What are the best sleep hacks? What's the difference between deep sleep and REM? Which supplements support better sleep? These are just a few of the common questions people ask about sleep. In this blog post, I'll do my best to provide you the answers to these questions and many others. What are the phases of sleep? Your body has an internal clock, which, when it's working well, determines the ebbs and flows of hormones and neurotransmitters, manages many of your body's systems, and guides you to sleep, wake up, nap, and move. Your internal clock is found in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Your environment also affects your circadian rhythm. External influences on your circadian rhythm are called Zeitbergers. Light is the most powerful Zeitberger, but diet, exercise, and supplementation also influence the SCN. Messing with your circadian rhythm can have catastrophic effects on your health. For example: Heart attack rates jump 25% the Monday after the clocks change to Daylight Savings Time. That single-hour shift in your schedule does a lot of damage. It makes you wonder why we even mess with Daylight Savings Time anymore. When your circadian rhythm is normal, you cycle through three phases each night. Light sleep: During light sleep, you’re semi-conscious. You’re aware of your environment but only respond to something unexpected, such as the creaking of a door or your spouse whispering seductively in your ear. You have enough awareness to make sense of what’s happening but are asleep enough that you're often unmotivated to move unless you sense a threat, or you're a newlywed. When you're under a substantial amount of stress, you can spend most of your night in this phase, and miss out on the benefits of the next two phases. Under normal circumstances, you remain in this phase for 10-30 minutes and then transition to deep sleep. Deep sleep: This phase supports your body's growth and repair. Growth hormone peaks during deep sleep, which supports tissue repair and fat metabolism. Rapid Eye Movement (REM): REM supports your brain's growth and repair. Your vibrant, funny, terrifying, exciting, and disturbing dreams occur during REM, as your brain tries to make sense of what's been on your mind, and consolidate information into memories. REM makes up 20-25% of your total sleep time but varies throughout the seasons. The average person gets about 16% more REM in the winter than in the middle of the summer. Your brain gets "washed" in cerebral fluid to help remove toxins, and neurogenesis, or the growth of new brain cells, increases. Chronic sleep deprivation limits your body's ability to generate new brain cells. Oh, and one last bit of interesting trivia: Penile erection and clitoral swelling occur during REM as well. For guys, lack of a morning erection is a sign of low testosterone or insufficient REM sleep. I wanted to highlight that point because I work with a lot of 40+-year-old men. When they notice their libido is low or it's been a long time since they had a morning erection, they often ask about testosterone boosters or hormone therapy. Often, what they need is sufficient, consistent sleep. How much sleep do you need? The following table, based on recommendations by the National Sleep Foundation, shows the amount of sleep each age group needs. Notice the significant amount needed by newborns to toddlers need. If parents want to develop healthy kids, they must help them get enough sleep every night. GroupAgesIdeal SleepOlder Adult65+7-8Adult18-647-9Teenager14-178-10School Age6-139-11Preschool3-510-13Toddler1-211-14Infant4-11 months12-15Newborn0-3 months14-17 How does sleep affect your hormones? The following table outlines what happens with your hormones and neurotransmitters at night. Hormone / NeurotransmitterEffect From SleepGrowth HormoneHighest secretion of 24-hour cycle occurs during deep sleep, and is secreted in pulses with each cycle back into...

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Sleep: Your most common questions, answered

When it comes to hormones, testosterone, thyroid, and insulin get most of the attention. Yet growth hormone, also known as somatotropin, also plays an essential role in your long-term health, athletic performance, and longevity. It affects the health of your body as well as your brain. I’ll explain what growth hormone is, how it affects your health, and then what you can do to sabotage and support it. What is growth hormone? Growth hormone (GH), as its name suggests, influences tissue growth and repair throughout life. Its primary role is in cell regeneration. Your anterior pituitary gland secretes growth hormone in response to low blood sugar, hunger, exercise, and deep sleep. This is important to understand because most people's lifestyle choices conflict with those four circumstances. Growth hormone: regulates fat, carbohydrate, and protein metabolismcontrols body compositionaffects skin healthenhances bone densityhelps build and maintain muscle massenhances recovery from exercise and injury. may protect against age-related cognitive decline It stimulates the growth of newborns and teenagers. It helps you build muscle, bone, and connective tissue. When levels fall, muscle mass, and overall health deteriorate. Growth hormone and metabolism Thyroid hormone is the primary metabolic rate regulator, but GH influences metabolism as well. Growth hormone enhances cardiac output, which increases blood flow to muscle tissue and specific organs. Studies show GH can increase metabolic rate by 10-20%! Growth hormone not only increases the number of calories you burn, but it also alters the type of calories you use for energy. As a “nutrient partitioner,” it shifts your body from burning carbohydrates and amino acids and storing fat, to burning fat and storing carbohydrates and amino acids. It helps to build or rebuild muscle, bone, skin, and organ tissues. However, when energy intake is low or when you fast, GH levels rise to conserve amino acids, sparing muscle and causing your body to burn fat for energy. Symptoms of Low Growth HormoneIncreased body fatIncreased waist-to-hip ratioIncreased belly (visceral) fatMuscle lossDecreased bone densityDecreased strengthReduced exercise performanceReduced VO2 MaxDecreased max heart rateReduced resilience to stressDecreased physical and mental energyLack of motivationLack of libidoIncreased need for sleepCardiovascular problemsElevated blood pressure Many of these symptoms have similarities with imbalances of other hormones. For example, low thyroid, low testosterone, elevated estrogen, or excess cortisol contribute to increased body fat, reduced libido, and decreased mental and physical energy. Decreased VO2 Max is also typical in hypothyroidism. And cardiovascular problems occur with low thyroid, low testosterone, and elevated cortisol. The point is, if you see yourself in some of the symptoms above, it doesn’t guarantee you have low GH. But it does suggest you should order a full hormone panel through your doctor. What causes low growth hormone? Genetic factors cause low growth hormone in a small percentage of the population, which may cause small stature. For most people, though, low levels are a self-inflicted situation. The following are the most common contributors. Obesity or excess belly fat: Excess fat, especially belly fat, blunts GH secretion. As body fat levels rise, levels decrease, which suppresses fat metabolism even further, making it more likely you'll gain more body fat. How much of an effect does obesity have on growth hormone? Research shows that for each point someone’s BMI increases, growth hormone drops by 6%. Sleep debt: Growth hormone secretion peaks during deep sleep. If you go to sleep at inconsistent times, leave lights on at night, drink too much alcohol, eat too close to dinner, or sleep in a bedroom that's too hot, you'll compromise deep sleep, and thereby sabotage GH secretion.

