Controlled breathing exercises can help keep your mind focused and body in shape, by helping to lower blood pressure, promote feelings of calm and relaxation, and relieve stress.
There are lots of breathing exercises you can do. It’s fun to experiment and see what suits you best. But you gotta start somewhere, right? The exercise below—belly breathing—is simple to learn and very easy to do. It’s the best way to start if you have never done breathing exercises before.
Belly breathing is also known as diaphragmatic breathing. The diaphragm is a large muscle located between the chest and the abdomen. When it contracts it is forced downward causing the abdomen to expand. This causes a negative pressure within the chest forcing air into the lungs. The negative pressure also pulls blood into the chest improving the venous return to the heart. This leads to improved stamina in both disease and athletic activity. Like blood, the flow of lymph, which is rich in immune cells, is also improved. By expanding the lung’s air pockets and improving the flow of blood and lymph, abdominal breathing also helps prevent infection of the lung and other tissues. But most of all it is an excellent tool to stimulate the relaxation that results in less tension and an overall sense of well-being.
Try this 6-step breathing exercise anytime you need to relax or relieve stress.
Sit or lie flat in a comfortable position.
Put one hand on your belly just below your ribs and the other hand on your chest.
Take a deep breath in through your nose, and let your belly push your hand out. Your chest should not move.
Breathe out through pursed lips as if you were whistling. Feel the hand on your belly go in, and use it to push all the air out.
Do this breathing 3 to 10 times. Take your time with each breath.
Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.
Try to practice diaphragmatic breathing for 5 to 10 minutes 3 to 4 times per day.
Positive affirmations can be used to reshape and reprogram your thought patterns and change the way you feel about things.
They are short positive statements that can help you focus on your goals, get rid of negative thoughts, eliminate self-defeating beliefs and program your subconscious mind.
Professional athletes, for example, figured out a long time ago that using willpower to power their success isn’t enough.
You need to let go of all negative thoughts and images and start bombarding your subconscious mind with new thoughts that are positive and stated in the present tense.
How do you do this? You begin with daily affirmations, which are simple statements that describe a goal in its already completed state. Here are fours steps to set you up for success:
Step 1: Choose A Negative Thought
Think about what you’re trying to attract, and then think about the beliefs that might be stopping you from getting there.
Is there a specific trait that makes you feel insecure? Is there a negative belief you have internalized from early life? Or, is there a specific fear that seems to haunt you?
Step 2: Externalize The Negative Thought
Get this negative belief out of your mind and into the physical world by writing it down. This is a symbolic act that helps you to disconnect from this assumption rather than acting as though it’s part of you.
Step 3: Find The Opposite
Essentially, the opposite of the negative belief is the thing that you want to make the center of your affirmation.
Stay away from words with any negative association. This could include “can’t, won’t, don’t” etc. The more positive the language, the more effective is your affirmation!
If you’re really struggling to connect with your affirmation, try to find ways to soften the statement, at least when you’re starting out. For example, you might begin the affirmation “I am open to the idea that…” or “I am willing to start believing that…” (and after a few days or weeks, you can take down this softer language and use the more concrete form of the same affirmation).
Step 4: Commit To Repetition
The aim of affirmations is to eventually embed them in your mind so that they become automatic thoughts that guide and support you every day.
That said, you won’t be able to get to that level unless you really commit to repeating your affirmations daily. There is some flexibility about how you approach this. Some people find it most effective to repeat the affirmation multiple times at once. Other people prefer stopping every hour (or every few hours) to say the affirmation a single time.
We recommend repeating your affirmation every morning right after you wake up. This will set the mood for the whole day. But you are free to choose whatever method and timing are best for you and your lifestyle.
And here are 10 examples of positive affirmation to light up your morning routine. But we challenge you to make them your own by specifying what exactly you are willing to achieve.
Mу bоdу іѕ healthy; mу mind іѕ brilliant; my soul is tranquil. I believe I саn dо anything. Everything that is happening now is happening for my ultimate good. I am the architect of my life; I built its foundation and choose its contents. I forgive those who have harmed me in my past and peacefully detach from them. My ability to conquer my challenges is limitless; my potential to succeed is infinite. Today, I abandon my old habits and take up new positive ones. I саn achieve greatness. Tоdау, I аm brimming with energy and overflowing with joy I lоvе and ассерt myself for who I am. There’s no denying the benefits of social media. Along with making connections, these platforms can grow your business and be a valuable source of information and inspiration.
