9 Body Hacks to Naturally Increase Testosterone

By Dr. Mercola

Testosterone, a hormone produced primarily by the testicles, is often associated with the epitome of "manhood" (although women have testosterone, too).

Indeed, it does play a large role in male sexuality and reproduction, impacting such factors as sexual and reproductive function, muscle mass, and hair growth, but also has some less "flashy," albeit equally important, roles like maintaining bone density, levels of red blood cells and a sense of well-being.

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Standing Six Hours a Day Reduces Risk of Obesity by One-Third

By Dr. Mercola

The evidence is overwhelming and crystal clear: avoiding sitting is a key component of a health-promoting lifestyle.

According to Dr. James Levine, co-director of the Mayo Clinic and the Arizona State University Obesity Initiative, some 10,000 publications have shown that sitting is harmful to your health.

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7 Exercises for Muscle Maintenance

To maintain your muscles, aim for 20 minutes of strength-training exercises two to three times a week?with at least one day off in between workouts so your muscles have time to rest, recover, and grow.
Liz Neporent, an exercise physiologist and the president of Wellness 360, a New York City-based corporate-wellness-consulting company, suggests the following seven exercises, which work most of the major muscles in your body. Do one to three sets of 8 to 15 repetitions of the exercises, resting no more than 45 seconds between sets to keep the workout challenging.

If you haven't used weights before or if you're out of shape, start with light weights (when they're called for) of two to five pounds and do fewer sets.

Exercise 1: Squat

Squat

Works: Buttocks and thighs

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, weight slightly back on your heels, hands on your hips. Pull your abdominals in, standing up tall with square shoulders and a lifted chest.
Sit back and down, as if there's a chair directly behind you. Lower as far as you can without leaning your upper body more than a few inches forward. Don't allow your knees to stick out past your toes.
Straighten your legs and stand back up. Be careful not to lock your knees at the top of the movement.

Exercise 2: One-Arm Row

One-arm row

Works: Upper and middle back and shoulders

Stand to the left of a chair, feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing in. Pull your abdominals in and bend forward from the hips so your back has a slight arch and you are roughly parallel to the floor, knees slightly bent. Put your left hand on the chair's seat for balance. Tilt your chin toward your chest so your neck is in line with the rest of your spine. Your right hand will be in front of your right shin.
Pull your right arm up along the side of your body until your elbow points to the ceiling and your hand brushes against your waist.
Slowly lower the weight back down. Complete the reps, then switch sides.

Exercise 3: Modified Push-Up

Modified push-up

Works: Chest, abdominals, shoulders, and arms

Lie on your stomach, knees bent and ankles crossed. Place your palms on the floor a bit to the side and in front of your shoulders. Tuck your chin a few inches into your chest so your forehead faces the floor.
Straighten your arms and lift your body so you are balanced on your palms and knees, abdominals tight. Be careful not to lock your elbows.
Bend your elbows and lower your entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor, lower just until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up.

Exercise 4: Shoulder Press

Shoulder press

Works: Shoulders, arms

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and sit up tall on a chair that has firm back support. Place your feet on the floor, hip-width apart. Pull your abdominals in so there is a slight gap between the small of your back and the back of the chair.
With palms forward, bend the elbows and raise the dumbbells up so they are level with your ears. Elbows should be at or just below shoulder height.
Straighten arms up over your head, without locking elbows, then slowly lower to start.

Exercise 5: Biceps Curls

Bicep curls

Works: Biceps

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Let your arms hang down at your sides with your palms facing in. Pull your abdominals in, stand tall, and keep your knees relaxed.
Curl your right arm up, fist close to your shoulder, twisting your palm so that it faces the front of your shoulder at the top of the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbell back down, then repeat with your left arm. Continue alternating until you've completed the set. (One rep consists of a bicep curl with each arm.)

Exercise 6: Kick-Backs

Kick-backs

Works: Triceps

Stand to the left of a chair. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand, feet hip-width apart. Lean forward at the hips until your upper body is at a 45-degree angle to the floor. Place your free hand on top of the chair for support. Bend your right elbow so that your upper arm is parallel to the floor, your forearm perpendicular to it, and your palm facing in. Keep your elbow close to your waist. Pull your abdominals in and don't lock your knees.
Keeping your upper arm still, straighten your arm behind you until the end of the dumbbell is pointing down. Slowly bend your arm to lower the weight for one rep. When you've completed the set, repeat with your left arm.

