夢想家精神

京瓷哲學 稻盛和夫不外傳之祕

人活著是為了什麼？企業活著又是為了什麼？

日本「經營之聖」稻盛和夫，帶領近六百名遠從日本、中國、紐約、矽谷、洛杉磯飛來的企業家塾生，在三月二日九點到十二點，來台北開台灣盛和塾例會，並在當天下午三點到五點，找了出版他十七本著作的《天下雜誌》，共同舉辦市民論壇，堅持不收費、不賣書，開放台北市民免費入場。

《天下》網站開放自由報名，一千四百個席次在一天半內就秒殺一空，再加上台灣本地近六百名塾生及非塾生的台灣企業家，總共三千人親臨現場，感受塾長稻盛和夫的風采。八十三歲的他，魅力可見一斑。

稻盛和夫為何有如此大的吸引力？

在一九五九年、二十七歲那年，稻盛創辦了京都陶瓷（Kyocera）。創業五十六年來，從沒賠過錢。《天下》最新出版五百頁厚的《京瓷哲學》，正是他創業後，寫下的形塑企業文化的聖經，出版後不到一年便在日本熱銷十八萬冊，也是改造日本航空成功的聖經。

雖然他早在六十歲就自京瓷退休，並將京瓷交棒給專業經理人，卻在年近八十歲時，以義務職、不領薪水的方式，在一一五五天內，將宣告破產、下市的日本航空（JAL），做出遠超乎眾人預料的Ｖ型復甦，再度寫下傳奇。

中國大陸的出版界，稱稻盛和夫二○一○年起在日航的改造奇蹟，是他人生的最後一戰。但是稻盛一直沒有忘記要幫助更多掙扎向上中的中小企業家，突破經營困境、不斷向上成長。

因此他在全世界各地所組成的盛和塾塾生多達八千位，就是在一起研讀稻盛學，好好精進領導人個人人格與企業。稻盛不向塾生收取學習費，都是塾生為自己在學習中所產生的場地、講師、書籍、講義等費用，當下自己繳費付清。

二○一三年，隨著改革日航成功，加上中國大陸首富企業家馬雲向稻盛請益，稻盛和夫在中國大陸人氣更是老來旺。

顯然，稻盛在此生的戰役會隨著塾生的不斷精進，而不斷奮鬥下去。

稻盛家傳的課程

究竟稻盛如何改造三萬一千名日航工作者的腦袋？

他所憑藉的第一步，是台灣企業領導人很不看重的「讀書會」。

實際的領導人教育，又是如何展開的呢？

二○一○年六月一日到七月七日，針對五十二位以董事為主的經營幹部，進行第一梯次、為期一個多月的領導人教育。每週利用三個上班日與週末，每週四次，總共進行十七次的集中培訓課程。

能改變經營幹部的，究竟是什麼樣的教育呢？

日航的領導人教育課程內容，是由稻盛的經營哲學「經營十二條」、「會計七原則」、「六大精進」，以及外部聘請講師的授課內容集結而成。

儘管已屆高齡，在十七次的課程當中，稻盛仍有五次親自擔任講師。第一天以「領導人應有的姿態」講題開講，之後每週一次，分四次講授「經營十二條」。而「會計七原則」與「六項精進」，則是用觀看ＤＶＤ的方式進行。

經營十二條、會計七原則、六項精進，在稻盛的十七本著作都各有詳盡介紹，尤其是新近出版的《京瓷哲學》更有完整的解讀。

六項精進的毛筆字，更是張貼在京瓷總部的辦公室及塾生企業的牆壁上。包括：一、付出不輸給任何人的努力；二、謙虛不驕傲；三、每天都要反躬反省；四、活著，心懷感謝；五、累積利他的善行；六、不做情緒上的煩惱。

六大精進就是精進自己的心。稻盛堅信，人來人世走一回，就是要修煉自己的靈魂，讓自己的靈魂在離開人世時，比剛到人世時，高尚一點點。

稻盛此次在台北市民論壇，更是要好好闡明一切的源頭：人為什麼活著？企業活著又是為了什麼？

這些問題，都可以在《天下》出版的十七本稻盛著作中找到答案。但難的是要能夠實踐。

先洗心，建立為人、為企業的價值觀與哲學，踏出的實踐腳步才會堅定。

創業初期，稻盛曾被員工包圍，要求他保證公司不會倒，讓員工都有飯吃。他心裡很苦，難以立即承諾。後來他想通了，寫下《京瓷哲學》。五十年後他整頓日航，也要日航寫下自己的日航哲學。

