Six interconnected patterns from your bloodwork and intake form. Each card shows the picture in plain English, the actual markers, the primary driver, and the symptoms in your intake that confirm it. This is the foundation behind every protocol decision in the rest of the guide. Re-read it weekly.
Want the full breakdown? All 83 biomarkers, ranges, and the Optimal DX system analysis: View full bloodwork PDF
01
Gut Permeability & Microbiome Disruption
Your gut lining is compromised - inflammatory markers and elevated GGT confirm it. This is the entry point for most of what's happening downstream, including your immune reactivity, skin flare-ups, and the brain fog you described after meals.
Calprotectin148 mg/kg (elevated)High
GGT68 U/LHigh
Secretory IgA62 mg/dLLow
Primary driver: Years of high processed food load, inconsistent eating patterns, and two antibiotic courses in 2022 have disrupted the gut lining and shifted the microbiome toward histamine-producing and inflammation-driving strains.
Confirmed in your intake
Bloating after most meals, especially carbs
Loose stools 3-4x per week
Food sensitivities that appeared in your early 30s
Brain fog and fatigue within 30-60 min of eating
02
HPA Axis Load - Cortisol & Adrenal Output
Your adrenal system is in a compensatory low-output pattern. DHEA-S is being sacrificed to maintain cortisol demand from chronic work pressure and poor sleep. This is directly suppressing testosterone production and thyroid conversion.
AM Cortisol18.2 nmol/LLow
DHEA-S4.2 umol/LLow
Ferritin312 ug/LHigh
Primary driver: Chronic work stress combined with 5-6 hours of broken sleep has pushed the HPA axis into a low-output state. The elevated ferritin reflects the systemic inflammatory load your adrenals are trying to manage.
Confirmed in your intake
Wired and alert at 10-11pm, then exhausted by 8am
Energy crashes between 2-4pm daily
Slow recovery from training sessions - DOMs lasting 4+ days
Anxiety that doesn't match what's actually happening
03
Subclinical Thyroid Sluggishness
Your TSH sits within lab range but at a level where thyroid output is suboptimal. More importantly, the elevated Reverse T3 tells us your body is converting active thyroid hormone into an inactive blocker - a direct downstream consequence of your cortisol pattern, not a standalone thyroid problem.
TSH2.8 mIU/LHigh
Free T33.9 pmol/LLow
Reverse T318 ng/dLHigh
Note: A standard GP panel only checks TSH and would mark this as normal. The Free T3 and Reverse T3 ratio is where the real picture is. This is why comprehensive bloodwork matters.
Confirmed in your intake
Always running cold, especially hands and feet
Weight not shifting despite consistent training and eating well
Hair texture has changed - more brittle in the last 2 years
Motivation and mental sharpness noticeably lower than 5 years ago
04
Testosterone Suppression - Central + SHBG-Driven
Two mechanisms are running at the same time. SHBG is elevated, binding and inactivating what little testosterone is being produced. LH is also blunted, meaning the signal from the brain to produce more testosterone is suppressed. Your testosterone is low, and your body isn't sending the signal to fix it.
Total Testosterone11.2 nmol/LLow
Free Testosterone185 pmol/LLow
SHBG52 nmol/LHigh
LH3.1 IU/LLow
Primary drivers: HPA axis load is suppressing LH output from the pituitary. The thyroid picture is elevating SHBG. This is functional, not structural - fix the upstream patterns and testosterone responds. No TRT required at this stage.
Confirmed in your intake
Morning erections absent or rare for the last 18 months
Libido significantly lower than 3 years ago
Muscle gains have slowed despite consistent training
Flat mood most days - not depressed, just switched off
05
Systemic Inflammation & Metabolic Load
CRP and homocysteine are both elevated, pointing to a baseline inflammatory state that isn't being resolved. This isn't one cause - it's the cumulative output of gut permeability, poor sleep, HPA load, and nutrient depletion running simultaneously.
CRP4.1 mg/LHigh
Homocysteine14.2 umol/LHigh
Vitamin D41 nmol/LLow
Primary drivers: Gut-sourced LPS entering circulation, methylation insufficiency (elevated homocysteine), and Vitamin D deficiency are all amplifying the inflammatory signal. Homocysteine at this level also carries independent cardiovascular risk.
Confirmed in your intake
Joint aches appearing without any specific injury
Recovery from training is slow regardless of sleep
Skin quality has deteriorated - drier, more reactive
06
Nutrient Deficiency Stack
Three core deficiencies showing up together - magnesium, zinc, and B12. This is a predictable consequence of the gut permeability picture: even if you eat well, you aren't absorbing. These deficiencies are directly limiting testosterone synthesis, sleep architecture, and immune function.
Magnesium RBC0.71 mmol/LLow
Zinc11.2 umol/LLow
B12 (Active)218 pmol/LLow
Primary driver: Gut permeability is reducing absorption of minerals and B vitamins. The inflammatory state is consuming zinc and magnesium faster than diet can replace them. Fixing gut health first makes supplementation far more effective.