Exercise 7: Plank

Plank

Works: Abdominals, shoulders, chest, lower back, buttocks, thighs

Lie on the floor, hands clasped in front of you roughly under your forehead, toes tucked under.
Press up to balance on your forearms and toes. Pull your abs in so your lower back does not sag and your hips do not drop.
Focus on keeping your torso straight and your abs pulled in to support you. Hold for 10 counts.

The 7 Best Strength Exercises You're Not Doing

By Dr. Mercola
Less than 25 percent of Americans over the age of 45 engage in strength-training exercises,1 which are actually among the most important exercises to stay fit and healthy. It's a matter of fact that your muscle strength decreases with age… unless you do something to stop it.

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Strength Training Can Boost Your Long-Term Memory and Lower Your Risk of Dementia

By Dr. Mercola
The fear of losing cognitive ability tends to overshadow the fear of physical disability; 60 percent of American adults say they are “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about memory loss.

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Running: Any Amount Is Good, and More May Not Be Better

By Dr. Mercola
Increasingly, fitness experts are moving away from the outdated recommendations that suggest you need 30 to 60 minutes of moderate daily activity.

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More to read:

• Just 12 Minutes a Week of High-Intensity Training Improves Fitness in Inactive Men
• The Scientific 7-Minute Workout

What You Need to Know About Testosterone Testing and Testosterone Replacement Therapy

By Dr. Mercola

Testosterone is on many men's mind these days; undoubtedly due in large part to TV ads promising more pep in your step and improved sex life.

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This Interval Training Infographic Helps You Pick the Right Workout

By Dr. Mercola
By now you may have heard the good news: exercising at very high intensity interspersed with periods of moderate rest, a program known as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), is one of the best ways to get in shape.

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Beginners Guide to Strength Training

By Dr. Mercola

Strength training is an integral part of any well-rounded exercise program, regardless of your age or gender.

Unfortunately, many ignore strength training when designing their exercise plan, thinking it's only for those who want to "bulk up." However, nothing could be farther from the truth!

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Secret Habits of Successful Exercisers

By Dr. Mercola
Do you have a healthy relationship with exercise? If not, it could be sabotaging your efforts—just as an unhealthy relationship with food can sabotage your dietary goals.

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6 Reasons to Drink Coffee Before Your Workout

By Dr. Mercola
If you're like many people, you may start your day with a cup of coffee. According to Health Magazine,1 about half of American adults stick to this daily ritual, despite conventional warnings that coffee might not be all that good for you.

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Watching Too Much TV Linked to Early Death

By Dr. Mercola

If you watch television for three or more hours a day, your risk of premature death is double that of someone who watches only one hour or less, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.1 The health risks of too much sedentary behavior, including too much sitting, are now widely known.

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This Is What Happens to Your Body When You Exercise

By Dr. Mercola
One of the key health benefits of exercise is that it helps normalize your glucose, insulin, and leptin levels by optimizing insulin/leptin receptor sensitivity. This is perhaps the most important factor for optimizing your overall health and preventing chronic disease.

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Sweating Out Sadness: How Exercise Can Help the Grieving Process

By Dr. Mercola
Any significant loss in your life can trigger a powerful grieving process. A death in your family, the loss of a pet, divorce, or even being laid off may send you whirling down a roller-coaster ride of emotions; numbness, anger, denial, despair, isolation, and depression… all are par for the course when you’re grieving.

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Gardening Provides Many Health Benefits, Including Moderate to High Intensity Exercise

By Dr. Mercola
Vegetable, herb, and seed sales are booming, courtesy of a new wave of consumers who are not only concerned about the quality of their food, but who also recognize the physical, mental, and even spiritual benefits of connecting with nature.

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Breakfast—Not the Most Important Meal After All...

By Dr. Mercola

Contrary to popular belief, breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. In fact, omitting breakfast, as part of an intermittent fasting schedule, can have many important health benefits, from improving your insulin/leptin sensitivity to helping your body more effectively burn fat for fuel.

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Physical Activity Is Tied to Strong Bones

By Dr. Mercola
Your bones are constantly being rebuilt in a dynamic process involving the removal of old bone through osteoclasts and regeneration of new, healthy bone by osteoblasts.

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If Your Protein Supplement Contains This - Throw it in the Trash

By Ori Hofmekler

Ori's new book Unlock Your Muscle Gene is now available at Amazon.com and bookstores nationwide.

Unlock Your Muscle Gene: Trigger the Biological Mechanisms that Transform Your Body and Extend Your Life

If you're an athlete, a fitness advocate or a dieter who routinely uses protein supplements, there's a good chance your supplement is made with a bad ingredient.

That ingredient is called casein.

So what exactly is casein? Casein is the main protein in raw milk >