SWLA Center <strong>of</strong> Hope for Men's Health By Mark Wayne Allen www.markwayneallen.com A cycle <strong>of</strong> life is a natural thing. Women have a monthly cycle and, GUESS WHAT, so do men. First, allow me to digress a moment. I think we all realize that as we arrive at puberty, boys and girls go through hormonal changes. In males, testosterone increases and signals the life changes necessary for us to become reproduction-capable men. But, men also have daily cycles. Testosterone is at its peak in early morning, drops, and then fluctuates throughout the rest <strong>of</strong> the day, as many as four or five times per day. <strong>The</strong>re is a monthly cycle to these fluctuations also, but they are unpredictable and unique to each man. <strong>The</strong>se lows and highs can result in irritability. Mood changes can become severe. <strong>The</strong>y can lead to aggression and domestic violence can be a result. On the opposite end is a lowered sense <strong>of</strong> self worth, depression, and all that that entails. <strong>The</strong> testosterone level also affects the energy level in men. A low level has the effect <strong>of</strong> making men feel tired and listless while a high level does the opposite. <strong>The</strong> more overweight a man is, the lower his testosterone level is likely to be because fat cells are by far more active in converting testosterone into estrogen. By the way, if men lose weight, their body will convert the estrogen back into testosterone on an as needed basis. Stress can make testosterone levels drop. This can be anything from paying the bills to job problems. Medication, prescription, herbal, or otherwise, can affect testosterone levels in men resulting in the mood swings. Medicine.net defines Irritable Male Syndrome (IMS) as a state <strong>of</strong> hypersensitivity, frustration, anxiety, and anger that occurs in males and is associated with biochemical changes, hormonal fluctuations, stress, and loss <strong>of</strong> male identity. IMS was first thought to affect only males 45 or older because <strong>of</strong> andropause (a male version <strong>of</strong> menopause). As males age, their testosterone level begins to drop naturally, but due to the discovery <strong>of</strong> testosterone fluctuations throughout the life <strong>of</strong> males, the term has been broadened. Speaking as a fifty-yearold-male, I can tell you that I've learned to recognize my monthly cycle. My wife may not think I go through these changes, but nevertheless, I have them. I also have Low-T caused by an underactive prostate. <strong>The</strong> condition is controlled by medication. If someone you know has been having mood swings or energy problems, please encourage them to see their doctor. By Lt. Richard Watts Since 1904, <strong>The</strong> Salvation Army <strong>of</strong> <strong>Southwest</strong> <strong>Louisiana</strong> has been changing lives and striving to make our community a better place to live. This past year alone we helped over 50,000 in our fiveparish area. One <strong>of</strong> the main sources <strong>of</strong> service is through our 36-bed men’s shelter, the Center <strong>of</strong> Hope. This facility is the beginning <strong>of</strong> a path to truly healthy life. For many <strong>of</strong> the men that come to the Center <strong>of</strong> Hope, the first step to healthy living is sobriety. Whether it be alcohol or the myriad <strong>of</strong> available drugs, legal or illegal, one <strong>of</strong> our main goals is to help our clients stay clean. Each person is required to pass a breathalyzer once they come on property and be subject to random drug screens. We also encourage the men to attend regular AA meetings, where they get the support they need to maintain their sobriety. <strong>The</strong>se men are now given the creature comforts many <strong>of</strong> us take for granted: a hot shower, food, and sleep. <strong>The</strong>se provide them just a small taste <strong>of</strong> normal as we help these men get back on their feet. Our shelter provides two meals Monday through Saturday and all three meals on Sunday. <strong>The</strong>se meals are also open to the public; last year we provided almost 30,000 meals. Upon acceptance into the 90-day program, our staff work with the men to develop personal goals and the steps necessary to achieve them. <strong>The</strong>y are required to find steady employment, create and maintain a budget, and establish a savings account. We help with these basic life skills so that, upon completion <strong>of</strong> the program, these men are self-sufficient, able to successfully live independently. <strong>The</strong> bedrock <strong>of</strong> all that we do is our faith. As our mission statement says, our ministry is motivated by the love <strong>of</strong> God and we strive to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. At the heart <strong>of</strong> all <strong>of</strong> this is restoring a sense <strong>of</strong> hope, the hope that tomorrow will be better. William Booth, our founder, once said, “<strong>The</strong> Salvation Army is a place <strong>of</strong> hope. When every other light is extinguished, and every other star has gone down, this one gleam shines steadily and clearly in the darkened sky.” FIGHT LUNG CANCER T HE WORL D WIL L SE E YOU DIFFE RENTL Y. 7:00am Event Registration • 7:50am Opening Rally Funds go to support the <strong>Louisiana</strong> Hope Grant 5K RUN/WALK 1-MILE WALK|4.9.16 Lake Charles Civic Center freetobreathe.org/swlouisiana #freetobreathe Lt. Richard Watts <strong>The</strong> Salvation Army 3020 Legion Street PO Box 17166 Lake Charles, LA 70616 337-721-8068 For information they can call us or they can check our website: http://salvationarmyalm.org/ lakecharles/; or they can look us up on Facebook: facebook. com/LakeCharlesCorps. APRIL 2016 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM Volume 3 • Number 9 Volume 3 • Number 9 WWW.THEVOICEOFSOUTHWESTLA.COM APRIL 2016