Medical and Liability Disclaimer The author of this ebook is not a medical or healthcare professional and the information in this book is not to be considered medical advice. The information in this book should be used as a reference and is for informative and educational purposes only. It should not be used as a substitute for any medical treatment that has been prescribed or recommended by your doctor. This ebook does not make any health claims, nor does it claim to cure, help or alter any illness, disorder or medical conditions. It is meant to provide proper researched information on nutrition and diet that can assist men in improving their physical appearance. The author is not a medical professional or registered nutritionist. None of the statements made in this ebook have been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and they are not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent and illness, medical condition or disease. For medical advice you should always seek the help of a recognized and licensed medical professional. You should always seek consultation from your doctor or GP before making any significant changes to your diet or exercise routine. To the authors best knowledge, the information contained in this ebook is accurate and up to date. The author and publisher accept no liability for inaccurate information that may be contained within. By reading this ebook, the reader agrees to take full responsibility and liability for their actions taken in the use of the information provided in this ebook. By reading further you agree that the author and publisher are in no case responsible or liable for any consequences that may result from the action you may take. Table of contents 1) Introduction 2) Main causes for man boobs 3) How hormones affect man boobs 4) Boosting your testosterone levels 5) Making your body more Akaline 6) Boosting your metabolism 7) Spices and herbal remedies 8) Dietary supplements 9) In closing Appendix 1: Foods to avoid Appendix 2: Foods to eat more Appendix 3: Meal plan to boost testosterone Appendix 4: Resources Introduction Have you stopped looking at yourself in the mirror because the sight of your man boobs is affecting your morale and self-esteem every morning? If you are not happy with your appearance right now, don't despair, because you're not alone. Around 30% of all men have man boobs. This means that if you step into any room full of men that three out of every ten men are suffering from man boobs. So just remember that you are not alone in this. The medical term for man boobs is gynecomastia. The word has Greek origins, "gyne" meaning "woman" and "mastos" meaning "breast". The condition is the enlargement of one, but more often both breasts in a male. It affects men of all ages and may occur after years of normal looking male breasts, or pectoral muscles. There are two categorizations of gynecomastia and pseudo-gynecomastia. Pseudo-gynecomastia is described as fat deposits around the breast area of men with obesity. Non-fat related gynecomastia arises from one or more conditions occurring within the body. Some causes require attention from a medical professional such as tumors and hormonal imbalances. Unlike gynecomastia which is predominantly hormonal based, pseudo-gynecomastia is directly related to diet and a sedentary lifestyle. The good thing is, you can achieve massive positive change by simply focusing on the the right kind of diet and exercise. The cost for liposuction or surgery to reduce man boobs is usually out of reach for most men. Reducing man boobs through surgery costs $3,000-$6,000 for the plastic surgeon, another $1-$2,000 for anesthesia fees and finally then $1-$2,000 for the hospital fee. There isn’t one flat fee because each individual is different. Bottom line is that removing man boobs using plastic surgery is very costly and not covered by medical insurance unless it is done as a result a treatment for an approved procedure such as treatment for cancer. Some men opt for costly surgery before they’ve had a chance to pursue other options. Since you are reading this guide, you’ve made a conscious decision to look into alternative options first. This guide will help you understand how your current diet and lifestyle affect your condition, and how making certain dietary and nutritional changes can help you reduce your man boobs. Main causes for man boobs If you’re embarrassed by your excess chest, you might wonder, “Why do I have man boobs?” There are actually several things that can cause this situation to develop. Before you can start treating the problem, it’s necessary to know the actual cause. For many men, man boobs are simply a result of being overweight. Fat tissue collects all over the body in various areas and the chest is one of them. As the chest increases in fat cells, the skin can begin to sag and give the appearance of growing male breasts. If this is the cause of your