Action
Supplement stack targets all three directly - see your Supplements section
Gut repair protocol comes first - absorption is the bottleneck, not intake
Retest magnesium RBC, zinc, and B12 at the 12-week mark
📋 Setup Checklist DO ONCE
One-time setup actions to get the whole protocol running. Tap any item to tick it off - your progress saves automatically.
Your Down-Regulation Routine: Every night, run the 4-step countdown on the Sleep page (8pm wind-down → 9pm screens off → 9:30pm breathwork → 10pm bedtime). Lock this in first - it's the single biggest lever for nervous system recovery.
Bin all plastic water bottles - glass or stainless only
Decline all printed receipts (xenoestrogen exposure)
Find a butcher for grass-fed beef + lamb
Find an oyster source (8-12 per week)
Source organic carrots for the daily raw salad
Switch to organic coffee only
🩺Health Admin
Book your 12-week retest panel for [12 WEEKS FROM START]
[PERSONALISE: any client-specific environment / health admin items - mould exposure, dental work, GP referrals etc.]
Read the Health Picture page weekly to stay anchored to the why
Order of priority: Supplements + sleep tools first (they take days to arrive). Environment setup next - it makes everything else easier. Down-regulation practice from night one. Daily habits and lifestyle swaps roll in over week 1-2. Health admin in the first week.
🥗 The MHC Plate
Three layers. What's on your plate daily, what you eat through the week, and what sits in your pantry. Lock these in before anything else. [PERSONALISE: 1-2 sentences flagging dietary priorities or restrictions for THIS client - e.g. histamine, FODMAP, oxalate, low-carb phase, allergies, religious or ethical preferences.]
Layer 1 - The Daily Plate
Every main meal has these five things.
+Protein - red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or eggs. 30-50g per meal. Decide this first.
+A cooked carb - rice, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip. Portion to match training load.
+Two plant servings - one cruciferous (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, rocket) plus one colour or root. Cook them.
+A real fat - tallow, ghee, coconut or macadamia for the pan. Olive oil, avocado or butter to finish. No seed oils.
+A mineral hit - generous Celtic or Himalayan salt, plus bone broth, kefir or fermented veg if tolerated.
Layer 2 - The Weekly Non-Negotiables
The foods most clients miss. Each one moves bloods faster than any supplement.
+Oysters - 8-12 per week. Highest food source of zinc, anti-aromatase. Tinned in olive oil if fresh isn't available.
+Organ meat - 1x per week minimum. Liver, heart, kidney, bone marrow. Blend into mince or bolognese if the texture is an issue. Desiccated capsules as a backup.
+Raw carrot salad - 3-4x per week. Shredded carrot, vinegar, salt, olive or coconut oil. Binds oestrogen in the gut. Ray Peat's original
+White button mushrooms - 2-3x per week, cooked. Aromatase inhibitor.
+Bone broth - daily. Drink it, cook with it, or use it as the base for soups and stews.
+Cold-water fish - 2-3x per week. Sardines in olive oil, tinned mackerel, smoked salmon, mussels. Tinned options count.
+Eggs - daily, whole. Cholesterol is the raw material of testosterone.
Layer 3 - The Pantry Setup
Buy these once. They decide what you cook for the next six months.
+Rendered animal fat - tallow, duck fat, pastured lard, beef dripping. Rotate them so you're not stuck on one fatty acid profile.
+Ghee and coconut oil - for higher-heat cooking and dairy-sensitive days.
+Finishing oils - extra-virgin olive (glass bottle, dated), cold-pressed avocado. Cold use only. Don't put them in the pan.
+Cod liver oil - 1 tsp daily, out of the fridge. Vitamin A and D.
+Salts and electrolytes - Celtic or Himalayan on every meal. DIY mix from the Hydration page.
+Honey and bee products - raw or manuka honey, bee pollen on yoghurt or smoothies, royal jelly capsules, propolis tincture.
+Sweet that isn't sugar - 85%+ dark chocolate, real maple syrup, raw cacao paste or nibs.
+Dairy if you tolerate it - kefir first, then A2 milk or raw milk where legal and accessible, aged hard cheese (parmesan, pecorino) for K2. Skip the whole row if dairy doesn't agree with you.
+Herbs and spices - rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, mint, parsley, turmeric, ginger, black cumin.
+Tea and other drinks - green, peppermint, chamomile, ginger, licorice, fennel, marshmallow root, slippery elm. Plus mineral water (Acqua Panna, Pellegrino), bone broth as a drink, fresh slow-press juice (carrot, ginger, celery, lemon).
+Backup protein - grass-fed whey isolate, tinned sardines, pre-frozen meatballs.
Layer 4 - The Practices
Habits, not shopping items.
+Roast a whole bird or joint on Sunday - three meals, bones for stock on Monday, rendered fat in a jar.
+Make a jar of kraut every fortnight - cabbage, salt, water, two weeks on the bench. Cheaper and more potent than store-bought.
+Render your own tallow once - ask the butcher for grass-fed beef trim, slow-cook overnight, strain into a glass jar.
+Batch the carrot salad - shred four carrots Sunday night, dress before each serve through the week.
+Put an egg on top of everything - soups, stir-fries, steak, rice. Fried or poached.
+Hide your offal - mince liver 50/50 with beef in burgers, bolognese, meatballs.
