If you are a man with who suffers from obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), or Prostate Disease, did you know you are more likely to have low testosterone compared to a man without these conditions?
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Testosterone is needed for optimal brain functioning, building muscle mass and bone density, reducing abdominal fat, and maintaining cardiac health, among other benefits. Testosterone can be naturally increased without use of a testosterone prescription through a variety of lifestyle modifications, diet, and supplementation of botanicals and vitamins..

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At the simplest level, food, which sustains our bodies and provides the building blocks of our hormones, is the easiest to manipulate when helping to increase testosterone “au natural”. Increase dietary fiber daily with a mixture of both soluble and insoluble fiber foods: avocado, brussels sprouts, lentils, black beans, okra, or peas. Grapes, flax seed, green tea, and white button mushrooms are also foods that can be added into your diet to improve testosterone, while avoidance of dairy (specifically cow’s milk products), alcohol, and trans fats should be limited.
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Essential vitamins for testosterone health are zinc, vitamin D3, vitamin A, and selenium; however, know your levels first before supplementing.

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There are multiple botanicals, (plant or part of plant used for medicinal purposes), that can also assist in improving testosterone: Long Jack (Eurycoma longifolia Jack), Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens), Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum). Strength training and moderate intensity aerobic exercise at a duration of 200 minutes per week not only improves testosterone but also improves sexual function.

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Last, but definitely not least, sleep sleep sleep because the majority of testosterone is produced at night making quality sleep absolutely necessary!

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Written by

Kristin Timpy, MSN, APRN, AGPCNP-C