problem, the best way to get rid of man boobs is to improve your lifestyle. You need to exercise and eat healthy to lose weight. Eventually, the fat from your chest will decrease and you’ll return to a more masculine chest. For many cases, man boobs are actually a medical condition called gynecomastia which is a condition related to hormonal imbalance. Rather than growing male breasts from fat tissue, you’re actually getting glandular tissue developing the way that female breasts do. This is because there’s not enough testosterone in your system and your body begins to respond to female hormones being produced. There are a few reasons this can happen in men and how you treat the problem depends on the cause. Some young men have this problem and come by it genetically. They’re of a normal weight and everything else seems normal, but they begin growing male breasts. This condition sometimes resolves itself over time, so it’s just necessary to work to hide the breasts. Gynecomastia can also be due to medications, hypogonadism, thyroid disease, malnutrition, breast cancer, testicular cancers, adrenal cancers, liver disease or kidney disease. The cause of the gynecomastia is usually determined by physical exam, history and blood tests. Additional testing may include testicular ultrasounds or CT scan. Sometimes it’s necessary to seek medical intervention such as hormone therapy or surgery to have the tissue removed. You’ll need to get with a physician to discuss what treatment options are right for you. Then there are some lifestyle choices that can cause man boobs. Some medications can actually cause this problem. If you suspect that medication is the problem, talk with your doctor about making changes. Anabolic steroids can also cause hormonal imbalances that lead to growing male breasts. In addition, alcohol use can create a problem with man boobs. There are also some foods that can lead to man boobs, mainly due to the affect these foods have on your hormone levels. By knowing which foods have a positive and negative impact on your hormone levels you can start making changes and get rid of your man boobs. How hormones affect man boobs It’s important to know how hormones can lead to gynecomastia and the impact they have on shrinking your man boobs while developing a more flattering appearance and more defined pectoral muscles. You have many different hormones in your body. In fact hormones are responsible for most of the processes that occur in your body. But when we talk about hormones and man boobs, we’re mainly talking about the sex hormones testosterone and estrogen. Testosterone is often called the male hormone and estrogen is called the female hormone. However, all men and women have both of these hormones. They’re just in different concentrations depending on what sex you are. Males have more testosterone than women and women have more estrogen than men. When these hormones are balanced properly, you’ll have normal secondary sex characteristics (unless you’re overweight). But when they get out of balance, you can have the growth of man boobs. There are several things that can cause this. One of those is the enzyme aromatase. This is an enzyme that can actually convert male hormones into estrogen. Men who have a zinc deficiency often have too much aromatase that can lead to the development of man boobs. In addition, when you’re overweight or obese your fat cells may produce too much estrogen which can also cause your hormones to be off balance. However, by losing weight you can correct this problem. Some foods can cause hormone problems, soy being the main culprit as it increases estrogen levels. You should avoid products made from soy such as tofu, meat substitutes and soy milk. You’ll need to check labels because soy is filler that’s also added to many foods you might not expect to see it in. You should also avoid meats and milk that are produced using growth hormones. Check labels to see if hormones are used. In order to be certified as organic, foods can’t be produced using hormones so that is also a good way to guarantee you’re not getting them. Unlike gynecomastia which is predominantly hormonal based, pseudo-gynecomastia is due to eating the wrong diet and sedentary lifestyle. You can bring about a positive change with the right kind of diet and exercises. Boosting your testosterone levels Lower testosterone happens to every man eventually, but there are steps you can take to slow that decline and even reverse it. You can do a lot to maximize your body's testosterone production just by changing your eating habits. Zinc A deficiency in zinc allows an increase in male estrogen through a chain of events involving an enzyme called aromatase. Estrogen essentially overrides available testosterone. To fight this effect, make sure to eat foods that are high in zinc. Foods that are high in zinc can help your body to manufacture more testosterone. Some great choices include: • oysters • lean beef • liver • cabbage • brussels sprouts • cheese and • broccoli. Oysters are actually the food that is highest in zinc. It’s not as commonly eaten as some others, but if you like them you can incorporate them into your diet. Eating 5 – 6 oysters will provide double your recommended daily zinc intake, which is about 15 mg. Liver is another meat that’s very high in zinc and can help you get more testosterone production going. Some seeds are also high in zinc. Those include pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, and squash seeds. You can dry them and roast them to snack on. Peanuts are also high in zinc and make a great healthy snack. Crab and lamb are also a good bet when it comes to eating foods high in zinc. And finally, dark chocolate is a great food that’s high in zinc and can be added to your diet to help you produce more testosterone and get hormonal balance. Lower-fat protein In addition to containing zinc, protein helps to build and maintain muscle. Aim to consume about 30% of your daily calories from protein, but keep the saturated fat level (most present in animal sources) from protein foods below seven percent. Your lowest-fat protein sources are seafood like cod, monk-fish, sea bass, red snapper, crab, mussels, and scallops. Other sources of protein include chicken breasts (boneless and skinless), tenderloin (beef or pork), pork loin and all other red meats with the "loin" suffix. To go with your protein, choose unprocessed carbs like wild and brown rice, whole grain pastas and breads, sweet potatoes, corn or fruit. Your body will draw energy from these carbs, freeing up the protein to fuel muscle growth. Eat the good fats Cut down on saturated fats, but make sure your diet includes foods containing monounsaturated fat. Studies have shown that men with diets high in monounsaturated fats have higher testosterone levels than men who don't consume these fats. Avocados, olive and canola oil, and certain nuts like almonds, pistachios and cashews are all high in monounsaturated fats. They also contain Omega 9 fatty acids that support the production of testosterone. Eggs The cholesterol in egg yolks contributes to testosterone levels, so if you're not eating any eggs make sure to add these to your diet too. Cruciferous vegetables These include vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choi, radishes, turnips, collard greens, and kale. What these vegetable do is provide your body with indole-3-carbinol, which is a phytochemical that reduces estrogen. So by ensuring you increase your intake of these vegetables you can increase your testosterone levels. Lower your alcohol consumption Too much alcohol has a dampening effect on testosterone. Men who boozed even moderately every day for three weeks saw a 7% decrease in testosterone levels, according to a recent Dutch study. For cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association recommends a maximum of two servings of alcohol per day. However if you're trying to control body fat and optimize testosterone, keep it at three to five servings per week. Go organic A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives in 2011 found that out of 37 pesticides used on foods, 30 have negative effects on your reproductive system. The chemicals can block testosterone leading to lower testosterone levels. By eating organic fruit and vegetables you can lower the amount of chemical intake. The foods mentioned in this chapter are some of the main ones that help boost testosterone levels. Appendix 2 and 3 contain a list of these and other testosterone boosting foods, plus a sample meal plan showing you how to incorporate these into your daily diet. These lists and the meal plan are a solid starting point, but it's recommended to continue exploring how you can increase your testosterone levels. Making your body more Alkaline Another method for restoring hormonal balance is to make your body more alkaline than acidic. If you don’t know much about alkaline and acidic, they are pH levels. All things have a pH level, from water and coffee to the soil and plants. Alkaline vs Acidic pH Everything in your body has a pH level. Acidity and alkalinity are measured in pH (potential of hydrogen). The pH scale goes from 0 to 14, with 0 the most acidic and 14 the most alkaline. Alkaline is often called "base." The pH of stomach acid is 1, wine is 3.5, water is 7 (neutral), venous blood is 7.35, arterial blood is 7.4, sea water is 8.5, and baking soda is 12. Ideally, our pH should stay on the alkaline side: between 7.35 and 7.45.Our bodies like to be more alkaline, but our diet and sedentary lifestyle cause it to be more acidic. Aim for a diet consisting of 70/30 ratio between high alkaline vs. acid foods. A fairly neutral pH of 7.365 is optimal for muscle growth; increased metabolism and fat burning all of which help you win the battle. The secret to changing your body chemistry to a more neutral