+Drink mineral water with dinner once a week - Acqua Panna, Pellegrino or similar. Silica, magnesium, calcium straight from the bottle.
The MHC test: if every meal hits Layer 1, your weekly shop covers Layer 2 and Layer 3, and a few practices from Layer 4 are running, you're eating well. Everything beyond that is optimisation.
🚫 The Cleanup
Default avoids. Each one drives oxidative stress, gut damage or hormone disruption when it's a daily input. [PERSONALISE: tighten or loosen any line for THIS client - e.g. zero alcohol for liver markers, strict gluten-free for autoimmune, no nightshades for joint pain, dairy-free for skin.]
Cooking & Food Prep
✕Seed and vegetable oils - cook with the Layer 3 fats. Restaurants and packaged food are where this hides.
✕Refined sugar and artificial sweeteners - sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame K, agave, coconut sugar. Use honey, maple, or 100% monk fruit.
✕Plant-based milks - oat, almond, soy, rice. Coconut milk or real dairy.
Groceries
✕Ultra-processed packaged food - 20-line ingredient label, leave it.
✕Wheat grains and breakfast cereals - bread, pasta, wraps, muesli, oats as a daily staple.
✕Legumes and raw high-oxalate plants as staples - lentils, chickpeas, peanuts, raw spinach, raw kale, almonds. Occasional only.
✕Non-organic Dirty Dozen and non-organic coffee - buy organic or skip.
Daily Habits
✕Alcohol - default is zero. Anything more is personalised, not baseline.
✕Restaurant fryers and takeaway oils - even a "clean" salad usually arrives dressed in canola.
✕Anything you personally react to - if a healthy food triggers symptoms, it isn't healthy for you.
🛒 Shopping List
A grab-and-go shop pulled straight from the Nutrition Foundations. Tap any item to check it off. [PERSONALISE: cross out or add notes against any category restricted for THIS client - e.g. dairy-free, low-FODMAP, low-histamine, low-oxalate, no nightshades.]
What's not on this list: seed and vegetable oils, gluten and processed grains, refined and artificial sweeteners, ultra-processed packaged foods, plant-based milks, legumes and high-oxalate foods as staples, non-organic Dirty Dozen, non-organic coffee, alcohol. Full breakdown in What to Clear.
📚 Recipe Books
Curated MHC recipe books. Each book is a collection of Phase 1 compliant recipes - tap any book to browse, tap any recipe for full ingredients, instructions, and nutrition.
Sort:
🍽️ Meal Timing and Eating Practices
Timing & Cadence
+Breakfast before 8am every day - sets cortisol rhythm and circadian clock
+Eat every 3-4 hours - steady blood sugar, no skipped meals as the baseline
+Finish eating 2-3 hours before bed - protect sleep, digestion, and overnight repair
+10-15 min walk after lunch and dinner - blood sugar, digestion, vagal tone
How to Eat
+3 nasal breaths before every meal - switches on parasympathetic, primes digestion
+Protein first at every meal before adding carbohydrates - satiety, blood sugar control
+Sit down to eat - no screens, chew thoroughly, slow down. Half the work of digestion happens in the mouth.
+One bottle of water nearby - sip between meals, not during. Diluting stomach acid kills protein digestion.
Daily Targets
+500ml water + pinch of Celtic sea salt on waking - rehydrate, replenish sodium before anything else hits
+Protein: 2g per kg bodyweight per day - hit it across 3-4 meals, not in one sitting
+Sodium: 3-5g per day - Celtic or Himalayan salt on every meal, plus a pinch in each glass of water
+Water: calculate your daily target in the Hydration calculator - it factors in bodyweight and sweat hours
Personalised Overrides
+[PERSONALISE: add or remove client-specific meal rules - e.g. no FODMAPs within 90 min of training for IBS clients, longer overnight fast for gut healing, fixed pre-workout window for fasted training, no caffeine after a set time. Delete bullets that don't apply.]
🏋️ Pre-Exercise Nutrition
What you eat before training depends on how much time you have. Select your window below. [PERSONALISE: flag the specific reason pre-training fuel matters for THIS client - e.g. fasted training, low stomach acid, vagal hypersensitivity, training nausea, blood sugar instability.]
Time before training
2hrs out
You've got time. Eat a proper meal.
Option A: Protein + Carb + Fat
[PERSONALISE: e.g. 3 eggs scrambled + white rice + half an avocado. Reliable, complete, easy on the gut.]
Aim: ~30g protein · 40–60g carb · 10–15g fat
Option B: Different Prep
[PERSONALISE: e.g. chicken thigh + sweet potato + olive oil drizzle. Swap protein source if client has egg intolerance.]
Aim: ~30g protein · 40–60g carb · 10–15g fat
Option C: Liquid Meal
[PERSONALISE: e.g. whey protein + banana + oats + almond butter blended. For low appetite mornings or gut-sensitive clients.]
Aim: ~25g protein · 40g carb · 8g fat
At 2 hours - keep in mind
High-fibre meals - e.g. large salads, legumes, bran. Can still cause bloating and cramping if training hard.
