Intermittent fasting is an exploding trend in the weight loss space, but the practice has been around for thousands of years. Good friend and fitness coach Zane Griggs stops by to talk about the biggest myths for optimal weight loss, how to ACTUALLY increase your metabolism and why intermittent fasting is the only way to uplevel your health journey.

Stress plagues the majority of Americans, but what if I told you that it didn't have to consume your life? My friend and licensed clinical pastoral psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Hooper, joins me to discuss the unexpected ways suboptimal stress appears, 2 management tools to relieve anxiety and the role self-esteem plays in reducing stress levels.

Resources referenced in the episode:

Stress effects on the body: https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-body

Association between job stress and occupational injuries among Korean firefighters: a nationwide cross-sectional study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27888173

Dr. Hooper's Free Guide: https://brentwoodmd.s3.amazonaws.com/Cognitive+Behavioral+Mindfulness+Therapy.pdf

Testosterone therapy is increasing in popularity, especially for male patients who seek optimal health. But is it safe? In this week's episode, I'll dive into the number one concern around testosterone therapy, what the research REALLY says and why this matters to you.

Studies referenced in the episode:

NIH Statement: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4709429/

AACE Position Statement: https://journals.aace.com/doi/pdf/10.4158/EP14434.PS

Mayo Clinic Proceedings: https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(14)00925-2/pdf

EMA Position Statement: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/referrals/testosterone-containing-medicines#overview-section

THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT PROGESTERONE REPLACEMENT IN WOMEN.

Ladies, what if I told you there was a medication that you could take that could control your PMS, balance your moods, improve your cholesterol, improve heart health, decrease bloating, all with one pill.

Would you be interested in that?

I’m going to give you the three most important things you need to know and understand about progesterone, and the two conversations that you need to have with your doctor today.

WHAT IS PROGESTERONE?

Progesterone is a hormone made by women in their ovaries and their adrenal glands.

And during pregnancy, it is made by the placenta in very large amounts.

WHAT ARE IT’S BENEFITS?

It supports a healthy pregnancy (“pro-gestation” or pro pregnancy).

It is the mainstay of treatment for PMS.

It treats postpartum depression (due to a sudden drop of progesterone once the placenta is delivered).

Improves heart health.

Improves sleep.

Improves bone health.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BIOIDENTICAL AND SYNTHETIC PROGESTERONE?

Bioidentical progesterone is the exact molecule that your organs naturally produces.

Synthetic progesterones are called, Progestins.

Study after study have shown that progestins cause cancer. The most famous progestin is called Provera.

WHERE DOES ALL THE CONFUSION COME FROM?

Much of the confusion around the safety of progesterone (and estrogen, for that matter) has been extrapolated from the Women’s Health Initiative which showed that women using Provera (synthetic progesterone) and PremPro (synthetic combo of estrogen and progesterone) were at an increased risk for breast cancer, blood clots, and stroke.

After all the data was fleshed out, it was concluded that the risks were linked to the synthetic progestins.

Unfortunately, the negative outcomes from the study were applied to all hormones which has caused a lot of unwarranted fear around natural bioidentical hormones because of the extrapolation of risk from these synthetic variants.

In my private practice, I use only natural progesterone. When progesterone levels in women are optimized, long term health benefits are realized, and they feel amazing!

HERE ARE THE TWO CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE WITH YOUR DOCTOR AROUND PROGESTERONE.

1) Should I consider replacing my progesterone?

The truth is, all adult women should be taking progesterone or at least considering it.

Pre-menopausal women tend to be estrogen dominant, so progesterone helps to stabilize mood, even out irregular periods, improve PMS symptoms, and improve sleep.

For peri-menopausal women, it is an excellent treatment for hot flashes which comes from the sudden decrease and drop of estrogen in your body.

And for postmenopausal women, the benefits are improved bone health, cardiovascular health, and prevention of breast and uterine cancers.

2) Is my progesterone level optimal?

Normal progesterone levels in premenopausal women are 4-25 based on the timing of the menstrual cycle.

Optimal progesterone levels in women are 10-30.

HERE ARE THE BIG TAKE HOME POINTS:

Progestins, like Provera, increases your risk for for stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, and uterine cancer. It is not the same as natural or bioidentical progesterone which are safe.

Virtually all adult women would benefit from optimizing their progesterone. All of them.

Optimizing your progesterone level is one of the most important things you can do to increase your lifespan and quality of life.

Talk to your doctor about optimizing your progesterone. You deserve to live the most vibrant life you can, free from cancer, heart disease, and brittle bones.