「生而為人，什麼是正確的事？」能夠掌握這些非常單純的判斷基準，就能掌握事物的本質，並且經常能導引出正確的判斷。

這些判斷基準的原理和原則的依據，就在《京瓷哲學》中。

稻盛堅信，人心有信念，腳步就不亂。他身體力行，還寫書與人分享，並將此信念傳遞給全球幾百個城市的中小企業經營者。他的無私分享，就是希望地球能夠更幸福。

成功經營京瓷、ＫＤＤＩ電信和日航的稻盛和夫，以其超過半世紀的成功企業經營與人生智慧結晶，引導商界人士及普羅大眾，邁向事業經營與人生豐碩充實之路。

以下為《京瓷哲學》精華介紹：



本書濃縮彙整「京瓷哲學」的內容，並把分發給京瓷員工的《京瓷哲學手冊》，以逐項解說的形式撰寫而成。當初原本只是作為京瓷內部教材，後來由於外界強烈期盼，才以《京瓷哲學》一書發行問世。

這份僅限於盛和塾學員、並不外傳的「公司至寶」，集結了稻盛和夫八十多年來經營與人生智慧，每個人皆可從他質樸又強大的生存之道中獲得能量。

人生與工作的結果，是由「想法×熱情×能力」這樣的方程式所決定。

三個變項間並非相加、而是以相乘來計算，是因為稻盛和夫相信，即使能力稍不如一流大學的畢業生，只要擁有強烈的熱情、好的想法，仍可以創造美好的結果。

以好的想法走過自己的人生

「我們應該以好的想法，走過自己的人生，」稻盛和夫認為，想法對企業與人生的重要，無庸置疑。

更重要的是，這些想法中，有些是沒有通融餘地、講道理、嚴格的生存之道。

例如，他經常告訴員工：「要付出不輸給任何人的努力。」他會一再嚴格地教誨他們：「請付出不輸給任何人的努力。同時，也請努力讓公司加倍成長。」

即便許多人都說「我努力了」，但那可能只是自己這麼想而已。稻盛和夫會一再詢問：「真的付出了『不輸給任何人的努力』嗎？」

所謂「付出不輸給任何人的努力」是非常嚴格、沒有通融餘地的事，這樣的努力，要憑著「熱情」，這是自己可以決定的事。

另外，最重要的是「想法」。

公司的經營者所抱持的人生觀、哲學、想法，將決定所有的事情。所謂的公司，最後只會走向唯一一途，就是成為頂尖器量、頂尖人格的東西。俗話說：「螃蟹只會挖和自己一樣大小的洞。」但是如此一來，就無法打造出超越自己器量與人格的公司。

為伙伴竭盡心力

因此，提高公司的目標、打造自己更美好的人生，就能提升自己的人性、磨練自己的人格，除此之外別無他法。

在人類的行為中，最美好、最令人尊敬的，莫過於幫助別人。

稻盛和夫認為：「為了世界、為了人類竭盡心力，是人類最崇高的行為。」相較於為世界、為人類，雖然「為了伙伴而竭盡心力」，是範圍比較狹隘的利他行為，但卻十分重要。

只要擁有「為伙伴竭盡心力」這種同志之間的關係連結，不惜為所有人努力，就能建構美好的集團。

「為了伙伴竭盡心力」，是形成京瓷企業「變形蟲經營」的基礎。

在創業初期，京瓷便施行所謂變形蟲小集團組織的獨立收支制度。因為稻盛認為，若不是由少數的經營者來思考公司的經營，而是由全體員工都以經營者的心態、想法及精神來營運，將能創造出強而有力的企業。

將公司組織分成小集團，每個小集團都當作一家公司來獨立運作，掌握每個小集團的收益是否增加？是否有資源浪費的作業？這就是「變形蟲經營」的管理手法。

關於變形蟲經營，許多人認為不可思議之處就在於「成果分配」。對於業績好的變形蟲組織成員，京瓷不會調薪，也不會發給更多獎金。因為對稻盛而言，「為了伙伴竭盡心力，不求回報，是人類最重要的事情。」

假使業績好時，可獲得更多獎金與加薪，如此一來，獲得獎金與加薪的同仁將士氣高昂，也會熱烈期待更多的獎金與加薪。但業績沒有成長的部門同仁將會意志消沉。假如一部份的事業部門蓬勃發展，而另一部份的事業部門成長停滯，公司全體也將無法順利發展。

