Whether you're a young new dad, or a wise old father figure, this Father's Day, celebrate your male energy with healthy, well balanced hormones.
While fatherhood can be rewarding, it is also physically and emotionally challenging. Stress, exertion and sleepless nights can take a toll on anybody, affecting hormonal balance.
For men, three male hormones in particular are especially important to your health, youthfulness and longevity—testosterone, growth hormone and cortisol.
Here are some tips for keeping them at optimal levels in your body:
Testosterone
Well known for its association with manliness, testosterone is responsible for men’s assertiveness, ambition and sex drive. Some studies suggest that testosterone levels in men dip by about 1 percent every year after age 30. Social factors such as marriage or other committed relationship and having children can also affect levels.
However, it's more than just aging that affects testosterone levels. In today's fast-paced life, both men and women are more disconnected from nature and don't get the kind of exercise or intense physical activity that would normally stabilize our hormones.
Lack of sleep can also lower testosterone. Men who get less sleep for even just two weeks can have their testosterone level decrease by 15 percent.
An unhealthy, refined foods diet can also affect testosterone in much younger men. Eating too many carbohydrates can cause spikes in insulin, which then negatively impact both testosterone and growth hormone levels. Not eating enough of the right kinds of fats, such as olive oil, or not getting enough essential fatty acids such as Omegas 3-6-9 will also lower testosterone.
Low testosterone can have a domino effect on your health. You may have less energy for sex. You may have less energy for exercise. You may also feel less motivated to change your lifestyle.
You can naturally boost your testosterone levels by:
Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone (HGH) is responsible for physical growth—the more you have of this hormone prior to completing puberty, the taller you’ll be. Like testosterone, growth hormone naturally drops with age and can affect body composition in a number of ways. Athletes use growth hormone to help them recover from workouts and rigorous practice and game days.
For adults, increased energy, endurance and muscle mass, as well as lower blood pressure, a reduced risk of diabetes, and increased sexual energy are some of the main benefits of healthy HGH levels.
You can naturally boost your human growth hormone levels by:
- Doing cardio training workouts which raise your heart rate in short
bursts. This engages muscle fibers which release HGH naturally.
- Avoiding carbs and simple sugars, especially within two hours of a workout. High-glycemic foods such as processed bread, cakes and candy also spike insulin levels. Refined carbohydrates not only make it harder for your body to burn fat, it interferes with the release of HGH.
- Eating foods high in the amino acids Increasing L-arginine and L-lysine such as fish, lean meats, nuts, avocados and apricots.
- Doing a sunlight meditation for more Vitamin D which helps with HGH production.
Cortisol
Cortisol helps you to tap into your energy reserves and increases your ability to fight off infection. Your growth hormone level is indirectly related to your level of cortisol, the "stress" hormone created by your adrenal glands. The higher your cortisol is, the lower your growth hormone levels will be. Worry, exhaustion, poor diet and sleep deprivation all can raise your cortisol levels. It can also raise your blood pressure and make your body store unhealthy belly fat.
You can naturally lower your cortisol levels by:
Naturally, you can see how closely linked these three important male hormones are, and how one affects the other. Taking just a few simple steps to balance one will greatly benefit the rest, helping you be in better shape overall.
Looking for a great gift to help your favorite dad balance his life? Order a free copy of
The Solar Body Book and let him in on the secret to everlasting radiant health, becoming a Solar Body!