In the next post, we will discuss thyroid, one

TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT IN WOMEN PREVENTS OSTEOPOROSIS, ALZHEIMER’S DEMENTIA AND HEART DISEASE.

It also improves sex life and turns back the clock of aging without needles filled with Botox or fillers

It’s one of the most important hormones for preventing disease and making you leaner, stronger and more vibrant.

I’m also going to give you three very important conversations to have with your doctor about testosterone replacement.

WHAT IS TESTOSTERONE?

Although testosterone is commonly thought of and referred to as a male hormone, it’s actually mistakenly labeled as such.

Women make testosterone in their adrenal glands and ovaries at about 10% of a man’s testosterone levels.

The most common fear preventing women from pursuing testosterone therapy is that they are afraid they develop masculine traits.

The truth is, this only happens in females using synthetic (not bioidentical or natural) testosterone at irresponsibly high doses.

TESTOSTERONE IN WOMEN HAS SOME AMAZING BENEFITS.

Improves your sex drive.

Having a healthy sex life is like eating or breathing.

It should be talked about and improved if it’s not optimal. Testosterone improves a woman’s sexual desire and ability to perform.

Improves bone health.

Vitamin D, calcium, and estrogen all have a massive role in bone health, bone preservation, and the prevention of osteoporosis, especially when combined with testosterone.

Testosterone is 3x as powerful at laying down new bone than estrogen!

Increases lean mass.

The better you are at metabolizing sugar, then leaner you are.

Testosterone improves insulin sensitivity and decreases visceral fat. This helps to prevent diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Optimizing your testosterone rewards the hard work you put into your diet and exercise with the lean mass and strength you deserve.

Improves your skin.

Testosterone increases your skin’s collagen and elasticity. It improves your skin’s fullness and structure resulting in a youthful vibrant glow.

Increases energy, strength, and endurance.

I don’t know one human being on the planet who doesn’t desire more strength, more stamina, more endurance, and the ability to endure a long day and still feel like you have something in the tank.

Testosterone is absolutely involved in that process.

Lowers your cardiovascular risk

Testosterone, when combined with estradiol or estrogen replacement, will lower your cardiovascular risk by lowering LDL (bad cholesterol), increasing HDL (good cholesterol).

HERE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR DOCTOR:

1) What are my levels, and are they optimal?

Much like testosterone for men, there is an optimal total and free testosterone level for women where the benefits have their maximum effect.

An optimal testosterone level should mirror when you were around 25 years old and you felt the best.

The optimal total testosterone range for a woman range is between 200-300.

The optimal free testosterone level 8 and 10 for Quest Diagnostics lab, and 4-6 for Labcorp.

2) What about testosterone replacement and pregnancy?

Testosterone replacement during pregnancy can be detrimental to an unborn baby.

You should not take it if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy.

If you become pregnant while on testosterone therapy, you must immediately stop using it, and not resume it until you are done with the pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Make sure to have a conversation with your doctor about family planning before you start testosterone.

3) What if

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE DIDN’T HAVE TO HAPPEN?

And what if I also told you that by treating the symptoms of menopause with bioidentical hormones you could not only feel better, but you could live longer?

Well, it’s true.

SYMPTOMS LIKE HOT FLASHES, INSOMNIA, MOODINESS, AND WEIGHT GAIN….. GONE.

In this post, we’re going to discuss one of the most controversial topics in women’s health, estrogen therapy for postmenopausal women.

And, I’m going to give you three conversations to have with your doctor about estrogen replacement.

WHAT IS ESTROGEN?

Estrogen is a hormone that, in women, is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands, and is massively important for health and well-being.

It shows up around the age of 11-13 when females’ bodies start taking shape, they begin to ovulate, and they start their periods.

It rises and falls each month until you either become pregnant, take birth controls to suppress it, or you hit menopause.

When a woman hits menopause, the ovaries stop producing estrogen.

BUT MENOPAUSE USUALLY DOESN’T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT.

About 5 years before menopause, ovarian estrogen production begins to lower and women don’t don’t produce enough to feel balanced, or optimal. This is called perimenopause — or “around menopause” — and it is when women begin to experience hot flashes, moodiness, weight gain, bloating, and brain fog.

These symptoms are miserable in the short term. In the long term, inadequate estrogen levels can have devastating effects and put you at risk for a plethora of diseases.

THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF INADEQUATE ESTROGEN ARE DEVASTATING.

Women have been suffering with these symptoms unnecessarily because of confusion and fear around the safety of hormone replacement in menopausal and postmenopausal women.

A lot of the confusion originated from a study called the Women’s Health Initiative which looked at long term effects of hormone replacement therapy in women.

