Men's Health, Sexual Wellness & Vitality with Jim White RD of Bult
#30 Men's Health, Sexual Wellness & Vitality with Jim White RD of Bult
We finally did it...the men's health episode. And it's a good one.
Registered Dietitian and Exercise Physiologist, Jim White, joins Karl & Marguerite to talk about everything men's health, from the connection between sexual performance and cardiovascular health, to the dangers of supplement stacking, to what microplastics are actually doing to male reproductive health and fertility.
Episode Highlights:
sexual health is actually a systems issue if performance is off, your circulation is telling you something
why fixing your sleep, stress and food has to come before any wellness hack actually works
what to look for (and avoid) in men's supplements and why most testosterone products are overhyped
microplastics are showing up where they really shouldn't be, and a few small swaps go a long way
the choices men make in their 30s and 40s are literally building the body they'll live in at 70
This isn't the typical men's health conversation. Jim brings 25 years of clinical experience working with everyone from men struggling with obesity to ultra marathon runners and he's refreshingly honest about what works, what's overhyped and what most men are completely ignoring.
Chapters
[00:00] Introduction: Men's health is changing and why your 30s and 40s are your biggest window for impact
[01:13] Jim's origin story as a Registered Dietitian
[02:44] How Jim connected with Bult: why a single cohesive daily protocol made sense for men's health
[05:20] The real reason supplements matter now: nutrient-depleted food, pesticides and the gap whole food alone can't fill
[07:51] The sexual health conversation nobody's having
[10:09] Macro before micro: why fixing sleep, stress and nutrition has to come before any wellness "hack"
[14:56] What to avoid in men's supplements + how Bult's protocol is different: methylated B vitamins, chelated minerals, ashwagandha, beetroot, omega-3s
[19:29] Making wellness seamless for busy men: time management, meal prep, habit stacking and the David Beckham method
[21:08] Why sleep is the foundation of everything: alcohol, HRV and the late-night eating trap
[24:43] EMF, wearable tech & microplastics: honest cost-benefit analysis and what to actually change
[27:22] Signs women can look for in their partners + how to have the conversation without it going sideways
[33:31] Raising healthy kids: phones before 13, getting outside, how to talk about food without creating body image issues
[38:28] Bult, fertility and the systems approach: why the protocol supports the foundation even when that's not the label
[44:44] Microplastics in the body: what we know, avoidance tips (stainless steel bottles, no microwaving plastic)
[49:04] Rapid fire: biggest lie in men's health, most underrated habit (hydration), most overrated supplement (testosterone) and one thing every dad should do first
Mentions
Bult:bult.com
Study mentioned that links cell phones before the age of 13 to suicide:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2835481
Transcript
Jim White (00:00) men's health is changing. And especially for those that would say over 30 years old, where you really have impact on your health is your thirties and forties. And even into your early fifties and late fifties, you can do some major improvement in your health. So we don't have to deal with that stuff later in life. after age 40, we can lose up to 10 % of muscle mass per decade. And sarcopenia, which is muscle loss, is a disease. mean, it's affecting so many organs or body and bone loss. just 100 calories a day by saving that, we can lose up to 10 pounds in a year. make enough of these changes when it comes to sleep, exercise, de-stressing, watching the microplastics, technology, things like this. And we're giving ourselves the best chance to live not only a quality life, a quantity life, living as long as we Marguerite Buer (00:47) All right, so Jim, thank you for being with us. It's really exciting to talk about men's sexual wellness and men's health in general with you and have you introduce us to Bolt. I really appreciate the time. And so why don't we start with a little bit about yourself? I know you're ⁓ registered dietician, ⁓ exercise physiologist. tons of accolades, lots of achievements, awards, everything else. How did you end up in the men's sexual wellness space? Jim White (01:13) Well, man, that's a loaded question. you know, number one, I'm a man. I got the prerequisite. That's a starting point. But I think, you know, where I started focusing on men's health, I'd have to say it was almost boys' health. I was 16 years old. I was the skinny kid. And man, you're a skinny male in high school. It's not the best. I always got picked on. I don't know if you remember Charlie Atlas when he got, it was the, Marguerite Buer (01:16) Yeah Jim White (01:42) Cartoon where he got sand kicked in his face. That was me. I got pushed around as a basketball player, 135 pounds, 5'9". And my middle brother was actually a bodybuilder. And my older brother was a marathon runner and they were studs. They had so much energy and confidence and I wanted to be like them. So I started weight training. I started eating healthy and learning from them. know, reading the old muscle and fitness magazines. Marguerite Buer (01:45) Yeah. Jim White (02:09) And in two years I gained about 60 pounds. A lot of it was muscle. And I started competing in bodybuilding shows. I started running marathons and, and I wasn't doing much scholastically, but I saw, you can take this up in college. So I studied nutrition, Young South State University in Ohio, passed the RD exam and became an exercise physiologist in the American College of Sports Medicine. And I started. training a lot of men and and wow, we're here 25 years later and really specializing in men's health. Marguerite Buer (02:44) that's wonderful. Yeah, you took a path that I think a lot of us wish we had, right? Coming out of high school focused on exercise and building strength. No, that's absolutely great. So what was your reaction when Bolt approached you? Jim White (02:48) Yeah. Well, it's a natural fit. I think now being 47 as a registered dietician, I have 25 years in the field. It's a perfect fit. Bolt is obviously a single cohesive daily protocol and we can go into everything Bolt. But I feel like when I started counseling in my 20s, I was telling guys in their 40s and 50s, come on, no pain, no gain. And I really came to my own as I got older and as I got more seasoned. ⁓ I don't know how I was given advice back then to men that were aging or had kids or that were entrepreneurs. didn't know too much of that. But now being 47, I've been through suffered from herniated discs and injuries. I have two young girls at home, two dogs. I've been married for 15 years. We have real estate properties, 35 employees. And I've been through a lot when it comes to life. I feel that men have special interests, not work with women too, but men have definite special needs that are different for women and women have special needs that are definitely different from men. So I decided to stay within this lane and really focus on what I know. and Bull came in and it was just a perfect partnership. It's everything I preach every single day. I'll be honest with you, when I first started as a dietitian, I was anti-supplements. I was, you know, gotta get to some real food. And I still believe that. I still feel that, whole food first. There's no doubt about it. But, you know, let's face it, 75 % of men are not getting enough fruits and vegetables. And, as far as fiber, the average person takes it about 12.5. grams of fiber a day. We're overeating on salt by about thousand milligrams. We're definitely over consuming sugar and only 9 % of people are physically active enough to see health benefits. you know, I started realizing, you know, yes, food, absolutely. But in this day and age, we're how busy we are, and I'm a very disciplined person. It's hard for me to get all the nutrients. So I think that where supplementation comes in and a product like Bullet, it, It really fills in the cracks of the plate. remember, it's supplementation. It's supplementing. It's a tool in the toolbox. It's not everything. And I think that's something that a lot of people need to realize. Marguerite Buer (05:20) I do too. And another point too, when people ask about supplements is our food is lacking the nutrients too. There's pesticides sprayed all over everything. So at this point, I don't know if it's really possible for us to get all of our nutrients from food alone anymore until the situation gets under control with what's being sprayed on everything. Jim White (05:42) Absolutely, Marguerite, you're seeing that. I ⁓ think people are starting to notice more than ever. The whole food movement really started strong about a decade ago. You're seeing people care about what their food. I was the poster child in the 80s for the Mr. T cereal and all the sugar and the microwave meals and the Lunchables and all the stuff. And it's amazing now what we're learning about our foods and where it's coming from. But here's another a dietitian, I got to speak to everybody. I got to speak to the men that are struggling with morbid obesity and genetic issues to the men that are ultra fit doing ultra marathons. I got to work with men that are living paycheck to paycheck. And then men that have the means to buy all of the top line food, your organic, that are, the healthiest and the most nutrients. So it's a tough message for the, for the community. And I was a spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for nine years, speaking on the nation's health and men's health. And that was a challenge for me. So, I think, we need to, find a place for supplements. I think that they can fit, especially, even if the expenses food's getting so expensive these days. So sometimes the supplements can, help out at a cheaper cost than a lot of the foods that we're eating. Marguerite Buer (07:03) It's so crazy when you think about it. is definitely. Yeah. so in the industry now, what do you think is lacking the most, I guess I would say, besides the food and men in general, know, this discussion around sexual health is, it's kind of taboo for men, right? A little bit uncomfortable. So when you're out there talking to them, whether they're, struggling to get by or they're ultra rich, ultra fit or out of shape, what is the most common, I guess, complaint or worry there that the industry is missing as far as men go. Because you know, it's women's health, right? It's very much been brought to the top and everybody's talking about it that's