[PERSONALISE: client-specific avoid] [reason]
Eat slowly - chew properly, sit down, no rushing. Your digestion is parasympathetic.
[PERSONALISE: client-specific cue] [e.g. electrolyte drink 30 min before training, breathing drill, etc.]
Time before training
90min out
Light but solid fuel. Keep fat and fibre low.
Option A: Easy Protein + Simple Carb
[PERSONALISE: e.g. Greek yogurt + banana + honey. Digests fast, steady energy, no gut stress.]
Aim: ~20g protein · 30–40g carb · minimal fat
Option B: Eggs + White Toast
[PERSONALISE: e.g. 2 soft-boiled eggs + 2 slices white sourdough + small drizzle of honey. Skip the butter at this window.]
Aim: ~18g protein · 30g carb · <8g fat
Option C: Portable / No Cook
[PERSONALISE: e.g. protein shake + piece of fruit. Travels well, zero prep, easy on the gut.]
High-fibre carbs - oats with seeds, wholegrain bread, raw veg. Swap for white rice, white toast, or fruit.
[PERSONALISE: client-specific avoid] [reason]
Keep it simple - the fewer ingredients, the faster it digests and the less that can go wrong.
[PERSONALISE: client-specific cue] [e.g. 300ml water + pinch of salt now, save the coffee for post-training]
Time before training
60min out
Quick carb fuel only. No fat, no fibre.
Option A: Dates + Honey
[PERSONALISE: e.g. 3–4 medjool dates or 1 tbsp raw honey in warm water. Fastest-digesting fuel. Glucose hits the bloodstream within 20 min.]
Aim: 20–30g fast carb · no fat · no protein
Option B: Banana
[PERSONALISE: e.g. 1 ripe banana + small glass of coconut water. Adds electrolytes. Ripe = higher glycaemic index = faster fuel.]
Aim: 25–30g fast carb · electrolytes · no fat
Option C: White Rice Cakes
[PERSONALISE: e.g. 2–3 plain rice cakes + small drizzle of honey. Zero fibre, ultra-fast digestion. Good for travel or gym bag.]
Aim: 20–25g fast carb · no fat · no fibre
At 60 minutes - keep in mind
Any fat - nut butter, avocado, oils, fatty protein. Fat at this window = nausea, side stitches, sluggish digestion mid-session.
High-protein foods - meat, eggs, protein shakes. Protein takes time; it won't be available as fuel and slows gastric emptying.
High-fibre carbs - oats, wholegrains, raw fruit with skin. You don't have enough time to clear them.
[PERSONALISE: client-specific cue] [e.g. if training fasted is the norm, 3 dates + pinch of salt is the minimum viable fuel]
Post-Training - Within 30 Minutes
Protein + carbs together: eggs with fruit, chicken with rice, whey + banana. This is the highest-priority meal of the day. Don't skip it. [PERSONALISE: add client-specific post-training priorities - e.g. pomegranate juice for aromatase, glycine for joint recovery, taurine for cardio, electrolyte mix for heavy sweaters. Delete if nothing specific applies.]
💧 Hydration and Electrolytes
Two tools below. Dial in your daily water target on the left, then build your own electrolyte mix on the right. [PERSONALISE: 1-2 sentences on why hydration matters for THIS client - e.g. heavy sweater, hot climate, low blood pressure, fasted training, sauna user, on diuretics.]
💧 Daily Hydration Target
Bodyweight × 0.033 baseline, plus a sweat top-up.
Your daily target
2.31L
Base 2.31 L + sweat 0.00 L
Bodyweight70kg
4070100130160
Hours of sweat / training0hr
01.534.56
Sweat intensity
Your breakdown
Baseline
70 kg × 0.033 = 2.31 L
2.31L
Sweat top-up
0 hr × 750 ml = 0.00 L
0.00L
Daily total
Spread across the day, don't backload
2.31L
In mL
2310millilitres
In cups
9.2250 ml cups
Bottles
2.31 L bottles
Rules of thumb
Bodyweight × 0.033 gives you the baseline in litres
Add 500-1000 ml per hour of sweat, more in heat
Salt your water if you sweat heavily or fast
Adjust up for illness, sauna, flights, sun, fasted training
Stop ~2 hours before bed so you're not up at 3am
🧂 DIY Electrolyte Mix
Pick a style, dial in serves, get your shopping list.
Servings13serves
1255075100
Your mix
LMNT Style
Tip: Mix everything into one airtight jar, shake well, and scoop ~one serve per glass of water. Add a squeeze of lime or pinch of stevia if you like it sweet.
💊 Phase 1 Supplement Protocol WEEKS 1-8
⚠️ Any adverse reactions, message me straight away. Headache, gut flare, skin reaction, energy crash, mood shift, anything off - don't wait it out, don't push through. We'll adjust the stack together.
✅ Phase 1 complete - Phase 2 unlocked. Scroll down to the gold-highlighted Phase 2 stack to begin Botanabolic, Creatine, and Magnesium Breakthrough.
