| Saturday - October 24, 2009 Hormone levels can drop significantly as you age or as a result of lifestyle factors. And when they do, your sex drive plummets, you start putting on extra weight, and you tire out faster. Hormone deficiencies can also cause serious health problems. In men, for example, low testosterone levels can cause metabolic syndrome. This leads to high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance. And in women past menopause, low levels of DHEA can cause musculoskeletal pain. It's not just the levels of your sex hormones that you need to be aware of. Chronic stress increases the hormone cortisol in your blood. And too much cortisol can cause inflammation, high blood glucose and insulin levels, low thyroid function, and even impaired immunity. But here's the good news. If you know the signs and symptoms of hormone deficiencies and imbalances, you can take steps to keep all your hormones at healthy levels. Learn how by clicking here.
When George told me about his plans, I was worried. Just months after his son's suicide, he wanted to organize an annual marathon walk to raise awareness for the cause. "Start small," I told him. "Don't make it a media event the first year. Make it a private thing. See if you like doing it." I was concerned that after suffering such a terrible loss, the burden of taking on a major project would wreck him. I pointed out all the hurdles he'd be facing. It would mean days and night of planning, I warned. Plus an entire advertising campaign. Plus enlisting the help of dozens of volunteers.
He wasn't the least bit discouraged. "Didn't you write a book called Ready, Fire, Aim?" he said. That shut me up. Six months later, I got this note from him: Michael, Ready ... Fire ... Aim! We are front-page news in Rockville Centre, Oceanside, Island Park, and Long Beach. And today I was interviewed by two local newspapers in Manchester, Connecticut. We have raised almost $20,000. We walked 150 miles through two states. Most important, we raised awareness about the dangers of treating suicide nonchalantly. I've gotten this movement this far with zero talent, no experience, and very few skills. Pretty much the only thing I had going for me was brass balls and a ready-fire-aim attitude. I guess it's time to pat myself on the back for a job well done. GW Note: Every year, 33,000 Americans kill themselves. (Compare that to the estimated 15,000 who die from AIDS.) Many of these are young people with full, productive lives to live. If you'd like to know more about suicide and how to prevent it, visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
There's nothing wrong with feeling tired. It's your body's way of telling you "Give me some rest." But staying tired -- week after week -- is a health problem, one you don't have to live with and shouldn't. If you have been feeling tired for a while, answer these three questions: - Are you getting seven to eight hours of quality sleep at night?
- Are you eating a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet?
- Are you getting enough B vitamins?
If you answered "yes" or "I don't know" to any one of these questions, you need to know this: Most people understand the relationship between sleep and fatigue, but few realize the huge effect diet has on energy levels. There is an easy fix. Reduce or eliminate sugars and high-carb starches -- bread, rice, pasta, etc. They strip your body of stored energy and turn it into a fat-storing machine. And eat lots of protein -- eggs, fish, and meat. That kind of diet will keep you lean, supercharged, and focused all day long. It works because it not only delivers quality proteins, it's loaded with vitamins B12 and B6. You need B vitamins to be able to fall asleep easily, wake up refreshed, and zip through the day. And as you age, your ability to absorb these nutrients from food decreases. So if you are over 40 -- to be on the safe side -- consider taking a good B complex supplement every day.
On a related note, if you have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, the problem may be related to additives in your food. Substances like aspartame, MSG, artificial coloring, nitrates, and even soy contain "excitotoxins," chemicals that can alter your brain chemistry. James LaValle, ND, author of Managing Stress for Better Sleep, says "Stay away from foods containing these additives at all costs. You'll get a better night's sleep and lower your risk of damaging the sensitive nerves in your brain."
Everyone needs to own some commodities in this financial environment. That's why I own gold coins and collectible art and houses and apartment buildings. I know those things can't disappear into some electronic black hole. I know where they are. I can see them. I can touch them. I also like the idea of owning other commodities. Lately, some of the best performers have been in the "Energy Asset Class Category." Oil prices have been climbing. And it looks like expensive oil is here to stay. I've been reading Investor's Daily Edge contributor Rusty McDougal's comments, and I am tempted by the possibility of controlling 1,000 barrels of crude oil in the futures market for about $6,600. I'm also intrigued by the idea of buying call options on select energy stocks that could provide double- or triple-digit gains for as little as $200. With speculative investments like these, I invest only money that I wouldn't mind losing. (But when I make money with them, I'm very happy.) If speculative investing interests you, I urge you to read more about Rusty's service and see if it make sense for your portfolio.
A good way to reach your retirement goals a little faster is to find a retirement paradise that is less expensive than the USA. If you can enjoy living in some other part of the world, you can get the retirement lifestyle you're dreaming of for a lot less money, even with the falling value of the dollar. (The latest numbers from the Social Security Administration indicate that nearly half a million Americans are already doing it.) There are several countries known for cheap (at least compared to the U.S.) retirement living, including Costa Rica, Panama, and Mexico. Some sections have become so popular that the prices of property have shot up, putting them out of reach for the average person. But there are still opportunities out there. My own retirement Eden is a beautiful property overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Nicaragua. The community is private. My ownership entitles me to the beach club and many other amenities. It's a short drive to Granada, a very old and very charming city where I can dine at nice restaurants, dance in the town square, and visit local art galleries. I spend long weekends there, sitting on my porch, the ocean stretched out below me. My cost? For the land, I paid $22,000. I paid another $150,000 to build a spectacular 5,000-square-foot home, complete with a huge open-air living room and a swimming pool. Water and food are dirt cheap. Household help is equally inexpensive. The community is a 20-minute copter ride from the capital city, which is a two-hour hop from Miami. It is accessible via a highway (now being rebuilt), and is considered right in the middle of the country's next big real estate market. Years ago, someone offered me $900,000 for my house. I didn't sell. My cost of keeping it is very low and the value of living there part-time is huge. Consider investing in your own retreat now. The sooner you get in, the better you will do financially and the longer you will enjoy it.
Our latest Undercover issue on an alternative cancer cure suppressed by the medical establishment has been getting lots of comments from readers. Here are just a few: "Dr. Gerson was a brilliant, brilliant man. I've worked with his therapy. And it works. I give this article 10 stars. Dr. Gerson's work doesn't get anywhere near the attention it deserves." – Scott ** "These principles seem sound to me. Common sense will tell you the SAD (Standard American Diet) has deteriorated. It is unnatural, highly processed, with artificial colors, flavorings, sweeteners, hormones, antibiotics, and preservatives. We have strayed from basic nutrition. "Once we come up with a way to fund clinical trials on 'alternative' health options, we should be able to prove common sense healthy eating. Also, hopefully prove 'science' is creating crap food. That would be one way to make a huge impact on health care costs." – Tony ** "As a Wellness Counselor, I read many articles, and have read many about cancer, plus material about Gerson. "This article was able to encapsulate many valuable ideas, information, and background -- plus the medical pressure being exerted -- in a compact way. "It was readable and interesting and should make great sense and inform those who are unaware of these issues. "Keep sending THB out into the community." -- Jacqui
[Ed. Note: Michael Masterson welcomes your questions and comments. Send him a message at AskMichael@ETRFeedback.com.] | 
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