works against production of testosterone (or something like that.)

Very important change is to eat all of my food in one midday meal if sedentary or one morning and one midday meal if hiking (aka intermittent fasting because most of day is fasting). Plus i do a 7 day water fast each year, which has many benefits: strengthens immune system, kills off cancer cells, etc.

I heard that about fasting and cancer. The intermittent fasting thing is supposed to be good for the waistline. Is your approach here that body fat is bad for testosterone? (Just considering the angle you are taking since this was about testosterone.)