The study had three arms:

Provera only (synthetic progestin)

Premarin only (synthetic estrogen)

PremPro (a combination of Premarin and Provera)

MOST OF THE FEAR AND CONFUSION AROUND BHRT ARE ROOTED IN THE WHI STUDY WHICH ONLY LOOKED AT SYNTHETIC HORMONES.

All risk and/or benefits of bioidential hormone replacement has therefore been extrapolated from the synthetic variants in this study — which you just can not do.

This is a very important variable.

When they fleshed out all the data, the culprit causing an increase risk in breast cancer, strokes, and blood clots in the WHI trial was the provera — the synthetic progestin. Not the synthetic estrogen, prempro.

SYNTHETIC PROGESTINS ARE NOW KNOW TO BE THE PROBLEM.

But what actually happened was that estrogen took the blame.

It was then extrapolated from this study, that all estrogen use in postmenopausal women should be avoided.

So because of misinterpreted and inaccurate data from the WHI, massive amounts of confusion and fear around hormone replacement was born.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS…

Bioidentical Estrogen replacement in menopausal and post-menopausal women does not cause cancer.

Synthetic estrogens (example: premerin) do increase the risk of clots and strokes in women over the age of 65.

Synthetic progesterone (progestins) do provoke cancer.

Bioidentical Progesterone is protective against cancer.

HERE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I THINK YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT ESTROGEN REPLACEMENT.

1) Who gets estrogen replacement, and do I qualify?

Estrogen replacement is not for women who are still having periods because, by definition, if you’

IS THERE A DRUG FOR MEN THAT REDUCES RISK OF HEART ATTACK AND STROKE, MAKES YOU FASTER, STRONGER, LEANER, BETTER IN BED, MORE CREATIVE, CLEARER THINKING, AND REDUCES YOUR RISK FOR ALZHEIMER’S DEMENTIA?

Is that something you’d be interested in?

I’m excited to share with you a seven-part deep dive into hormone replacement therapy…

THIS POST IS ALL ABOUT TESTOSTERONE REPLACEMENT IN MEN.

There’s a ton of misinformation and confusion around the topic of testosterone replacement for men. Yet, for 50 years, we have been prescribing this medication with great benefit. Not one study has been truly shown harm with bioidentical testosterone replacement.

In fact, hundreds of studies have been published showing its clear benefit.

In this blog, I’m going to give you the biggest myths and benefits of testosterone therapy in men, along with the key conversations to have with your physician about replacing testosterone.

WHAT IS TESTOSTERONE?

Testosterone is a hormone.

Both men and women make testosterone, but for the purpose of this post, we’re going to focus on men and testosterone.

Men make testosterone in the testes along with the adrenal glands. When testosterone is high, in your 20s and 30s, you reap all the benefits of adequate testosterone levels. You have energy, a normal weight, high libido, and you feel like you can conquer the world.

TESTOSTERONE IS THE HORMONE THAT MAKES A MAN, A MAN.

But, around the mid-40s, there is a significant drop in testosterone levels which results in deterioration in overall strength, stamina, creativity, mental clarity, sexual libido and performance. In addition, a man’s risk for cardiovascular events goes up.

These changes are sometimes referred to as andropause, and it is similar to what women experience in menopause when their estrogen levels drop.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 25-YEAR-OLD AND A 55-YEAR-OLD YEAR OLD IS THE LEVEL OF TESTOSTERONE.

You may have heard or read that replacing testosterone has health risks.

HERE ARE THE BIGGEST MYTHS ABOUT TESTOSTERONE THERAPY.

Myth #1 – Testosterone causes heart attacks.

There have been a lot of discussions and confusion around heart attack risk and testosterone replacement.

However, 50 years of studies show no direct correlation or causation of cardiac event with bioidentical testosterone replacement. I

n fact, all of the data suggests that testosterone is cardioprotective.

Myth #2 – Testosterone causes prostate cancer.

Testosterone does not cause prostate cancer, but it can make it worse if you have active disease.

The truth is though, having low testosterone levels is a risk factor for developing prostate cancer.

Men with active prostate cancer should not, under any circumstances, take testosterone.

However, if you have recovered from prostate cancer and you are cancer-free with a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level is less than 1, you can move forward with confidence that there is no increased risk of worsening your prostate cancer.

Myth #3 – Men taking testosterone need to block estrogen

Excess testosterone is converted to estradiol, a form of estrogen.

It is a common teaching that you should block excess estrogen in men taking testosterone, but this is because of poorly executed and poorly interpreted studies that showed high levels of estrogen increase heart disease risk.

However, estradiol is actually cardioprotective.

Myth #4 – Testosterone causes blood clots and strokes

In men taking testosterone, the iron-containing molecules that transport oxygen called hemoglobin and hematocrit begin to rise.