更進一步說，業績好的部門也不會總是一帆風順，將來也會有業績下滑的時候。一個公司的業績若上下反覆，員工內心將無法安定。

所以，自創業以來，稻盛和夫就持續強調「為了伙伴竭盡心力」的重要。這使得京瓷員工彼此感謝與利他，願意為伙伴盡心盡力，在彼此信賴與互助合作的關係上，公司得一步步壯大。

稻盛進一步指出，引導人邁向成功的是「以愛、真誠與和諧所呈現出來的心靈」。

愛，是將別人的喜樂視為自己的喜樂的心情；真誠，是凡事為世界及人類的心情；和諧，則是希望自己與周遭每個人都能夠享有幸福生活的心情。

My grandma was always the hottest commodity in her town, and in any town for that matter.

Perhaps it is the way she flirted and posed for the camera, even winking as she adorably crossed her legs slowly and deliberately for each photo from age six to 96, as if she were the most beautiful and important person in the world.

And ever since I can remember, that’s just who she was: the most important and beautiful woman around, and always the youngest-at-heart person I had the gracious opportunity to know.

Maybe it was the way she knew how to get the best seat at any fine restaurant on a Saturday evening, and without a reservation.

Sounding a bit like Bette Davis on a humorous day but looking more like Betty Grable, she would say, “Now don’t tell me you don’t have room for a pretty girl like me with personality to boot?” as she coyly smiled.

It worked like a charm every time.

“Come right this way,” the Maitre D would reply, as she gave me a knowing grin as if to say, “I hope you’re taking notes.”

Or perhaps it was the way that she laughed, that joyous laughter that captivated anyone who heard it, as it wasgenuine, hearty and sexy to the core because of its sincere sing-song, unpretentious and absolutely infectious sound.

Anyone who can manage to stay beautiful and youthful well into their ninth decade on this planet is someone well worth listening to. That is just what my grandma, Anna Lee did until her very last day at the ripe young age of 96.

Think of Betty White with a dash of Marilyn Monroe and Lucille Ball, and a princess or two thrown in for levity, and that’s just a hint of how much the hotness factor played in my grandma’s entire being.

But I believe that what truly made my grandma a gorgeous woman and appear younger than her years was her attitude about life and the way that she carried herself in it.

“If you can’t laugh at yourself, no one will ever take you seriously,” she once casually exclaimed while cutting roses from her lush and overgrown garden.

When I was a little girl, she used to take me along on endless, joyous days when we would visit museums, fashion shows; enjoy Tea Time with her friends and spend long lunches with interesting and fabulously exotic people.

Because I was with her meant that I was somehow beautiful too because she included me in her endlessly passionate and exuberant life.

One day when we whizzed about town in her Canary yellow vintage convertible Jaguar as she donned a Grace Kelly style scarf and sunglasses, she said to me, “I think we need girl’s afternoon to spoil ourselves, what do you think?”

I just smiled back at her, all of the age of 10 with my shiny, patent leather Mary Jane shoes as I held on to my door for safety as she was a fast driver, although she always managed to talk herself out of a speeding ticket with charmed-I’m-sure police officers.

One of my last memories was when she phoned to tell me she was going to purchase a new bathing suit, and“Would I like to go along?” She loved wearing festive, new suits each season as the men at The Senior Centerexpected as much, and she didn’t have the heart to let them down.

Mind you, she had been been married twice and lost her second husband some 25 years before, and was now a confirmed and happy bachelorette, living each day to the fullest of scales by anyone’s measure.

I regret that I did not shop for a bathing suit with her on that day, but I will never forget one of the last things that she said to me.

“Well honey, I just hope that you take the time to buy yourself something pretty too. It sure does a girl a lot of good.”

Grandma, you’re still doing me a lot of good, and for all of your wisdom and advice that I cherish and now pass on to my own daughters, I can tell you that we are grateful.

20 Ways to Stay Young and Hot From Someone who Really Knew How:

1. Watch your figure closely, because if you don’t take the time to do so, nobody else will. She watched what she ate and exercised, but she also knew how to wear a dress like nobody’s business.

2. Avoid spending time with people who complain about how old they feel. They will just pull you right down with them and make you feel old too. Instead, surround yourself with people who feel and act young, both inside and out. Seriously, she lived by this rule and only kept the company of positive and enlightening folks.