While social media gives us access to an abundance of information, how much is too much? When used excessively, social media is scientifically-proven to trigger anxiety, lower self-esteem and damage your mental health.
It’s human nature to compare yourself to others. However, comparison can quickly turn into idealization and lead to feelings of unworthiness. And the worst part? It’s completely unrealistic. All you’re seeing is the highlights, achievements, and everything presented in the best possible light. You aren’t seeing the full picture: the failures, disappointments, and low moments.
Besides causing feelings of insecurity and anxiety, social media is also highly addictive. Many people thrive on the validation that comes with the number of likes and followers they get. They spend hours scrolling, and even if they’re out socially, they are more focused on posting about their lives than living it.
If you have unhealthy habits, taking a social media break is the first step to improve your mental state.
4 Steps to Improve Your Relationship with Social Media
Write down and assess your habits
First, you need to keep track of the amount of time you’re spending on each platform. How often are you checking? Is there a certain time of day when you’re more tempted to look? How long are you online?
Next, ask yourself how you feel during and after. Write down the emotions you experience. It’s important to be as specific as possible. The more detailed your notes, the more you will be able to see patterns and triggers.
Set boundaries and come up with a plan of action
If you browse through your social media first thing in the morning, you could come up with a rule that you won’t go online until after you’ve had breakfast.
The goal is to set a reward system where you earn time on social media. Schedule specific times for browsing. This will improve your self-discipline and help you become less attached to it.
Fill your time with other activities
Spending less time online will not only make you more productive, but you’ll have more time for activities you enjoy. Read, go for a bike ride, meditate and whatever interests you.
Reflect on your new mental state
After taking a break for a week, ask yourself how often you’re tempted to check social media. How are you feeling? Is there an improvement since the beginning?
By taking a social media break, it will help you feel more in control of your emotions.
You can continue with the break until you feel more mentally healthy. Everyone is different, so be patient with yourself! And if you have a weak moment, don’t dwell on it. With enough practice, this will become easier and a healthy habit you’ll want to embrace.
After following this step-by-step approach, please let us know how it worked for you!
When many of us think about a healthy, balanced diet, the first thought that comes to mind is probably the food pyramid, followed by a flashback of your teacher pointing to a diagram on the chalkboard.
Growing up, we were led to believe that carbs should make up the majority of our diet. Now, we know 6 to 11 daily servings of bread or pasta is the last thing we should be doing.
So, if the food pyramid is outdated what are the best nutrition guidelines to follow? Based on current research, here’s a breakdown of the food you should be eating, what to avoid, and how to measure your own nutritional intake.
1. Understand the big picture with calories
Calories are a measure of energy that come from the food and drink a person consumes. For example, if a beverage contains 100 calories, that’s how much energy your body could get from drinking it.
Many people look at calories incorrectly and focus only on the number of calories. However, there are several factors you should take into consideration: age, sex and physical activity level. As a general rule, men typically require more calories than women, and competitive athletes require more calories than the average person since they are burning more on a daily basis.
Also, think about the source of your daily calories. The calories that come from cookies, chips, and donuts are considered “empty” calories. To improve your health, avoid foods with empty calories and choose foods that are rich in nutrients.
2. Choose the right amount of each food group
According to the USDA’s “ChooseMyPlate,” you should be filling 50% of your plate with fruits and vegetables, 25% with grains, and 25% with protein foods.
Keep in mind this is a general guideline, and these numbers will vary slightly from person to person.
3. Eat fresh, whole foods
To get the nutrients you need, you should be including fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and lean proteins.
Processed foods are often high in fat and calories, so your goal should be to eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, choose potatoes over potato chips and grilled chicken over chicken nuggets.
If you’re unsure about a food’s nutritional value, read the label and check to see if there are artificial ingredients, preservatives, and additives.
4. Avoid processed foods, refined carbs and added sugar
Not only are processed foods packed with artificial ingredients and preservatives, they contain unhealthy levels of sugar, sodium and fat. While these may make the food taste better, they can lead to chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease.
Refined carbs are low in fiber and nutrients, and can cause spikes in blood sugar. They have a high glycemic index, which leads to short-term fullness and overeating.
Added sugar tricks your body into eating more. As a result, it’s linked to weight gain and an increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
To learn more about your individual nutrition needs, you can speak with a functional medicine doctor .
