The PAUSE Live Long! Live Well! “Doc, why do I suddenly feel more disconnected and irritable since hitting middle age? I swear I used to be more patient… and cuddly!” THE CUDDLE HORMONE A few weeks ago, Vicky and I tucked away into a tiny coffee shop in Rome, one of those spots that define old school, where the cups are mismatched, the chairs wobbly, and everyone seems to know each other. At the table beside us sat an older Italian couple, no, not older than me, who couldn’t keep their hands...
1 day ago • 5 min read
The PAUSE A Hormone, Weight, Health, and Mind Optimization Newsletter Make sure to refer your friends and family to this newsletter LEPTIN RESISTANCE THE "I'M FULL" HORMONE "Doc, since I've been on your program, I eat a lot less, but I feel full after only a small meal. Why is that?" Let me explain this with a story about my mailman, who I'm convinced doesn't like me. I never get anything useful in the mail anymore, just junk. And because I travel constantly, my mailbox fills up fast. It gets...
14 days ago • 4 min read
The PAUSE A Hormone, Weight, Health, and Mind Optimization Newsletter "Doc, I've read most of your newsletters and you write that menopausal women can only lose weight efficiently by playing the Insulin Glucagon Seesaw Game. I've heard of insulin, but glucagon, what's that? You better learn everything you can about insulin's twin hormone, glucagon, because it holds the keys to you achieving your ideal body. Need to Know Glucagon unlocks stored energy from your fat cells. It’s only activated...
21 days ago • 4 min read
Doc Mac Aging Well Hack Lessons from a life well-climbed Visualizing Success & Rewiring the Brain "The Mental Gym Few Use Enough" If you’ve ever heard someone say, “See it before you achieve it,” they weren’t just being poetic. They were quoting neuroscience. Visualization and mental rehearsal of success aren’t wishful thinking. It’s cognitive strength training. And when practiced correctly, it literally rewires your brain for performance, consistency, and confidence. Let’s dive into how and...
21 days ago • 5 min read
The Summit Lessons from a life well-climbed Hello, I’m Doc Mac — an optimizer of life, and a traveler who’s learned that the mountain never truly ends. At seventy, I still climb, not to conquer, but to see more clearly. I’ve discovered that youth isn’t something you lose; it’s something you stop practicing. So if you’re fifty and searching for what’s next, come sit for a bit. The view’s different up here — and I’ve got stories to tell. I’ve spent the past forty-five years helping people...
27 days ago • 6 min read
The PAUSE A Hormone, Weight, Health, and Mind Optimization Newsletter Fix Your Gut - Fix Your Hormones "Doc, I hear often how the gut is associated with our hormones, therefore our weight. How is that so?" More than you can ever imagine. Your Gut and Hormones You’ve probably heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” But here’s the truth I’ve seen play out in tens of thousands of patients over my 45 years in practice: "You are about as happy as your gut is." Your gut isn’t just a digestion...
27 days ago • 3 min read
THE HOPE PROTOCOL Hormone, Weight, Health, and Mind Optimization Be On Purpose "Let's all dance at our grandchildren's weddings." Purpose Vs. Willpower If you’ve ever tried to muscle your way through a diet, a new fitness plan, or even a Monday morning, you already know: willpower is a slippery thing. It starts strong — full of promise — and then fades faster than a cheap spray tan. Most people assume success is about having more discipline. But here’s the truth that changes everything: "It’s...
27 days ago • 4 min read
THE HOPE PROTOCOL Hormone, Weight, Health, and Mind Optimization Winners Stay the Course "Anyone can start strong. The real power is in finishing stronger." Let’s start with a truth bomb: motivation is like your favorite song—it pumps you up for three minutes and forty-two seconds, then it fades out. Commitment? That’s the quiet rhythm that plays on repeat, long after the song ends. When it comes to your health, your hormones, your body composition, and your longevity—it’s not motivation that...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
The PAUSE A Hormone, Weight, Health, and Mind Optimization Newsletter DHEA "Doc, I was listening to a podcast, and the doctor on there was talking about DHEA. She said that it was a hormone that menopausal women should investigate. Should we?" Menopausal women may benefit from DHEA if levels are low, but it should only be used under medical supervision since dosage, form, and individual response vary widely. As you know from my newsletter, I prefer to optimize hormones naturally first and...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read