From Stressed Out CEO to Revitalized Leader with SummaUp

0:00 Okay, guys, it's Dr. Ryan. And today we are here with one of my patients, Michael. And he Michael has been a patient of the clinic for several months now. And he's going to talk to us a little bit about his experience with Summa up and myself. So Michael, why don't you take this opportunity to tell us a little bit about yourself, where you live, what you do, and your hobbies, family life? 0:23 Sure, well, I'm Michael, I live in Boston, and moved to Boston for grad school some years ago. But also, as part of that journey to start my own business, I'd already spent a good yeah, my career on the road, traveling quite a lot for large companies and wanted to just shift my attention to something new. Get my go at starting a business from scratch, which is also very interesting journey in itself, and a lot of lot of stress and a lot of time and juggling that with just other aspects of your life. Yeah, it's definitely a challenge. But it's been an interesting kind of ride over the last, say, five years. And, you know, here in Boston, growing the business, hiring more people into the business, and, you know, personal time trying to fit in some, you know, leisurely activities with me and my partner, friends, we love to travel. But these days, the travel has become a bit more limited. And also, me and others around me, you know, aging, and then the pandemic, kind of throwing a wrench in things. So life's been interesting over the last several years in more ways than one. But, you know, excited to share a little bit about how, you know, this program has really shifted things in a very positive direction. 1:41 And you kind of alluded to some of those issues you might have been happy having. So why don't we just go ahead and talk about them? So why don't you describe your experience prior to join the clinic? What were some of the problems that you were trying to solve specifically, in terms of your physique and overall health? 1:57 Yeah, well, physique, overall health is something that's been always on my mind. And I like to believe that, you know, since an early age, you know, college years, I've been pretty aware and conscious of, you know, healthy eating and healthy lifestyle, obviously, not always making best choices, but at least being aware of what's a good choice and a bad choice. And always be interested in food, quality food, and learning about nutrition from college years, getting into weight training and exercise from varying degrees over the years. So all of that has been very familiar. But I think maybe because of that, and having always, you know, tried to be really fits, I've always struggled with it, I feel like my body has never been in that place where I was truly happy with it, you know, maybe I've been very lean, but maybe also with very little muscle mass or gaining some muscle, but also a whole lot of fat to go along with it. So I think my, what I would describe as my genetics giving me that disposition of really loving to put on the fats no matter what I'm doing. So that's been kind of a, an issue I've always struggled with, you know, I think that now, as I realized, Oh, I'm also getting older now, this is only going to get more difficult. So what is the path of actually cheating? Something that I really like? 3:21 Yeah, and your your situation is, is very, very common. You know, a lot of us are confused with the information out there. We're inundated constantly, with lots of differing opinions what the best diet training regimen, supplement regimen is and it's, I can control I understand how you feel. And that's what we all want. We want healthy, we want healthy biomarkers, we want a nice, aesthetically pleasing physique. And I can totally understand your frustration in regards to that. Yeah, I have some how did your frustration in this regard affects you in a negative way? In terms of your career and your family? It sounds like you're, you're, you're pushing yourself to the limit, you're growing your business? How did these factors affect that? 4:06 Yeah, I always think about more recently, state in the last five years, it's all combination of things, you know, coming out of the pandemic, trying to start a business, I'm getting older, people around me are getting older, but I still want to do a lot of things and you know, needing the energy to do so it's very important. And I think that aging becoming more aware of that. So you realize, okay, you know, what is what do the next 10 to 20 years look like what I want to achieve in this time? And how can I do that? It's just because of our provenance, maybe then I would have thought about to my 20s. So it's interesting. It's been an interesting time of reflection of okay, now I really have to figure this out or decide, you know, what, that's gonna look like you know, I think that I'm still in that phase of life where I do enjoy being out there. I like social activities in the summer. Definitely like to go beach like to have a lot of physical activity is going on recreation being out. So it's in that also still is on my mind terms of aesthetics, you know, want to have, you know, not feel terrible about myself looking taking off my shirt at the beach, something simple as that, that is still important to me at this stage of life. So all these kinds of circling things go into my mind all at once. 5:28 And again, another another really common situation I see with patients that come into the clinic, it's like, you know, they want the energy levels and the dynamic, their dynamic dynamism that they had in their 20s, because they are reaching their peak in their 30s and 40s. In terms of their business, but they're noticing, for some reason these, these energy levels are receding, right, and you're getting more frustrated with the efforts they're putting the gyms so we have a very common, was there like an inciting event that you felt that? Because you know, you probably were dealing with this for several years, was there an event of some sort that made you say, Okay, time to do something about this? 6:07 Yeah, there were, I mean, there was definitely one particular event, kind of probably a few other things around it, I had some shoulder pain. This was probably early mid last year, and went to a doctor about an orthopedist and had an MRI done. And it did show up, there was a slight territory rotator cuff. But what