super important, but we need to bring the men up with us. And I think it does start with sexual health and the overall maintenance and sort of control of the system, not the symptom, right? Jim White (07:51) Absolutely. mean, starting with sexual health, it's so funny that we two years ago, we had a conference call with all of our dietitians and we have half men, half women. And, I started going through our intake forms and everything was listed sleep, stress, nutrition, food, energy. There was no sexual health. So I started, I added it onto our sheets and it was amazing. The dietitians were like, the women dietitians were like, I don't feel comfortable talking about this with men. The men dietitians were like, I don't feel comfortable talking. but this for women and even men. So I started like really talk to them, listen, sexual health, it's a part of our overall health. It deals with circulation, some of it's genetics, some of it is what we eat. Some of it is our confidence, when it comes to erectile dysfunction and impotence and performing well and for longevity, and I feel that this is something we need to add. So they said, okay. I gave them talking points how to, talk about this and now it's something that each of our dietitians bring up and have these conversations and it's helped a lot of people. But what you brought up, I think there's a lot of issues in the industry. I think with men where they get caught up is in a lot of the hacks, especially men starting off or even if they're, know, understand those high level performers, you know, go into the cold plunge, a lot of benefits. Intermediate fast, take supplements, all that. That's great, but I got a big portion of men just starting off and they're like, okay, I wanna do this workout hack. When they're not getting enough exercise in or they're getting three hours of sleep in at night or they're eating poorly. So I think we need to focus on macro before we go into micro. So, why are you sleeping three hours a night? Let's address that. Let's do some sleep coaching. why is your stress so high? Can we work on some time management, maybe some yoga, meditation, or therapy? men are going to therapy more than ever these days. Or when comes to your nutrition, let's take baby steps. How can we improve your diet by 10 %? Then once we master that, let's go to the MISO level. Then we can start going into the minutiae and tightening things up and working on all those hacks. Marguerite Buer (10:09) No, I love that answer. It's perfect because the hacks they come and go, right? You won't see the benefit right away and you get stuck and you're not actually treating what is necessary to make you feel better as a person. I like that you mentioned that too, because you think of men's sexual performance as erectile dysfunction, that kind of thing, But that's all like a cardiovascular issue when you think about it. So it all boils down to how your systems are operating and how you are healthy as a person. Something I learned recently is that what you put in is really how your body is going to function. I went through a more of an elimination setup, they went through a very strict carnivore diet to try to reset and get back to normal. And that helped me in a lot of ways. And then it was time to start looking forward to supplementing, you know, myself and the food that I was eating and kind of growing back a healthier me. And that was extremely helpful. So I really appreciate what you guys are doing. I think the way that you're putting together the protocol is amazing. It makes it very easy for people to take and stay consistent and sort of build and bring that baseline. I'm curious too though, I'm 43, tired all the time, brain fog, know, all that good stuff that everybody else complains about. I've almost forgot what baseline feeling good is. Right. And I think a lot of people might have done that too. You just kind of accept what it is. You're stressed out all the time. So you're not going to feel good. What is what is the baseline like I feel good to you? Jim White (11:33) Well, that's great question. I think, me personally, I always feel that it's kind of unfair for me because I'm in the industry. I guess that's the one benefit for being an exercise physiologist, a dietitian. You know, I have, you know, we've had a brand for 25 years and two gyms. I almost can't let myself go. So it's an instant accountability. I realized that and genetics is a big part. I'm not one out here to say, Hey, you know, I think, like I said, when I, when I was early on, no pain, no gain, come on, this is all in your head and things like that. I realized that there's some genetic predisposition and life is tough, man. It, especially for a male, you know, we're, try to provide financially, especially as a business owner, you're always worried about your, you're worried about your kids. You're worried about your staff, things in the economy are changing. honestly, I have to eat healthy and exercise and take supplements like both because without it, I've done the quick energy fixes. I've done all the, you know, 500 milligrams of caffeine a day, and what it does is it rises me up and it spikes me down. I need energy throughout the day. So, a lot of people ask me, what's my daily routine? I run about 20 miles a week. I do about five days of strength training a week. my diet consists