pH is to avoid certain foods and eat more of others. You’ve probably heard this before, but eating more fruits and vegetables is far better for you than eating lots of process and packaged food products. It also supports less acidic body chemistry. In fact, if you can consume more raw fruits and vegetables than cooked you’ll be that much more ahead of the game. Cooking food causes it to become more acidic. The challenge with moving towards a less acidic based chemistry is that even if you completely avoid acidic foods, there are others that will form acid once the digestion process begins. Some of the most acidic foods are listed in one of the later chapters, but the recommendation is moderation and not complete abstinence. One rule of thumb is to eat 70% alkaline foods (see appendix 2) and 30% acidic foods (see appendix 1). Alkaline foods include dark green leafy vegetables, many fruits, beans and legumes, and whole wheat foods instead of white flour products. Avoid sugar, saturated fats, and fried foods, fatty cuts of meat, over-cooked foods and processed food items such as lunch meats, pasteurized cheeses and sausages. The faster you remove these foods from your daily diet the faster you body’s pH changes to alkaline. This will help your battle to lose man breasts. It’s also recommended to increase your water intake to 8 - 10 glasses of water each day. Your body is mostly water and chances are you are not hydrated enough. More water intake helps flush out toxins and restores your chemistry to a neutral state. Boosting your metabolism A revved up metabolism is a natural outcome of creating more neutral pH body chemistry. If you have man boobs, one of the best ways to get rid of them is to boost metabolism to help your body burn fat. Boosting your metabolism will actually help you to burn more calories throughout the day even when you’re at rest. What is metabolism? Metabolism is actually the number of calories you burn throughout a day. While some calories are burned during exercise, most of the calories you burn come from your body’s processes. For example, it takes calories to make your heart beat, to repair and produce cells, to heal injuries, to digest your food, and to breathe in and out. Your metabolism works based on how you eat. When you overload your system by eating huge meals, you will slow down your metabolism because it has to catch up. If you continue to eat huge meals throughout the day, it will be very difficult for your body and metabolism to catch up. This is why it’s important to eat a tiny amount several times (6 – 10 meals) throughout the day in order to speed up your metabolism and your weight loss. Here is an example of a meal plan to boost your metabolism: Start your day by eating something very light for breakfast – such as a piece of fruit, half a piece of toast or a few different raw vegetables. Halfway between breakfast and lunch, have something else – such as half a can of plain tuna, half a fruit or a small amount of low fat cottage cheese. For lunch – have an ounce of lean meat and half a cup of vegetables (raw or cooked). In another few hours – have some fruit, raw veggies or a handful of roasted nuts. Then, you can eat a larger dinner consisting of 2 ounces of lean meat, a raw spinach salad with olive oil dressing, half a fruit, and a boiled egg. You can snack again twice before bedtime, but keep the snacks small – such as half a fruit, a few raw vegetables or something similar. By eating this many meals throughout the day and keeping the servings smaller, you can lose weight, speed up your metabolism and help reduce your man boobs. You’re also likely to feel more energetic and healthier instead of feeling sluggish and tired. Spices and herbal remedies It’s funny to think that something as small as herbs and spices can help heal our bodies – from sicknesses and obesity to low- energy and yes, even man boobs. However, it has been proven that many herbs and spices act as ‘medicines’ for the ailments individuals are plagued with. Below, you’ll learn which spices help eliminate man boobs. Herbal remedies for man boobs can help you to take control of your chest without having to use pharmaceutical medications or surgery. There are quite a few options to help you get rid of your man boobs and restore a masculine chest. Several companies make formulas specifically to help reduce gynecomastia in men. Most of these formulas work to help men lose weight so that they can reduce the size of their chest. They may also help you to build muscle to bulk up your chest. You must be careful, though, with herbal remedies because some herbs can actually exacerbate the problem and make your man boobs more prominent. It’s important to pay attention to the herbal formulas you’re taking. One herb that’s been found to help with gynecomastia is kudzu root This formula may not actually reduce the size of your man boobs, but it can relieve any pain that you may