Let’s face it: when it comes to being healthy, there’s a ton of mixed messages. On social media, there’s always a new diet or workout, offering the promise of quick and easy results.
However, if you’ve been on an emotional roller coaster with your health, “easy” is probably the last word you’d use to describe it. Maybe you saw improvement in the short term, but the problems always seemed to resurface. Despite your best efforts, you’re left frustrated and wondering, “how can I get positive results that last?”
Many people get confused because they think one diet or workout is superior to another. However, it’s changes in lifestyle that make the difference.
In other words, you can’t take shortcuts when it comes to your health. Being healthy requires making smart choices for your mind and body on a daily basis. It’s building good habits.
Here are three tips to help you get started:
Practice mindful eating
Did you know the food you eat is often a reflection of your emotional state? Some people eat more when they’re stressed, some people eat less, but in both cases, the way you feel impacts the way you eat.
Rather than focusing solely on what to eat, think about how to eat. Mindful eating means eating with intention. It’s slowing down, listening to your body, and fueling it with nutritious, energizing foods. Are you really hungry? Or using food as a coping mechanism?
To become more aware of your eating habits, keep a food diary next to your bed. This will help you see areas that could use improvement.
Control your environment
When it comes to eating well, controlling your environment is essential. To set yourself up for success, surround yourself with nutritious food. For example, if you like to snack during the day, make sure you always have fruit and nuts in the pantry.
Skip the junk food aisle at the grocery store (you can do it!). It sounds simple, but if the chips aren’t in your face, it will take away the temptation! Preparation is everything.
The same is true when you dine out. If you’re going to an event, drink a glass of water or eat a healthy snack beforehand to manage your appetite. Making these minor shifts will make a big difference in the long run.
Exercise regularly
The mind and body are closely linked, so it should come as no surprise that working out makes your body crave healthier foods. It’s true!
This is known as the transfer effect. When you adopt one healthy habit, and change one behavior (working out regularly), it transfers to a second healthy habit (eating well).
Hence, many health experts recommend exercising in the morning. It helps you make better decisions throughout the day.
Are you ready to take back control of your health? Following these tips will transform your mental state, physical state and overall well-being.
Do you feel like you’re doing everything right, but you’re still struggling to lose weight? Are you tired all the time? Suffering from low libido? There are numerous reasons why you could be experiencing these symptoms, which is why it’s important to get tested and uncover the root of the issue.
The problem is standard lab tests examine the basics, but there is much more information that your body can tell you. As a result, it’s essential to request tests that take a closer look.
Here are the six functional medicine tests your doctor should be running:
1. Saliva testing
This type of test can measure an individual’s hormone levels, including cortisol (the stress hormone), estrogen, progesterone, and androgen.
In the blood, there are two types of hormones: bound and unbound. Most hormones are bound by proteins, unable to be used by tissues. Approximately 5 percent of hormones are unbound and do not bind to protein, available to be used by body tissue.
Unlike blood tests, which can only examine bound hormones, saliva tests examine the unbound hormones that are contributing to hormonal imbalance.
2. Stool testing
To diagnose conditions affecting the digestive tract, stool testing is essential. These tests look at the gut microbiome, inflammation levels, amount of good versus bad bacteria and more. A person’s gut health provides valuable insight into their overall well-being.
Stool testing allows functional medicine practitioners to understand the root cause of the problem. For example, it will show if you’re infected with a specific virus or bacteria. The results will give specific information your doctor can use to help treat it.
3. Food and chemical sensitivity testing
Food and chemical sensitivity testing examines your body’s immune response to foods, chemicals and other substances.
The main role of the immune system is to protect the body from toxins and fight off foreign invaders. However, certain medications, environmental stressors and lifestyle habits can negatively impact immune system function.
This can manifest in the form of different symptoms such as fatigue, digestive problems, skin irritations, depression and more. These types of tests can identify the intolerance on a cellular level.
4. Micronutrient testing
To find out the levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids in your body, micronutrient testing can help. Based on the results, doctors can uncover where there is a deficiency or excess amount of micronutrients.
Nearly every physiological function in your body requires micronutrients. When you don’t get enough of these essential nutrients, it can lead to chronic health conditions down the line; these include osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and in severe cases, cancer.
5. Comprehensive functional blood testing
These blood tests measure all aspects of your bodily functions: kidney, thyroid, liver, blood sugar, electrolytes and more. Comprehensive functional blood tests can be customized to look for specific markers that are related to your health concerns.