3. Exercise every day, no matter how tired or lazy you feel. Just moving around will make you forget about how tired you are, and pretty soon, you’ll have more energy to do all of the fun things you truly want to do. She either played golf, swam, danced or walked nearly every day of her life.

4. Travel whenever you are able. Seeing the world and discovering how other people live adds life, love and lucidity to your years. Well into her 90s, Anna Lee was traveling abroad to fabulous and exotic places on a moment’s notice.

5. Take the time to plan wonderful things for the future, this will give you something to look forward to and make you feel hopeful. Whenever I spoke to her, she had something new to tell me about what she was going to be doing—both sooner and later.

6. Be extravagant once in awhile. Whether its eating a decadent piece of chocolate cake, wearing something much too sexy for your own good, or dining at a very expensive restaurant once a year—this can make you feel both happy and young. She could be seen eating a small piece of dark chocolate every afternoon while sometimes wearing a low-cut sweater.

7. On a daily basis, eat whatever you want, drink what you want, and say what you want, but all with a degree of moderation. While she enjoyed a martini, she didn’t get drunk, although she may have danced a bit more because of it.

8. Flirt with life—not just with men and women, but with all of what life has to offer. This will make you feel young, hopeful and excited to get out of bed every day. My grandma enjoyed flirting with any man in uniform, and I am certain that if she were around today, she would flirt with my boyfriend while also flirting with the idea of buying new shoes.

9. Surround yourself with lively, smart, fun and interesting people who adore being around you, don’t settle for anything or anyone else. I once witnessed my grandmother speaking to a man with a mustache who spoke to her in Italian about a book he had just written, while he smiled at her the whole time.

10. Be spontaneous. When you do something out of the ordinary and on barely a moment’s notice, this can make you feel alive and young. She was known to announce unexpected trips and excursions to the beach.

11. Don’t ever feel sorry about yourself. It is a waste of time and a waste of your life. And it also bores people to tears. Never once in all of my years did I ever hear my grandmother complain about her life.

12. Take the time to be beautiful. You can’t feel both depressed and fabulous at the same time. She got her hair done every week; it was dyed a beautiful shade of blonde with perfect flips and fragrant hairspray.

13. Treat yourself regularly to wonderful little things, especially if they seem unnecessary and frivolous. This will remind you that you are wonderful and when you feel wonderful, you just feel better. She often frequented special bookstores and could also be found buying herself shoes and hats on cold winter days.

14. Never say or think that you are “too old” to do anything. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy, you are only as old as you make up your mind to be. My grandma was the first person to volunteer to do anything that seemed youthful.

15. Live the way that you feel your real age to be, not what others tell you. If you feel 16, keep that energy up and you will feel like a teenager for as long as you are willing. Even though she was way past sixteen, she could make anyone around her feel as forever young as she was.

16. Every morning when you wake up, tell yourself you are a beautiful and wonderful person while you look straight into the mirror. Anna Lee really did this, I saw her, and she would also sing to herself on occasion.

17. Read a lot of history, it will teach you a lot about what other people have gone through and their stories will inspire you. It will give you perspective about how good you really have it right now. My grandma was absolutely obsessed about history, especially about the soap opera dalliances of English Royalty and the sufferings of commoners and romantics.

18. As soon as a negative thought comes into your mind, make a habit of replacing it with a joke, a humorous anecdote, watch a funny film, or call a positive friend. Grateful to say, she often called moi for a humor boost.

19. Whether you’re a man or a woman, never sit around all day in your bedclothes. Get dressed, brush your hair, spiff yourself up and be ready for the Queen of England if she happens to stop by. Within a half hour of waking, she had her “face on,” her heels and her hair brushed and smelling like candy.

20. Pay attention to children because they know how to be happy, young and carefree. I should know about this one, I was lucky enough to be her granddaughter, and she paid a lot of attention to me and my three daughters.

Note and Background about my Grandmother:

All of the above was actually said by my grandmother, some of it paraphrased.

Anna Lee Shetler, born Anna Lee Williams was born in Oklahoma to my great grandparents in 1913, her father was a newspaper publisher and local politician, and he later opened up a chain of hip and swanky nightclubs when they moved west to California.

She attended Beverly Hills High School where she met my grandfather, Robert Biller and then attended Chouinard Art Institute and became a well known and respected restorer and collector of antique clothing and dolls from the 17oos through the early 1920s which, along with vintage cars with her second husband.