Some providers suggest that men on testosterone should give blood to prevent blood clots or strokes due to these high iron counts.

H

THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS THAT WE PEAK AROUND 25 YEARS OLD, THEN WE STAY RELATIVELY STEADY FOR ABOUT A DECADE ONLY TO SLOWLY AND STEADILY DECLINE OVER THE NEXT 40 OR 50 YEARS.

This is the narrative that we’ve all come to accept as normal because it’s common.

But do we have to?

In today’s episode I’m going to be giving you the two most important reasons why you need to replace your hormones, the two biggest misconceptions about hormone replacement, and a few conversations that you need to have with your doctor about hormone replacement.

Hormones are chemical messengers that our body produces in the endocrine glands and endocrine organs. They facilitate communication between cells and organs with virtually every bodily process.

They also facilitate growth, sexual development, mood, sleep, how we manage stress, and how we digest food.

UNDERSTANDING HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR HORMONES ENSURES THAT YOU’RE LIVING THE BEST, HEALTHIEST, AND MOST VIBRANT VERSION OF YOU THAT IS POSSIBLE.

There are some big misconceptions and fears around hormones and hormone replacement therapy.

1) Bioidentical hormones are not the same thing as synthetic hormones.

In normal human biochemistry, hormones are structured and created by nature. Bioidentical hormones mimic our natural biochemistry and have the exact same cellular structure and makeup as the hormones created by the gland or organ that produces it.

In contrast, synthetic hormones are pharmaceutically manufactured and are not the same at the cellular level.

2) In terms of hormone levels, normal is not the same as optimal.

Normal is another way of saying common or average.

Normal ranges are very vast and have profound implications depending on what end of the normal spectrum you are on.

Optimal is when you function as a human being as the best version of you possible.

I use the illustration of driving your car. A normal speed may be 50 mph, but if your goal is to drive across the country you’re never going to get there. 75 mph is a much more optimal speed. Right?

See, it depends on what your goals are, it depends on where you’re going and how you feel along the way.

HERE ARE THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT REASONS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER REPLACING AND OPTIMIZING YOUR HORMONES.

1) Optimized hormones reduce disease and increase lifespan.

The data, which I will share with you in future posts, is clear that optimized hormone levels result in improved mortality and morbidity.

2) Hormones make you feel better.

An example of this is depression, which is a deficiency in the “feel good” hormones serotonin and dopamine. Prozac, a depression medication, increases the levels of these hormones and you start feeling better.

And the way you feel determines the quality of your life.

HERE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR DOCTOR TODAY.

1) What are my hormone level numbers?

This is going to be very important as we do a deep dive into each of these hormones.

I believe it is very important for you to understand what your levels are. You’ve got to know your numbers and where they fall on the spectrum.

2) Are my levels normal or optimal?

If you don’t feel good, and your numbers are normal, I would implore you to pursue a conversation around moving those normal numbers to the upper limits of normal first to see if there’s a shift in the way you feel.

3) Do I have any risk factors that need to be considered that outweigh the benefits of hormone replacement therapy?

The first risk factor is pregnancy.

Some hormone replacement is off limits for anyone who is pregnat or thinking about pregnancy. For example, Testosterone is a no-no.

However, there a number of hormones that actually need t

WHY IS GETTING HEALTHY SO HARD?

How is it that we can be so good at setting and achieving our goals in every area of our life, but yet, continue to struggle over and over again when it comes to our health related goals?

If you’re like most people, you’re successful at every area of your life except lingering health related issues.

Maybe it’s an unhealthy weight, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, fatigue, mismanaged stress, or a lack of sleep. It’s something that lingers every year.

How can this be? How is it that a successful person like yourself, who has a thriving business, family, and interpersonal life struggle with something as trivial as weight or sleep?

THE ANSWER LIES IN GOAL SETTING.

The truth is, that you already know everything there is to know about goal setting — that’s how you’ve become so successful in the first place.

By applying these same principles to your health, you can have the healthiest year ever in 2018.

Have you ever thought about what determines whether something happens or doesn’t happen in your life?

The truth is, we never make time in our lives for things that are “shoulds”…

WE ONLY HAVE TIME IN OUR LIFE FOR THINGS THAT ARE “MUSTS”.

For example, you may think “I should be a better parent…a better father…. a better husband”. Shoulds never make it in our day to day activities. Only musts do.

The things that you do every day are the things that you’ve made a must.

My guess is there are things in your life right now that you want to change, but you’ve allowed yourself to tolerate them for way too long.

You have the power to both create things that add to your life, and to take out the things that take away from your best life.

