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Male Health

Male health is all about – testosterone. Didn’t you just know it, it’s what makes men into “real” men, but I’m not just talking about superfit sports stars or Mr Universe here, testosterone is a vital part of keeping your average man healthy, it’s not their fault, it’s their hormones!

Testosterone is produced by the testes and really does perform and maintain many of the functions which are necessary to keep men healthy:

• it’s important for strength and muscle mass (back to Mr Universe again)
• it helps with fat distribution
• sperm production
• sex drive
• bone mass
• muscle development
• penis growth
• beards
• deep voices

Some men seem to naturally ooze testosterone don’t they, whereas others are, well, a bit lacking. For the sake of the health of males everywhere, let’s look at ways that men can naturally increase their levels of testosterone, and their health along with it.

• Reduce their levels of fat – yes, fatties have lower testosterone levels – lose a bit of that excess baggage and your health, and indeed your life will improve in many ways.
• Have more sex – that’s got your attention hasn’t it. You see, when you have sex it simply triggers the body to produce testosterone, so the more sex you have, the more testosterone you’ll produce and the healthier you’ll be. If your partner doesn’t believe you, show her this article, but then again she might suggest that you follow step one first!
• Bulk up your muscles – well, if you follow this one she’ll definitely be more up for the increased sex, if only for health reasons. If you increase your muscles by exercises like weight lifting and squat thrusts, your testosterone will reach a new high.
• Proper resting times – with all of this increased activity, make sure that you get plenty of rest, including “power naps” – very important for male health.
• Healthy diet – I bet you were waiting for this one weren’t you, everything always gets back to “you are what you eat”.  Listen though, because this is important, research has found that males who eat a diet which is high in monounsaturated fat – avocados, fish, peanuts etc, it can actually help to boost their testosterone levels. Now don’t go mad, but the fat in just about all nuts will help to boost your level of testosterone – and health! Pass the crackers darling!
• Male health and alcohol – now then, contrary to popular belief, there is a myth spread about by some people just because it suits them, that drinking alcohol makes them more attractive to the opposite sex – no, it just makes the opposite sex look more attractive to you – briefly! Excessive alcohol drinking actually lowers testosterone levels – so a bottle of beer and a packet of peanuts kind of balances itself out really!
• Eat more often – look again, it doesn’t say eat more, it says eat more often. Instead of the “three square meals per day”, research has found that male health can improve by eating 5 or 6 smaller portions throughout the day, making sure that you get the right balance of complex carbs and low fat protein.

Eating for Male Health

We’ve already touched on the peanuts and avocados bit, but there are some food stuffs which really will help to improve male health by increasing testosterone.

• Oysters have a high zinc level which can help to increase both testosterone and the production of sperm (they’re also an aphrodisiac so can help in other ways too)
• Some veg – mainly broccoli, radishes, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts and turnips help to reduce the amount of estrogen levels in the body, which in turn raises the levels of testosterone
• Eggs help to balance the hormone levels in the body, so can help male health by keeping the testosterone at a constant level
• Red meat, the food of “real men” and poultry.

Improving your health actually sounds like fun doesn’t it? Imagine spending a couple of hours at the gym, followed by a power nap, a juicy steak, packet of peanuts and off to bed for a bit of  love in the afternoon. I’m sure that there are worse ways to spend a day.