Christmas Cheer On Its Way
- Brainz Magazine
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Written by Shaun Sargent, Co-Founder STAIT
That we age is a given, how we age is a choice. STAIT – Unapologetically Strong. A first-class academic, award-winning professional, and global CEO, he is dedicated to continuous growth and inspiring others along the way.
Christmas is coming, and with it, for many, the endless pre-Christmas parties to attend, followed by Christmas festivities, a few days of “rest” if you are lucky, and then straight into the repeat cycle for New Year’s Eve.
At this time of year, there are many reminders to eat healthily and consume more fresh food, etc. It’s enough to make you want to nip off down to the pub with your mates for a drink. But before you go, be aware that Christmas celebrations and Friday nights at the pub, while making you feel better for a short time, may have longer-lasting implications for your health, especially your male health.
I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news, nor spoil the pleasure of celebration. However, I do want to make you aware of a few things, and then look at the alternatives, so you can still celebrate, let off steam, and have fun.
The bad news
I love beer as much as the next bloke, especially a cool Coopers Red Neck. However, beer is not the optimum liquid for male health.
The term ‘brewer’s droop’ wasn’t coined for fun. It’s a genuine condition that brewers and farm workers suffer from if they handle hops.
In his book The Natural Testosterone Plan, Stephen Harrod Buhner writes:
“Hops are best known for their use in beer. The majority of physicians and men overlook their potent chemicals and do not realize that beer itself can significantly alter male androgen levels. German beer makers noticed long ago that young women who picked hops in the fields commonly experienced early menstrual periods. Eventually, researchers discovered the reason, hops are perhaps one of the most powerfully estrogenic plants on Earth. Just 100 grams of hops (about 3.5 ounces) contains anywhere from thirty thousand to three hundred thousand IUs of estrogen, depending on the type of hops.”
Most of it is the very potent estrogen, estradiol. When estradiol enters the male body, it causes a direct lowering of testosterone levels in the testes and an increase in SHBG levels, which then binds up even more free testosterone in the bloodstream.
The estradiol in hops has also been found to directly interfere with the ability of the testes’ Leydig cells to produce testosterone.
The presence of this highly estrogenic substance in beer is not an accident, but we won’t linger on that one.
So please be aware, a long, cool beer isn’t going to help you in the long term with your testosterone levels, and no amount of marketing hype will make those T levels rise if you drink beer regularly.
More bad news
Pub food, like peanuts, nuts, crisps, and the like, will only make things worse. Why? Peanuts aren’t actually nuts. They are high in PUFAs and also beta-sitosterol, which negatively impacts our DHT (male hormone) levels.
PUFAs (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids) have been shown to lower testosterone levels and cause increased oxidative damage to testosterone receptor cells, so why on earth would we consume them?
Crisps can be cooked in rancid seed oils, which wreak havoc, not only on our hormones but also on our overall health, promoting inflammation. Yet fear not, all is not lost.
The good news
There is some good news, and some other alternatives to look at. And all the while, think responsible consumption, not mass booze sessions.
Instead of a beer, how about a glass of organic red wine, a tequila, a shot of vodka, or one of Jon Snow’s best, mead?
Studies have shown that, in responsible amounts, a glass of red wine can stimulate your testosterone levels. There have also been studies showing that a shot of tequila or vodka after training will elevate testosterone levels significantly, too. It’s reported that Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman drank vodka the night before his first show win, and that transformed his physique.
So, all is not lost, but as with everything, moderation is the key.
Too much of a ‘good thing’ can mess up the liver, and a fatty liver cannot process alcohol efficiently, nor deal with the sex hormone processing. Essentially, any testosterone processing is disrupted, and more estrogen hits the blood.
Being the designated driver or switching to water may not be the answer either. Most ‘plastic’ water is heavily contaminated with BPA, which is a massive hormone disruptor and estrogen creator.
If you drink water, make sure it’s filtered and not contaminated. Soft fizzy drinks laden with sugar, or possibly worse, artificial sweeteners, won’t make your body healthy either. Massive spikes in insulin won’t help testosterone production. So, going out to the pub is a minefield in reality.
More good news
There’s more good news (if having a shot of vodka or a glass of red wasn’t enough), not all nuts are bad, some are very helpful in the quest for testosterone production and delivery.
Macadamias have a very high level of monounsaturated fat, and less than 2% of the PUFAs. These nuts are the only Macas you should be consuming, if you catch my drift.
Avoid the late-night munchies at all costs, as a trip to the local fast food takeaway joint won’t do much for your libido. Most fast food meat is heavily laden with estrogenic creating hormones and won’t do you any favors in your quest for testosterone.
Brazil nuts are great too, due to their high amounts of testosterone-supporting nutrients like selenium, zinc, boron, and magnesium. They are also low in PUFAs.
So this Christmas celebration, and the weekends to come, is not all bad, it’s simply a shift in choices.
Drink responsibly, have fun, and consume some healthy pub grub, and wake up fresh and full of life, versus having a few cold beers, a bag of peanuts, and then nipping off for a burger on the way home, only to feel like s the next day.
The final point
Many old wives' tales exist on how to avoid a hangover. One thing I do, as well as practicing moderation, is take Stait Recover with a big glass of water before bed.
The ingredients support a healthy liver, positive gut health, and the elimination of toxins. It’s not fail-safe, but it’s definitely supportive.
Happy Holidays!
Read more from Shaun Sargent
Shaun Sargent, Co-Founder STAIT
As a co-founder of STAIT, my personal search for health and personal development is relentless. I seek out the best of the best to learn from and share with. To be the best you can be on a daily basis is the key to human growth.