Growth Hormone: How to Avoid Low Levels and Boost GH Naturally

Is a high-protein diet the best diet you could follow? If so, what are the health benefits? Are there any risks? Read on, and you'll understand why I believe a high-protein diet is the best diet for health, fitness, and even supporting quality-of-life later in life. What is a High-Protein Diet? Researchers categorize diets as "high-protein" based on the percentage of calories coming from protein or the measured amount of protein you eat compared with your body weight. Percentage-Based Calculation: According to The Institute of Medicine, a high-protein diet consists of more than 30-35% of its total calories as protein. If you eat 2000 calories per day and consume more than 600-700 calories from protein, you'd eat a "high-protein diet." Weight-Based Calculation: The Institute of Medicine also set the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) for protein at 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. That's 0.36 grams per pound bodyweight. Using this method, if you weigh 200 pounds and eat more than 72 grams of protein per day, according to the IOM, you'd eat a "high-protein diet." The weight-based calculation generates a better recommendation. For example, a 200-pound athlete that trains five hours per day requires far more calories than a 200-pound couch potato. Yet, most of the additional calories should come from fat or carbohydrates to fuel exercise. That said, 0.8 grams per kilogram is the Recommended Daily Intake, which is an "adequate amount for most people to avoid deficiency." It is not an optimal amount. In the United States, the average adult male eats 98 grams of protein per day, and the average female eats 68 grams. That's pretty close to the Recommended Daily Intake. Yet, the RDI is well-below optimal. From my experience, experimentation, and based on an increasing amount of evidence, the optimal protein intake is about one gram per pound ideal body weight. I always include the phrase "ideal body weight," because if you weigh 250 pounds today, but should be closer to 150 pounds, 150 grams of protein would be optimal. It's not that 250 grams would be detrimental; it's unnecessary to eat the extra 100 grams. The ‘lay’ recommendation to consume 1 g protein/lb of body weight (2.2 g/kg/day) while resistance training has pervaded for years. Nutrition professionals often deem this lay recommendation excessive and not supported by research. However, as this review shows, this ‘lay’ recommendation aligns well with research that assesses applied outcome measures of strength and body composition in studies of duration > 4 weeks.Bosse JD, Dixon BM, 2012 What are the health benefits of a high-protein diet? High-protein diets don't just help you look better. They also impact your overall health. The following are some of the most significant ways high-protein diets enhance your wellbeing. Supports fat and weight loss In one type of study, researchers create a specific dietary protocol, where protein makes up 30-35% of calorie intake in one group, and less in another. They equalize total calories between the groups, relative to each individual’s metabolic rate. In such studies, the higher-protein group experiences more of an improvement in body composition. In another study design, participants follow an ad libitum diet. They must eat a set level of protein, but get no other dietary recommendations. In this type of study, higher-protein intake favors better body composition as well. When I work with online personal training clients on their nutrition, my first recommendation is to increase protein intake. I don't care what other carbs and fat they eat, as long as they eat more protein. They almost always eat fewer carbs and less fat without thinking about it, and get leaner without feeling like they're on "diets." High-protein diets: Increase satiety: Protein stimulates the release of cholecystokinin, PYY, and GLP-1, which reduce feelings of hunger, as well as increase satiety,

Why is a high-protein diet best for health and fitness?

What makes a multivitamin a "high-quality multivitamin?" Why is there such a big difference in price between what your healthcare practitioner recommends, and what you find in retail stores? Why do you even need a multivitamin? Clients and VIGOR Training members have asked me these questions numerous times. I'll provide the answers below. I ran the nutritional supplement brand for one of the top fitness companies in the United States for several years. I formulated or helped formulate numerous supplements, including multivitamins. During the process, we also vetted manufacturers, decided on which forms of micronutrients to use and considered things like fillers and excipients, which few people consider when buying their supplements. I also worked for a year with one of the most respected nutritional products manufacturers in the world. I designed and formulated products, and have been “behind the scenes” in the supplement manufacturing world. Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. Hopefully, by the end of this, you'll understand why you're better off investing a little more in your supplements for products that work, rather than buying what's cheap and might not be as effective. Why You Need a Multivitamin When I refer to a “multivitamin,” I’m really talking about a multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement, or a supplement that includes most, if not all, of your essential micronutrients. .ugb-af929a0-wrapper.ugb-container__wrapper{background-color:#f5f5f5 !important}.ugb-af929a0-wrapper.ugb-container__wrapper:before{background-color:#f5f5f5 !important}.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > h1,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > h2,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > h3,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > h4,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > h5,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > h6{color:#222222}.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > p,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > ol li,.ugb-af929a0-content-wrapper > ul li{color:#222222} Micronutrient: essential vitamin or mineral that must be consumed through diet or supplementation to maintain normal cellular and molecular function. If you don’t use a multivitamin today, here are three reasons why I believe you need to start. 1. Vegetables and fruit are not as nutrient-dense as they once were. Though farming production has improved in many ways, growing produce bigger and faster comes at a cost. Super-sized fruit and vegetables lack the nutrient density they once had. Also, farming has depleted soil of many minerals it once contained. The plants cannot absorb what is no longer there. Research shows that today’s produce has less protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, vitamin E, and vitamin A than in the mid-1900s. As one study put it, you’d need to eat eight oranges today to get the same amount of vitamin A that a single orange contained when our grandparents were young. 2. Higher mental and physical stress levels require more micronutrients. We encounter more oxidative stress, emotional and physical stress, pollution, and other toxins than ever. We also get less sleep, movement, and time outdoors, which hampers your ability to recover from those stresses. Vitamins and minerals play essential roles in helping us deal with these stressors and maintain healthy metabolic function. Increased metabolic and enzymatic demands during times of stress may also be associated with increased micronutrient utilization and subsequent depletion. Moreover, stress is associated with increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Through their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms, nutrients may be utilized at greater concentrations in response to these processes. It is also possible that increased micronutrient excretion through urine and sweat may contribute to reduced bodily nutrient stores. Perspiration is increased during times of physical and psychological stress, possibly accounting for increased excretion of c...