Your Daily Schedule
~7am
Upon Waking
•TTFD 1 cap
•Healthy Gut 1 scoop
•Sacch. Boulardii 1 capwk2+
•Bacillus Coagulans 1 capwk2+
•Ginger Root 1 cap
~8am
With Breakfast + Coffee
•Quercetin + Bromelain + C 1 cap
•D3 + K2 1 cap
•Sunfiber PHGG 1 scoop
•L-Theanine 1 cap
~6pm
With Dinner
•Ultimate Support 5 caps
~10pm
Before Bed
•Ginger Root 1 cap
wk2+ = start from week 2. Tap any supplement below for the full reason.
Auto-clears each new day. Or tap Reset to clear manually. Skip wk2+ items in your first week.
~7am • Upon Waking
TTFD - 1 cap
Healthy Gut - 1 scoop
Sacch. Boulardii - 1 cap (wk2+)
Bacillus Coagulans - 1 cap (wk2+)
Ginger Root - 1 cap
~8am • With Breakfast + Coffee
Quercetin + Bromelain + C - 1 cap
L-Theanine - 1 cap
D3 + K2 - 1 cap
Sunfiber PHGG - 1 scoop
~6pm • With Dinner
Ultimate Support - 5 caps
~10pm • Before Bed
Ginger Root - 1 cap
TTFD 100mgUW · 1 cap▾
Fat-soluble thiamine that bypasses compromised gut absorption. Supports vagus nerve function, cellular energy metabolism, and ferritin clearance. Start with half a cap in week 1 if a full cap feels too strong. [PERSONALISE: tie to the specific markers / symptoms this client needs it for.]
Three mechanisms in one product. Quercetin stabilises mast cells before they release histamine. Vitamin C is the essential cofactor for histamine degradation and immune support. Bromelain adds mucolytic and digestive enzyme support. Always take with food. [PERSONALISE: tie to the histamine / immune / mucus pattern relevant to this client.]
L-Theanine 200mgWB w/ coffee · 1 cap▾
Take with your morning coffee. Blunts the cortisol spike from caffeine while preserving the focus. Promotes calm, alert focus without sedation - the state the nervous system needs to recover from chronic fight-or-flight. [PERSONALISE: tie to client's stress / sympathetic pattern.]
D3 5000 IU + K2 MK-7WB · 1 cap▾
Vitamin D supports immune function, testosterone production (Leydig cell), bone health, and mast cell stabilisation. K2 MK-7 directs calcium into bone rather than soft tissue, balancing D3 supplementation. [PERSONALISE: note client's D3 status / mould history / calcium picture if relevant.]
Sunfiber PHGG 5gWB · 1 scoop▾
The only prebiotic fibre safe for SIBO / dysbiosis presentations. Standard prebiotics like inulin and FOS feed overgrowth and make SIBO worse. Sunfiber selectively feeds Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium without fermenting in the small intestine. Stir into water or food once daily.
Healthy Gut (Terra Origin Gut Repair)UW · 1 scoop▾
L-Glutamine 5g rebuilds the gut lining - the foundation for everything else in this protocol to work. L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine is a more stable dipeptide form that absorbs better than standard glutamine. NAG supports the mucosal layer. Slippery Elm and Marshmallow Root coat and soothe the gut wall. Confirm no shellfish allergy before starting.
Saccharomyces Boulardii (from week 2)UW · 1 cap▾
Beneficial yeast that crowds out histamine-producing bacteria and candida. Unaffected by antibiotics, so it holds its place in the gut even through future antibiotic courses. [PERSONALISE: note client's antibiotic history / SIBO picture if relevant.]
Bacillus Coagulans (from week 2)UW · 1 cap▾
Spore-forming probiotic that survives stomach acid and reaches the colon intact. Restores commensal bacteria, reduces gut inflammation, and improves stool consistency. Works alongside Saccharomyces Boulardii through a different mechanism for full gut flora recovery.
Ginger Root 550mgUW + BB · 1 cap each▾
Prokinetic that restores the migrating motor complex - the gut's self-cleaning mechanism between meals, which is impaired in SIBO. Without a prokinetic, food residue ferments in the small intestine and SIBO patterns keep recurring. Also reduces nausea and supports digestive comfort around training.
The Collective Ultimate SupportWD · 5 caps▾
The foundational daily product covering multiple deficiencies in one. NAC 2000mg thins mucus and supports glutathione. Magnesium Taurate and Glycinate address magnesium deficiency - better sleep, less muscle tightness. TUDCA 250mg supports bile flow and ferritin clearance. Zinc L-Carnosine repairs the gut lining. Methylated B vitamins support energy metabolism. [PERSONALISE: highlight the markers / symptoms this is hitting hardest for this client.]
Phase 1 Completion Check
Tick all 4 once your symptoms are stable. Phase 2 unlocks automatically.
[PERSONALISE: client-specific symptom 1 resolved or significantly reduced]
[PERSONALISE: client-specific symptom 2 resolved or significantly reduced]
Stool consistency improved
All Phase 1 supplements tolerated for 8+ weeks
Phase 2 - Week 9 onwards Ready
BotanabolicTest booster▾
Botanical testosterone booster stack. The Phase 2 lever once the gut foundation is solid. Don't add this before gut is stable - absorption will be poor.
