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Ivan's Newsletter
March 15, 2006 -- Issue 002
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Hi,
This issue includes...
1) "Ways To Boost Testosterone Levels"
2) "SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Visit Ivan's new blog!"

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1) Ways To Boost Testosterone Levels
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We all know how some professional athletes increase their testosterone levels but we also know that this doesn’t apply to us. If this doesn’t apply to us then are there any natural ways to increase serum testosterone levels and bioavailability?

Yes, there are. First of, let’s look more closely at these two terms: serum testosterone levels and bioavailability.

What we call serum testosterone levels is actually the total testosterone, floating in our system. However, from all that serum hormone in the blood stream only a tiny little fraction is available to the steroid hormone receptors on the cell walls.

See, there are certain types of proteins, traveling our systems that are called carrier proteins. These proteins bind to the serum testosterone, thus making it unavailable to the corresponding cell receptors. Only about 1 per cent in men is actually available, and it’s called free testosterone.

“Ivan, aren’t you going to finally tell me about the natural ways to boost testosterone levels or you are going to keep distracting me with the talks about some… proteins and what not?”

Of course I will. But before that we have to do one more little thing. We have to identify what it actually means to increase the bioavailability.

Bioavailable is that fraction of the total serum testosterone, which is not bound to the high-affinity protein – namely Sex Hormone Binding Globulin or SHBG.

Now that you know all this here is what you can do to increase total testosterone levels AND increase the bioavailability of this hormone:

Here is what you do:

1. If you are even slightly overweight consider staring immediately a diet and training routine, tailored toward fat loss and lean muscle retention. Fat tissue causes testosterone levels to plunge.

2. If you want your efforts in keeping test levels high to give results, consider also dropping the alcohol intake to absolute minimum. Alcohol decreases the rate your body removes estrogen from the system. That causes decline in testosterone levels as well.

3. Begin mastering some types of self-control or even meditation. These will take care of the excess stress levels. Stress promotes cortisol release, which, guess what, lowers test levels.

4. Take medications only if they are absolutely essential for your health and are prescribed by your doctor. Some medications act on the central nervous system and cause drop in the lutenizing hormone, the one, responsible for the steroid hormone production.

Talk to your personal physician to find out if there are any natural remedies to replace your current medications and if he recommends such approach for your health issue.

5. Keep your blood pressure and the serum cholesterol in check. These cause hardening of the arteries and that in turn prevents enough blood from reaching the hormone producing organs - causes lower testosterone.

6. Eat enough good fats in your diet. Good means monounsaturated and omega-3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats. Studies have shown that good fats stimulate testosterone hikes.

7. Don’t ever overtrain. Overtraining increases stress hormone release. You know what happens next…Sleep enough to promote good recovery. Signs of overtraining are loss of appetite, tiredness and irritability, lack of motivation, impaired mental focus, prolonged recovery periods.

8. Start relying more heavily on basic exercise movements. Train in the low rep range most of the time. 5 – 8 reps will ensure that you’re using weights that will eventually stimulate elevated testosterone levels.

9. It will only do you good if you decide to try some or all of these natural supplements: chrysin - piperine blend, nettle root extract, pygeum, avena sativa extract, and tribulus terestris. Some of them bind to SHBG, thus freeing up testosterone; others lower the testosterone conversion to estrogen.
Try to find them in your local health store. Follow the directions on the label for best results.

10. And you shouldn’t even consider training without supplementing your diet with enough vitamin C (at least 1g a day) and zinc (15mg min.).
Take vitamin C with your multivitamin formula after breakfast, and post-workout with your protein shake. Vitamin C suppresses the release of stress hormones, which… elevates testosterone in the system.

Zinc should be present in your multivitamin blend but this is not enough. It prevents the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Take zinc with magnesium in the form of ZMA right before you go to bed on an empty stomach.

For even more detailed information on the natural ways to boost
testosterone click here.

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2) "SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Visit Ivan's new blog!"
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Finally! After quite some time of planning, waiting, and
itching to get it done... Ivan has finally found the time to
launch his new blog!

Check out "The Secrets of Natural Bodybuilding" blog with Ivan Nikolov at:

http://naturalbodybuildingsecrets.blogspot.com/

Every other day Ivan shares...

1. What are the essential things one needs to know about natural bodybuilding

2. Cutting-edge industry updates: Every week Ivan digs the newest in the field and posts it there with his comments

3. Announcements! Be the first to know about new approaches and techniques in the sport of natural bodybuilding, many of them available only to the competitive natural athletes!

4. Ivan's personal opinion, thoughts, and insights on many
different natural bodybuilding related topics

If you want to get to know Ivan and what is going on in the
day-to-day life of this top natural athlete, then this is the place to be!

Go to: http://naturalbodybuildingsecrets.blogspot.com/

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Copyright 2006 by IvanNikolov.com.
All rights reserved.
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