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Natural
Testosterone Restoration
Although
Bio-Identical Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy is an awesome
option for a large number of men across the United States, there are
a lot of natural ways to boost Testosterone Production. No matter how
old you are, the tips in this article will benefit you and help you
maximize the benefits of your body's own Testosterone. Whether twenty
or sixty, these tips are all guaranteed to improve your hormone
health.
Why
Consider Natural Methods before Turning to Treatment?
Not
everyone qualifies for therapy. Some men are too young. Other men
have Normal Testosterone Levels but want to do everything they can to
delay Testosterone Deficiency as long as humanly possible. Only men
diagnosed with Low-T are approved for Testosterone Replacement
Therapy, but any man can take steps in his own life to promote a
healthier hormone balance.
Many
Doctors Promote Natural Methods before They Turn to Hormone
Treatments
The
majority of physicians will not prescribe Testosterone without
discussing your lifestyle choices and how they impact your hormone
balance. There are a lot of healthy things that you can do to boost
your natural Testosterone Production, and these methods may delay
your need for Testosterone HRT.
Improving
Personal Habits in Combination with Therapy Yields Profound Rewards
Even if
you decide to utilize Testosterone Patches, Gels, or Injections,
these same steps that improve Testosterone Release still positively
impact your health and amplify the effects of your hormone treatment.
Remember that, although Hormone Replacement Therapy can impact your
life in a positive way even if you don't change any aspect of your
lifestyle, the only way you can really maximize your health and
wellness outcome is to become an active and conscientious participant
in your own life.
That's why
we call ourselves the Conscious Evolution Institute. We recognize
that it is a combination of individual effort and high-quality
medical supplementation that provides the life-changing outcomes that
our patients desire.
In this
article, we will discuss a few things that you can do to encourage
your body to produce more of its own Testosterone.
Get
the Sleep that Your Body Needs
Sleep is
one of the most important aspects of a healthy life, even though we
only partially understand it. Sleep is a period of rest and
rehabilitation that repairs the body after a long day of wear and
tear. If you don't get the sleep that your body so desperately
requires, your hormone balance will suffer significantly as a result.
Two
hormones that poor sleeping habits affect profoundly are Testosterone
and Human Growth Hormone. When you don't get a full night's sleep,
your body doesn't rehabilitate properly, and resources start to get
reallocated as a result. Testosterone Production is one of the first
processes which get diverted.
In one
study, participants were forced to wake up after only four hours of
sleep. Even after a single night of abridged sleep, Testosterone
production dropped significantly. As a direct result of this
relatively minor sleep deprivation, participants produced an average
of twenty percent less Testosterone. Research also shows that Sleep
Apnea can contribute to severe Testosterone Deficiency over time. It
appears that Testosterone Secretion is linked not only to the length
of sleep, but the quality as well.
What
Can I do to Sleep Better?
Choose to
make restful sleep one of the central goals of your life. Take a
weekend to figure out exactly how much sleep that your body needs for
you to fully recuperate. This ranges from person to person, and
changes dependent upon age. Some men need nine hours of sleep per
night, whereas others wake up refreshed after only seven hours of
sleep.
Just
figure out what your body needs, and make every effort to fulfill
that need. Take the time to truly appreciate the importance of good
sleep and the effect that it has upon your health. Sleep is equally
as important as diet and exercise in regard to living a happy,
healthy, and productive life.
If you are
having trouble establishing a healthy sleeping pattern, think about
turning to a therapeutic dose of melatonin about 45 minutes before
bed. Also, limit your nighttime caffeine consumption. It takes eight
hours for caffeine to fully leave your system, so try to avoid
drinking any caffeine in the evening hours preceding your chosen
bedtime.
Another
way to encourage sleep is to eliminate sources of distraction from
the bedroom. In this modern, wired culture, cell phones, televisions,
and laptops make it to where you have the world at your fingertips
even beneath a pile of blankets. Leave the toys in the living room.
By establishing your bedroom solely as a place of rest, you turn your
bedroom into a place of rest and relaxation, rather than a playroom.
If you
still have trouble sleeping well, even after making a valid attempt
at changing your habits, talk to a physician, because there are a
number of options and treatments available that can help you solve
the underlying issues which limit your ability to sleep.