it also showed a number of things I wasn't expecting, and you know, on the list is the word degeneration. And when you see that word, like, Okay, that's a really nice way of just saying your, your wear and tear, and you're getting old and all this stuff. So when you see that and know that, oh, gosh, maybe there's not a whole lot I can do about that. But maybe I can, maybe there are things I can do to slow this down and realize that it's not just about, you know, taking care of, you know, moisturizer in your face, but it's also what's going on inside. So it's kind of a wake up call in that moment, I would say, then all of that happening at the same time. But what I mentioned before, have, you know, all these thoughts of, you know, still have the drive the desire to be very active and be out there. But do I have really the stamina for it. So this is healthy? Am I doing that in a healthy way, and with the business, noticing that my energy is depleting? And I realize when I'm getting really stressed out, and if I'm stressed out as a leader in my business, that's not ideal, I would never recommend that for a leader for business to get in that situation. Because then you're not being present. You're not there for your team. So that was the combination of things going on all at once last year. 7:43 Yeah, the entrepreneurial journey is like a roller coaster, and you need to be the stalwart. And you need to be the, the force against the waves, right? And if you can't control yourself internally, that's a that can be a big issue. Right? So okay, so you know, you made the decision, you had this shoulder injury, like alright, I need to go ahead and do something. How did you find out about the clinic and myself? And what eventually made you say yes, because listen, I realized there are a lot of options out there very, thankfully decided to work with me. But what made you say, Okay, I'm gonna take a chance on this guy. 8:15 Sure. Yeah. You know, I think it was a Facebook ad ran across, and maybe there were a couple ads there. And the topic then kind of just came about of paying attention to your health and different attributes to your health and nutrition and exercise and just how it all comes together. And, you know, that kind of very high level, high touch, comprehensive approach is something I realized, I probably hadn't really tried it before. And also recognizing that, hey, you know, I've always wanted not only the health and the stamina, for workwise, and such, physique, wise aesthetics, this is probably my last chance, you know, if I'm in my mid 40s here, and if this is, you know, something that I really want to be serious about, this is probably that window of opportunity. So that was my thought process in it, and doing a bit of my own research and kind of the medical research and I appreciate it very much that this was a program that was Doctor LED. It was based on scientific research, it's based on a lot of combination of research that I could trust and you know, something that wasn't just a kind of a fad or you know, just some smart some other model that might work for some people but you know, not necessarily for me, 9:39 I mean, I think that's the thing is wonderfully recognize it. Listen, credentials aren't everything. But you know, it is nice to know that you're working with someone who's was adequately trained as you know, training in functional medicine are board certified by one of the I am by the American Academy of anti aging medicine or many of the larger functionalist and society so Yep, very, very good. Okay, so why don't we transition over to your experience after joining clinic, and we're going to really initially focus on your physique and overall health. But before we do that, I just want to take a second to rag on your progress. So when you joined me, one thing that we were a little concerned about was your hemoglobin a one C, and that was obviously a marker of diabetes. And when you initially joined, we were a little concerned that you were heading towards becoming diabetic, right, you're almost at the cusp of becoming pre diabetic, right at 5.6. And then after we implemented diet, exercise, supplements, and medications, were able to turn this around completely. And now your hemoglobin Nuun. C. is, is much better, right at 5.1. Really, really good far away from you ever having to worry about developing diabetes. The other thing that I thought was just remarkable, was looking at your lipid panel, which when you started with us, you know, it is what it is, you're under a lot of stress, you had to make certain dietary choices. But this was really not a lipid panel conducive with optimal cardiac cardiovascular health. Yeah, in total cholesterol is to 23 triglycerides are high, your APR I proprotein. B was quite high as well along through LDL. But after you made the commitment to improve your health, your lipid panel just improved dramatically. Your total cholesterol is just remarkable how much it's dropped down from 223 to 179, just phenomenal, almost 40 point or 40. point drop, your triglycerides went from 185 to 81. More than 100 points, unbelievable. And then your LDL dropped from 140 to 101. For almost 40 points, just incredible without the use of statins, diet supplements, and exercise are the key driving factors. And then you know, it's great to see your lab bellies improve. But what was really awesome was seeing your physique improve, you've lost almost 20 pounds, and I would say a great deal of it being adipose tissue, which is really remarkable. And it's evident in your physique. And that was you before. And here you are after much leaner, your shoulders, your delts are popping out much more vascularity your arms and your ads are starting to come out and we're not even done. And so really, really amazing change. So outside of those, you know, those markers, the your physique, your your biomarkers, what are some of the other things that you noticed on in terms of your overall health improved? 