TIP#1.6 - 5 Ways To Improve Hormone Production

1. Less Screen Time

Our eyes pick up a certain spectrum of light, and the different colours/brightness trigger different hormonal responses in the body. Modern technology backlight screens deliver white light. This would be fine normally because white light is given off by the sun during the day - at least for most of it... As the sun goes down, this white light slowly turns into yellow light, which when picked up by your eye triggers sleeping hormones and adjusts the body into 'sleep mode'. This change does not happen with screen backlights and when exposed to white light through the evening it's hard for your body to establish sleeping hormones, which can make sleeping difficult. You can download a program called f.lux which will mimic natural light changes on your computer, however there is limited tech that does the same for mobile phones. Learn to switch off when the sun goes down!

2. Smaller Meals

I recommend having nutrient dense meals rather than calorically dense meals. While you can have a meal that's both nutrient and calorically dense, if too much is consumed at one time, the body may store excess as fat, and insulin hormone levels will remain unstable. When every gram of food on your plate has purpose, meals do not need to be calorific. Have 4-5 meals per day of equal caloric values, do not over indulge just because you had a hugely tiring workout. Be methodical, your body doesn't need much - as long as you feed it what it needs. Read this article here to find out more about nutritional needs.

3. Stay Hungry

While nutrient absorption is higher after a workout, what you want to take advantage of is Growth Hormone. GH is vital for recovery, muscle building and fat burn - and it is at its highest level right after a workout. Remember, the digestive system and muscular system do not synergise well. The body doesn't function optimally during a workout with food in the stomach, and your muscles and organs do not recover well with food hitting the digestive tract immediately after finishing an intense workout. Eating food will raise insulin, which will drop GH levels quickly. So, if you want to take advantage of one vital muscle building hormone then refrain from eating for 30mins after your workout.

4. Increase Natural Light Exposure

Natural sunlight triggers the production of Vitamin D. While there are Vitamin D supplements, the bio-availability of them can be questionable, so it's best to maximise natural production. Vitamin D levels directly correlate with Testosterone levels in Men, a key hormone governing muscle growth and maintenance, as well as fat burn and storage. 15 minutes of direct sunlight during the day is enough to have a positive impact on Vitamin D levels. Try to prioritise more outdoor activities to take advantage of Vitamin D benefits.

5. Eat Only Apples And Banana For Fruit

These two fruits are incredible. Banana is very quickly absorbed and is the perfect post workout snack to fill your depleted muscles back up with glucose fast. Apples are high in potassium and malic acid which are great for the immune system. Both have moderate effects on insulin and help keep blood glucose stable, thus providing the perfect sweet craving relief. These should be the only fruits you eat on a daily basis, most other fruits are very high in sugar in comparison to their nutrient profile.