After he passed away, she spent the last 20 years of her life traveling around the world with girlfriends, tour groups and even ventured to Russia and China by herself.

She also added a small museum to her home where she held private showings of her collections, along with luncheons and charity events.

She loved to tell tales about her travels, share her advice and most of all, be wined and dined by people she loved while she wore beautiful clothes.

禪心慧語

人生最美是〝淡然〞。

淡然是一種失意後的恬淡，
一種成功後的冷靜，
一種不幸過後的的堅強， 
一種痛苦過後的不屈。

它比火更溫暖，
比水更柔和，
比花更燦爛，
比石更永恆。

人生需要一種淡然心境，
淡名利、淡世儈、淡榮辱、淡誘惑！

擁有了淡然的心境，
心頭的陰雲就會慢慢散去，
平淡簡單的生活也是一幅雋永的圖畫。

Synthetic Long Stock

The strategy combines two option positions: long a call option and short a put option with the same strike and expiration. The net result simulates a comparable long stock position's risk and reward. The principal differences are the smaller capital outlay, the time limitation imposed by the term of the options, and the absence of a stock owner's rights: voting and dividends.

If assigned, the investor who doesn't take further steps to resell, ends up with an actual long stock position. It's another reason to be wary if the long-term outlook is bearish.
Outlook

Looking for an appreciation in the stock's price during the life of the options; the sharper, the better. Since the term of the strategy is limited, the stock's longer-term outlook isn't as critical. However, if the investor is bearish on the stock's longer-term future, it would require a careful pinpointing of the trends; when the stock will head up, and when it will go down. The difficulty of making such a precise forecast suggests that this would not be an optimal strategy for a bearish investor.





Net Position (at expiration)
EXAMPLE

Long 1 XYZ 60 call
Short 1 XYZ 60 put


MAXIMUM GAIN
Unlimited


MAXIMUM LOSS
Strike price - debit paid (substantial)


Summary
This strategy is essentially a long futures position on the underlying stock. The long call and the short put combined simulate a long stock position. The net result entails the same risk/reward profile, though only for the term of the option: unlimited potential for appreciation, and large (though limited) risk should the underlying stock fall in value.


Motivation
Establish a long stock position without actually buying stock.


Variations
If the strike prices of the two options are the same, this strategy is a synthetic long stock. If the call has a higher strike, it is sometimes known as a collar or risk reversal. The term collar can be confusing, because it applies to up to three strategies. Depending on which option is long and which is short, collars can mimic either a long stock or a short stock position; the term applies to both. And because the synthetic short stock version is used is so commonly as a hedge on a stock position, the three-part strategy sometimes known as protective collar is also called 'collar'.


Max Loss
The maximum loss is limited but potentially substantial. The worst that can happen is for the stock to become worthless. In that case, the investor would be assigned on the put and would have to buy the stock at the strike price. The loss would be higher (lower) by the amount of the debit (credit). In this worst case scenario, the call would of course simultaneously expire worthless.


Max Gain
The maximum gain is unlimited, just as with a long stock position. The best that can happen is for the stock to rise to infinity, in which case the theoretical gain would also be infinite. The investor would exercise the call to buy the stock at the strike price and then sell the resulting stock at the new, high price. The gain would be higher (lower) by the amount of the credit (debit) when the strategy was implemented.


Profit/Loss
As with a long stock position, the potential profit is unlimited, and the potential losses are substantial. An investor can do the research on the underlying and monitor the developments, but there is no guarantee of being able to get out of the short put position if a sharp move lower occurs.


Breakeven
This strategy breaks even if, at expiration, the stock is above (below) the strike price by the amount of the debit (credit) that the investor paid (received) when the strategy was implemented.


Breakeven = strike + net debit

(Breakeven = strike - net credit)


Volatility
Volatility is usually not a major consideration when implementing this strategy, all other things being equal. Since the strategy involves being both long and short an option with the same term and strike, any change in implied volatility should roughly be offset.


Time Decay
Since the strategy involves being both long and short an option with the same strike and term, the effects of time decay will roughly offset each other.


Assignment Risk
Early assignment of the short put, while possible at any time, generally occurs if it goes deep into-the-money.


And be aware, a situation where a stock is involved in a restructuring or capitalization event, such as a merger, takeover, spin-off or special dividend, could completely upset typical expectations regarding early exercise of options on the stock.


