Natural Hormonal Enhancement

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Is Anti-Aging Unnatural or is Aging Unnatural............................................................................. 1

 Chapter 2

Biological Aging vs. Chronological Aging............................................................... 3

Chapter 3

Growth Hormone and the Hormonal Revolution................................................ 5

References................................................................................................................................. 9

Chapter 4

Putting Your Hormonal Army to Work for You................................................... 11

I. Hormonal Synergy................................................................................................................. 11

A. Growth Hormone and Testosterone.............................................................................. 11

B. Growth Hormone and Estrogen..................................................................................... 12

C. Hormone Replacement or Not?..................................................................................... 12

Report - The Question Every Woman Faces:
Estrogen Replacement or Not?.......................................................... 13

D. Somatopause vs. Menopause........................................................................................ 14

E. Reversing Growth Hormone Decline.............................................................................. 14

II. Principles of Natural Hormonal Enhancement: An Overview.............................................. 15

A. Muscle Axis and Fat Axis: The Conceptual Foundation............................................... 16

1) Muscle Axis ............................................................................................................ 16

a. Anabolic Hormones............................................................................................ 16

b. Catabolic Hormones........................................................................................... 16

2) Fat Axis  .................................................................................................................. 17

a. Lipogenic Hormones........................................................................................... 17

b. Lipolytic Hormones........................................................................................... 18

B. Taking a Turn for the Hearse, or Turning Back the Clock?............................................ 18

C. Natural Hormonal Enhancement Strategy in a Nutshell................................................. 20

References.................................................................................................................................. 21

Chapter 5

You Can Learn a Lot from an Ancient Warrior:
Looking Back to Prehistory to Unlock Secrets to Super-Health.............. 24

A. A Departure from the Ancient Warrior Diet: Throwing Your Hormones a Curve........ 27

B. The Modern Day Ancient Warrior................................................................................ 29

References................................................................................................................................. 30

Chapter 6

The Misinformation Age.................................................................................................. 32

References................................................................................................................................. 36

Chapter 7

The Truth Can Hurt, But the Absence of Truth Can Kill.............................. 37

References................................................................................................................................. 42

Chapter 8

You Broil, Never Fry, But You've Been Living a Lie...................................... 44

I. Appealingly Simple and Intuitively Inviting......................................................................... 45

II. Hormones Regulate Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels..................................................... 46

III. Examining History and Other Cultures............................................................................... 51

IV. Ignore-ance Defeats Truth and Causes Death..................................................................... 54

V. In a Nutshell, Here's What You Need to Know about Dietary Fat:..................................... 57

VI. Sugar-Burner or Fat-Burner?............................................................................................... 57

References................................................................................................................................. 58

Chapter 9 The Key to Permanent Fat Loss: Working with Your Body, Not Against It.......... 65

I. Calorie Restriction - A No-Win Proposition......................................................................... 65

II. "Wasting" Calories................................................................................................................ 66

III. Overriding Your Fat Setpoint.............................................................................................. 67

IV. The Calorie Theory Refuted............................................................................................... 68

V. Counting Calories is Strictly Prohibited............................................................................... 69

VI. Fat Consumption and Hormonal Hunger: A Disastrous Combination............................... 70

References................................................................................................................................. 71

Chapter 10

The Hormonal Response to Food................................................................................ 75

I. Insulin and Glucagon: Opposing Forces in the Kingdom of Metabolism.............................. 76

A. The Insulin Mechanism: How it Works........................................................................ 77

1) Insulin as Fat-Builder............................................................................................... 77

2) Insulin as Muscle-Builder........................................................................................ 78

B. The Glucagon Mechanism: How it Works..................................................................... 78

1) Glucagon as Fat-Burner........................................................................................... 79

2) Glucagon as Muscle-Destroyer............................................................................... 79

C. Macronutrient Hormonal Triggers................................................................................. 80

II. Avoiding Spillover and the Conveyor-Belt Problem............................................................ 81

A. Cycle Carbohydrate to Avoid Spillover........................................................................ 81

B. Divide and Conquer to Avoid the Conveyor Belt Problem........................................... 82

III. High Insulin Dropkicks Energy Levels............................................................................... 82