What makes a High-Quality Multivitamin “High-Quality?”

Muscle plays a significant role in your long-term health, fitness, longevity, and even your ability to ward off disease and infection. Yet the vast majority of Americans do little to no strength training. Investing three to five hours per week, lifting weights and doing other movements that challenge your muscles, bones, and connective tissue is one of the healthiest activities you could take part in. Provided people follow a well-designed strength training program, the benefits of muscle mass go way beyond aesthetics. By the end of this article, you’ll understand why strength is one of The First 3 Habits of VIGOR(ESS) Health. 1. Muscle builds your quality-of-life savings account. Muscle is your quality-of-life savings account. The more you have as you enter later adulthood, the longer you’ll be able to carry on the activities you love to do today. Without consistently putting your muscles under sufficient stress, they get smaller. It would be like hoping you build a big financial nest egg, but never put any money into your retirement account. To build the next egg, you have to exercise discipline with your spending, and set money aside. To build a quality-of-life savings account with muscle, you have to...well...exercise. Throughout your life, you'll face injuries and physical setbacks that keep you from exercising. You might also get cancer, or develop heart disease, which causes cachexia. The more you have when that happens, the more you can afford to lose before facing serious health problems. Muscle mass is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in older adults. The more muscle mass you have, the lower your risk of dying. 2. Muscle mass increases your carbohydrate capacity. The only places you store carbohydrates are in your liver and skeletal muscle. You're not going to increase your liver's size, so building muscle is the only way to improve your carbohydrate capacity. If you have diabetes or insulin resistance, talk to your doctor about following a ketogenic diet for a while. If your doctor says a ketogenic diet doesn't help with diabetes, find a different doctor. But even with a change in diet, it's imperative to start strength training. Type II diabetes and muscle loss create a vicious cycle. The more muscle you lose, the more likely it is that you'll develop type II diabetes. The worse your type II diabetes gets, the faster you lose muscle. As muscle is the main organ of glucose disposal, reduced muscle mass leads to increased insulin resistance. Conversely, insulin resistance or T2DM (type II diabetes) itself is associated with accelerating loss of skeletal muscle, causing a bidirectional positive feedback loop between metabolic disorders and sarcopenia.Kim JA, et al. Though most people with type II diabetes are also overweight, about 20% of those with the condition are at a normal weight. A lack of muscle, whether you're overweight or not, is a significant factor in type II diabetes risk. 3. Resistance training improves heart health. Strength training depletes oxygen in the blood. In the absence of oxygen, your contracting muscles produce lactate. Lactate causes your muscles to burn. Your heart beats harder and faster to take the lactate away from and deliver more oxygen to your working muscles. With continued strength training sessions, your stroke volume improves and your resting heart rate drops, which means your heart becomes more efficient. Research also shows that resistance training improves the health of your blood vessels. Strength training provides cardiovascular benefits similar to endurance training without the negative impact of increased inflammation, overuse injuries, elevated cortisol, or reduced testosterone. 4. Weight training increases bone density. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation: A woman’s risk of fracture is equal to her combined risk of getting breast, uterine,