Work
to Maintain a Healthy Muscle-Fat Ratio
Testosterone
Production is significantly affected by the presence of adipose fat.
The more of it there is, the harder it will be for your body to
produce Testosterone effectively. This is because fat cells produce
an enzyme known as aromatase.
Aromatase
has the nasty ability to convert Testosterone directly into Estrogen.
The types of fat cells that produce the highest levels of aromatase
are known as Adipose Fat Cells. The purpose of these cells is
primarily to store excess body fat in case times get tough and meals
get lean. The problem is that in America, most people's problem is
that they eat way too much food, not that they don't eat enough.
Adipose
fat is also the type of fat that creates the aesthetically
displeasing shape associated with obesity. Adipose Fat develops in
the highest concentrations around the core of the body, leading to
the pear shape so often associated with obesity. The stomach lumps
out, and the hips, butt, and thighs grow larger as well. The more fat
stored in these adipose fat cells, the more active that Aromatase
will be both in your cells and in your body at large, causing you to
lose your ability to produce Testosterone in a natural and healthy
way.
A certain
level of Estrogen production is necessary to promote optimal health,
and that level of production is associated with an optimal body fat
percentage. Study after study has shown that Body Fat Percentage is
the strongest indicator of Testosterone Production in younger males,
dominant until Age-Related Decline eventually has a greater impact
late in life.
Testosterone
Deficiency can also be stunted by poor eating habits. Testosterone
Production is bolstered by a healthy body, and if you starve yourself
and don't maintain a healthy bodymass, your Testosterone Production
will suffer. Testosterone is generated from fat, it's just that
excess, pooled adipose fat counteracts the normal production of
Testosterone.
Monounsaturated
fats, saturated fats, and Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids all play a role
in Testosterone production. Transfats and polyunsaturated fats should
be limited as much as possible, because they mostly contribute
negatively to overall health.
What
can I do to correct Testosterone Deficiency caused unhealthy Body Fat?
Eat smart!
If you are obese, talk to a diet specialist, or start taking steps to
change the way you eat. Avoid simple sugars and carbohydrates,
because they provide little in the way of nutrition, but they
contribute to obesity more than any other food that you eat. In
regard to meat, try to stick to lean meats such as chicken and fish
in order to maintain your intake of protein and healthy fats while
minimizing your overall intake of unhealthy forms of fat.
Choose
physical activities that promote healthy cardiovascular health. Start
jogging three to five times a week. Start slow if you'd like, and
build up your tolerance to physical activity over time.
If you are
underweight, start eating more and focus on complex carbohydrates and
proteins which maximize efficient caloric intake while promoting
optimal health. Don't just stuff your face with unhealthy forms of
fat, sugar, and bread, but choose foods that contribute to healthy
nutrition while not putting a strain on your pancreas or
cardiovascular system.
Get
Physically Active
One thing
a lot of people don't realize is that Testosterone Regulation is
controlled by a simple concept: If your brain recognizes that you
need Testosterone, it will work harder to meet the demands of the
body. Nowhere is this more true than in the case of physical
activity. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, then it becomes obvious
to your brain that you don't really need Testosterone.
This is
kind of true in the short term, but your body has no long term
concept of the detrimental effects of Testosterone Deficiency over
time. In addition to this, the brain only recognizes that the body
doesn't need Testosterone to survive, but you will still suffer
because your body won't produce the Testosterone that it needs for
you to have the energy to negotiate positive change or simply enjoy
life.
A
sedentary lifestyle promotes a physiological system designed to stay
in place. It's essentially like physics. A body in motion tends to
stay in motion. A body at rest tends to stay at rest. In order to
convince your brain that you need more Testosterone, you will have to
make the first move and GET ACTIVE.
Although
muscles don't directly produce Testosterone on their own, the signals
sent to the brain and body when you work out encourage the release of
greater levels of Testosterone, as well as Human Growth Hormone.
Exercise convinces your hypothalamus that your body needs more muscle
mass to survive, and it starts sending signals to amplify
Testosterone Production.
What
Can I do To Increase Testosterone with Exercise?