experience when pressing or massaging the area around your breasts. Herbs that can help you to burn fat include green tea and grape seed extract. While these aren’t specifically targeted toward gynecomastia, they can help you burn fat overall. Burning fat will often help you to reduce the size of your man boobs. Turmeric is an herb that’s been shown to help with gynecomastia because it specifically works on hormone balance in the body. Turmeric also contains a substance called curcumin which is an anti-tumor spice, antiinflammatory and fat burner. Of course, it’s better to get the fresh kind, but if you must – the powder kind will work. There are even supplements available at your local health food store. You might also consider taking sarsaparilla or passionflower herbs to help reduce your gynecomastia symptoms. These are both known for boosting testosterone. You should also make sure to avoid supplements that might cause your estrogen levels to increase. This can exacerbate the problem instead of making it better. Ginseng is one herb that’s commonly used but should be avoided if you have gynecomastia. Red clover, black cohosh, and licorice are also culprits when it comes to throwing your hormones out of whack. The Chinese herb dong quai has also been shown in studies to actually cause gynecomastia. Herbal remedies can be a great way to handle problems with gynecomastia naturally. However, just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s safe for you. Make sure that before you begin an herbal regimen you talk with your healthcare provider. Some herbs may react badly with medications you’re taking or health conditions you have. Once your doctor clears you, you should take the herbal supplement as instructed on the packaging. Herbal remedies for man boobs can help you to get the masculine chest you want without having to take medications or resort to surgery. Dietary supplements In addition to some of the herbal solutions in the previous chapter, there are are also specifically formulated dietary supplements for gynecomastia that offer a natural remedy. One supplement available online is Gynexin and many men use it as a way to help reduce their man boobs. This is a product that’s designed to help with the causes of pseudo-gynecomastia – man boobs that come from being overweight. If you need a boost for your weight loss efforts, Gynexin can help. This is an herbal formula that works by burning the fat tissue that’s causing the problem. It’s taken twice a day with meals as a capsule. You’ll notice that Gynexin's ingredients include a proprietary blend of herbs as well as other ingredients that are known to help with weight control. For example, it contains chromium picolinate and green tea extracts that are used for fat burning. It also contains caffeine. The other supplement on the market is Ultimate Gynemax. This is another blend of herbs that can target the fat in the chest and help to reduce the size of man boobs. This is a also a product geared more toward pseudogynecomastia. The product website also tells you that you must incorporate the supplement with a diet and exercise program to lose weight. You also take this supplement twice daily. Taking supplements is not a quick fix. It can help to support you with weight loss efforts, but it won’t transform your chest overnight. Most men report that they took these supplements for 6 to 8 weeks or more before seeing results. In closing If you want to get rid of your man boobs, there is a lot you can achieve by making the right decisions regarding your diet. Eat foods that are more alkaline than acidic, increase your intake of foods that promote testosterone levels and cut down on foods containing estrogen. There are herbal solutions out there and also nutritional supplements that can help speed up the process, but remember there is no silver bullet, no quick fix. The best approach to a long lasting and healthy reduction of man boobs is a complete approach that includes not only nutritional elements, but also targeted exercises and full change in lifestyle. You can find a complete guide here on gynecomastia that includes a targeted exercise guide. Appendix 1: Foods to avoid The main food groups to avoid are foods that are high acidic and foods that contain estrogen. High acidic foods Understanding acidic/alkaline foods is one of the key moves to cure gynecomastia. Most people in the Western hemisphere consume a diet that is high in acidic foods. Food is divided into two main categories acidic and alkaline. Your best chance for getting rid of man boobs is to maintain a body pH that is more alkaline than acidic. You should aim for an 70/30 ratio between high alkaline vs acid foods. This list is just to get you started. Again you can download this free diet guide and food chart so you can easily look up the acid/alkaline effect each food has on your body. Make sure to consume less of these high acidic food products: Artificial