Creatine Monohydrate 5gDaily▾
5g daily, any time, with food or water. Muscle output, recovery, cognitive performance. The single most studied performance supplement on the planet. Use plain monohydrate - no fancy forms needed.
TTFD 100mg (continue from Phase 1)UW · 1 cap▾
Stays in the stack long-term. Continues to support vagal tone, energy metabolism, and mitochondrial function. This isn't a Phase 1-only supplement.
Magnesium BreakthroughWD · 1-2 caps▾
Full-spectrum magnesium - 7 forms in one. Layer on top of (or swap for) the magnesium in Ultimate Support for broader coverage. Take at dinner alongside Ultimate Support.
🌙 Sleep and Circadian Protocol
Daily Anchors
+Lights out at 10pm every night from Day 1
+No screens from 9pm - phone, laptop, TV. Evening blue light suppresses melatonin and keeps the nervous system in sympathetic mode.
+Fixed wake time 6:30am every day including weekends
+Morning sunlight 10-15 min within 30 min of waking
+Blue light blocking glasses after sunset
+Warm lighting from 8pm - no bright overhead lights
+Room 18-20°C dark and quiet
+Head elevated on one extra pillow - reduces reflux and snoring overnight
+HEPA air purifier in bedroom running overnight - cleaner air, fewer particulates, deeper sleep
+Red light therapy 10-15 min, 3x per week - [PERSONALISE: target area(s) based on client picture, e.g. thyroid, genital, joints]
Night Routine Countdown
~8pm
2 hrs before
•Final meal done
•Lights to warm/red
•Blue blockers on
•Clock off from work
~9pm
1 hr before
•Screens off
•Light stretch / foam roll
•Read or journal
~9:30pm
30 min before
•Warm shower
•4-7-8 or box breathing
•No phones, no lights
10pm
Bedtime
•Mouth tape + nasal strip
•Eye mask on
•Cool, dark, quiet
Block Blue Light on Phone & Laptop
One of the fastest wins for sleep, hormones, and evening calm. Blue light at night delays melatonin, raises cortisol, blocks deep sleep and REM, and keeps you wired when you should be winding down. Hit both your phone and laptop and you remove most of the damage.
Evening device routine: Phone on red mode 2-3 hours before bed. Laptop on Iris night mode. Overhead lights off - red or amber lamps only. Blue blockers on after sunset. No screens in the last 30-60 minutes before sleep.
If sleep onset is hard on a given night - elevated stress, racing thoughts, late training, late food - stack 2-3 of these to drop into parasympathetic.
+Box breathing 4-4-4-4 or 4-7-8 - 5 min lying in bed (full library on the Breathwork page)
+Cold water on face / neck - immediate vagus nerve reset. How-to video
+Vagus nerve taping - cheap, weird, works. How-to video
+Legs up the wall - 5-10 min. Drains lymph + parasympathetic shift. How-to video
+Hard gargle 30 sec - until eyes water. Direct vagal stimulation.
+Humming or chanting on long exhales - vibrates vagus through throat
+Pre-bed snack option: 2-3 kiwi fruit (serotonin) or 100ml tart cherry juice (natural melatonin).
Sleep supplements already in your stack: Ultimate Support at dinner covers Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Taurate (= taurine), and glycine. No extra sleep supps needed - the stack is built for this.
+[PERSONALISE: add or remove conditioning - e.g. 1-2 HIIT sessions per week, sprints, hill walks, swimming, bike, sport. Match to client recovery, age, training age, and goals.]
+[PERSONALISE: add hobby/sport movement if relevant - e.g. golf, tennis, surfing, jiu-jitsu. Count toward weekly load.]
+[PERSONALISE: add recovery / hormone-specific protocols if indicated - e.g. testicular icing, sauna, cold plunge, mobility work. Delete bullet if not relevant.]
+[PERSONALISE: flag any training restrictions - e.g. no HIIT during phase 1 for adrenal-fatigued clients, avoid overhead pressing for shoulder injuries, deload week every 4 weeks.]
🧠 Lifestyle & Environment
Daily Lifestyle
+20-30 min outside in nature daily
+[PERSONALISE: add client-specific daily lifestyle items - e.g. saline nasal rinse for sinus / mould / allergy clients, sauna for detox clients, cold plunge, daily nature walk, journalling, prayer / meditation. Delete bullet if nothing specific applies.]
Body Care • Daily Skin Contact
Why this matters: Xenoestrogens - synthetic chemicals that mimic oestrogen in the body - are a major driver of hormone disruption. Reducing this load across body care, kitchen, home, water and other hidden sources is one of the most overlooked T-recovery levers. Aim to swap one category per week rather than overhauling everything at once.
+Aluminium-free deodorant - aluminium blocks lymphatic drainage near oestrogen-sensitive tissue
+Fragrance-free or natural cologne / aftershave - "fragrance" hides phthalates which are major xenoestrogens
+Paraben-free shampoo, body wash, soap - parabens bind oestrogen receptors directly. Go-to:Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castile soap - one bottle replaces body wash, shampoo and hand soap. Unscented or peppermint are the cleanest picks.
