Healthy Living Makes a Difference

Being a man is full of rewards. It’s also full of challenges. We believe the best investment any man can make is to invest in his own well-being. As the body ages, the nutritional and supplement needs change as well.

Warning bells should be going off for men, when feeling “worn out” becomes a normal state of being.
Tiredness and stress are often signs of prioritizing our many responsibilities above health. Men are at higher risk of developing the top 10 causes of death, which include: heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and many cancers.

Fatigue and stress can also lead to poor food choices and skipping exercise, which then leads to using caffeine and other substances as stimulants and calming aids. These can perpetuate poor health. Low levels of testosterone, obesity and many prescription medications can also negatively influence male vitality. The good news is that many of these hazards can be addressed with preventative lifestyle choices and daily habits.

Lifestyle Habits

1. Drink 1 Liter of filtered alkaline water for every 50lbs of body weight. Optimal hydration flushes toxins and improves all functions of the body. An alkaline host is a primary defense against disease. To further promote an alkaline state, add supplements or foods that are alkaline forming, like the juice of half a lemon, fermented green foods, or organic spirulina and organic chlorella.
2. Make a daily commitment to moving your body. Exercise improves our cardiovascular health and aids in stress management. Exercise also helps the body release a substance called luteinizing hormone, which increases free testosterone production. 45 minutes of exercise can increase free testosterone by up to 39.6%
3. Eat Organic! Choose nutrient dense SuperFoods. Stock up with organic fruits and vegetables and organic protein sources. Fermented superfoods are easily digested and absorbed. They add nutrition, antioxidants, enzymes and micronutrients to support well-being.
4. Listen to your body. If your body is telling you it is tired, stop and listen. Are your shoulders tight? Do you have sore achy joints or muscles? Are you always fighting something? Reset your boundaries, make better food choices and rest your body.
5. Hormonal balance is key to male vitality. The hormone system is complicated and is influenced by age, diet, exercise, supplements and environmental factors. The object of hormone balance is to increase free testosterone.

Hormonal balance and free testosterone

Testosterone is a male sex hormone made in the testes and the adrenal glands. Most testosterone in your blood is bound to albumin or sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and is unavailable to the body. Unbound testosterone is bio-available (free) testosterone. The amount of free testosterone is directly related to masculinity, male energy, strength and performance. Free testosterone can be increased by influencing production factors or by preventing free testosterone from turning into bound testosterone sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). We can positively affect the production of free testosterone by increasing the sterols and by decreasing hormones circulating in the blood, that inhibit the production of free testosterone.

Andropause is the slow but steady reduction in testosterone and other hormones that occur with aging. The main symptoms are: loss of libido and potency, loss of muscle mass, depression, nervousness, insomnia, fatigue, inability to concentrate, erectile dysfunction, frequency of urination, loss of memory and sweating. Reduced amounts of free testosterone can also be a result of diet, exercise and elevated hormones including cortisol, estrogen and cholesterol. These hormones are connected via the endocrine system and when elevated, have a negative reciprocal effect on free testosterone.

Cortisol is a catabolic hormone that is elevated under stress. Elevated cortisol disrupts the testicular testosterone production process and upsets the delicate balance of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and prolactin. Stimulating the production of luteinizing hormone helps our body create free testosterone.

Nutrients to support the production of free testosterone include:

Zinc, Magnesium and B6

Highly absorbable forms of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 aid in the production of testosterone, the maintenance of lean muscle tissue, improves sleep and alleviates symptoms of stress.

Male Hormone Support Herbal Extracts

Rhodiola, Ashwaganda, Holy Basil and Siberian Ginseng are adaptogenic herbs which are clinically shown to manage cortisol levels. Resveratrol is a powerful antioxidant and along with 3,3 Dindollyl Methane (DIM) has been shown to reduce estrogen levels. This results in stimulating luteinizing hormone to produce testosterone.

Tribulus, Fenugreek and Tongkat-Ali increase luteinizing hormone by providing plant sterols. These sterols are converted through hormonal pathways to produce more total testosterone and increase levels of free testosterone.

Saw Palmetto and Stinging Nettle block the interaction between free testosterone and bound testosterone (SHBG and albumin bound testosterone). These herbs also prevent the interaction that changes testosterone to DHT. DHT is found in higher concentrations in those suffering from benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH), and in cases of male pattern baldness.