Expiration Risk
The investor cannot know for sure whether or not assignment occurred, until the Monday after expiration.

How to Stimulate Natural Growth Hormones With Nutrition

Human growth hormone, or HGH, is naturaly formed in the pituitary gland and plays an important role in growth and development throughout childhood and adolescence. During adulthood, HGH continues to play a significant, though lesser role, helping to build and maintain lean muscle. As with any hormone in the body, good nutrition can help to promote and sustain healthy levels of HGH, provided other mechanisms are also in place.

Step 1

Salmon Photo Credit Brent Hofacker/iStock/Getty Images

Eat adequate amounts of protein. According to Colorado State University, HGH is a protein-based hormone that regulates growth and metabolism. HGH is made up of amino acids, the primary structural units of all proteins. An important function of HGH is regulating muscle tissue anabolism, or growth. But a protein-poor diet does not provide the building blocks necessary for muscle anabolism. Animal sources of protein, in particular, supply all the amino acids necessary for muscle development. Lean meat, fish, eggs and dairy are good animal protein sources.

Step 2

Raisins Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Eat a variety of arginine-rich foods. L-arginine is an amino acid that has been shown to heighten HGH secretion in athletes in response to strength training workouts. Foods that are rich in arginine, include walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, brown rice, raisins, almonds, cashews, chicken, chocolate, dairy products, meats and peanuts.

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Step 3

White rice Photo Credit Yelena Yemchuk/iStock/Getty Images

Avoid high glycemic carbohydrates that rapidly raise blood sugar, especially after your workout. Sugar, flour, rice and other processed carbohydrates are quickly broken down to glucose, causing a spike in circulating glucose. According to Peak Performance, hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, tends to switch off HGH secretion. High-fat foods also switch off HGH when eaten before your workout.

Step 4

Drink water Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Creatas/Getty Images

Drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Dehydration significantly reduces exercise-induced HGH secretion.

Tips

• While good nutritional support is essential to HGH production, nutrition alone will not increase HGH secretion in adults. Peak Performance notes that high-intensity anaerobic exercise like weight training is the best way to naturally stimulate HGH. Adequate regular sleep patterns are also important. HGH secretion occurs in circadian cycles of six to 12 small surges per day, with the greatest surge taking place about an hour after the onset of night-time sleep. Sleep deprivation or irregular sleep patterns can interfere with circadian cycles, and limit HGH secretion.

Things You'll Need

• Arganine-righ foods
• Protein-rich foods

Foods That Promote HGH

Secreted by the pituitary gland at the base of your brain, human growth hormone, or HGH, fuels growth during your childhood years and helps to maintain optimal function of tissues and organs throughout your life. The body's production of HGH tends to slow as you age and can also decrease because of medical disorders and dietary deficiencies. No foods contain HGH, but including certain foods in your diet can stimulate your body to produce more of the hormone.

Low-Glycemic Foods

Elevated blood glucose levels suppress your body's natural production of HGH, so sticking to foods that are low on the glycemic index promotes the secretion of HGH, according to Ben Greenfield, author of "100 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism." The index gauges the effect of various foods on blood glucose levels. Foods that cause a spike in blood sugar levels rank high on the index, while those that cause a more gradual rise and fall in blood sugar are lower on the index. Greenfield, a sports nutritionist and personal trainer, says that sticking to foods with a glycemic index of 50 or less can help to ensure that HGH production remains at optimal levels. Foods in this category include apples, bananas, carrots, corn, honey, mangoes, milk, oranges, pancakes, pasta, peaches, pears and strawberries.

High-Protein Foods

The late Robert C. Atkins, the New York cardiologist who formulated the weight-loss diet that bears his name, pointed out in "Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet" that a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates stimulates HGH production in your body. Obesity, like advancing age, slows the output of HGH, so maintaining a healthy weight is also central to the maintenance of optimal body levels of HGH. The high levels of amino acids in protein-rich foods play a key role in triggering the natural production of HGH. Because some high-protein foods also contain significant levels of fat, choose only lean proteins to avoid the HGH-lowering effects of heavy fat consumption. Healthy protein food sources include lean beef, organic chicken, almonds, organic eggs, quinoa, tempeh, tuna, wild salmon, tuna, and plain yogurt, preferably Greek-style.