+Mineral (zinc oxide) sunscreen only - avoid oxybenzone and octinoxate, both confirmed endocrine disruptors
✕No antibacterial soap or hand sanitiser with triclosan - thyroid disruptor
Kitchen • What Touches Your Food
+Replace all non-stick cookware with cast iron, stainless steel, or ceramic - Teflon leaches PFAS / "forever chemicals" that drive T down and oestrogen up
+Glass food storage only (Pyrex / mason jars) - never microwave or store hot food in plastic
+Glass or stainless drink bottles - including "BPA-free" plastic, which uses BPS (just as bad)
+Stainless steel kettle - no plastic kettles, ever
+Skip plastic wrap on hot food - beeswax wraps or glass lids instead
+Decline printed receipts - thermal paper is loaded with BPA / BPS, absorbed straight through skin
Home • Air You Breathe
✕Throw out all artificial air fresheners and plug-ins - synthetic fragrance is one of the highest xenoestrogen exposures in the home
✕No paraffin / scented candles - 100% beeswax or soy with essential oils only
+Fragrance-free laundry detergent - Ecover, Eucalan, 7th Generation. Laundry residue sits on your skin 24/7.
+Open windows daily - indoor air is 5-10x more polluted than outdoor
+HEPA air purifier in bedroom (already on your sleep list)
✕Address any mould exposure urgently - no supplement stack resolves mould-driven inflammation, histamine, or immune dysfunction while the exposure continues
Water • Drinking and Showering
+Filtered drinking water - Berkey, AquaTru, or under-sink reverse osmosis. Tap water carries chlorine, fluoride, atrazine (estrogenic pesticide), pharmaceutical residue.
+Filtered shower head - chlorine and chloramines absorb through skin and lungs in a hot shower. Significant exposure most people miss.
+Filter your cooking water too - pasta, rice, vegetables boiled in tap water = same exposure
Other Hidden Sources
+Natural fibre clothing where possible - cotton, linen, wool. Polyester sheds microplastics with every wash + wear.
+Air out new furniture / mattresses outdoors for 48-72 hrs - off-gasses flame retardants and VOCs
✕Phone out of front pocket - EMF + heat near reproductive tissue lowers sperm quality
✕Laptop off lap (already on your fertility list)
⚡ Testosterone and Fertility
Your picture[PERSONALISE: 2-4 sentence summary of where THIS client's T axis is broken - e.g. central (low LH/FSH), peripheral (aromatase conversion), adrenal (low DHEA-S, HPA load), or testicular (history / Leydig insufficiency). Reference the actual markers and history that confirm it.]
Light & Circadian
+Morning sunlight into eyes and on skin daily - drives the circadian testosterone pulse and sets every downstream rhythm
+More time outdoors, less time under artificial light - bright daytime light, dim evening light
+Warm lighting at night, not harsh LED - amber bulbs, candle, salt lamp from sunset onwards
+Reduce screen exposure before bed - blue light suppresses melatonin and dampens the overnight T window
Sleep
+Prioritise deep sleep and consistent sleep/wake times - testosterone is produced during deep sleep, not after it
+Keep your bedroom dark and cool - 17-19 degC, blackout if possible. Heat at night tanks both sleep and sperm
Training & Recovery
+Resistance train consistently with progressive overload - compound lifts, real load, weekly progression
+Include sprints, HIIT, walking and regular movement - high-intensity bursts plus daily low-grade activity
+Prioritise recovery as much as training intensity - sleep, food, walks, parasympathetic resets
✕Avoid chronic overtraining and constant high cortisol - the fastest way to crash your own T axis
Body Composition & Eating
+Stay lean - excess body fat directly increases aromatase activity and oestrogen load
+Prioritise consistency over chasing random supplements and hacks - 80% of the result lives in the boring fundamentals above
Personalised Levers
+[PERSONALISE: add 2-4 client-specific levers based on THIS client's bloods and history - e.g. red light on genital area for low LH, white button mushrooms for high oestrone, oysters for low zinc, DHEA support for low DHEA-S, ashwagandha for high evening cortisol, varicocele referral if suspected.]
GP FLAG: If testosterone has not improved at the 12-week retest ([12 WEEKS FROM START]), request a urologist referral for further investigation. [PERSONALISE: include any specific history that warrants earlier escalation - testicular trauma, varicocele, undescended testes, prior cancer treatment etc.]
🌬️ Breathwork and Parasympathetic Resets
This is the fastest way to manually shift from sympathetic to parasympathetic. Nothing else works as quickly. Stack a few of these through the day and you'll feel the difference within a week.
Daily Anchors
+3-5 nasal breaths before every meal - long inhale into the belly, slow exhale. Switches on digestion. Reduces nausea and reflux risk at training.
+10 min breathwork morning and evening - sets the tone for the day and winds you down at night. Buteyko Breathing in 3 Minutes
+4-7-8 breathing before bed - inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8. Goated for sleep. 5-10 minutes lying in bed. 4-7-8 walkthrough
On-Demand Resets
+Physiological sigh - double inhale through the nose (short then long), slow exhale through the mouth. Fastest single-breath reset there is. Huberman explainer
+Long exhales (4 in, 8 out) - make the exhale twice as long as the inhale. The exhale is what activates parasympathetic - extend it and the nervous system follows.