If you
haven't been active in a long time, we suggest taking things slow.
Below are some steps that you can take to increase your Testosterone
Production:
Spend
twenty to thirty minutes per day walking at a healthy and brisk pace.
Walking speeds up your heart rate and can shock your muscles back to
life. Over time, jog or run rather than just walk, if you are
physically capable.
Start to
incorporate light weight training into your weekly routine. Just
performing exercises with low levels of weight can have a very
beneficial effect on your body. We also recommend resistance training
utilizing bands or other tools. If you are unfamiliar with weight
training, we suggest getting the advice of a trainer in your initial
sessions.
If you are
reasonably healthy and just want to maximize your Testosterone
Production:
Focus on
anaerobic exercise and moderate cardio over endurance training.
Remember that Testosterone Production is promoted most effectively by
anaerobic exercise. Incorporate short, frequent sprints into your
runs, for example. Also, put a high emphasis on weight training
rather than endurance-based cardio, focusing on high weights with low
reps.
Get
a Handle on Your Stress
Beyond fat
and poor sleeping habits, there is nothing that contributes to Low-T
like Stress. The number one hormone associated with stress is
Cortisol. We don't intend to completely demonize cortisol, but for
millions of people across America, Cortisol production is not managed
in a healthy way. Cortisol is not only produced as a result of
physical indicators of stress, but by emotional and psychological
sources as well.
The
primary goal of Cortisol is simple. Cortisol encourages physiological
changes meant to help you instantly adapt to short term peaks of
stimuli. It gets your body and mind amped up to make snap decisions.
This change in physiological priority enhances your ability to do a
lot of things, from negotiating a business deal, to dodging a punch
in a fight, to thinking on your feet the first time you talk to a
girl at a bar.
The
problem is that, due to the way we are wired as human beings, we have
a tendency to produce too much cortisol. One of the benefits of our
large and advanced brains is that we are exceptional at managing and
juggling long term goals. The problem with this, is that this
management can cause us long term stress; stress that is essentially
related to our own environment and self-perception. Cortisol is
intended to help us manage short term stress, but if we are not good
at compartmentalizing and managing stress, then our bodies will make
way too much cortisol.
How
Does Cortisol Relate to Testosterone Production?
The
anxiety associated with the overproduction of Cortisol is bad enough
on its own, but it also has a severely negative impact upon the
body's ability to create and distribute Testosterone effectively.
This is because Cortisol and Testosterone fight over the same pool of
resources in terms of production. Depending upon specific variables
in your life, either Testosterone or Cortisol production will be
dominant. There are a lot of issues which contribute to Cortisol
Dominance, including:
Obesity Adipose fat cells have the ability to do a lot of things that are detrimental to the body in high doses. We are calibrated to be relatively lean creatures, so when our bodies store too much fat, from an evolutionary perspective it trades long term health for short term survivability. When an individual is overweight, he puts his cortisol production out of balance. The more fat on the body, the more enzymes that are produced which build and activate Cortisol, and this increase in production eats away at the body's ability to make enough Testosterone. Anxiety Psychological stress promotes the release of Cortisol into the body as a response. Increased Cortisol Production leads directly to a decrease in Testosterone Production. This creates a negative feedback loop for Testosterone, because Testosterone does have the capacity to regulate stress, but Cortisol eats away at Testosterone Secretion, inducing greater levels of stress and encouraging even greater Cortisol Secretion. Pain- Cortisol is one of the main hormones in charge of pain management. In terms of short-term sources of pain, this is a great thing. In combination with adrenaline, it lets you get out of a jam, or get yourself to safety without realizing how much you are really hurting. The problem is that chronic pain causes Cortisol levels to skyrocket.
How
to Reduce Stress
If you are
having problems with stress, there are some simple things that you
can do to reduce stress in your life:
Try to spend two hours daily doing things that you enjoy that aren't related to your anxieties. Play music, watch a movie, read, or just talk to friends. Just do something that gets your mind off the things that stress you out.
Don't work yourself to death. Our bodies and minds have a limited amount of time that we can focus to tasks before we start to lose our edge. Try to stick with seven to ten hour days, tops, and try to be as effective as possible without straining yourself physically and psychologically.
