Anti-Inflammatory Diet

---

Our diet is based mostly on Kathy Abascal's Anti-Inflammatory Diet, with some added data from Barry Sears book, "The Anti-Inflammation Zone". I highly recommend taking Kathy's class as opposed to reading about it from some book or a website.

Details about the diet are for family members only, and are located here.

Bruce's diet blog

Testosterone and Diet

Go for zinc: Zinc is the mineral that aids in the natural production of testosterone. Foods that contain a lot it: oysters, red meat (beef, pork, lamb), chicken, turkey and other fowl (wild game is particularly good, but unless you live on a ranch in Wyoming that might be hard to finesse on a regular basis). Also, beans and dairy products contain zinc

Onions and garlic contain Allicin, which also contributes to increased testosterone. It is generally believed that Allicin does not convert well in supplements, another case where the real food is a better idea.

Hale to cruciferous vegetables. Here’s the kicker: Cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, bok choi, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, collard greens, radishes, kohlrabi and rutabagas), long heralded for anti-cancer and other healthful properties, are testosterone boosters as well. The link on “Zinc-testosterone foods” below lists generic and commercially prepared foods in their relative levels of zinc content. Cabbage nets in with roughly six times the zinc content per calories consumed compared to a shank of beef.

Eat moderate amounts of protein. Protein stimulates the hormone glucagon and the anabolic (muscle building) responses important for adequate testosterone release.

Limit excessive carbohydrate intake especially of simple sugars and starches (grains, potatoes, pasta). Excess intake of carbohydrates especially those that raise blood sugar rapidly create chronically elevated levels of the hormone insulin and cortisol. These two hormones oppose the action of testosterone and diminish it’s production.

Eat Fat! Essential fats such as the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and flaxseed as well as saturated fats are essential for normal testosterone production. All steroid hormones are produced from cholesterol and when fats are deficient in the diet, this process will be inhibited.

Studies clearly indicate that low fat diets results in lower testosterone levels while those higher in protein, lower in carbohydrate and moderate in fat cause the greatest sustained levels of testosterone and growth hormone.

A recent study demonstrated the influence of diet on pre and post exercise testosterone and cortisol. After exercise with bench press and squat to failure, testosterone and cortisol were measured. Those men who were on a diet with a higher protein/carbohydrate ratio and percent fat content had the largest increase in testosterone and the smallest rise in cortisol.

You must train and eat smart to minimize the catabolic and maximize the anabolic effects of exercise. If your diet is very low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and fiber, your testosterone levels may remain very low and you will never make the changes in muscle mass and strength that you desire.

A synopsis of exercise and testosterone is here

A synopsis of suplements for exercise is here