Testosterone is a steroid hormone which is the main sex hormone in men. But females also have a small amount of it. These are produced in men’s testicles, and for women, it is in their ovaries. A small amount of testosterone is also produced by adrenal glands. The physical changes that experienced in boys during their puberty phase like the change in voice, hair growth, and muscle development are due to the testosterone hormone. Having an optimal level of testosterone during adulthood and old age is vital. Healthy levels of testosterone in adults are important for their body composition, sexual functioning, and for avoiding risks of diseases. In addition to that, increasing the testosterone levels helps you to gain muscle mass and vitality within weeks. Testosterone plays an important role in the well-being of female sexual and physical health. Making your endocrine system work properly helps in optimizing the performance and maintain a healthy sex drive. Following are some of the recommended herbs to increase testosterone levels naturally and to maintain a healthy endocrine system. Tribulus Terrestris Tribulus Terrestris is the most common herbs that help increase testosterone levels. It is found in almost all the supplements that are designed to boost the men’s hormones and increase the sex drive.

Have you been battling with high cholesterol problems and are wondering how to lower LDL cholesterol levels? High cholesterol increases the risks of heart attacks and diseases. Although treatment may help improve your cholesterol levels, you still need to make essential lifestyle changes to boost the cholesterol-lowering power of the treatment. To help you make healthy lifestyle changes, some effective tips have been listed below on how to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Making some changes in the diet can help reduce the level of fat in the body and help enhance your heart’s health. The following changes can help you be on your way to having a healthy heart: Eliminate trans fats  – Often labeled as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fats are used in store-bought crackers, cookies, cakes, as well as in margarine. They raise the levels of cholesterol in your body and that’s why most hydrogenated vegetable oils are not recommended for use when the LDL levels in the body are high. Reduce saturated fats  – Primarily found in full-fat dairy products and red meat, saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels. By decreasing consumption of saturated fats, you will be able to reduce LDL cholesterol levels in your body.

A significant statistic was recently released on the number of Americans suffering from diabetes or pre-diabetes. Over 100 million Americans are suffering from one of these two conditions and this number is only expected to rise with time. Processed food and junk food does us more harm than good and sadly, many people do not know their limits. If you continue to consume junk foods, it will lead to weight gain and you might suffer from either high blood pressure or high levels of sugar in the blood. Why suffer from these diseases in the first place when you can control what you eat? Living a life dependant on pills and medications is not appealing and hence exercising and following a proper diet is essential. Of the many diet plans available in the market today, the 1200 calorie diet plan is quite popular and with good reason. In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of this diet plan and help you determine whether it is worth taking up or not. What is the 1200 calorie diet plan? The 1200 calorie diet plan is believed to be very effective when it comes to tackling weight loss. Our bodies require a certain amount of energy to function and in order to maintain a healthy look.

Recently, there has been a lot of hype on the role of probiotics in promoting health. Almost everyone with a digestive problem is prescribed probiotics. They are essentially bacteria which are good for your health. Probiotics contain good bacteria that are very similar to the bacteria found in the human gut. Certain types of bacteria like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria are present in the intestinal flora and the gut lining. The lower digestive tract is home to complex and varied strains of healthy bacteria that are more in number than the cells in one’s body. These healthy bacteria help with digestion of food and also enhance immunity against infections. What are probiotics made of? They are foods that contain bacterial strains having similar properties as the healthy bacteria present in the intestinal lining. FDA regulations treat probiotics as foods and not medications. Probiotic foods Infection of the intestinal tract or consumption of an unhealthy diet that destroys healthy bacteria in the gut generates more “bad” bacteria than “good” bacteria. This imbalance may lead to weight gain, diarrhea, constipation, and other chronic health conditions. Probiotics are prescribed to restore the balance. Popular natural foods containing probiotics are as follows: Certain yogurts Yogurt is the most popular source of probiotics.

We all like living a healthy and happy life, and for that, we have to keep our body and health in good condition. One of the most important organs in the body is our heart. A healthy heart is indispensable for living life to the fullest. Apart from exercising daily, dietary habits are equally important to keep the heart healthy. One can include the following food items for a healthy heart in their diet as it will improve their overall health and not lead to any side effects. Following are some food items that are indispensable to a good and healthy heart. You must try and opt for the organic variants of these foods, if possible: Oatmeal: Gym-goers often opt for oatmeal because of its high protein content, and at the same time, it is also a good option for those people who want to keep heart-related problems away by staying fit. It is rich in soluble fiber which lowers the risk of cholesterol significantly. One can either add some sugar or salt to it or use some other spices for flavor. Berries: While most people know that blueberries are amongst the few food items that promote a healthy heart, only a few know that other berries like raspberries and strawberries are equally good.

People with kidney disease need to evaluate what they are eating and impose certain restrictions on their diet. It is important to eat foods that do not stress out the kidneys. Avoid eating processed food items. Natural food items are best suited for the body. Try to avoid eating canned food as well. Organic food items may or may not have a higher nutritional value than standard food items, but they are devoid of pesticides and worth the shot. Organic food items are also devoid of GMOs and are a better bet in the long run. All in all, you need to maintain a proper diet for kidney diseases. Here are the tips to help you out. Protein Proteins are found in several food items like vegetables, nuts, seeds, dairy products, and meats. Your body needs protein intake to build red blood cells, hormones, and muscles. Try to incorporate a diet composed of proteins among other things. However, all the protein your body needs is 1 gram per kilogram of weight. Moreover, try to avoid eating too much meat as protein wastes are hard on the kidneys. Follow a moderate protein diet and try to eat more vegetables than meat.

If you suffer from a burning sensation or acute discomfort that travels up from your stomach into your chest and the regurgitation of food that you recently ate along with a sharp and sour taste of acid, these symptoms are native to acid reflux. While the occasional experience of acid reflux need not worry you, if it becomes regular, more intense, and disturbs your sleep, you must visit your doctor. Food that enters the stomach is retained by means of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is a muscular ring, and it must close immediately as it may become weak or damaged. If it doesn’t close fully or remains open too often, it causes digestive acids to move up into the food pipe or esophagus. This causes the typical symptoms of heartburn, sour taste in the mouth, regurgitation, dyspepsia or burning sensation in the stomach, nausea, upset stomach, bloated feeling, difficulty swallowing, burping, dry cough, and a sore throat. Sometimes, the symptoms are so severe that they can be mistaken for a heart attack. If symptoms persist and are left untreated, you can develop gastroesophageal reflux disease. Relationship Between Food and Acid Reflux Your diet has a significant impact on acid reflux.

Hypothyroidism is a condition that occurs when the levels of thyroid in the body decreases. There are two thyroid hormones: thyroxine and triiodothyronine. You can face a lot of problems when the levels of either thyroid hormones are low. When this happens, a change in diet alone might not be enough. However, avoiding and eating certain foods as a part of your regular meals can improve the absorption of these hormones by the body. It is important to eat the right food as it impacts your health directly. Foods have the basic nutrients and minerals that keep the body working. It is the fuel that plays a big impact on how the body functions. The wrong foods can make the situation a lot worse. Nutrition-rich foods have health benefits that can treat thyroid. Foods to Include in a Hyperthyroidism Diet Selenium High amounts of selenium can be found in Brazilian nuts, sunflower seeds, and several other foods. It is required for the enzymes to check if the thyroid hormones are functioning properly. Tyrosine These are amino acids that the thyroid glands need to produce the T4 and T3 hormones. You can find plenty of amino acids in foods like dairy products, meats, and legumes.