One of the biggest issues in the nutrition conversation is that people are misinformed about what helps and what hurts their bodies. Why is it dangerous for us to be too restrictive in what we eat? How can we avoid thyroid deficiencies? Why is it so important to dial-in our sleep? On this episode, I’m honored to be joined by professional bodybuilder and Vertical Diet founder, Stan Efferding, who talks about the health issues many mainstream diets cause and how his diet rectifies them.

Optimization is the collaboration between sleep, hydration, nutrition, and training; but sleep is the mothership. -Stan Efferding  

Three Takeaways

• Many diets that women adopt are terrible for their biological systems. By only eating egg whites, you diminish biotin. If you cut out red meat, you lose iron. If you limit dairy, you diminish calcium.
  
  
• You have to be able to fuel your body relative to its energy demands, not just focusing on macronutrients.
  
  
• When you take salt out of your diet and then sweat out the salt you have in your body, you create iodine deficiency.

At the start of the show, Stan talked about how he got started and the biggest problem he sees with a lot of people when it comes to nutrition and weight loss: being misinformed and looking for shortcuts. Next, we talked about some of the health issues women face when they restrict their diets, and the problem with taking salt out of your diet. Stan also shared how his diet helps athletes eat based on their body’s needs.

We also discussed:

• How lack of sleep affects all biological processes
• The two key factors that are necessary in weight loss
• Why diets shouldn’t be too restrictive

The hard truth about staying healthy is that the basics like sleep, hydration, and nutrition are necessary but boring. As a result, people jump onto the more exciting elements like performance enhancing drugs and trendy diet programs which end up doing more harm than good. To be optimized, you have to fuel the body to meet its energy demands and very often that means being flexible rather than restrictive. Don’t just focus on macronutrients, because micronutrients are also key. If you can be disciplined and consistent with the right kind of nutrition, you will truly be healthy— not just healthy-looking on the surface.

Guest Bio-

Stan Efferding is an IFBB Professional bodybuilder, a World Record Holding Powerlifter and founder of the Vertical Diet. He is one of only 10 men in the world to ever total over 2,300 pounds raw in competition. Stan holds the title as the World’s Strongest Bodybuilder.

Stan studied Exercise Science at the University of Oregon and has been training high school, Collegiate, and Professional athletes for over 25 years.Stan conducts seminars all over the country for various sports and nutrition and training techniques. He has appeared in many magazines and writes for Muscular Development, Flex Magazine and Power Magazine.Stan is also a successful Entrepreneur having built three different start-up businesses into multi-million dollar companies. Go to https://stanefferding.com/ for more information.

Hair thinning and loss can have a negative impact on a man’s confidence, and often the people dealing with it don’t know what to do. What are some of the biggest strides medicine and surgery have made in solving this issue? How can laser light therapy, PRP, also be used to help? What does the treatment process entail? On this episode, leading hair transplant surgeon Dr. Alan Bauman shares on solutions for androgenetic alopecia.

Laser light therapy is a non-chemical, non-invasive and side-effect-free way to get better hair growth. -Dr. Alan Bauman

Four Takeaways

• Laser lights cause an increase in energy production that’s going to rejuvenate skin, take away pain and improve the functioning of one of the most highly metabolic cell populations in your body: the hair follicle.
  
  
• If you don’t have androgen sensitivity, no amount of testosterone will cause male pattern hair loss.
  
  
• If you don’t have a viable follicle with hair over 2 mm in length, the only thing that will bring hair back is a transplant.
  
  
• PRP for hair regeneration: There’s a dose-dependent response at the tissue level related to the concentration, and how stem cells mobilize. The more platelets concentrate, the better they mobilize and proliferate.  

At the start of the show, Dr. Alan shared how he got started, and why hair restoration doesn’t have to be painful. Next, we talked about how hair loss can impact your self-esteem and the use of low-level laser devices to regenerate growth. We also discussed whether all men on TRT will experience hair thinning or loss.

We also discussed:

• How to create a physiologic regenerative effect with PRP
• Compliance and how lifestyle plays a goal
• The cost of a laser vs. topicals and medication

Losing hair is a challenge that leaves many people feeling like their youth and vitality is slipping away, but it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Investing in a laser light is one way you can start to get your hair back. If you buy a good quality one, it will last decades. PRP is another worthy solution that can help regenerate hair growth, but time is of the essence. For any androgenetic alopecia, if you want to save the maximum amount of hair, get started soon if you want the best result over time.

