What makes a man a MAN? Testosterone. That bass in your voice, that hair on your chin and chest, that drive and motivation, that macho-man aggression, and those few hints of muscularity on your body are driven by this hormone. Testosterone is impacted by age, nutrition and lifestyle. You can't do anything about Father time but you can certainly make adjustments to your nutrition, lifestyle and training. I want to share what I’ve done to record higher testosterone levels in my 30s than I did in my 20s 🤯 insane but true. Listen up.

Lifestyle
Sleep 😴 for a minimum of 8 hours every night. Testosterone is produced in your sleep and it’s output is displayed in your morning glory. More and better quality sleep aids it’s production and ensures more glorious days ahead 🦁 . You're not Elon Musk or Steve Jobs and there's really nothing you're doing when you're up late so prioritize sleeping more.

If you smoke, stop. Shisha, cigarettes 🚬 and weed - lekefyo. Little Jimmy won’t stand up? Blame it on the smokes 💨 cutting off circulation . If you drink 🍺 , do so in moderation (x2 beers per day). Alcohol crashes test levels and elevates estrogen. That big belly? Blame it on the alcohol providing you with excess calories.

Reduce your stress levels 😔. Stop trying to be superman; you can't be a hero for everyone and save them from their problems. Stress causes an elevation in the stress hormone cortisol and sustained or frequent elevations in cortisol subsequently reduce testosterone.

Nutrition
Keep doing whatever it is that you're doing but pay particular attention to your fat intake. You must look to increase this. When it comes to testosterone, fat is your friend. Look into incorporating things such as a fatty fish 🐠 , nuts 🥜 and nut butters, full fat dairy milk 🥛 or cheese 🧀 (choose ONE), avocado 🥑 , whole eggs 🍳 , chia seeds, olives 🫒 and olive oil (when cooking or alternatively you can consider throwing a tablespoon of it into your smoothie - you won't taste a thing!). Personally avocado is my go to, as well as placing the seed options in my smoothies and having nuts as snacks.

Avoid estrogen containing products, mainly soy and soy related products such tofu and soy milk. Growing breasts as a man? That's a sign of excess estrogen. Estrogen goes up and testosterone goes down.

Limit your overall sugar intake. Watch the sodas and consider drinking sugar free options instead to avoid increased fat storage from excess energy intake. Plain old water is the best.

Training
It's simple really, lift heavy things up and put them back down. Repeat this action 3-5 times per week for 30-60 minutes and you're all set. Strength training takes priority over cardiovascular training. Vo tamanga tamanga (running 🏃🏿‍♂️) won't help your testosterone unless you're overweight. If you're overweight consider incorporating both strength training and cardiovascular activity for accelerated results in the weight loss department. High Intensity interval training is a great option for those short on time.

Supplements to consider:

• Maca root (available at Umoyo).
• Zinc (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy).
• Magnesium (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy). Eat more spinach and nuts if you're averse to supplements.
• Vitamin D3 (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy). Spend a few minutes in the sun if you're averse to supplementation.
• D Aspartic Acid (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy).

⚠️ Low testosterone is associated with:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Fatigue
• Increased body fat
• Feeling irritable, or depressed
• Changes in sleep habits

⭐️ Supplementary reading:
Men's Health
African King

Ever attended a poop party by force? Don’t want to talk about it? Cool. I’ll talk about my experience on the dance floor of a foreign bathroom. In my younger years I remember visiting a friend’s home when a riot abruptly broke out in my stomach soon after arrival. I composed myself, asked where the bathroom was and made my way there. Got there in one piece and attempted to negotiate peace with my unsettled stomach but diplomacy had failed and missiles launched the moment I took a seat 💩 🚀 . The war was over in a matter of seconds! I breathed a sigh of relief and reached out for toilet paper, dressed up and attempted to flush………NO WATER 💦 😨 kwa bene imwe! Nati kwasila na onekela! To add insult to injury right at that very moment someone was knocking because they too needed to use the bathroom. Hmmm. Anyway, ma detail ya paka so I’ll end here. What I want to share with you is that you don’t have live this same story and literally find yourself in a shitty situation. You don’t have to be at war with your bowel movement. You can regulate and influence when you need some ‘alone time’ before you sebanya yourself pa bantu. How?

• Motion 🚶🏾‍♂️ 🏃🏿‍♂️
  

Higher levels of activity helps move things along faster so get going for 30-60 minutes daily with whatever activity it is that you enjoy doing. I’m yet to find a constipated runner, or at least one that’s experienced sustained constipation.

• Nutrition 🍏

If things aren’t happening then you need to look into your fiber intake. Fiber is undigested carbohydrates that add the bulk to your poop and help push waste out. Things such as your weetabix, bran flakes, brown rice, wholegrain pasta and bread, beans, yoghurt, vegetables and fruit (apples, pears, mangoes and guava in particular) are tremendously helpful. For those that don’t like these these basic and common options then consider adding snacks like popcorn 🍿 or tamarind to your already existing meal preferences. NB: I personally consider the regularity of my bowel movement as an indication of the quality of foods I’ve been consuming in the recent past. Your body will respond to how you feed it and for me constipation is rebellion.