of, protein, obviously we know the protein is King. but it's not all that matters, focusing on other macronutrients, micronutrients are becoming very popular now. hydration is, is such a big thing. I think it's more than we think just a 2 % dehydration. can really expect athletic performance and headaches. Just think we can only live three days without water. So, in fact, I had a client the other day, I was like, how much water have you drank today? He was like eight ounces. And I'm like, what do you usually drink? He's like eight ounces a day. I'm like, my gosh, how are you even surviving? So, to come back full circle, these principles that I do, the basics, getting eight hours of sleep a night, meditating, doing yoga. I need it for my mental health. I need it to be able to, lead my 35 employees in a nonprofit and a successful family. Without it, I'm struggling. I go through seasons too. know, through the holidays, it's tough, I think a lot of people think that, you know, dietitians, exercise physiologists, got it all together. They eat perfectly all the time. Not true, not true. I suffered from some binge eating in the past body dysmorphia, going through the bodybuilding world of trying to have that perfect body, has definitely mental consequences. But I think it's taken years to get to a place where now it's more about mental health, it's more about feeling good, having energy. it's those... different things on a daily basis on a macro level, consistency consistently really makes an impact. Marguerite Buer (14:28) Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So then next question I have for you is, in the past in men's health, sexual health, most of the products out there, it's junk, right? It's like gas station products and other things, high caffeine, all those different pills you can take, the quick fix, right? I can't believe people take that. I know, I know. But, you know, I'm glad we're having this conversation, right? And it's coming to the forefront because it's more important. So really, really two questions. One is, what are some products or ingredients that Jim White (14:47) Okay Marguerite Buer (14:56) men should really look out for and try to avoid. And two, how is Bolt improving upon that with the stack? I don't know if you want to call it a stack or not, but the protocol that you've put together, how does that support all of what we've talked about on a daily basis for men and really rebuilding their systems? Jim White (15:15) Well, think, men's health is changing. And especially for those that would say over 30 years old, you know, used to be about, body building products, you get, a fed ride and, testosterone and all these things that, first of all, we don't have the supplements. We don't know what's actually in them. A lot of them aren't FDA approved, but a lot of them aren't certified. So they're almost taking pixie dust formula. And another thing is overlapping supplements and stimulants. I can't tell you how many of my clients come in, they're taking this whey protein that's loaded with nutrients and they're taking three protein bars a day with this supplements. I I've had a client recently that was the list, was 30 supplements and I found so many interactions and it could be dangerous. And it's very expensive when you start stacking all these. So the number one thing I look at is, what are you deficient in? I recommend everyone, go in and see their doctor, get your labs drawn, take care of your health. I have a lot of clients that don't go to the doctors. In fact, just recently, last year, I had a client come in and, I started training them and I was like, when's the last time you got physical? He was like 10 years. And I was like, whoa. And he said his brother had a heart attack at 45 and he was 52. So I said, listen, tomorrow, set up your doctor appointment, go get your calcium score, go get your cholesterol checked. He had a 98 % blocked carotid artery. He went into surgery and you know, to this day now he's thriving. His wife's like, my gosh, you saved his life. And I'm amazed by this. I recently had another client that went to get MRI screening and testing through a company called Pernuvo. And this is very popular now. This is like next level. Marguerite Buer (16:40) wow. Jim White (16:57) but he found a thyroid nodule that was suspicious, cancerous, got it removed. If he wouldn't have went this next step, he might have not checked this out. And it's not even about the older gentleman. I have a 30-year-old right now that has liver disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease from obesity. And he to get liver biopsies like at stage three. So this stuff develops in our 20s and 30s. So go get checked, take the supplements where you have deficiencies. have a vitamin D deficiency, have a magnesium deficiency, that's the first thing. Or even look at your diet, what are you missing? Obviously we know calcium and vitamin D3 are very important. If you are on a vegan diet or you're not eating, consuming any dairy, if you're not getting these nutrients, well then supplement them. The one thing I love about BOLT is it's a single cohesive daily protocol. and it has clinical relevant nutrients. They're the nutrients you need. This isn't stimulants or you're not gonna over stack. It's designed for men that are thriving. This isn't a supplement for a person