Guest Bio-

Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, IAHRS, FISHRS is a full-time hair transplant surgeon who founded his medical practice in Boca Raton, FL in 1997 and has treated nearly 20,000 patients and performed over 8,000 hair transplant surgeries to date. He is the founder, CEO and medical director at Bauman Medical. For more information, go to https://www.baumanmedical.com/.

People are struggling to access hormone therapy all over the world. What are the benefits of TOT that it’s critics don’t seem to see? What options are available for those who genuinely want to optimize their health? On this episode, Sam Cook and Michael Kocsis of Balance my Hormones are here to discuss the options available in the UK.

TRT should be the first line of defense for treatment of anything. -Jay Campbell

Three Takeaways

• There’s very little preventative medicine in the UK (or anywhere for that matter). Most medical systems are based on a sick care model.
  
  
• In so many patients, optimizing testosterone has been the only thing able to treat anxiety, depression and suicidal thinking.
  
  
• The UK has a private healthcare sector where patients can access TRT. This sector actually often ends up being more affordable for the patient, meaning there is an amazing opportunity for more people to benefit from optimization.

At the start of the episode, we discussed how TRT is viewed in Europe in general, and the UK in particular. We then spoke about the different options men have for optimization- namely, injections or topical cream. After discussing the merits of each, we agreed that there is a need for treatments to be prescribed according to each individual’s biochemical needs.

We also discussed;

• That a lot of the doctors simply don’t know what they’re doing with optimization because they haven’t been trained correctly
• Why you should choose between injections and cream, based on your needs and preference
• That it’s becoming harder for high-profile sick care figures to discredit TRT

The TOT revolution is only just beginning. There is still considerable pushback all over the world, and doctors continue to shy away from TOT because their training has not taught them enough about hormones. However, there is hope for the future. More and more people are able to access the correct information about optimization. Plus, private sector TOT in the UK is surprisingly affordable. The revolution is in its early stages, but will only gain momentum as it progresses.

Guest Bio-

Michael Kocsis is the founder and Managing Director at Balance My Hormones Ltd. Michael is passionate about helping people with their hormone imbalances, so that they can become the best versions of themselves. Michael is at the forefront of the TRT revolution.

Sam Cook of Balance My Hormones Ltd strongly believes that patient experience is of huge importance. While he acknowledges that social media has become important to businesses, Sam advocates for giving patients the best possible care they can get.

To get hold of Sam and Michael and to find out more about Balance My Hormones, head to: www.balancemyhormones.co.uk

We’re taught how to take care of ourselves when we’re sick, but not how to prevent it from happening in the first place. How does our society lead us to believe that we need to live unhealthy lifestyles? Which bad habits are we developing because they’re seen as ‘normal’? On this episode, I’m joined by the host of ‘The Lifting Dermatologist’ Youtube channel, Dr. Steven Devos, to discuss the lies we’ve been taught about a normal lifestyle.

Three Takeaways

In most countries, medical schools do not teach students about hormones, prevention, or nutrition at all.

People who are genuinely concerned about their health are repeatedly demonized and ‘fit shamed’ for not abiding by unhealthy norms.

Enjoyment has been prioritized in our societies, and we’ve been taught that genuine enjoyment comes from unhealthy foods.

We also discussed:

• That diet is about more than eating. Alcohol consumption is not ‘clean’ eating
• How so many doctors and ministers of health fail to lead by example with their poor lifestyle choices
• Why pharmaceutical companies are really providing you with medication to live longer

Almost everything the general public knows about so-called ‘healthcare’ comes from doctors. Those doctors are influenced by pharmaceutical companies, and it’s fair to say a large portion of them prescribe medication unnecessarily. Often, a lot of the things you’re treating with medication could also be solved by a lifestyle shift. Focus on keeping yourself healthy and block out the noise that suggests you should ‘enjoy’ yourself with unhealthy habits. Real enjoyment comes when you’re at your healthiest, most optimized self.

Guest Bio-

Dr. Steven Devos is a dermatologist based in Belgium. Having started his journey with testosterone therapy because of his inability to access hormones, today he is an advocate for using testosterone for body optimization. Dr. Devos started his own YouTube channel and has received amazing feedback for his phenomenal content.