Natural HGH

How to boost your natural HGH levels?

It's well known that human growth hormone (HGH) is essential for achieving optimal health. Falling HGH levels result in premature aging, loss of lean body mass, lower levels of energy, and a whole host of other aging-related symptoms. But getting a boost in growth hormone should come from natural sources, not drug injections, say an increasing number of doctors and nutritionists. In other words: if you want the anti-aging benefits of HGH, you'll be far better off finding ways to allow your body to create the substance on its own. But how do you do that?

There are all sorts of nutritional supplements that serve as precursors to HGH synthesis in the human body, and that's a good place to start. But supplements alone will do you little good if your body isn't primed to use the raw materials and actually start building human growth hormone for you. There are many ways to convince your body that it needs more growth hormone, but none of them involve sitting on the couch, punching away at the TV remote. If you want HGH, you have to earn it.

The number one method for convincing your body to generate HGH is high intensity strength training. It's yet one more good reason to start a program of strength training, and it doesn't mean you need to join a gym or start pumping weights, either. You can get a fantastic, high-intensity workout using nothing but your body and a mat on the floor if you learn about something called "body weight training." It means using your body as the weight. For starters, try a one-legged squat. Just stand on one leg, lower yourself to the ground, then raised yourself back up without using your other leg. Not so easy, is it? Learn more about Pilates or get involved in adult gymnastics to discover even more ways to practice strength training using your body weight.

Nothing beats strength training for creating human growth hormone, but there's another factor that's just as important: adequate sleep. Studies show that growth hormone is produced during the later stages of nightly sleep, and if you cut your sleep short (five or six hours instead of seven or eight), you short-change your HGH production. Sleep is absolutely essential for staying young, healthy, and vibrant. Aim for eight hours each night.

Lack of stress is also critical for proper human growth hormone balance -- a body that's under constant stress will experience a decline in HGH production. (That's due to the interaction of stress hormones like adrenaline.) So, in a very real sense, staying relaxed and stress-free will make you live longer. Good ways to reduce stress include meditation, cardiovascular exercise, and my favorite: laughter.

Get lots of laughter in your life. Or do what I do and join a comedy improv group so you can have a good hour or two of laughter each week -- even if you're laughing at yourself! A famous person once said, "He who can laugh at himself will never suffer from a lack of entertainment." Dr. Patch Adams was a strong advocate of laughter for healing, and if you pick up any books by Dr. Bernie Siegel, you'll learn even more about the healing powers of laughter. Laughter is great medicine, and it's fantastic for generating HGH.