that says, know what, I'm just gonna take this and I'm gonna feel better. This isn't an end all supplement. This is a, like I said, a supplement that is going to... be focused on men that are doing the right things. obviously we got a lot of life things are happening. Marie, you said about our food. A lot of our food is lacking in nutrients. Well, this is for that man. And it has a core formula. It's very absorbable. It has methylated B vitamins, chelated minerals, and it's nutrients linked to men's endocrine system. and cardiovascular system, also has a vitality supplement with ashwagandha, beetroot extract. It has a lot of botanicals that help support nitric oxide and circulation, has a great omega-3s such as EPA and DHEA that has sunflower lecithin that helps with the absorption. So it's all these things that focus on supporting those underlying systems for the foundation of men. I think that's important. It's something that, we definitely have to look into if our diet is lacking. Marguerite Buer (19:13) the wellness world is like very loud. So, and men are very simple. So what are some good ways that, of course, besides the supplement, but it just like a normal life, do you think is a great way for men to kind of just seamlessly make wellness a part of their everyday lives? Jim White (19:29) I really think that a lot of it is time management issues. Just 2 % of our day is a 30 minute workout. And I bet if most men took their day, 24 hours, obviously we sleep for eight hours. Let's say we work for eight hours. What are we doing for those other eight hours? So let's start analyzing there. I know we can chop off some time from scrolling on social media to and I know we need some time to just kind of relax and watch a Netflix show, things in there, but why not watch your favorite Netflix show on the elliptical and kill two birds with one stone? meal prepping is so important. Meal prepping, you could do it on Sunday and Wednesday, put some music on, do it in the kitchen, do it with a partner. And that saves so much time during the day. I was watching a David Beckham's documentary. He sets all his clothes out for seven days. Now that might seem a little neurotic, but that's something I do on a daily basis. Set my clothes up in the morning. I have my breakfast already ready. I have my nepresso already, the pod already in there. So when I wake up, I go to the restroom, get changed, clothes are ready, coffee's ready. So I have time to get out the door and get in a workout. And I think with, these are some hacks out there, but I think with some time management and really, where is my time going? because we got to realize that, health, it's one of the top things. If we don't have our health, we have nothing. So if we're not putting a priority on that, then something is, is, is kind of out of whack. ⁓ And then sleep. Sleep is, we're talking about sleep more than anything these days. Marguerite Buer (20:56) after. Jim White (21:08) We're realizing that poor sleep leads to poor eating. leads to potentially skipping your workouts. It leads to a lot of guys wake up, they need energy. So they go get their, caramel maccolati or any coffee drinks with their donuts to pick them up with sugar. Then they crash and then it's just a whirlwind. And then they're stressed at night, they drink alcohol, which can really affect our sleep. We know that with our HRV and our high heart rate. So I think it's one of those things prioritize, try to go to bed the same time every night, really focus on not eating three hours before bed. When we eat, it gives us energy. We don't want that right before bed. Don't exercise right before bed. Exercise increases adrenal hormones. It increases our heart rate. Again, gives us energy, not the things we want to do before bed. And try to, I understand I'm a realist, Maybe not eliminate alcohol if you have a hard time with doing that, but try to cut it in half or maybe do it on the weekend. I think some of these things, these little things make a big difference. If we just save 100, yeah, absolutely, just 100 calories a day by saving that, we can lose up to 10 pounds in a year. So it doesn't have to be a huge overhaul. It's these micro changes that can really last. Marguerite Buer (22:10) Make her habit. I totally agree with that. And one thing you mentioned too, is not eating before sleep, like three hours before you go to sleep. That one used to be so hard for me because I'm so busy throughout the day and then I'd want to eat before bed. But something that now literally stops me in my tracks when I think about eating is how when you go to sleep, your body should be focusing on repairing restoring, instead of digesting. So that kind of stops me because I'm like, wait, no, I do not want to be digesting instead of repairing. Jim White (22:53) Absolutely. you know, going horizontal, it's obviously bad for reflux. And I don't know if any listeners have things like RingCon or the Oura Ring or the Whoop or technology now, it's shoving it in our face. If we drink alcohol, you know, I have a few beers, my sleep score is plummeting. And it's amazing because it doesn't even, you're not even plugging in, hey, I'm drinking beers. It knows. And I can't tell you how many times I've woke up in the middle of the night with anxiety or a heavy heart rate from that alcohol. I'm one that'll have a ⁓ beer here