9 Reasons Strength Training is Critical for Long-Term Health, Fitness, and Longevity

COVID-19 cases have increased significantly in recent weeks. In reaction to the rise in cases, numerous states and cities have rolled back their reopening plans. Masks are mandated across half of the country. It would be reasonable to assume that the numbers define the count of people who've tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. They include more than that count. It would also be reasonable to assume that the United States counts COVID-19 cases like all other countries do. That isn't the case either. The CDC Guidelines for Counting COVID-19 Cases According to the CDC guidelines, the case and death counts we see as U.S. citizens include both confirmed cases and probable cases. States began adding probable cases to confirmed cases in mid-April, though not all states adopted this more liberal approach to counting right away. Many other countries count only confirmed cases. Because we use a far more liberal method of counting, it appears that in the United States, COVID-19 is out of control. In reality, it's a difference in counting methods. It's as though in other countries, they're only counting Dodge Rams, but in the United States, we're counting all trucks. Here's how it works in the U.S. Again, we now count both confirmed cases and probable cases. A confirmed case meets confirmatory laboratory evidence. You test positive with a standard COVID-19 test. As straightforward as that seems, even the standard PCR test is surrounded by controversy. A probable case: Meets clinical criteria and epidemiologic evidence, but does not include a positive test for COVID-19Meets presumptive laboratory evidence and either clinical criteria or epidemiologic evidence, but no positive test for COVID-19Meets vital records criteria with no positive test for COVID-19 I'll share some examples in a moment, but first need to provide the additional CDC definitions. Clinical Criteria The CDC clinical criteria for COVID-19 includes at least one of the following: At least two of the following symptoms: fever (measured or subjective), chills, rigors, myalgia, headache, sore throat, new olfactory and taste disorder(s), orAt least one of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing, orSevere respiratory illness with at least one of the following:Clinical or radiographic evidence of pneumonia, orAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). And...no alternative, more likely diagnosis. Laboratory Criteria Confirmatory laboratory evidence: Standard PCR test. This is what we've known of as COVID tests all along. These should be straightforward enough. And you'd certainly expect them to be accurate. They're not. It turns out, a number of initial tests were contaminated. How many? We don't know. As a result, some people who were actually negative for the virus, tested positive. Contamination occurred in other countries as well. Additional studies showed that other tests could lead to a number of false-positive test results, but nobody knows how common this is. What that means is that some of the people who had COVID or flu-like symptoms, and tested positive for COVID-19, might have just had the flu. To cloud things even more, some people are testing positive for COVID-19, even after no-showing for their test. Presumptive laboratory evidence: Antigen or antibody testing that suggests someone could have had COVID-19 in the recent past. Though it's logical to think that if you have COVID-19 antibodies, you had and have recovered from COVID-19, that's not necessarily true. Other coronaviruses can cause you to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. In addition, the tests themselves are far from accurate. So again, using these tests to count COVID-19 case or death numbers can lead to flawed data. Epidemiologic Linkage Here's where things get really questionable. The epidemiological requirements are as follows:

How are COVID-19 cases counted? Are they all “real” cases?

Is coffee good or bad for you? Few topics in nutrition create as much confusion as coffee does. Yet, when you look at the research, the evidence is clear: coffee is good for you. Of course, I'm referring to a plain cup of Joe. I'm not referring to a cappuccino, macchiato, latte, or any other Java-flavored beverage. Don't miss out. Join the VIP List! The Health Benefits of Coffee Coffee provides a number of health benefits, with few, if any, significant risks. That said, numerous myths still surround it. I'll cover the majority of health benefits here, and touch on a few of the potential drawbacks. Read more: How to Make the Best Drip Dark Roast Coffee. Enhances weight loss Coffee reduces appetite. That makes it a great option when intermittent fasting or dieting. In overweight or obese people, drinking two to four cups per day reduces food intake later in the day. Higher coffee consumption was associated with significantly lower total body fat percentage and trunk body fat percentage in a dose-response manner (all P values < 0.05) among women.Chao Cao, et al. The caffeine also raises metabolic rate, which could contribute to weight loss as well. The caffeine activates brown adipose tissue, a more metabolically active type of fat tissue. The effect is relatively small, though. Four cups of Joe, which contains about 320 milligrams of caffeine, would burn an extra 32 calories per day. Enhances physical / athletic performance Most of the performance-enhancing effects of coffee come from caffeine. Caffeine: improves reaction timeenhances fat metabolismincreases staminaimproves strengthimproves powerreduces mental fatigue Though coffee does contain caffeine, you probably won't be able to get enough caffeine from a standard cup of coffee to enhance exercise performance significantly. You might need to drink a nitro cold brew, a caffeinated energy drink, or take a caffeine pill. However, I'd recommend only using high-dose caffeine on occasion, such as during competition or for a game. If you use high doses all the time, your tolerance to caffeine reduces its stimulatory effect. Enhances cognitive and nervous system function Animal research shows caffeine may protect the nervous system from inflammation and protect the brain from developing Alzheimer's disease. Those who drink three to five cups of Joe per day during mid-life have a 65% lower risk of developing late-life dementia and Alzheimer's Disease when compared against non-drinkers. Heavy consumers also have a reduced risk of developing multiple sclerosis. In women, it may reduce the rates of depression while improving mental acuity, energy, and wellbeing in both men and women. Coffee's effect on acetylcholine and serotonin contributes to its cognitive benefits. Improves blood sugar control and reduces the risk of diabetes When compared with people who don't drink coffee, those who drink 6 cups per day reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes by 33%. Interestingly, caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity, so the blood sugar benefits must come from other compounds in coffee, such as chlorogenic acid, lignin's, quinines, and trigonelline. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease Three to five cups of coffee per day lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. Drinking more than that does not raise or reduce the risk according to a meta-analysis that included more than 1 million people. Though this sounds promising, I should mention that two diterpenes in coffee – cafestol and kahweol – can raise cholesterol and triglyceride levels in some people. However, they are removed when you drink filtered Java. Unfiltered coffee, such as french press or espresso, would contain these diterpenes. The other benefits still significantly outweigh the potential risk associated with coffee, so go ahead and drink unfiltered coffee if you like it. A doctor might warn a patient with high blood pressure to avoid c...

Is Coffee Good for You, or Is Coffee Bad for You?

