There has been a lot of discussion lately about HGH and the use of human growth hormone. The irony is that our bodies manufacture this sought after drug naturally. One can tap into the uniqueness of this hormone is to build muscle tone. The act of breaking down the muscle- particularly the quads and hamstrings releases higher levels of HGH into the body.

I'm a huge fan of weight training for not only bone support, but also for the youthfulness and immune boosting that accompanies this anti-aging hormone. The best method to get your body to generate HGH is high intensity strength training.

To get your body to produce HGH is actually very easy. You can get a high-intensity workout using nothing but your body and a mat on the floor if you learn about something called "body weight training." It means using your body as the weight. Try a one-legged squat. Just stand on one leg, lower yourself to the ground, then raised yourself back up without using your other leg. Exercises like squats and lunges as well as Pilates and adult gymnastics practice strength training using your body weight.

Nothing beats strength training for creating human growth hormone, but there's another factor that's just as important: adequate sleep. Studies show that growth hormone is produced during the later stages of nightly sleep, and if you cut your sleep short (five or six hours instead of seven or eight), you short-change your HGH production. Sleep is absolutely essential for staying young, healthy, and vibrant. Aim for eight hours each night.

Lack of stress is also critical for proper human growth hormone balance -- a body that's under constant stress will experience a decline in HGH production. (That's due to the interaction of stress hormones like adrenaline.) So, in a very real sense, staying relaxed and stress-free will make you live longer.