and there, but I'll be honest with you. The reason why I don't drink much anymore is it's not about the calories. It's about, don't like that feeling and I don't like the next day, it makes me very unproductive. So those are some things that now I second guess it at maybe a party or. at different things. Or I'm making sure I am drinking one glass of water with every alcoholic drink I have to at least stay hydrated. Marguerite Buer (23:53) No, that's really awesome. You just said that because we've been having that conversation recently, actually, is that we noticed if you pay enough attention, even just a couple drinks the night before that next day, we feel depressed. So depressed. Right. And you don't realize it. You don't realize unless you actually think about it. You're like, OK, I don't feel right. I am depressed today because I had a little bit of alcohol. And when you don't drink often, sometimes it can hit you harder and even last two days because your body's got used to it. Exactly. No, you. Yeah. Jim White (24:19) Yeah. Marguerite Buer (24:23) This thing's weird. Jim White (24:24) Yeah, it goes back to what Carl said about that baseline. I always say, I gotta lie to these clients, do a dry January or whatever, and then next thing you start drinking, I go, it's like a poison. You've cleansed your body out. ⁓ Now that baseline's a little different, so you're gonna feel it a little bit more. Marguerite Buer (24:43) Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Yeah, I'm not a fan of that anymore. I don't know how I did it so much in my 20s. I still do it just like very few and far between. I got a question too about, some of the trackers that you can wear and your cell phone, monitoring your body. How do you feel about that as far as the radiation from the cell phone or from the technology and how that might have implications on your system and your stress levels and that kind of thing? Jim White (24:49) Yeah. Yeah, it's a tough conversation to have because we're seeing a lot of things and we're doing a lot of things that we did years ago, like the microplastics. Now we're seeing this is something that's coming out now that could be harmful to our health. we talk a lot about, we know that sugar is poison. We know that smoking, we know alcohol. Now they're saying no amount of alcohol is good. those things are changing. When it comes to environmental factors, these things are coming out more and more. And I've never been a scarcity dietitian. I realized that we live in an environment. I think we try to control as much as we can. With technology, it's a tough one because it's like, what's the cost benefit analysis? Technology, I have a client, for instance, that has lost 100 pounds through technology. He's an IT wizard, but he uses his whoop. He uses his order range, he analyzes his stats, he gets into his zone one, zone two, zone three. He's using, mil logging apps such as MyFitnessPal or MyNedDiary to be able to make sure he's staying in control. So for someone like him, I think the pros outweigh the cons. But, I think it's one of those things, first of we got to start off with phones, I think, keeping them away from... us as much as possible. think not only on any radiation level, but mental health. I mean, we're reading that left and right, know, scrolling, doom scrolling, things like that. So, I think there's a place for technology. There's definitely a place for AI. I think AI is changing the game. You know, sometimes we were, it's going to put us out of business, I think if there, again, just like supplementation, just like some of these sleeping hacks and stress hacks, technology is a tool in the toolbox. not for everybody, but it's something in, I think fair small doses can definitely help us out. Marguerite Buer (26:59) Yeah, balance. Yep, exactly. It's from a woman's point of view. What do you think are some signs that wives or girlfriends or partners, whoever can look out for their partners, maybe to tell if there's a circulation issue or something like that that men may not know about? Because women are usually driving the health in the household. That's why I say that. It's definitely true here. Jim White (27:22) Yeah. Yes, absolutely. It's so true. And I'll be honest with you, the family history is really big when it comes to circulation, even heart health. One out of 36 seconds, someone has a heart attack. So it's becoming so much more prevalent for men, but even women. people are getting things like diabetes. mean, the top three diseases in the United States is heart disease, cancer, and stroke. and they're all nutrition related. So I think if you start to see your man is gaining weight, he's going from the overweight to obese category, most likely he has some circulation issues. But I think a few things, just get your labs done. Check your cholesterol, check your inflammation, your arteries, get rid of a lot of the common culprits. When it comes to inflammation, we know alcohol, we know smoking, we know sugar, a lot of our... processed how is he sleeping? the sexual performance? Sexual performance could be a lot of things. It could be mental, it can be physical, but if he's having a problem with that, it's usually interlocked with our behaviors. So I think going back to that macro level and men need to work out their heart. Everyone focuses on strength training and