Low libido, difficulty building muscle, depression, and increased body fat. These are the four most common symptoms of low testosterone people ask me about. If you have low testosterone, you're not alone. A 2006 study found 39% of U.S. men, age 45 and older, were testosterone-deficient. I'm confident the percentage would be higher if measured today. The situation is slightly better for women. Daniel Amen, in his book, Unleash the Power of the Female Brain, points out that 20% of women have low testosterone. He also suggests another 20% of women have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) caused by testosterone levels that are too high. Rather than first looking at what raises testosterone with my clients, I always review what causes low testosterone. After all, a great strength training program, a testosterone-boosting supplement, or hormone therapy won't have much of an impact if you sabotage your levels with one or more of the following. 1. Overweight and Obesity Low testosterone increases body fat, and increased body fat lowers testosterone. This creates a vicious cycle of ongoing weight gain, which lowers testosterone, which causes more weight gain. Not surprisingly, hormone therapy does decrease body fat and increases muscle mass. However, I'd never recommend starting with hormone therapy. Instead, get your body fat under control by starting with your protein intake, sleep, and strength training. Grab a copy of my free ebook that goes deeper on these three: The First 3 Habits of VIGOR(ESS) Health. 2. Unmanaged Stress Women are more susceptible to stress-related drops in testosterone than men. Men primarily produce androgens in the testes, but women depend on their adrenal glands to produce the precursor DHEA, which is then converted to testosterone. The adrenals also produce the stress hormone cortisol. When stress levels are too high, or when women can't recover from the stress they face, it can limit the production of testosterone, increasing the ratio of estrogen to testosterone. Men are not immune to stress either, but it can take longer to show symptoms in men than in women. Read also: The Best Adaptogens for Health and Fitness 3. Sleep Debt Testosterone levels peak in the morning, just after waking up (in men, that's why something else reaches a peak in the morning as well, provided their levels are optimal, and they're getting enough sleep). Sleep debt or interrupted sleep suppresses androgen production. A staggering 26% of middle-aged men have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which drastically limits testosterone production. You might be surprised by how much better you feel after two weeks of consistent, sufficient sleep. 4. Excess Alcohol Consumption A little alcohol increases androgens. Too much and it'll tank them. A single night of moderate (one serving for women, two servings for men) increases testosterone. But if you drink more on a single night, or drink more often, you'll likely lower your hormone production. Chronic drinking also raises cortisol, which can be a double-whammy for women. Heavy drinking may lower testosterone by 23-27% 12-16 hours later. 5. Statins A six-month study showed Rosuvastatin (Crestor) suppressed androgenic hormones. Levels returned to normal after discontinuing use. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is also known to lower testosterone. Interestingly, research shows that Lipitor combined with testosterone therapy leads to better outcomes than using Lipitor alone. That said, I always encourage people to ask a lot of questions before committing to statin therapies. The side effects are undeniable, and the statin isn't always a necessity. Sometimes doctors can correct patients' cholesterol levels by treating their thyroid. Other times, the cholesterol levels take care of themselves with good lifestyle and nutrition choices. 6. Head Trauma (Men)

9 Causes of Low Testosterone

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, politicians and policymakers have focused on social distancing, washing hands, and face coverings, three things that might slow the spread of COVID-19. Coming from a health and fitness background, what’s most disturbing to me is the lack of discussion around improving people's health. If public health is important to public health policymakers, the first thing they should be emphasizing is what it takes to be healthy.  Healthy bodies handle viruses better than sick ones. Strong immune systems fight viruses better than weak ones. God gave us protection against pathogens that's much stronger than that of a cloth mask. The following are five ways I ensure my immune system is ready to handle the virus when it gets in my eyes, nose, or mouth.  They’re all habits you can adopt beginning today, to help keep the effects of the virus away. I call them nonnegotiable habits because they're not optional in my life. I hope they become nonnegotiable in your life as well. 1. Sleep at least seven hours every night Sleep debt disrupts your hormones, making you gain body fat, even when you eat a lower-calorie diet. Being overweight increases your risk of a severe case of COVID-19.  A lack of sleep also leads to insulin resistance. Just one night of insufficient sleep leads to insulin resistance the next day. Elevated blood sugar also raises the risks of a severe case of COVID-19.  Finally, sleep debt compromises your ability to react to pathogens. It sabotages your body’s adaptive immunity, which is the part of your immune system that develops antibodies to viruses, like SARS-CoV-2. In sum, research during the past years has accumulated evidence that sleep affects a wide variety of immune functions, including the numbers of specific leukocyte subsets in circulating blood, the cell-specific production of cytokines and further immune cell functions.Besedovsky L, et al. Seven hours of sleep is the low end of the threshold for sufficient sleep. The range is seven to nine hours. 2. Strength train three to five times per week Your level of muscle mass plays a significant role in your body’s immune function. The more muscle mass you have, the more capacity you create for storing carbohydrates. As I mentioned earlier, as fasting blood sugar rises, it compromises immune function. If you don’t have enough muscle to store the carbs you eat, your blood sugar remains elevated until you can turn the carbs into triglycerides or body fat. In addition, research shows that as you lose muscle, or if you’re in a catabolic (muscle-losing) state, you reduce the strength of your immune system. This could be why those with cardiovascular disease are more susceptible to something like COVID-19. The cardiac cachexia associated with heart disease weakens your immune system. Skeletal muscle regulates immune system functions via myokine signaling and the expression of immune modulatory surface molecules. Immune cells in turn critically influence muscle mass and function. Therefore, skeletal muscle may act as a central integrator between sarcopenia and immune senescence (age-related loss of immune function).Nelke C, et al. If you’re just getting started, three days a week will suffice for strength training. However, four is better. You will get results faster (provides you’re following a good strength training program). You’ll also develop the habit of exercising faster, as such a schedule has you exercising more days per week than you don’t. 3. High-protein diet Protein is the most important macronutrient for a healthy body. Higher-protein intakes consistently lead to improved body composition, reduced appetite, improved lean body mass, better blood sugar levels, and stronger immune response. On the flip-side, insufficient protein can lead to increased body fat, poor health, and a weaker immune system. This is why a higher-protein diet is part of my First 3 Habits of VIGOR(...