A. Insulin Bars Access to the Supreme Fuel Source........................................................... 82

B. High Insulin Dulls Mental Acuity................................................................................. 83

References................................................................................................................................. 84

Chapter 11

Dietary Strategies for: Reshaping Your Body · Combating Aging ·Subduing
Cravings · Increasing Energy Levels ·Improving
Athletic Performance · Promoting Health......................... 87

I. Reshaping Your Body and Combating Aging........................................................................ 87

A. Maximum Fat Loss Without Sacrificing Lean Body Mass............................................ 87

        Using Your Muscles to Turn Back the Hands of Time.............................................. 88

Report - Women and Muscles......................................................................... 89

B. The Anabolic, "Construction," Effect............................................................................ 89

Report - Anabolic Hormones in Action: Growth Hormone and Insulin -
Adversaries in Partnership ..............................................................  90

C. Protecting Protein: The Anti-Catabolic, Anti-Aging, Effect.......................................... 91

II. Increasing Energy Levels and Improving Athletic Performance........................................... 92

A. High Energy Levels while Losing Bodyfat.................................................................... 92

B. The "Metabolic Advantage" in the Gym - More Fat Loss from Exercise..................... 93

C. For Athletes and Bodybuilders: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Cutting Weight, and
    Making Steady Progress Competition to Competition, Year to Year............................ 93

III. Promoting Health................................................................................................................ 96

Avoiding the Health Problems Associated with Conventional Dieting
(While Enjoying the Health Benefits of the NHE Eating Plan).......................................... 96

IV. Subduing Cravings .............................................................................................................. 97

A. The Psychological Edge................................................................................................. 97

B. Real Hunger vs. Hormonal Hunger: A Critical Distinction............................................ 97

1) Real Hunger.............................................................................................................. 98

2) Hormonal Hunger..................................................................................................... 99

a. When Blood Sugar Goes South.......................................................................... 100

b. Serotonin Confusion: That Which Goes Up Must Come Down...................... 102

Report - Can a High-Carbohydrate Diet Lead to Serotonin Depletion?.......... 103

References................................................................................................................................. 104

Chapter 12

Monitoring Your Progress............................................................................................... 111

I. Bodyfat Testing..................................................................................................................... 111

A. Hydrostatic Weighing.................................................................................................... 111

B. Caliper Testing............................................................................................................... 112

C. Bioelectric Impedance.................................................................................................... 112

D. Near-Infrared Interactance............................................................................................. 113

II. The Clothes Knows.............................................................................................................. 113

III. The Way to Weigh.............................................................................................................. 113

IV. How You Feel..................................................................................................................... 115

References................................................................................................................................. 116

Chapter 13

Getting Started: Making the Metabolic Shift...................................................... 117

I. Getting Out of the Sugar-Burning Mode............................................................................... 117

II. The Metabolic U-Turn......................................................................................................... 118

A. How Much Carbohydrate?............................................................................................ 118

B. What to Eat during the First Seven Days....................................................................... 118

        What about Vegetarians and Vegans?.......................................................................... 119

C. What Not to Eat............................................................................................................. 119

III. Changing Your Body Requires Changing Your Mind......................................................... 119

Eating Affirmations............................................................................................................. 121

Chapter 14

The Natural Hormonal Enhancement Eating Plan:
A Lifetime Dietary Strategy.......................................................................................... 122

I. Introduction to Macronutrient Cycling................................................................................. 122

Report - Enter the Third Dimension................................................................ 123

II. Standard Fat-Burning Meals (Downcycle)........................................................................... 124

Functions of Standard Fat-Burning Meals.......................................................................... 124

III. Carb-Load Meals (Upcycle)............................................................................................... 125

A. Functions of Carb-Load Meals...................................................................................... 125

IV. What to Eat and When to Eat.............................................................................................. 127

A. The Standard Fat-Burning Meals................................................................................... 127

B. Hierarchy of Eating Priorities for Standard Fat-Burning Meals..................................... 128

V. Drink a Lot of Water............................................................................................................ 128

A. Warriors Don't Drink Soda Pop..................................................................................... 128

B. Water for Fat Loss and Health....................................................................................... 129