GABA-Rich Foods

Eating foods with high levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, stimulates the pituitary gland to produce more HGH, according to Gregory L. Jantz, Ph.D., author of "Thin Over 40." Adding more foods high in GABA to your diet as you age can significantly counteract the HGH-lowering effects of advancing age. The added benefits of GABA-rich foods are many, according to Jantz, who is a certified eating disorders counselor. The amino acid, which also acts as a neurotransmitter, has a relaxing and calming effect and tends to inhibit pain and fear. GABA-rich foods include brewer's yeast, eggs, nuts, seafood, seeds, soybeans and whole grains.

L-Arginine Rich Foods

In "Prevention of the Disease of Aging," author Katherine Blanchette, M.D., recommends eating foods high in L-arginine, an amino acid that stimulates production of HGH. She points out that L-arginine's promotion of increased HGH secretion helps to decrease total body fat. Foods high in L-arginine include animal products such as milk, beef, chicken, pork and turkey; seafood; cereals; chocolate; legumes, including chickpeas and soybeans; and nuts, including Brazil nuts, peanuts and walnuts.

The Best Natural Source of HGH

HGH, or human growth hormone, is produced in your pituitary gland within your brain. HGH is responsible for growth during childhood and for the repair and regeneration of tissue throughout your life. By the age of about 30, your HGH levels are only about 20 percent of their peak levels during childhood and its production slowly declines with age. Falling HGH levels are linked to premature aging, loss of lean body mass and reduced energy levels. Injecting synthetic HGH is an effective way of raising your HGH levels, although you can also try natural methods.

Human Growth Hormone

The best natural source of HGH is produced within your own pituitary gland. The ability of your pituitary to produce HGH declines very little with aging, although substances that control HGH secretion change concentrations in your body with age, as cited in the "Professional Guide to Diseases." Three substances control your HGH secretion: growth hormone releasing hormone and growth hormone releasing peptide, which both stimulate your pituitary to release HGH and decline with age, and somatostatin hormone that blocks the release of HGH and increases with age. Pharmaceutical companies have developed synthetic injectable forms of both HGH and HGH-releasing hormone, although there are many natural ways to increase your HGH levels also.

Natural Supplements

HGH is a big molecule that cannot be absorbed via mouth or skin and is easily destroyed if swallowed. The only way in can be administered is via injection, according to the "Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties." In the early years of HGH treatment, the hormone was either extracted from the glands of human cadavers or some animals, but synthetic versions of HGH are available nowadays. As an alternative method, certain amino acids can be taken orally that stimulate the production of HGH-releasing hormone, which increases the release of HGH from your pituitary. According to "Biochemical, Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition," if you are between the ages of 30 and 50, an effective and economical way of stimulating HGH release is to take about 2 g of glutamine in the morning and between 10 and 30 g of arginine before bedtime on an empty stomach. Other amino acids used for this purpose include lysine and ornthine and are referred to as secretagogues. Amino acid supplementation to increase HGH production is usually not very effective if you are older than 50, so consider some natural activities.

Natural Activities

There are many ways to convince your body that it needs to produce more HGH and a very effective one is intensive weight training, according to "Natural Hormone Therapy for Men, Women and Children." Exerting force on your muscles over prolonged periods can increase levels of HGH in your body. Other HGH promoting activities include getting plenty of quality sleep, reducing stress in your life, regularly laughter and cutting down on alcohol consumption.

Benefits of Increased HGH Levels

Higher levels of HGH contribute to losing body fat, increasing muscle mass, reducing the effects of aging on skin, increasing bone density, strengthening immunity, reversing cognitive decline, stimulating red blood cell production and reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease, according to "Human Biochemistry and Disease." HGH cannot eliminate the effects of oxidation damage and completely reverse the effects of aging, nor can it increase maximum lifespan. Consult with your doctor before you attempt to naturally increase your HGH levels.

How to Produce More Natural HGH

The acronym HGH stands for human growth hormone. This is a pivotal hormone that is produced in the pituitary gland; a pea-sized gland located in the lower front part of the brain. During youth, growth hormone is released to promote the growth of the body. In adulthood, human growth hormone is important for bone strength, metabolism and muscle preservation. People who have low HGH levels often resort to synthetic forms to help boost their levels. But those synthetics can cause harmful side effects, and human growth hormone can also be boosted by taking a natural approach.

Step 1

Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is essential for daily functioning. If you are deprived of sleep, you are going to have low energy levels, compromised brain function and low HGH levels. In the first hour that you are asleep, your body experiences a high HGH release. According to the Centers for Disease Control, adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night.