The major benefit of this test is that it offers insight into potential problem areas. This gives the individual the opportunity to take preventative measures before the issue escalates.
6. Organic Acids Test (OAT)
This baseline test provides an overview of a person’s metabolic health. The OAT test measures organic acid levels in urine, which helps a doctor evaluate an individual’s intestinal yeast and bacteria levels.
It also includes specific markers for oxalates, which are linked to many chronic health conditions.
All of these functional medicine tests are vital to understanding your health on a deep level. The body is so complex, and testing can give you the information you need to optimize your mental and physical wellness.
To create an individualized health plan, functional medicine doctors take several factors into account. Along with these test results, they look at your medical history, current lifestyle, and unique genetic makeup. This combined data provides doctors with a detailed picture of your overall health.
For years, when people heard the term “alternative medicine,” they thought of shamans, burning incense and a bunch of “woo woo” philosophies.
But times are changing. Holistic healing and naturopathic treatments have become more mainstream, and we’ve seen a new field of medicine emerge: functional medicine.
When it comes to conventional versus functional medicine, there is a great deal of debate among healthcare professionals. Due to a lack of scientific evidence, many people are asking: “Is functional medicine real?”, “is it effective?” and most importantly, “is it safe?”
In the medical community, conventional doctors trust the facts and evidence-based data. Functional medicine goes against the traditional scientific model – a system that’s been in place for hundreds of years.
“The reason why alternative medicine is dismissed is because our scientific culture, and medicine in particular, has a 400- or 500-year-old world view predicated on disproving the dominant religious paradigm of medicine, physics, and physiology that existed when the church was the dominant institution,” says Dr. Joseph Loizzo , director of the Center for Meditation and Healing at Columbia-Presbyterian.
For centuries, there has been a battle over the nature of science itself. “If you say anything that sounds remotely like ‘the mind has an effect; there’s something subtle that isn’t like a machine influencing what’s happening,” Loizzo explains. “Western physicians are all trained to dismiss it as a superstition, but our mechanism has now become the counter-religion. It’s a paradigm that derives from modern Newtonian physics, and that’s no longer the sole paradigm even in physics.”
In other words, science is evolving and so should our perspective.
Conventional vs Functional Medicine
Conventional medicine addresses the symptoms you’re experiencing to diagnosis a health condition. Doctors use this information to develop a treatment plan, which typically involves prescribing medication to alleviate the symptoms.
However, doctors of functional medicine take it one step further and focus on the root causes of the symptoms. They integrate aspects of traditional medicine while also taking genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors into account.
Functional medicine is centered around a holistic and individualized approach. As the name suggests, it focuses on how your body functions. It views each person as being unique on a genetic and biochemical level. In short, functional medicine treats the patient, not just the symptoms.
Unlike conventional medicine, functional medicine does not use a one-size-fits-all approach. Treatments include a wide variety of options including dietary supplements, herbal remedies, acupuncture, chiropractic care, yoga and more.
The Benefits of Functional Medicine
Provides whole body care
Our society is continuing to see an increase in complex, chronic health conditions. Whether it’s an autoimmune illness or mental disorder, traditional methods of treatment aren’t always effective.
That’s why it’s important now more than ever that doctors treat the whole person, not just the disease. By getting to the root of the problem, the patient can make the necessary changes that will improve their overall health and well-being.
Offers a more personal doctor-patient experience
Patient-centered care is the foundation of functional medicine. Practitioners perform an in-depth analysis of the patient’s history – going beyond medical history to uncover environmental stressors and more. After gathering all of this information, they can create an integrative treatment plan.
Focuses on prevention
Doctors of functional medicine practice a customized, biology-based approach to healthcare. They’re proactive and look ahead for potential problems. To lower the risk of illness, doctors analyze all of the factors that influence mind and body functioning: the individual’s genes, environment and lifestyle.
To answer the question: “is functional medicine real?” the answer is yes. Just because it’s different from conventional medicine, doesn’t make it less credible or less effective. As we continue to discover new scientific breakthroughs, it’s important to keep our minds open to the possibilities of new treatment options and the wide variety of benefits that alternative treatment can provide.
What does it take to identify underlying reasons for illnesses? And why the healthcare system struggles with it?
If you’ve ever struggled with ongoing illness, you’ve likely found it’s difficult to get to the root of the problem. Modern medicine takes patients through a series of tests, conversations and more just to identify a single trigger or issue. Sometimes, this process takes patients years, all the while they find no relief or comfort.