Know
Your Medications
There are
particular medications that can cause your Testosterone Production to
drop. If you are having issues that you feel are related to
Testosterone Deficiency, talk to your doctor if you are using any of
the following medications:
Glucocorticoids Glucocorticoids are a class of drugs used for two primary purposes. They are used to suppress the immune system and they are also used to reduce various forms of inflammation. They are commonly used for arthritis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and asthma, among many other medical conditions.
Long term
use of these drugs do have an inhibitory effect on Testosterone
production, however, leading to a number of symptoms such as high
blood pressure, loss of bone mineral density, rapid weight gain, and
loss of strength.
Opioids Opioids are a class of drugs which essentially imitate the function of endorphins by the human body. Opioids tend to be very strong medications used in order to treat chronic pain. They are commonly used in order to reduce the pain of cancer and cancer treatments, as well as to mask the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. Medications such as codeine can be used as cough suppressants, and certain forms can be used in order to relieve anxiety attacks.
There is
some evidence that long term opioid use can diminish overall
well-being as a result of Testosterone Deficiency. Testosterone
Replacement Therapy can be used to increase quality of life and
normalize hormone levels.
Anabolic Steroids Anabolic Steroids are hormones used to encourage the body to build and repair body tissues. There are quite a few medical uses for this class of drugs, including the treatment of osteoporosis, anemia, body fat regulation, and muscle atrophy.
Anabolic
Steroids can have the unfortunate side-effect of reducing the body's
capacity to produce Testosterone, however. Anabolic steroids can send
signals to the brain to reduce Testosterone Production as a result of
the flux of other steroids present in the body.
If you
want to work on boosting your Testosterone Levels, don't just quit
your medications. We do of course recommend against recreational use
of any of these drugs, but in the case of Opioid addiction, work with
a specialist to try to eliminate your addiction, because Opioids can
be difficult and dangerous to quit alone if you are very addicted.
In regard
to medications that you are taking for a legitimate purpose, talk to
your doctor about what you can do to simultaneously remain on
important treatments while working to elevate your Testosterone to
Normal levels. For most drugs, there are ways that you can make this
work effectively, or if the drugs are having too powerful of an
effect on your hormone balance, there may be other effective medical
options.
Avoid
Testosterone Supplements
If you
want to boost your Testosterone Levels with supplements or
medications, you are going to have to go to a physician and invest in
the real thing. Over-the-Counter Supplements which claim to boost
Testosterone Levels provide little benefit, if they provide benefits
at all. Also avoid any product which claims to be Testosterone that
you can get without a prescription. Sometimes you'll see products
that claim to be Oral Testosterone Releasers. These simply are not
effective.
The
hormone DHEA is available over the counter, but it is not recommended
to take the hormone as a means to increase Testosterone Production.
DHEA can provide other valuable benefits, such as combating
osteoporosis, increasing the likelihood of arousal for men with ED,
and improving skin health, but it is not the same as Testosterone and
should not be thought of as a cheap Testosterone Booster.
If you
want to improve your Testosterone Levels naturally, rather than
invest in various supplements in hopes of increasing Testosterone
Production, just eat an intelligent diet which provides your body all
of the essential nutrients that it needs for healthy function. Look
up respected alternatives to the Standard FDA Recommended Daily
Allowances. RDAs are rough estimates of what your body needs to be
healthy, but it does not necessarily encourage optimal nutritional
intake to persist at your peak!
If
All Else Fails, Don't Be Afraid of Testosterone Replacement Therapy
If heeding all of this useful advice does not improve your T-Levels
sufficiently, don't be afraid to talk to a doctor. Testosterone
Deficiency is a real and detrimental medical condition which doesn't
always respond to treatment. In fact, the older that you get, the
less likely that your body will be able to produce the natural
Testosterone that your body needs to ensure optimal health and
vitality.
If you are interested in Physician-Monitored Bio-Identical
Testosterone Hormone Replacement Therapy, we encourage you to contact
the Conscious Evolution Institute today. Even if Testosterone
Replacement isn't right for you, we will use a client-centered
approach to do what we can to help you optimize your hormone balance
in order to maximize your health and vitality!
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