Step 2

Watch your intake of simple carbs. Carbohydrates are used for immediate energy or they are stored in the liver and muscles for energy at a later date. Simple carbs spike your blood sugar quickly which can raise your insulin levels. This can have a negative impact on HGH levels. Avoid carbs that are processed and high in sugar like white flour products, candy, cookies, cakes and soft drinks.

Step 3

Do compound exercises. Compound exercises involve more than one muscle group and more than one joint movement. These exercises cause a high amount of muscle recruitment and they can help increase your HGH levels. Examples of exercises are push-ups, pull-ups, shoulder presses, back rows, squats and lunges.

Step 4

Work out at a high intensity. The more intense you work out, the more growth hormone release you can produce. Take short rest periods between your sets and do high sets with heavy weights and low reps. An example of this would be 6 to 10 sets of 3 to 6 reps with 30- to 45-second rest periods.

Step 5

Do not eat fat before you work out. Eating high amounts of fat in the hour prior to your workout can cause your HGH levels to drop. Have a pre-workout meal with a balance of protein and complex carbs. An example would be a cup of yogurt with some fruit.

Step 6

Become more relaxed. Stress and anxiety can cause a disruption in your daily life and it can also reduce your HGH levels. Participate in relaxation activities to become more calm like yoga, meditative breathing, tai-chi, muscle relaxation and listening to music.

Exercises That Release Human Growth Hormones

Overview

The pituitary gland is about the size of a pea and it sits at the base of the brain behind the nose. Even though it is small, this does not take away from its importance to the body. It produces human growth hormone (HGH), which is quintessential for growth when you are an adolescent. Once you are fully grown, HGH is responsible for the proper functioning of organs and tissues. If you are looking to boost your levels, you can get this done by performing exercise; but not just any exercises. They should be compound. Compound exercises involve more than one joint and they recruit more than one muscle group.

Pushups

Pushups are a popular body weight exercise that can be performed just about anywhere. They recruit your chest muscles, triceps, shoulders and abs all at the same time, which qualifies them as compound exercises. To perform these, lie on your stomach with your hands directly under your shoulders. Push yourself up in the air until your arms are straight, then lower yourself back down until you are about the width of your fist off the ground. Repeat for a series of reps. When you do these, keep your back completely straight and your abs contracted. To make these more intense, place your feet on a chair or bench.

Pullups      Pullups are another body weight compound exercise that works your back, shoulders, chest and biceps all at once. To do these, grab the bar with an overhand grip with your hands just past shoulder-width apart. Keep your body straight and pull yourself up until your chest is the height of the bar. Lower yourself back down and repeat. You can also do these with a wide grip, close grip and reverse grip.

Bench Presses

Bench presses are often done as a mass builder. To do these, lie on the bench and grab the bar in a wide grip. Push it off the safety pins and hold it straight above you with your arms straight. Slowly lower it down until it is right above your chest, then push it back up. Take a big inhale when you lower it and exhale when you lift it.

Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a compound exercise that works your back, legs and glutes. To do these, load a barbell with heavy weights. Come into a wide stance behind the bar. Bend your knees, squat down and grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip. Keeping your back straight and gaze fixed forward, lift the bar off the ground and come to a standing position. Lower it back to the ground and repeat. When you do these, you can use an overhand grip or an alternating grip. They can also be done with dumbells.

Clean and Press

Clean and presses work every major muscle in the body. To do them, load a barbell and stand behind it. Squat down and grab it in a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Lift the bar, swing it around to the level of your chest, then forcefully push it straight above your head. Slowly lower it back to your chest then back to the ground and repeat. These can also be done with dumbells.

Lunges

Lunges are a compound exercise that work the butt, quads, hamstrings and calves. To do these, take a long step forward and bend your front knee so it is 90 degrees. Your back knee should be just above the ground. Stand back up and step forward with your other foot. Plant your foot and do the same thing. Continue lunging across the room for a series of steps. If you want to make it more intense, hold onto dumbells while you lunge.

Varying Levels

When exercising on a regular basis, your body increases growth hormone after each session, and it continues over a 24-hour period. The amount of growth hormone your body produces during exercise is dependent on your age, the work-rest interval, the load and the frequency of the resistance exercise you're doing. Younger adults, especially women, tend to produce more growth hormone with exercise even after aerobic activities, according to a research study published in Sports Medicine.