12:44 Yeah, well, I think it's probably combination of the physical health. And that contributes to just a bit of greater sense of well being and energy and focus and kind of mental clarity as well. But I suppose the kind of psychological component is when you start seeing results, and you see that your commitment is actually doing something, you just kind of can't help but get more motivated and feel a bit better about the process. And that this is something that is, is worthwhile in more ways than one. And that's definitely been my experience here. If I think back of, you know, the, the decades of, you know, always having this on my mind of, you know, how my body responds to food and exercise and choices and everything around, you know, it's always been kind of a mixed bag of experiences and a lot of roller coaster and fluctuation. And, you know, this is the first time where, gosh, you know, the plan, you know, it takes amendment for sure, you know, it's it's, it's work, but when, again, when you start to see those, those results, even really early on, that really keeps you motivated. 13:47 Very cool. And how did some of those results manifest themselves in terms of your business, as well as in terms of your relationships, both professional and personal? 13:58 Yeah, you know, it's that I do kind of notice and catch myself, even at the end of a long day. And you know, it's after 5pm Right now, my day is nowhere near done. Some things are still long days, but I'll take my breaks. But I am able to kind of take my moments to to realize I'm still able to be present for people, my team members, but also at home and, you know, family and acknowledging that even as an entrepreneur, you're building a business but you also want to be present for your loved ones around you. And being available and being able to do that. It's a ton to juggle, it's not easy, but when your own health when you are taking care of yourself, you're able to do that for others much more more easily and more consistently. So I do kind of catch those moments where I feel like oh, wow, you this is really good. I can like I realize this and not sure that was always the case beforehand. You know, no one really wants to be around a stressed out person anyway. And then you don't even know what you're missing. as well, when you're very distracted. So that's really changed a lot for me. 15:05 I think as, as being being a business owner or being someone in charge of a team, you often have to put other people's needs ahead of yours, primarily business or senior employees and your clients, of course, and loves neglect to take care of ourselves. But that's a, that's a big fallacy. Because if you don't really focus on yourself, you can't give the best version of yourself to others. And that will definitely be indicative in your work. Yeah, okay. Very cool. So outside of outside, the aesthetic changes, the ability to perhaps communicate better with your team provide that strong, dynamic individual that's going to be able to weather any of the vagaries of the of the market of your of your clients. Were there any other benefits that came from working with the clinic? 15:54 Oh, gosh, I mean, it's, I mean, all for all those reasons you just mentioned are really important reasons. You know, I think that's those are the important ones, and, you know, just personal life and, you know, wanting to be more confident that you are going to have more healthy years, you know, I guess, kind of a story here. This is also kind of in the context of, you know, my, my partner's mom not doing very well. And, you know, we, you know, other family members and parents and stories from friends as well. And so we're witnessing, you know, the path of aging, and realizing, well, you know, there are still some things that we can do about our own choices and our own lifestyles, that, you know, hopefully, we'll have some influence on what that agent experience will be like, for ourselves, and in how we're around for our partner for, you know, our family members and our friends. So that's kind of been on my mind this year, because of, of those kind of situations with aging parents. 16:54 Yeah, it's like, it's a very interesting situation. And almost surreal, like we were moving away from our 30s or 20s, where we're like, hey, our parents gonna be here forever. And through our 40s 50s and 60s, we're gonna like, Oh, my goodness, you know, there are parents and patent pending mortalities, becoming more of an issue. And the reality that is if you if you really take a proactive approach to your health, and try to focus on improving those biomarkers, reducing glycation oxidation, methylation, inflammation, and using a guided approach, so you can avoid some of the scenarios that you're probably seeing, you know, heart attack strokes, diabetes, kidney issues, all those things. So it's, it's wonderful that you recognize it, making the right steps to preventing it. Okay. So what would you tell someone who is watching this now and is uncertain much on the clinic? What would you tell that person? 17:48 Obviously, everything is it has to be a very personal choice, and kind of have to consider kind of the timing in this kind of program, definitely take some commitments, exercise wise and diet wise, and also being open to the conversation with you, Dr. Ryan, and in your team. But I would say that if you are kind of open with learning, and kind of going along that journey, and even learning more about yourself through that process, the program you've put together is amazing. And I imagine it's also very adaptable for different types of people. You know, I'm definitely not like everyone else. And I know you have a diverse set of clients. So I think that's also what makes this interesting choice to consider because it's not just that kind of one fad that probably works with one body type, or one set of genetics or kind of one thing, this is kind of routed into something, and it's much more adaptable for for people. So I think that's kind of what went into my consideration in choosing this program over, you know, some of those other Facebook ads I saw coming across. And, you know, this one really stood 18:56 out, I hesitate to use the term cookie cutter because it's I think it's very trite and overused in the industry. But it's true, right you want and you want a physician or a team that's going to give you a personalized approach and really, really try to understand each and every patient's unique situation so we can offer them the care they need. And that's that's kind of how we, we approach it here. Well, Michael, I really want to thank you for talking a little bit about your experience with the clinic. And really appreciate you describing how you felt before and after. So So Thanks again. 19:32 Yeah, thanks. Pleasure talking about it.