Hormone regulation is much more than it's cracked up to be. Check out this very informative interview at Truly Huge.com

"Exercise can increase insulin sensitivity; or it can
decrease insulin sensitivity by raising cortisol levels. Exercise is
potentially the most powerful natural growth hormone stimulator
known to science, and, therefore, an unmatched anti-aging force,
fat-burner, muscle-builder, and immune booster; or it can suppress
growth hormone levels. Exercise can send testosterone levels in
men soaring, increasing sex drive and sexual performance, and
opening the door to all the physiological and psychological
benefits of youth; or it can suppress testosterone so low that it is
virtually impossible to get an erection, and equally impossible to
build an ounce of muscle. Exercise can suppress the catabolic
hormone cortisol; or it can cause a catabolic jailbreak, unleashing
cortisol and other hostile catabolic hormones to assault your
immune system, eat-away at precious muscle tissue, and create
generalized havoc within your body. The sad fact is that many
people train for months, or even years, without experiencing any
noticeable results. As someone who is uniquely in touch with the
drug-free or "genetically average Joe" bodybuilder, Dan, you must
hear stories all the time about people training regularly and
consistently but having very little to show for it."

Hormones govern our health. For instance, insulin is a powerful sugar regulator that has the ability to help or hinder body fat utilization. Growth hormone and testosterone and exceptional hormones that increase muscle building, improve immune response, and can help metabolize fat. While, cortisol and estrogen have destructive qualities that can hamper even the best of healthy intentions.

Here is Rob Faigin's summary of eight items that'll tune you into your hormones for easier weight control and improved health and fitness.

The simplest adjustments are:

Dietary Cholesterol, Friend Not Foe - Cholesterol is the primary food-derived substance from which the body manufacturers many types of hormones, particularly sex hormones and adrenal hormones. For people restricting fat intake – and especially for those specifically restricting cholesterol intake – low dietary cholesterol consumption can limit hormonal output. Eggs are the best source of cholesterol.

Deep Sleep – Hormones are secreted in tune with daily circadian rhythms. Growth hormone is secreted during slow-wave sleep (also known as stage 4 or deep sleep).²⁰ Sleep quality, particularly deep sleep, declines as we age. This results in diminished growth hormone output.²¹ Deep sleep occurs to a greater degree earlier in the night (12-3 a.m.) REM is more prevalent later and corresponds with a daily cortisol peak.²² By going to bed earlier you optimize the GH/cortisol ratio.

Sunlight (sun hormone report, click here) – Many folks nowadays spend most of their time indoors. This can wreak havoc on hormone levels. Light enters the body through the retino-hypothalamic pathway: through the eyes, converted to nerve impulses, and transmitted to a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which is the master hormonal regulator.²³ Sunlight also raises serotonin levels in the brain, which has an anti-depressant effect and improves nighttime sleep quality. Also, sunlight is critical for production of vitamin D.²⁴ D is converted to a hormone-like substance named 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) that increases calcium absorption. Sunlight can help prevent osteoporosis as well as any vitamin or mineral, but avoid sun-burning. Spend at least 20 minutes each day outside prior to 3 p.m. or 30-40 minutes outside after 3 p.m., leaving exposed as much skin as suitably possible.   

 

For more on Natural Hormonal Enhancement  read Dave Draper's informative review here.