C. Is Water Anabolic?......................................................................................................... 130

VI. The Bodybuilders' NHE Eating Plan: A Dietary Strategy for Maximum Muscle Growth 131

A. Upcycle (Carb-Load Meals).......................................................................................... 133

B. Downcycle (Standard Fat-Burning Meals).................................................................... 134

1) Carbohydrate........................................................................................................... 134

2) Protein...................................................................................................................... 134

3) Fat............................................................................................................................ 134

C. The Cyclical High-Fat Diet in Historical Context.......................................................... 136

References................................................................................................................................. 136

Chapter 15

The Carb-Load....................................................................................................................... 138

I. Benefits of the Carb-Load...................................................................................................... 139

II. When to Carb-Load.............................................................................................................. 139

A. Splitting the Carb-Load.................................................................................................. 140

B. The Maintenance Plan.................................................................................................... 141

 III. What to Eat When You Carb-Load.................................................................................... 141

A. What about Fat?............................................................................................................. 141

B. Carbohydrate Partitioning.............................................................................................. 143

C. What about Protein?....................................................................................................... 144

D. Starchy Carbs vs. Sugary Carbs..................................................................................... 144

Review: What to Eat When You Carb-Load....................................................................... 146

References................................................................................................................................. 146

Chapter 16

Thermogenesis: The Science of Using Food to Increase Metabolism... 149

I. Reducing "Actual" Calories.................................................................................................... 149

II. Thermogenic Foods.............................................................................................................. 151

A. Fruits and Vegetables..................................................................................................... 151

B. Protein Foods................................................................................................................. 153

References................................................................................................................................. 154

Chapter 17

Protein Optimization and Meal Frequency............................................................ 156

Report - Optimization: A Recurring Theme of Natural Hormonal
Enhancement ..................................................................................... 157

I. How Much to Consume?....................................................................................................... 157

II. Maximizing Absorption....................................................................................................... 160

III. Meal Frequency.................................................................................................................. 161

References................................................................................................................................. 163

Chapter 18

Using Dietary Fat to Burn Bodyfat............................................................................ 165

I. How Much is Moderate?....................................................................................................... 168

II. Good Fat............................................................................................................................... 170

Report - Eicosanoids: The Master Key to Disease - and its Prevention ........ 171

A. Monunsaturated Fat and the Oil Controversy.............................................................. 171

B. Saturated Fat vs. Polyunsaturated Fat: A Critical Reassessment.................................. 173

C. Trans Fatty Acids: Mutant Child of Technology......................................................... 174

Report - Butter vs. Margarine:
Making Sound Health Choices in the Sound-Byte Era..................... 176

D. Omega 3......................................................................................................................... 177

Report - Healthy Bacon?................................................................................. 178

Report - To Flax or Not to Flax....................................................................... 179

References................................................................................................................................. 180

Chapter 19

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them........................................................ 187

I. Witch's Brew, Misplaced Loyalty, and the Felt Need to Conform....................................... 187

II. Don't Get Nickel and Dimed to Death by Hidden Carbs..................................................... 188

III. Be Proactive, Not Reactive................................................................................................. 189

IV. Snacking: When and Why.................................................................................................... 190

V. Snacking: What and How...................................................................................................... 191

Report - Better Living Through Better Brain Chemistry: Using Food to
Enhance Mental Performance and Emotional Well-Being................. 193

References................................................................................................................................. 194

Chapter 20 Lifestyle Factors: Small Modifications Can Make a Major Difference in Your Hormonal Status ........................................................195

I. Stress and Mental Outlook.................................................................................................... 195

II. Sleep..................................................................................................................................... 199

III. Sunlight................................................................................................................................ 203

Report - Rickets: An Osteoblast from the Past............................................... 207

IV. Alcohol................................................................................................................................ 210

Report - Is Alcohol an Aphrodisiac?............................................................... 213

V. Cigarette Smoking................................................................................................................. 215

VI. Sex and Relationships.......................................................................................................... 216

References................................................................................................................................. 217

Chapter 21 Hormonally-Intelligent Exercise........................... 234

I. Popular Exercise Myths........................................................................................................ 234

II. A New Dimension in Exercise.............................................................................................. 235