+Barely breathing (Buteyko Breathe Light) - sit quietly and slow your breath down to almost nothing. Tiny sips of air through the nose. Trains the system to down-regulate. Breathe Light tutorial
+Humming - hum on every exhale. Vibrates the vagus nerve through the throat and sinuses. Do it during breathwork or just through the day. Humming breath
Body & Environment
+Hand on heart - place your hand over your heart while you breathe. Activates self-soothing circuits and calms heart rate. Simple but powerful.
+Showers in the dark - cold or warm, lights off. Focus on the water and your breathing. Removes visual stimulation and lets the nervous system settle.
+EFT tapping - tap collarbone, under eye, side of hand, top of head while breathing and talking through what's stressing you. Looks odd, works surprisingly well for releasing stored tension and calming the amygdala. Tapping tutorial
🪢 Fascia Release and Bodywork
This is the physical side most people skip. When you're stuck in fight or flight, your body braces. Jaw, shoulders, hips, psoas, diaphragm. All of it locks up. That physical tension feeds back into the nervous system and keeps the stress loop running. Release the tissue and you release the signal.
Daily Releases
+Psoas release - the psoas is your fight or flight muscle. It literally contracts when you're stressed and pulls you into a protective posture. Use a Pso-Rite tool or lie on a soft ball just inside the hip bone. Breathe into it slowly and let it go. 2-3 min each side. Pso-Rite psoas release tutorial
+Upper trap release - most people hold stress in their traps and neck. Use a lacrosse ball against a wall or a massage cane (Theracane style) to work the knots out of the upper traps, levator scap and base of the skull. Breathe slow while you do it. Lacrosse ball upper trap release
+Body Lever tool - works the deeper fascial lines that foam rollers can't reach. Use it on the hip flexors, quads, IT band and thoracic spine. Slow passes, breathe into the tight spots. Body Lever for neck and shoulder relief
+Diaphragm release - lie on your back, fingers just under the rib cage, breathe slowly and let the tissue soften. 2-3 min. Opens the whole abdominal cavity and frees up the diaphragm to actually do its job. Manual diaphragm release
+Abdominal massage with foam roller - releases fascial restriction around the gut and gets motility moving. Abdominal self-massage for digestion
Movement & Reset Patterns
+Zone exercises (Paul Chek) - targeted movements that activate specific reflex zones in the body to reset the nervous system. Combines breathing with specific movement patterns to clear stored tension and rebalance the autonomic system. Paul Chek Zone Exercises playlist
+Foam rolling hip flexors, quads and thoracic spine - tight hips pull on the psoas which keeps the fight or flight posture locked in. Open the front body and you give the nervous system permission to let go. 10 min foam roller for tight hips
Lymphatic Flow
+Big 6 lymphatic movement - 5 min daily follow-along that hits the major lymph nodes and drainage points. The lymph system has no pump - it relies on movement, breath and muscle contraction to flow. This is the simplest daily routine to keep it moving. Big 6 lymphatic flow (5 min)
+Fascia + lymph routine - the lymphatic system runs through the fascia. Releasing tight tissue and draining stagnant lymph go hand in hand. Stagnant lymph keeps inflammation, toxin load and puffiness high. Run on bad days or post-training. Fascia & lymph drainage short
Personalised Additions
+[PERSONALISE: add client-specific release work based on their bracing patterns - e.g. jaw / masseter release for clenchers, glute medius / piriformis for desk sitters, pec minor for forward-rounded shoulders, scalene release for chronic neck tension, plantar fascia for foot pain. Delete bullet if not relevant.]
🎯 Daily and Weekly Goals
Morning
💧
Hydration
3L+ water. 500ml lemon water + pinch sea salt on waking.
🧂
Sodium / Sea Salt
Salt every meal generously. Aim 3-5g sodium/day (1-2 tsp Celtic salt).
🌅
Morning Sun
10-15 min within 30 min of waking. Bare feet on grass or sand.
[bodyweight × 2g] per day (2g/kg). Protein first at every meal.
🥚
Eggs Daily
Whole eggs. Testosterone precursor and choline.
🦴
Bone Broth
1-2 cups daily or as cooking base. Gut lining repair.
🥕
Carrot Salad
3-4x per week with lunch. Binds excess oestrogen, improves digestion.
🍄
White Button Mushrooms
2-3x per week. Natural aromatase inhibitor.
🦪
Oysters
8-12 per week. Highest dietary zinc source.
Movement
🚶
Post-Meal Walk
10-15 min after lunch and dinner. Non-negotiable.
👟
Steps
7,500-10,000 per day minimum.
🧊
Testicular Icing
10-15 min, 1-3x per day. Fertility + sperm quality.
Evening & Sleep
📵
Screens Off
No phone, laptop or TV from 9pm. Blue light blockers if needed.
🌙
Lights Out 10pm
6:30am wake every day. T is built in deep sleep.
🦷
Mouth Tape
Nasal breathing all night. Activates parasympathetic + recovery.
Progress > Perfection
One missed supplement or one off-meal does not derail 12 weeks of work. What matters is the average across the week, not any single day. Book your retest panel for [12 WEEKS FROM START DATE] - every change made here will show in that panel.