There is an easier option, one that allows patients quick access to information about their body and health—and it only takes one test.
In the American healthcare system, lab and imaging tests rule diagnosis. But in order to get to the official problem, a list of procedures may be scheduled. These tests each focus on one particular possibility, and rarely examine overall health. With functional medicine, patients are able to test for individual diseases they may have, and even predict what diseases they’re most susceptible to.
Fixing the problem as a whole is a common struggle patients face, especially when shuffled between healthcare providers. Specialists focus on individual diseases, symptoms and body parts, which can make fixing a disease nearly impossible, depending on how it manifests. Patients with diseases often end up taking a plethora of medications to resolve symptoms but never address the disease in full.
So what, exactly, is functional medicine? Here’s what you need to know about the testing, and why it may benefit you.
What Is Functional Medicine?
To identify underlying reasons for illnesses, Functional Medicine aims to find the epicenter of the problem. It’s not designed to mask symptoms with medications.
The concept is simple: in order to treat the problem, the center of it must be identified and fixed. This is different from normal healthcare, which often prescribes medication to eliminate individual symptoms, rather than working to cure the total problem.
For those with diseases, Functional Medicine addresses the disease as a whole and attempts to target exactly what caused the disease, rather than how it’s manifested.
How Does It Work?
The tests used in functional medicine are different from your normal doctor’s office, but not by too much. It’s all biologically based, meaning functional medicine works to evaluate what is “off” about a patient’s body. The goal is to restore it to a baseline, functional health.
Ciba Health Inc offers a list of tests available to order that can take a deeper look into an individual’s health. Some of these are saliva, urine and blood tests that focus on specific problems and diagnosis. The way patients are tested is similar to any healthcare system lab test. It’s the results that differ.
If an Ciba Health doctor orders testing, patients’ results will give them guidelines for how to improve their overall health. “Ciba Health will rank imbalances (so you can focus on what is most important), recommend further testing based on your current lab results, and provide special alerts where your lab results may require extra attention,” the website explains.
This overall view of one’s health expands further than a standard lab test, designed to identify one problem. Patients will come away from the initial visit with an outline of what they can work on to find balance within their bodies. Working one on one with Ciba Health`s doctors, registered dietitians, and health coaches, patients can work to reverse or prevent chronic conditions from the inside out, all while being supported by professionals who truly hear them and support them.
Increased Testosterone levels burns fat and adds muscle.
The New Year has arrived, and the herd of gym goers are putting their new year’s resolution of a Fit Bod into action. Their action plan, Add Muscle, Lose Belly Fat and exude Sexual Energy.
Testosterone can be that King that bestows upon you gifts of sex appeal, bigger leaner stronger muscles, and vitality. Or if not respected, it can be that royal pain that wrecks your relationships, makes you fat, and accelerates aging and DEATH!!
Speaking to ALL MEN…
Are you finding yourself hanging out more with your couch? Did you once look like Popeye and now you resemble a pregnant Olive? Are you no longer the king of the jungle, but instead have converted into the prey in the bedroom?
Symptoms of LOW T Levels:
DEPRESSION LOW ENERGY FITNESS LEVEL DROPS INCREASED BODY FAT DECREASED MUSCLE MASS STIFFNESS OF MUSCLE AND JOINTS NO SEX DRIVE ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION FOGGINESS REVOKED MAN CARD NOTE: This list is not restricted to just the above-mentioned symptoms.
So, one would assume the solution is to simply race to the nutrition store or quickly logon to the computer and purchase testosterone boosters to increase their testosterone levels. HOLD BACK!!! With limited knowledge and taking emotionally driven actions to curtail or completely rid of low T symptoms could produce more damage than benefits.
The primary goal here should not be in replacing your hormones through HRT (hormone replacement therapy), but instead in re-establishing the natural production of your hormones as nature intended.
Let’s begin to properly put this action plan of Increasing T levels to burn body fat and add muscle into motion.
Congratulate yourself for owning your divine masculine truth and taking the first step in educating yourself to becoming your greatest version through optimizing your hormones.
1. Run Functional Labs
Running functional labs will provide a clear picture of the current state of your hormones and assist in creating a reliable blue print for re-establishing your T- levels.
Functional lab testing aids to identify the malfunctions at the subclinical level within the steroid hormone pathways.
