MEN'S HEALTH, NATURAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS, AND WHERE TO START

DISCLAIMER: Despite the disinterest in discussing aging men's hormone levels, I'm going to discuss it here. Yes there are exceptions to many issues, I am not a doctor; just a fitness trainer who has worked with over 7,500 clients over a decade and has picked up a few pieces of information.

SHOWN ABOVE:

Larry Lagesse (and myself) just before flying to Leon, France to compete in the world championship senior Decathlon 65-69 age group. He came in 2nd overall out of thousands in the world championships, and dozens of gold and silver medals along the way. He prescribed consistently to the oatmeal, chia seeds and flaxseeds cold breakfast cereal I'd blogged about recently(March 24th).

SHOWN ABOVE is another successful matured athlete from our training community, Dr. John Jurica, is a primary physician PromptMed Urgent Care in Waukegan and in Antioch Illinois, and highly successful blogger and mentor of physicians and professionals who have found success after practicing medicine. He has earned several gold medals and has corrected my understandings along the way countless times.

During the years I'd worked with Larry Lagesse and Dr. Jurica, I was fulfilling an "injury preventative and anti-inflammatory consumption education" contact with a fire department. Three sessions per week, 20 participants in 5 years helped reduce their workman's compensation expenditures from an average of over $1.2M per year previously, to $0.00 for 5 consecutive years. The consistincies are staggering, so i compiled a group of ideas that have proven themselves successfully over the years.

STOP TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!

Many of us have countless reasons to continue to eat practically anything, and to avoid exercising and cleaner eating as we age. "I can do whatever I want", "I work hard", etc. we seem to use any excuse to approve what we do to ourselves. We have low standards of what defines us as "old" and we add age to our bodies and minds well before we should. Saying things like, "I'm old", "it's my bad knee", or "I'm too tired" are very real feelings, but are 99.9% the result of refusing to get allow yourself to get into what you need; more exercise, more fresh produce, more water, and less alcohol, soda/pop, chips, cakes and candies.

SHOWN ABOVE is Daniel Harris, a young representative of our training community, is a budding professional athlete, an exercise scientist, and has a heavy understanding of the affect that beets have on the blood and training

EGO VS ACTUAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS:

"Macho" and overly-masculine behaviors do not quantify any man's testosterone levels, as these are the results of society's affect on the mind during it's cultivation. Aggressive behavior does not identify testosterone levels. Sexual orientation does not identify the amount of estrogen or testosterone a man has. Testosterone is most often associated with sex drive, and plays a vital role in sperm production. It also affects bone and muscle mass, the way men store fat in the body, and even red blood cell production. A man’s testosterone levels can also affect his mood. Testosterone is present in practically all mammals, and is primarily produced in the testicles of the males. The ovaries in women create testosterone but in much smaller quantities.

LOW T:

A blood test called a serum testosterone test is used to determine your level of circulating testosterone. Low testosterone, or low T, is diagnosed when levels fall below 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). A normal range is typically 300 to 1,000 ng/dL, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Symptoms include: low sex drive, difficulty with erection, hair loss, chronic fatigue, loss of muscle mass, increased body fat, depression, irritability, lack of focus, mood swings and an affected memory. Lowered testosterone levels can also greatly decrease bone density.

START WITH WATER!

Good, healthy hormone levels are sustained best with adequate hydration. Dehydration is linked with genetic damage and developmental disorders. Healthy cells require hydration, and the body's replication of cells, without adequate hydration, creates and promotes bodily stressors, inflammatory responses, and developmental issues. Thick, dehydrated blood is an "in-common" trait in sufferers of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction and many cancers. Drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water, daily, is what your organs and organic functions are in need of in order to reach optimal performance. If this seems like a lot, and like you'll be "running to the bathroom all day long", remember that exercise sweats out much of your water intake and will reduce your liquid excrement. Also, remember that urination is not something to be annoyed by; it is a major function of human improvement, detoxification, life and advancement. The kidneys cannot process more than a liter of water per hour, so create a pattern that makes it easier for you.

I enjoy practicing this routine daily:

I weigh almost 100 kilos, 220 lbs, so my body requires a minimum of 110 ounces of water daily.

First hour in the a.m. 24oz water

Breakfast

24 oz water

Workout

24 oz water before leaving for work

Lunch

24 oz water

After work I have around 24 oz of water before, during and after dinner as the last thing I consume.

Within this practice, all hydration needs are met throughout the day, organs are hydrated during sleep, and digestion is initiated before i start eating.

YOU CREATE ONE THAT WORKS FOR YOU!

THINGS TO JUST LET GO OF (like it or not):

Reduce, if not eliminate, alcohol and soda/pop consumption. Both are scientifically proven, direct promoters of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, almost all cancers, ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION, bone density loss, illnesses related to memory loss and many forms of neurological degeneration, wrinkling skin, headaches, migraines, depression, many socio-emotional disorders and more. Also avoid canned foods, plastic-packaged foods and most highly processed foods.

