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via MDVIP<\/p>\n
Editor\u2019s Note: This post is sponsored by MDVIP<\/a>, but the mid-life crisis and health anxiety are 100% Brandon\u2019s own.<\/p>\n If you caught my last update back in January,<\/a> you know I\u2019ve been unpacking the heavy existential baggage of turning 40. We talked about time speeding up, the wild 15-year ride of building BroBible across New York City and Los Angeles, and the glaring realization that we millennial men aren\u2019t invincible anymore. I remember being a kid and thinking my dad hitting 40 meant he was ancient. While he rightfully opted out of the cheesy \u201cOver the Hill\u201d gag gifts and party (not his style), there\u2019s no denying it\u2019s a massive milestone for a reason.<\/p>\n With a wedding on the horizon this year, I realized it was time to stop playing defense with my health and start going on the offense. MDVIP<\/a> is perfect for this because it shifts the entire focus from reactive sick-care to proactive, personalized wellness.<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to think I live a pretty healthy and happy lifestyle, but the reality is I\u2019m glued to a laptop for at least eight hours a day, often more. And sitting, as my dad once joked to me, \u201cis the new smoking.\u201d It\u2019s time for me to put all those daily habits and lifestyle factors under the microscope. We aggressively optimize our stock portfolios, our careers, our closets, and our weekend itineraries. Why are we just crossing our fingers and hoping for the best when it comes to the vessel actually carrying us through all of this?<\/p>\n TAP HERE TO Learn More about MDVIP<\/a><\/p>\n In the family group chat and around the house with my fianc\u00e9e, I\u2019ve unironically started calling my new MDVIP<\/a>-affiliated physician, Dr. Sam Setareh, my \u201clongevity doctor.\u201d His official title is actually Sam Setareh, MD, MS, FACC, but I think the \u201clongevity\u201d label fits perfectly, given his dual focus on primary care and cardiovascular health. Based right here in L.A., his MDVIP-affiliated practice model means he sees way fewer patients\u2026 think concierge medicine, but without the pretentious velvet rope. This gives him the actual bandwidth to focus heavily on preventive medicine, specifically, helping you keep your heart running in tip-top shape. It\u2019s the ultimate power move for guys who want to live life to the fullest, seize every opportunity, and need a healthcare experience that actually accommodates a busy, slightly unconventional schedule.<\/p>\n I went in for my big post-40 check-up the other week. I\u2019m trying to be radically transparent here about stuff I\u2019d rather not talk about, because as guys, we are notoriously terrible at this. We ignore the weird aches, we brush off the fatigue, and we treat our bodies like rental cars we assume we can just return when we\u2019re done. But health is wealth, and for the sake of a sports metaphor, it\u2019s infinitely better to be ahead of the ball than constantly playing from behind. It\u2019s really, really freakin\u2019 important, you guys. We\u2019re not getting any younger. If there\u2019s an issue, you have to tackle it head-on instead of burying your head in the sand. So please\u2026 take your health seriously as you get older. Go get your baselines checked. Do it for yourself, and more importantly, do it for the people who love you, rely on you, and want you around for the long haul.<\/p>\n TAP HERE TO SIGN UP FOR MDVIP and Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/p>\n Here are 5 massive takeaways from upgrading my healthcare and finally getting a look under the hood.<\/p>\n 1. The Rushed, 15-Minute Doctor Visit is Dead<\/p>\n We\u2019ve all been there: you wait 45 minutes past your appointment time in a crinkly paper gown, only for a doctor to rush in, look at a chart, and bounce 10 minutes later. Dr. Setareh\u2019s MDVIP-affiliated practice<\/a> offers a totally different approach to cardiovascular and primary care. Appointments are same- or next-day, and they miraculously start on time (an absolute rarity in Los Angeles). Having a doctor who actually has the time to sit down, look you in the eye, and map out a health blueprint is a game-changer.<\/p>\n DO: Find a physician who treats you like a partner in a long-term health project. 2. Getting an Ultrasound of Your Own Heart is Trippy<\/p>\n Part of the annual MDVIP Wellness Program includes hyper-advanced diagnostic tests to catch the sneaky stuff earlier. For me, that meant getting an ultrasound of my heart. Let me tell you, lying there watching this vital meat-engine pump away on a monitor is profoundly trippy. The coolest part to me was how Dr. Setareh pointed out how you can literally tell if your body is adequately hydrated just by looking at one specific side of the heart on the screen. Wild stuff.<\/p>\n DO: Take advantage of advanced screenings that give you a literal look inside your body\u2019s mechanics. TAP HERE TO SIGN UP FOR MDVIP and Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3. Data is the Ultimate Cure for Medical Anxiety<\/p>\n I have a bad habit of spiraling into a \u201csearch-your-symptoms\u201d doom loop over every pang and phantom ache. Instead of letting me panic, Dr. Setareh masterfully talked me down with highly practical, grounding advice. He told me to take all those blood pressure cuffs I\u2019ve hoarded over the years, measure my BP at home where I\u2019m actually relaxed, and gather the data. Spoiler alert: For me, looking at cold, hard data helps drop the panic. And you can\u2019t optimize what you don\u2019t measure.<\/p>\n DO: Measure your vitals (like blood pressure) at home in a relaxed environment to get an accurate, baseline reading. 4. Ditch the Internet Diet Fads<\/p>\n I walk and hike six to eight miles a day in my California neighborhood, but I\u2019ve ping-ponged on the scale for years, and yeah, I\u2019m carrying a few extra pounds. Look, guilty as charged: I like my Friday night pizza, beer, and movie, OK?<\/p>\n But I know there are ways to drop those pounds. Dr. Setareh measured my exact body composition\u2014mapping out fat versus muscle mass\u2014and gave me a rational plan to build more muscle. He also gave it to me straight: ditch the internet fads. The Mediterranean diet is the only one scientifically proven to actually work. Bring on the olive oil, fish, and greens.<\/p>\n DO: Focus on building lean muscle mass and eating a sustainable, scientifically proven diet like the Mediterranean. 5. Your Family History is a Blueprint, Not a Suggestion<\/p>\n Getting granular with your health matters because of the stuff lurking in your background. A couple of years ago, my terrible stress management rewarded me with a brutal bout of shingles. Even heavier: my dad had prostate cancer at 49. He caught it early and he\u2019s still with us, thank God, but having that family history means getting a baseline on my PSAs isn\u2019t just a good idea\u2014it\u2019s mandatory.<\/p>\n DO: Have aggressive, honest conversations about your family\u2019s health history so you know exactly what baselines to test for. Working with an MDVIP-affiliated physician isn\u2019t just about putting a Band-Aid on things when they break; it\u2019s an investment in my next decades. It\u2019s about being proactive so I can keep enjoying the ride.<\/p>\n TAP HERE TO SIGN UP FOR MDVIP and Find Doctors Near You<\/a><\/p>\n
\nDON\u2019T: Settle for the standard, transactional 15-minute visit where you barely get a word in before they write a prescription and bolt.<\/p>\n
\nDON\u2019T: Rely purely on how you \u201cfeel\u201d on the outside when there is so much data to be gathered on the inside.<\/p>\n
\nDON\u2019T: Go down a 2 a.m. internet rabbit hole and convince yourself you have an incredibly rare, incurable disease.<\/p>\n
\nDON\u2019T: Ping-pong between whatever extreme, unsustainable nutrition fad is currently trending on your algorithm.<\/p>\n
\nDON\u2019T: Put your head in the sand and assume \u201cit won\u2019t happen to me.\u201d<\/p>\n