sweeteners Beef Beer Black tea Brown sugar Carbonated soft drinks & fizzy drinks Chocolate Coffee Commercial pickles Custard made from white sugar Deer meat (venison) Eggs Goat meat Jams Jellies Lamb meat Liquor Pork Poultry Processed maple syrup Processed white vinegar Soda beverages Wheat flour Foods containing estrogen The female hormone estrogen is responsible for the hormonal cause of man boobs. To lose man boobs for good choose to avoid foods that contain estrogen such as: Alfalfa Animal flesh (hormone fed) Anise seed Apples Barley Beets Buckwheat Carrots Cherries Chickpeas Clover Cowpeas (black- eyed peas) Cucumbers Dates Eggplant Eggs Fennel Fenugreek Flax seed Hops Kidney beans Korean ginseng Legumes and beans Lentils Licorice Lima beans Millet Mung beans Olives Papaya Parsley Peas Peppers Pinto beans Plums Pomegranates Potatoes Pumpkin Red beans Rhubarb Root vegetables Rye Sage Sesame seeds Soy products Soybean sprouts Soybeans Split peas Sunflower seeds Tomatoes White rice Yams Appendix 2: Foods to eat more The two main food groups you must eat more are foods that have high alkaline levels and foods that contain testosterone. Foods that promote an Alkaline pH By shifting your body chemistry to more alkaline pH, you’ll boost metabolism and burn off more calories both of which hasten the decrease fatty tissue around breasts and promote muscle growth. Aim for a diet consisting of 70/30 ratio between high alkaline vs acid foods. A fairly neutral pH of 7.365 is optimal for muscle growth; increased metabolism and fat burning all of which help you win the battle against man boobs. This list is just to get you started. You can download this free diet guide and food chart so you can easily look up the acid/alkaline effect each food has on your body. Alkaline foods you should eat more include: Asparagus Beet Brussels Sprouts Buckwheat Groats Buttermilk Coconut, Fresh Comfrey Cumin Seeds Edamame (green soybeans) Fennel Seeds Flax Seeds Granulated Soy Green Beans Lemon juice Lime juice Lentils Lima Beans Peas, Ripe Sesame Seeds Sorrel Soybeans Spinach Cider vinegar (not white processed vinegar) Wheat Kernel White Beans Foods that increase testosterone levels The production of testosterone in the body depends heavily on the available amount of vitamin B and zinc. The Vitamin B category is actually made up of several vitamins, including vitamins B1, B6, B12, niacin and folic acid. To increase your testosterone levels eat more of the following foods: Almonds Walnuts Peanuts Peanut butter Pumpkin seeds Watermelon seeds Squash seeds Oysters Crab Salmon Sardines Mackerel Olive oil Canola oil Avocados Oats Eggs Cottage Cheese Broccoli Cauliflower Cabbage Brussels Sprouts Garlic Lean beaf Lamb Liver Poultry Beans Dark chocolate Appendix 3: Sample meal plan to boost testosterone So to boost your testosterone levels through your diet, aim to get the right mix of protein, carbohydrates and monounsaturated fat, all within a reasonable calorie count that feeds your muscle growth but won't add to visceral fat. Here is a sample meal plan for a single day: Breakfast Oatmeal with almonds, fruit and an egg. Microwave five minutes and top with non-fat yogurt and cinnamon. Mid-morning snack A handful (no more) of cashews or pistachios will keep you going through the morning, and keep you from snacking on things that promote estrogen production like cookies and doughnuts. Lunch Mash a cup or more of garbanzo beans, then mix in albacore tuna (8-12 ounces), chopped onions, and flavorings such as lemon juice, mustard and perhaps spicy Giardiniera vegetables (often packed in Omega 9rich canola oil). Spread avocado on the inside of two whole grain pieces of bread, and add some lettuce/greens before spooning on the tuna-garbanzo salad. Late-afternoon snack Try some coldwater fish on whole grain crackers or pita bread. Eat 30 to 60 minutes before going to the gym, the protein and healthy fats can power you through an after-work workout. Dinner Grilled chicken, or bake some fish, to get your protein. Combine with a cabbage or broccoli salad. Chopped cabbage or broccoli, lightly sautéed in olive oil and bacon bits. Add onions and black beans into the mix, stir and flavor with vinegar, salt, pepper, and chopped cilantro. Add some slivered almonds for additional texture. Without exception, each of the foods that increase testosterone contributes to better health in other ways as well. The trick is to inject balance, variety, and moderation into how you go about it. Resources “Demystifying Gynecomastia: Men with Breasts” by Merle James Yost “Testosterone for Life: Recharge Your Vitality, Sex Drive, Muscle Mass, and Overall Health” by Abraham Morgentaler “The Fats of Life: Essential Fatty Acids in Health and Disease” by Glen Lawrence “Effects of a high-fat diet on postabsorptive and postprandial testosterone responses to a fat-rich meal” by J.S. Volek.
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