5 Nonnegotiable Habits For a Strong Immune System

Like any long-term relationship, marriage, or business, America's history includes successes and sadness, trials and triumphs, horrors and happiness, and mistakes and milestones. Through it all, Americans have protected life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Infringing upon those rights always leads to turmoil. Those rights have been put to the test in 2020 in ways we've never seen in our long history. The continued masking and muzzling of Americans and the growing expectation of mandatory vaccinations are three examples. Inquiring about the logic leads to malice and hatred from the mob that chooses to comply without question. Asking for proof of safety and effectiveness leads to attacks of one's credibility. Meanwhile, many businesses remain closed. People see other people everywhere, wearing masks, which further reinforce fear. In my opinion, it's even worse for the kids who go through this. And taking this beyond COVID-19, people are more afraid than ever to have an opinion about anything. If they do, and the wrong person hears it or takes it out of context, the mob will come after them, their career, or their reputation. As a result, many Americans aren't standing up for other Americans anymore. They're only standing up for the mob. More than ever, we need Americans to stand up for the rights afforded all of our citizens and the values that make our nation the greatest in the world. That's why I will remain unmasked, unmuzzled, unvaccinated, and unafraid. Unmasked Why do so many people willingly cover their faces with masks that have no proof they reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus? After all, wearing a mask to keep the virus from escaping your mouth is like covering yourself with a chain-link fence in the woods, so you don't get bit by a mosquito.  Why do people wear a mask when there's no science to show it's safe for extended periods? Breathing in your expired air is lower in oxygen and higher in carbon dioxide than unmasked air. There is no long-term research to show that’s smart or safe. Of course, if you choose not to wear a mask, you're immediately labeled as selfish. People will tell you you're going to kill others. "You don't wear a mask for yourself; you wear it for others." Or, "You wear a mask to slow the spread." Nice try with the peer pressure.  Prove that the masks stop a 125 nm virus particle. Prove that breathing through a piece of cloth is harmless.  Heck, even prove that keeping people from getting infected is a good idea.  Nobody has shown that a mask is effective at anything other than spreading more fear, and providing a way to trigger virtue signaling. Unmuzzled The first amendment states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.U.S. Constitution As of late, this amendment only applies to people with specific ideologies. If your values are different from the far-left mob, you're likely to be silenced, threatened, or canceled. You could put your career on the line if you say, "I support President Trump." When the threat to your livelihood or reputation is significant enough, what do you do? Most people give in to the pressure and remain silent. They avoid speaking out, posting on social media, or joining a march against the "wrong" cause. As long as they keep their opinions to themselves, they can remain safe from persecution. Do you know where that sort of behavior takes place? In communist countries. Not in America. You’re supposed to be able to say whatever you want. As long as your words don’t constitute a physical threat, you’re free to share them. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right.

Unmasked. Unmuzzled. Unvaccinated. Unafraid.

We still have a small number of National Guard soldiers left in Minnesota. Vanessa and I make a point to drive past one of the areas they’re stationed when we are out, just so we can say, “Thank you” as we drive by. If there were only one thing I could change about my past, it would be to have served in the armed forces before transitioning into adulthood. .ugb-6040da2-content-wrapper > .ugb-column{align-items:center !important}.ugb-6040da2-content-wrapper > .ugb-column > .ugb-inner-block{height:auto !important} My father served in the Army in Vietnam. He was in the midst of numerous battles as part of the Red Warriors. His last one landed him in the hospital with the back of his body filled with shrapnel. Eight of his fellow soldiers died that day, and 39 others were injured. The battle report from May 27, 1969 could be a movie script. .ugb-45e03c8 > .ugb-inner-block > .ugb-block-content > *{justify-content:center} During his tour, he earned the Purple Heart, Bronze Star with Valor, and Silver Star. You'd never know it, though, unless you asked him. After his time in the Army, he joined the National Guard. He also worked two jobs and guided fishing trips in Northern Minnesota on the weekends to make sure we had what we needed. In case you can't tell, I'm pretty freaking proud of him (and my mom as well, but I'll talk about her another time). My father-in-law, Ray Romero, is also a Vietnam vet. Like my dad, he doesn't talk much about getting drafted, and gave no consideration to not joining the Army once he was drafted. Ray's parents immigrated from Mexico just before he was born. And, like many reading this, I have quite a few friends who serve in the military today. Word to the Nation: Guard zealously your right to serve in the Armed Forces, for without them, there will be no other rights to guardJohn F Kennedy Call In The Guard Following the George Floyd murder, the riots in Minnesota got out of hand. Eventually, the National Guard was called and activated to help restore order and safety around the Minneapolis metro area. If the National Guard had been activated sooner, maybe Minnesota could have set the example for peaceful protests and limited rioting and property damage. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. A lot of damage was done before they stepped in, and that pattern repeated itself across the country. The intention of bringing in The Guard was to quell the rioting. To bring safety to the community. To help stop the destruction of businesses and other property. To reduce the risk that outside groups would exacerbate the violence already seen. They were not brought in to stop peaceful protesting, though some media sources might have portrayed that perspective.  Disrespected How were they welcomed? Most showed them the respect they deserve. Some did not. Each time I saw a photo or video, or read a story of how our soldiers were mistreated, I pictured my friends, my father-in-law, and my dad  as those soldiers. I imagined them absorbing the hate-filled words and standing tall. Heads held high.  Scream at Them and They'd Still Save You It was painful to imagine those I knew taking such punishment from the people they volunteered to protect. Then, I came across this video: https://twitter.com/J_Wade_Miller/status/1267473791422169090?s=20 I watched and listened in disbelief. This thought occured to me... These soldiers who absorb abuse from their own countrymen and countrywomen would willingly put their lives on the line to protect those who show them such disrespect. Our soldiers — active duty, National Guard, Secret Service — put the protection of our country and its people ahead of themselves every day. Most law enforcement officers do as well. We may never fully appreciate what that means. I do know that on May 27, 1969, had a grenade exploded a little closer to my dad, he would have never been my dad, and I wouldn’t be here.