ONLY SMART GOALS DONE.

Each letter in the acronym SMART has a specific and powerful purpose.

S: Specific.

Clarity is power. Our brains are designed to crave simplicity and clarity. Complexity is the enemy of execution. The most important variable in goal setting is having a specific desired outcome already identified.

M: Measurable.

You can manage what you don’t measure. It’s very important to have specific milestone and measurements that you are tracking to measure your success.

A: Achievable.

If your goal is achievable, you will gain momentum. Momentum is one of the most important variables in goal achieving and breakthrough.

R: Realistic.

Achievable goals are important, but you also want them to be realistic so that you can capture quick wins.

T: Timed.

A goal without a timeframe is just an idea, a thought, or a wish. If goals don’t have timelines, they just don’t get done. We all need accountability, and setting a specific time limit to your goals can determine whether you achieve them or not.

AND IT STARTS WITH POWERFUL DECISION MAKING.

In order to move the needle in a massive way this year towards the healthiest version of yourself, you must master the steps to powerful decision making.

First, know your target. Your target is your desired outcome. Get as specific as possible with what you want. Clarity is power – get crystal clear on your priorities.

Second, know your why. Knowing your why provides you with purpose, and purpose gives you the drive to complete your goal. This is very, very critical. Because if you lose touch with why you want to achieve your goal, you won’t follow through.

Then take massive action. Often times it’s not a lack of knowledge that prevents you from reaching a goal, it’s a lack of action. Taking

THERE IS NO CURE FOR ALZHEIMER’S DEMENTIA AND RATES ARE SKYROCKETING.

To be alive but not present. This is dementia.

It’s torture and devastating to families.

In this week’s blog, I’m going to be teaching you the things that you need to be doing in order to decrease your risk of getting this horrible disease, and the conversations you need to have with your doctor around this topic.

PATIENTS EXPERIENCE CONFUSION, ANGER, ANXIETY, AND VIOLENCE FROM BEING DISCONNECTED FROM THEIR PAST.

And the families caring for them experience pain and helplessness.

Dementia is a generic term for any series of symptoms that involve decreased levels of cognitive or thinking ability.

Dementia isn’t a disease, it’s a syndrome. It includes symptoms cognitive impairments that appear together and affect a person’s daily living.

IT ISN’T THE SAME AS NORMAL AGE RELATED MEMORY LOSS.

There are actually two types of dementia – Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.

Here are some facts about Alzheimer’s:

It typically occurs in men and women over age 65. However, there is an increased prevalence in younger patients.

It is a progressive disease, and there is no cure.

It is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.

ALZHEIMER’S HAS SEVERAL RISK FACTORS.

Some you can change, and others you can’t.

The risk factors you can’t change are your age, a family history of Alzheimer’s, and your genetics.

However, there are several risk factors that you can change.

HERE ARE THE ONES YOU CAN CHANGE.

Lower your blood pressure – There is a clear correlation between heart health and brain health.

Hypertension can put you at risk for dementia. The human body is a closed system, and if your blood is being delivered under a high pressure, there is nowhere else for the pressure to go and it hits the brain. A chronically elevated blood pressure leads to cognitive impairment. To lower your risk, aim for a blood pressure of less than 120/80.

Improve your cholesterol – In order to lower your risk for vascular dementia which is caused by decreased blood flow to the brain, you’ve got to raise your HDL, and lower triglycerides and LDL, specifically your small, dense LDL. Having high bad cholesterol and low good cholesterol causes cholesterol to build up and clog the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood and oxygen.

Improve your diet – If you’re not focusing on nutritional sources that stabilize your blood sugar, you are putting yourself in a hyper insulin state, which is pro-inflammatory and puts you at risk for dementia.

Quit smoking – I don’t want you to quit smoking because I don’t want you to have lung cancer. I want you to quit smoking because I don’t want you to have a stroke and I don’t want you to have dementia. If you smoke, you’ve got to quit.

Normalize your blood sugar – Alzheimer’s disease has recently been labeled as Diabetes Type 3. There is a clear correlation between a hyper-insulin state and Alzheimer’s dementia.

YOUR PRIMARY GOAL HAS TO BE PREVENTION.

Take these things to heart, and really dig deep. Find ways to make massive shifts in your life, around those five topics and you will be doing all that you can to prevent this horrific disease.

HERE ARE THE FOUR CONVERSATIONS YOU NEED TO BE HAVING WITH YOUR DOCTOR.

1) What is my family history?

Alzheimer’s runs in families and there is a genetic component. It is important for you and your doctor to know if any of your family members have suffered from Alzheimer’s.

Knowing your family history is so critica