The Four Elements of A Balanced Meal

Plenty of good protein as the main focus of the meal

Proteins are composed of amino acids, which form the backbone of the growth hormone molecule. Build your balanced meal around protein to ensure high levels of amino acids. Some good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and legumes. It is important to make sure that the protein you eat is free of hormones, additives, preservatives, and other chemicals. You should choose meat, poultry, and eggs that come from free-range animals that are grass-fed.

In general you should eat a minimum of 1 to 1.25 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight. To work this out in pounds and ounces divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. This will give you your weight in kilograms. Multiply this by 1.0 and 1.25 to give you your range of daily protein in grams. Now, divide these numbers by 7 to give you your daily amount of protein in ounces. For example, a 150 pound person weighs 68 kilograms (150/2.2). They should aim to consume between 68 and 85 grams of protein, which works out to be between 9.7 and 12 ounces of protein/day.

Make sure you divide your protein intake across the day and choose from a variety of different sources. It is important to remember not to consume protein by itself as this can raise cortisol levels, which will inhibit growth hormone output. If you notice that you have digestive complaints such as bad breath, constipation, gas and bloating, and indigestion you may be suffering from low stomach acid, which makes it difficult to digest your protein. Please see the article on suggestions to aid digestion.

Plenty of sources of healthy fat

Fat is an essential part of human nutrition and metabolism. Do not be afraid of adding foods that contain healthy fats into your diet. Fats are the only sources of the essential fatty acids that are vital for good health. Healthy fats are also essential for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins, for energy, for the immune system, and hormone synthesis, and the membranes of every cell in the body are made up of fat.

Healthy fats are ones that have not been damaged. Fats are damaged during the processing and cooking of the fat. These damaged fats are called trans fatty acids and are often called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats or oil. These types of fat are foreign to the body and are metabolically damaging to your system. Margarine and almost all commercially processed baked food are the major sources of trans fatty acids in the diet. It is my advice to cut all sources of trans fatty acids out of the diet. Begin eating and using butter, olive oil, and coconut oil in your cooking, and start adding essential fatty acids in the form of high quality flaxseed oil or fish oil supplements, such as cod liver oil, into your diet.

Eat Real Carbohydrates

Real carbohydrates are ones that can be grown, picked or harvested. Avoid all sources of what are called refined carbohydrates, which consist of all white flours, refined sugar, cookies, crackers, pies, etc.

Carbohydrates are used as an energy source in the body and you should focus on eating carbohydrates to match your energy and metabolism. The quicker the carbohydrate releases sugar into the bloodstream the more damaging it is to your metabolism and the more inhibition there is of HGH release. Focus on foods that have a low glycemic index, i.e. foods that release their sugars slowly into the bloodstream.

Focus on Nonstarchy vegetables

Nonstarchy vegetables are those vegetables that are high in fiber and dense in nutrients. They do not raise blood sugar levels quickly because of the high amounts of fiber. Fiber also helps digestion, provides bulk to the stool, and feeds the healthy bacteria in your colon. Nonstarchy vegetables would include all types of lettuce, leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, peppers, onions, garlic, and summer squash. Winter squash, potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots, although rich in nutrients, have a tendency to raise blood sugar levels quickly, which will have a detrimental effect on HGH levels.