National Guard: Thank You for Serving, Even When You’re Not Respected

Data from the United States and Europe shows that those with the highest risk of severe cases of COVID-19 and death from the virus are the elderly, and those with pre-existing health conditions. If you are healthy, you have an extremely low risk of severe illness. Like really low. If you’re dealing with one of the following conditions, you are not healthy and your risk of a severe case of COVID-19, if you get infected, is much greater: Overweight and obesity Type II DiabetesHeart diseaseHigh blood pressureRespiratory conditionsCancer Inflammation and a suppressed immune system are universal among all of these conditions. If you have two or three, things are likely a lot worse. Technically, having Type I diabetes also raises risk if it isn't properly managed. But type I is usually genetic, unless it’s developed from extreme cases of type II diabetes. Provided type I is properly managed, it shouldn’t affect someone’s risk. Cancer is caused by a variety of reasons, some of which are lifestyle-related. The rest of the conditions are much more likely to be the result of lifestyle choices. If pre-existing conditions open the door for SARS-CoV-2, why aren’t we putting more attention on those conditions? Over the past several decades, pharmaceuticals have helped people live somewhat normal lives, while they continue to make the same lifestyle choices that led to the conditions that led to the medications. For example, insulin or metformin helps people live longer while still being able to eat the foods that brought on their diabetes, to begin with. The problem is, even with medications, your body and its systems don’t function right. As a result, your immune system can’t combat diseases, such as COVID-19, like it should be able to. COVID-19 isn’t the real risk to your health. Diabetes, overweight and obesity, inflammation, and a lack of overall fitness are the real risks. SARS-CoV-2 just exploits the way those risks make us vulnerable.  The good news is, the death rate related to SARS-CoV-2 is nowhere near what was suggested at the beginning of the pandemic. The bad news is, nobody seems to be telling the public they need to immediately address any preventable health conditions they have. There's more attention on masks than a healthy metabolism. It makes no sense. We need more candor to change the culture The only way to wake people up to the risks of poor lifestyle and nutrition choices is to be honest.  We have to change the perception of lifestyle diseases, which means we need to communicate with a little more candor, even of some people choose to be offended by it. If we can’t talk about the stuff that harms us and our society because it makes someone feel bad, we remove the emotions that spur people to change. Before we can change, we need to wrestle through the reality of our current state, and the pain that precedes the willingness to change. This goes against the culture of safety that’s crept into our society over the past decade. In a culture of safety, those who might say or do something that another person could find offensive gets silenced. A culture that allows the concept of “safety” to creep so far that it equates emotional discomfort with physical danger is a culture that encourages people to systematically protect one another from the very experiences embedded in daily life that they need in order to become strong and healthy.The Coddling of the American Mind, Greg Lukianoff, Jonathan Haidt If public health is a priority, why not prime the public on health-promoting habits instead of fostering fear? These lifestyle diseases cost the healthcare system enough already. Now, COVID-19 is yet another disease that puts those with these conditions at greater risk. What if we focused on fixing these problems instead? What if we put more focus on: getting people in the gym and building muscle, which helps control blood sugar and improves body composi...

Why our risk of COVID-19 is our responsibility, not someone else’s.

It happens in a moment. You’re casually scrolling through your newsfeed. You catch a glimpse of someone doing or saying something you don’t agree with.  Maybe you see a photo of a few people hugging after dinner at a restaurant...with people in the background sitting at tables that are closer than six feet apart...and servers who aren't wearing masks?! Before another thought enters your mind, you type a scathing comment: “It’s people like you who are killing people like me!” You feel like you did your good deed for the day.  Then, you get a notification. Your  friend responded to your comment: “The photo was from a year ago. You should have read the caption first.”  Oops. You only lost your marbles for a moment, but the damage is done. You got emotionally hijacked. I've been there before as well. How you lose your mind Critical thinking and rational thought occur in your frontal lobe. Emotions take place in your amygdala.  When your amygdala gets triggered by good or bad emotions, it hijacks your frontal lobe.  Emotions literally make you lose your mind. If you’ve ever bought something and brought it home (or brought someone home) only to feel regretful after the fact, you were probably emotionally hijacked when you made that decision. If you’ve ever said or done something hurtful you later regretted, you were probably emotionally hijacked, too. Or, maybe you’re just a jerk too, but let’s hope not. You are more susceptible to emotional hijacking in stressful environments, where you're bombarded with messages of fear, anger, and disdain, like the news or Twitter. Studies have also found that the amygdala modulates the fear response in humans. Fearful stimuli including fearful faces, fear inducing images, and fear conditioned cues, have been found to activate amygdala in several brain imaging studies...Kerry J. Ressler, Amygdala Activity, Fear, and Anxiety: Modulation by Stress The point is, if you act before you get your emotions under control, you’re more likely to act in a way you’ll later regret. To use common sense and critical thinking, you must first learn to tame your emotions. Critical Thinking vs. Criticism and Condemnation You can’t convince with criticism and condemnation. No matter how loud, offensive, or cruel you are, criticisms and condemnation only push people away and make you look like a jerk. Belittling others makes you look small-minded, not those you try to defame.  Why does one human treat another so...inhumanly? In my opinion, there are three possible reasons: They’re emotionally hijacked, and the only response they can come up with in such an emotional state is to slam and slander others.They name-call and criticize the messenger because they don’t understand their own position well enough to argue about the message itself. Instead, they try to eliminate the message by cutting down the messenger.They believe that by slandering someone harshly enough, the other person will be afraid to speak up any further. This one is a favorite among the Rules For Radicals followers: “Ridicule is man's most potent weapon.” Whatever the reason, choosing a harsh reaction instead of a respectful response is a childish way to treat another person. If you're on the receiving end of such childish criticism and condemnation, allow me to suggest a trick I learned long ago. Smile This past week, I was called a narcissistic a$$hole based on my belief that healthy people who choose to, should be able to get back to normal life. I smiled. Not because I enjoy reading stuff like that, but because I’ve found that’s the easiest way to shut down my own amygdala if I feel defensive, irritated, or angry. I learned the smiling trick while growing up as a fat kid. My nickname was CP (Chubby & Porky). When I got teased, I learned to smile. When I smiled, it changed how I was feeling and allowed me to think more clearly.