General rules to follow:
Get labs done if experiencing any of the low T symptoms. Run lab tests before trying to increase your T levels through supplementation. Understand the difference between normal and optimal levels. Have steroidal hormone pathways and adrenal functions evaluated via lab test. 2. Eat a clean diet
To further maximize testosterone production to add muscle and burn fat you must eat a clean diet customized for your metabolic type.
Hippocrates said it best, “One’s man meat, is another man’s poison.” Consuming the wrong foods that doesn’t complement your biochemical individuality will produce adverse effects and prolong your fitness goals.
The question “What should I eat?” may be the most important question in nutrition. There is no greater or more powerful influence on optimizing your hormones and maintaining homeostasis than the foods you consume daily.
Reconnect with your body and listen to it, have faith, your body knows best. Your body will let you know what fuels its energy and what drains it. Giving your body exactly what it needs will produce max energy production and faster results.
Consuming unhealthy foods packed with toxins, chemicals, and that are GMO-modified are running havoc on the body, which in-turn is causing hormonal imbalances and weight gain. This is the total opposite of what you are trying to achieve.
Eating a clean diet and optimizing the testosterone levels will make the dream of losing the belly fat and gaining muscle a reality. Getting fit happens faster than one can even imagine when you change to a healthy based diet and optimize your testosterone production with calculated steps.
General rules to follow:
Get labs done if experiencing any of the low T symptoms. Run lab tests before trying to increase your T levels through supplementation. Understand the difference between normal and optimal levels. Have steroidal hormone pathways and adrenal functions evaluated via lab test. 3. Effective workouts
High intensity workouts produce the increase of testosterone to promote muscle anabolism and fat loss.
Effective and challenging exercises can yield the best benefits.
An effective high intensity workout promotes positive hormonal changes which increases the opportunity for muscle build-up. Building muscle guarantees a fat burning metabolism.
When the body is placed under extreme stress through exercising, a trigger promotes the body to produce testosterone and other beneficial hormones.
There was a study conducted among young men that presented a correlation of exercise-induced hormone profiles with gain in lean body mass after 12-week resistance training study (2).
General rules to follow:
Implement the H.I.I.T & P.A.C.E method Stimulate different muscle fibers. Challenge muscle by focusing on compound heavy weights. Increase time under tension. Implement muscle confusion through periodization training. Keep workouts to 35minutes or less. Exercise but don’t over exercise. 4. Adequate rest
Optimize production of hormone levels through obtaining adequate amount of sleep.
General rules to follow:
Exercise earlier in the day to get better nights sleep. Best bedtime: 10:00pm Best rising time: 6:00am. Optimize hormone levels with 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Have room as dark as possible. 5. Reduce stress
Reducing stress levels promotes effective fat loss and muscle anabolism.
A clinical research presented a basic support for the relationship between chronic stress, alterations in the HPA axis activity, and obesity. It revealed a chronic exposure to external stress potentially contributed to the development of obesity (3). Reduction in stress is a crucial part of the whole-body approach to achieving a better body inside and out. As Plato quoted, “one can
General rules to follow:
Avoid people who are energy robbers. Meditate. Learn to breathe properly. Learn Emotional Freedom Technique (E.F.T). Exercise early in the day. Journal feelings Read a good book Taking the following calculated steps mentioned in the latter will promote the following benefits mentioned below. Don’t hesitate to take control of your destiny, your manhood depends on it.
Benefits of Optimized T Levels:
IMPROVEMENT IN MOOD VIBRANT DECREASED BODYFAT INCREASED MUSCLE MASS INCREASED SEX DRIVE STRENGTHS ERECTIONS IMPROVES CONFIDENCE SHARPENS COGNITIVE ABILITY PROMOTES PREVENTION OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS References:
Testosterone and weight loss: the evidence . Abdulmaged M. Traish.Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2014 Oct; 21(5): 313–322. Published online 2014 Aug28. doi: 10.1097/MED.0000000000000086 PMCID: PMC4154787 Associations of exercise-induced hormone profiles and gains in strength and hypertrophy in a large cohort after weight training . Daniel W. D. West, Stuart M. Phillips.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2012 Jul; 112(7): 2693–2702. Published online 2011 Nov 22. doi: 10.1007/s00421-011- 2246-zPMCID: PMC3371329 Stress and obesity: the role of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis in metabolic disease. Mousumi Bose, Blanca Oliván, Blandine Laferrère.Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2010 Apr 22. Published in final edited form as: Curr Opin 