• Hydration 💧

Quantity, type as well as the temperature of the fluid you consume has a big say on bowel movement. Quantity = the more the better. Ultimately fluid acts as a lubricant so unless you like pressure on a toilet seat I suggest that you increase your intake. 40mls x your body weight is good place to start. Type = plain water 💦 , black coffee ☕️ , green tea 🍵 , mabisi (fermented milk 🥛) plus any other drink that contains kawawasha (tamarind) are great bowel support options. Temperature = warm beverages loosen things up and help lubricate. Don’t believe me? Try drinking a warm beer.

👆🏾This is generic advice so find what combination works for you. Below is what I do specifically to ensure bowel movement 💩 as the first order of business every morning as I flush yesterday’s problems:
Upon waking up I’d take a small cup of moringa tea (brewed 5-10 mins in hot water) + 500mls of plain warm water with sliced lemon. It takes about 30 minutes flat (or less) till detonation 💣 . I start my days ‘unburdened’, unshackled and unleashed every day, you should too. Don’t let nothing weigh you down in life 😌.

Bonus life tip:
Always check the water levels before you rush to answer the call of nature! Especially when you’re in an environment other than home.

Conclusion
I don’t have to tell you about the benefits of regular visits to the bathroom because you know exactly how off your game you feel when you’ve been a stranger. Prioritize ensuring that what you put in your mouth consistently finds its way out the other side and you’ll not only thrive in life but also avoid finding yourself in compromising situations. You should determine when it’s ‘time to go’ because if you wait on the call of nature you may only belatedly realize that a busy tone is not possible and you might not have toilet paper or water to mitigate an impending disaster!


⭐️ Supplementary reading:

• Gas Issues
• Digging Your Grave With a Knife and Fork
• Detox

I was recently decommissioned by a flu I initially didn't pay much attention to. Mwebantu It was a humbling experience! I'm back up and running and I realized that all the things I was doing to boost my immunity could be of benefit to others to not only combat flu but prevent it showing up.

This is what I did:
Restructured my nutrition

• Breakfast: Fruit salad for breakfast, Most Shoprite outlets offer small and medium sized pre-cut mixed fruit salads (K12 and K27). ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away’ ain’t no lie! Don’t wait until you’re patient; consume fruits by choice, not by force. ⚠️Warning: The Manda Hill branch is better organized than others in my opinion; fruits are cut with love over there. On the side I'd have a warm cup of black tea with sliced lemon, sliced ginger and a tablespoon of honey. This is my version of immunity boosting breakfast but if vitumbuwa is your preference I won’t argue with you 👍🏾. You’ll soon learn that the term ‘you are what you eat’ is literal.
• Lunch: Rice with beans, peas, carrots and an animal meat* (chicken, fish, or beef). *Organ meats might be better for more favorable health outcomes for those that can stomach them i.e. liver.
• Snack: Yogurt and fruit, usually a banana
• Supper: A home-made health burger/sandwich. Ingredients include the following: wholegrain bun or bread, lean ground beef or chicken patty, sliced tomato, red onion, lettuce, red bell peppers, green pepper, and a teaspoon of lite mayonnaise.
• Supplements: I supplement with Zinc and odourless garlic 🧄 (anti inflammatory) to help support my immune system. Natural sources of zinc aren't always practical and I don't like the taste of garlic on my food or the fire breathing properties 🗣 🔥 it gives you once consumed.

The general idea is increased fruits and vegetables intake, eating more home-made standard foods as opposed to canned goods and processed foods and elimination of soda 🥤.

Modified my fluid intake
I made amendments to the fluid temperature and volume of fluid consumed daily. The coldest fluid I'd consume would be at room temperature and I increased my overall fluid intake to 4 liters per day (0.40 x body weight to calculate your own requirements).

Made lifestyle adjustments

• Slept more 😴 by being intentional about bedtime and prioritizing undisturbed sleep. I set an alarm for bed every night and switch off my phone right after switching off the bedroom lights. I sleep peacefully without being woken up by other people's problems usiku. Ma emergency ya boza can wait till the morning.
• Hand-washing with water 💦 and soap 🧼 every chance I got and sanitizing every surface I intended to place my hands on i.e. office desk, keyboard, mouse etc.
• Taking 10-15 minute open air walks every hour or two for a little activity and vitamin D. If you don't have flu then continue to keep active with whatever activity that you enjoy doing. Exercise in general for about 30 minutes daily will keep your immunity up so get going before you end up permanently stationary.
  

All these things are what I did and continue to do to sustain my immunity. I encourage you to consider adopting a few of these things. Don't wait for mamina to roll down to your upper lip before grabbing an orange 🍊 .