Have you lost your mind?

We’re all in this together. Stay home. Stay safe. We’ll get through this. It’s our new normal. These words have been repeated so many times, you’d think they’re used for selling the latest superfood. They’re not selling a superfood, but is it possible they’re trying to sell us something? A Sequence of Events Vanessa and I were playing our morning game of Sequence and drinking our coffee in early April (we’ve been playing card games before work since well before the COVID-19 chaos). Just before the news shifted to commercial, the newsperson stated, "Stay home. Stay safe." The commercials came on, with one after another using the phrases I mentioned above. That was the moment I first realized how often those phrases were coming at us. Of course, once you notice something like this, you can't not see it and hear it anymore. Welcome to the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. Perhaps my bringing it up to you will make you aware now too. Whether the coordinated use of these phrases was some sort of nationwide scheme created by a group behind "the curtain," or it was a simple coincidence, we've been primed, and it's had a visible impact on people's thoughts, words, and actions. Behavioral Priming Though its effects are controversial, psychologists, researchers, and marketers have tested behavioral priming since the middle of the 20th century. If you’re not familiar with priming, it is the ability to influence someone’s thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors without them knowing about it, through exposing them to a previous stimulus. For example, repeating the phrase, “Stay home. Stay safe.” could be a form of priming, as it has the potential to impact the way people think (or don't think and just do), speak, or act. As John Bargh explains in his article, published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, The past 25 years have seen amazing empirical advances in our knowledge of the kinds of psychological concepts and processes that can be primed or put into motion unconsciously. Social norms to guide or channel behavior within the situation; goals to achieve high performance, to cooperate with an opponent, or to be fair minded and egalitarian; emotions that shape our reactions and responses to subsequent, unrelated stimuli; and of course, knowledge structures such as stereotypes and trait constructs for use in the comprehension and encoding of often ambiguous social behavior. And social behavior itself can be produced unconsciously in the same fashion.Still more recently, though, priming effects of even greater complexity have been discovered, such as in the nonconscious activation of deep cultural ideologies and other interpersonal relations…Bargh JA, 2006 Consider this statement: We're all in this together. If you hear this over and over, and unconsciously believe it, then it means those who don't follow the conventional recommendations aren't in this with you. They're outsiders. They are easy to target and hate and slander. It feels okay to treat them as outsiders because people believe they have the support of their pack to do so. Or take this one: Stay home. Stay safe. This implies that by staying home, you’re doing something that helps protect people. To not stay home then, would mean putting others at risk. It sets the stage for people to easily buy into the idea that if you don’t stay home, you’re selfish. There's nothing to prove this statement is accurate. Recent data says the opposite: 66% of hospitalizations in New York are from people sheltering in place. Yet, if you asked the average person what they should do to protect themselves and others, they'd say, "I should stay home to stay safe." Behavioral priming can lead us to believe something is a fact even without evidence to support it. It would explain why some people feel it's okay to throw stones at those who believe in something other than staying home. They want to slander doctors who suggest we're actually safer b...

What if we’ve all been primed?

I wrapped up with work for the day today and thought I’d check out the news. Everything everywhere is COVID-19. Same stories as the days before. The media thrives off your fear Take these recent headlines as an example: U.S. coronavirus deaths surpass Vietnam War (Reuters)The coronavirus crisis is way worse than feared (Axios)Mike Pence’s Reckless Refusal to Wear a Mask at the Mayo Clinic: Masculine bluster meets the Trump administration’s minimization of this crisis. (Slate)COVID-19 exposes mistrust, health care inequality going back generations for African Americans: The horror of COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on communities of color. (ABC News) The Mainstream media does everything it can to scare the shit out of the public, knowing that fear leads to more views.  Fear also leads to unquestioned compliance. Though this quote comes from a fiction book, it holds more truth than a Mainstream Media story. If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid.Paulo Coelho,  The Devil and Miss Prym The simple fact is this: the situation is not as bleak as the news would have you believe. Facts overcome fear How many people die each year outside of COVID-19? 2.8 million people.  Of the 2.8 million annual deaths, the following are the top causes (2017 numbers): Heart disease: 647,457Cancer: 599,108Accidents (unintentional injuries): 169,936Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 160,201Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 146,383Alzheimer’s disease: 121,404Diabetes: 83,564 At the time of this writing, 58,000 people have died in connection with COVID-19 in the United States. 0.018% of the U.S. population. Time will tell, but the data suggests a significant portion of the COVID-19 deaths are not in addition to the usual 2.8 million. It’s likely that numerous will be instead of some of the 2.8 million.  What’s interesting is that those with any of these issues, other than accidents or Alzheimer’s, are more likely to die of COVID-19.  89% of those who end up in the hospital due to COVID-19 have a preexisting condition. The most common preexisting conditions leading to hospitalization with COVID-19 are the same preexisting conditions that cause the most common deaths in the U.S. to begin with. If COVID-19 is so life-threatening, why don't we put forth the same level of culture-shocking effort into fixing the preexisting conditions that lead to hospitalization? Why don't we have the same fear of not being healthy as we do about getting sick? We don't need to live in fear if we're willing to stay healthy. If we're willing to stay healthy, we can overcome COVID-19 with little to no symptoms. If we're willing to stay healthy, we can go to work and keep the economy going, so our government can care for those who have no control over their health or age. If we're willing to stay healthy, we'll minimize our risk of severe COVID-19. We'll be able to work and provide for our families and friends. Don't be fooled into fear. `

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