EXERCISE AND AGE:

"For men whose testosterone level is on the borderline between normal and low, I think (exercise) going to have a much more potent effect than most other behaviors.", says endocrinologist Scott Isaacs, MD, of Emory University. We are designed to move. Work can steal away a great deal of energy, but sacrificing the exercise only reduces energy levels. Exercise promotes healthy blood flow, and healthy blood pressure supports the heart and lungs, promotes nutrient absorption, helps build muscle, a stronger immune system, improves digestion and helps prevent the lowering of testosterone.

Shown above is Dr. Jurica (right) again, with Dr. David VandeHey, in one of our old facilities. David has been a direct mentor of mine for years, and I owe him the majority of the credit for the amount of research my work has gathered.

WALKING IS NOT THE ANSWER(after a while):

I get it, its been forever since you have trained, or you never have, and you don't know where to start. Increasing your steps each day certainly is a need for those of us who struggle with physical activity. The more steps we take, the more energy we can utilize, however walking doesn't build much muscle or lung capacity, and it doesn't prevent injuries and hip deterioration how squats, mountain climbers, jump rope, and jogging can.

If you're in need to start a routine, and you are unsure of your stride, use walking as your beginning stage. Start with a conceivable distance, ex. 1 mile, and walk the mile at an accelerated pace and record the time. Each following day make an attempt to complete the distance in less time than the previous day. Once you have practiced this for a month or so, it should be time to pick those feet up off the ground and jog.

Once you feel confident enough to jog, your mile time will reduce dramatically. Feel free to alternatively jog your mile, then walk for the same distance you've walked. Remain patient and master your jogging pace for 1-2 miles 5 days per week.

Breathe deeply before exercising begins, during the exercise, and continue to practice opening up your lungs after exercising. Deep breathing prepares the lungs and improves capacity over time. Deep breathing also helps reduce the stress hormone response to accelerated activity.

Practicing these exercises can help improve the body's ability to accept impact with each jogging step, and should be practiced as warmups before jogging or exercises with higher impact:

1. Calf raises: 100 reps-3minutes consecutively.

2. Squats: 50

3. Seated mason twists: 50

4. Stationary walking high knee raises: 3-5 minutes

5. Planks(on knees if necessary): 1-3 minutes.

SPINE:

"Sympathetic preganglionic nerve fibers to the penis arise from neurons in the intermediolateral cell columns of T(Thoracic)12–L(Lumbar)2 spinal cord segments, while parasympathetic input to the penis arises in the S(Sacral)2–S4 sacral spinal cord segments."

- Dr. David VandeHey D.C.

The region of neurological connection from the penis to the spine, and ultimately to the brain, is located in the lower back and extends down through the tailbone. Over years of reduced activity and muscular strength, spinal integrity is compromised and pressure on nerves that create abnormal function, called vertebral subluxation, often develops. Quality Chiropractic care is definitely the preferred method for correction. A second option, and incredibly viable, is yoga. With an effective, simple (Favorite: Sun Salutation) and well-understood Yogic practice, most general joint pains and nerve problems can be aided significantly.

FOODS:

If the concern is consuming estrogen, then consider this one question:

In nature, where can estrogen be found most amply?

Answer? Female flesh.

Chickens, sows and cows are ALL females. The factory-farmed meat industry uses female flesh in almost ALL meats sold in stores and fast food restaurants. The average American reportedly consumes an average of 93 pounds of chickens per year, almost HALF of the average bodyweight of a North American male. "Estrogen levels in poultry litter are so high that when farmers feed chicken manure to their animals to save on feed costs, it may trigger premature development. Poultry manure has among the highest hormone content, quadruple the total estrogens, and nine times more 17-beta estradiol, the most potent estrogen and a “complete” carcinogen, as it exerts both tumor initiating and tumor promoting effects."

- Michael Greger M.D. FACLM.

Understanding this, and realizing that "man boobs" are often a sign of elevated estrogen levels, we learn that we simply need to make a few "tweaks" in the standard "manly" diet countrywide. We are not discussing the elimination of cows, chickens and sows from the diet, but moreso a level of moderation. Many current researchers suggest that 4oz of these meats per day, should be the limitation. Reducing the use of oil in cooking and avoiding processed meats, at all costs, are each supportive of improving all things health.

FOODS THAT HELP PROMOTE BALANCED HORMONE LEVELS:

* Beets

* Ginger

* Oysters

* Pomegranate

* Mussels

* Beans

* Nuts

* Leafy Green Vegetables

* Mackerel

* Herring

* Onions

* Salmon

* Sardines

* Trout

* Pineapple

* Chia Seeds

* Ground Flaxseeds

Remember, the natural way has no negative side effects.

#iamkalmesewell

For another article on the subject:

https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/anti-estrogen-diet-men#5.-whole-grains