I am a huge proponent of strength training. If we look at the research after age 40, we can lose up to 10 % of muscle mass per decade. And sarcopenia, which is muscle loss, is a disease. mean, it's affecting so many organs or body and bone loss. So I think we need to be doing at least two days of strength training a week. for 30 minutes at least full body workouts to make sure we're maintained. Three days would be great. But a lot of people neglect cardiovascular. There was this big trend, especially with bodybuilders, you don't need to do cardio. You're just wasting your time. that might be true on a calorie level. I see a lot of people doing a ton of cardio, then they're so hungry. They're just almost eating way more nutrients. But the reason why I promote cardiovascular, and I know you can work your heart with strength too, but to get that aerobic, conditioning to get that the blood flowing and just to get your body moving. at the basic level, because most men out there are sedentary. They're sitting all day sitting is pretty much the new smoking and we need to be active. We need to be moving. so women can look out for kind of those symptoms and and listen, that conversation is tough. men, it's it's really hard to have with a woman, but women too, men get very offensive and they get, know, it's gotta be doing it together or encouraging to do this together, whether it's a family or if it's a couple, because then now you're building a relationship and it's less about, hey, you're not good enough or, you what's wrong with you? Marguerite Buer (30:11) Absolutely. I was going to ask you that too. that was my follow up is how would you handle that without overstepping? So I love that you said that. That's a great, great advice. Yeah. We've always been guys. We've been programmed in that regard, right? That's the way we think. And it's just being that tough guy attitude. But do you see like, say you work with so many people, is there, are we in the, on the cusp of like a generational shift here? where men are gonna prioritize their health ahead and open up these conversations. It seems like it's happening now, but in your conversations, are you seeing men more willing to discuss this and be honest about it and really work to be healthier? Jim White (30:49) Yes, absolutely. will definitely in your Generation Z and Millennials, you're seeing that group. My gosh, I've never seen a movement of no alcohol than that younger population or taking care of their health and fitness. Obviously, there's the gamers and there's, a lot of individuals that young that, aren't doing a lot. But you're starting to see that more and they're focusing on their mental health. And with that, they're more open up. Now the Gen X, which is my generation, and which I think it's your generation too, and the Baby Boomers. I think what's happening with that group, yes, research shows that they're focusing on their heart, they're focusing on their GI health, maybe a little less on the vanity side. That's always a number one motivator, but they're starting to realize, I work my whole life, I'm getting ready to retire and I'm not feeling well. I have an example of a seven-year-old that comes in to our gym and he is one of the most successful guys that I know. He's had, I can't tell you how many surgeries, at least over 10. He walks in with a cane and I started thinking about it. It's really amazing that a lot of men and women work their whole life. And then they get into their golden years. This is the years where we're supposed to kick back and we're not working and relax. And they are, you know, stricken with surgeries and health concerns. And it's like, they're feeling so bad. I recently saw a doctor say that, you know, sometimes it's, I don't think it's too late, but where you really have impact on your health is your thirties and forties. And even into your early fifties and late fifties, you can do some major improvement in your health. So we don't have to deal with that stuff later in life. But when it comes to that time, you've got a small room to be able to function. If you have all these injuries, you're not going to be able to run or lift weights like you used to. If you have cardiovascular conditions, you can't go with those vigorous to moderate intensity levels. You've got to stay low intensity. I think that through all the generations I'm seeing improvement over my last 25 years, health is becoming very, very popular. I think technology and AI is definitely going to help. GLP ones is taking over the industry. I've never said there was a magic pill until that has came out, But, obviously we don't know long-term side effects. What happens when you go off? It's expensive, that's always a concern. I've had a lot of clients that have seen great success as soon as they got they gain all the weight back in their after they come back with vengeance. So there has to be a plan with that. Again, I think all these small things are tools in the toolbox, but we gotta get those big things underway before we do any of those. Marguerite Buer (33:31) Right, right. You got to have that foundation. You got to be healthy with your food, your exercise, sleep and stress before any of that will actually have any good impact for you. And that's how you create the longevity with it. Right. It's just like kind of like back to the basics like you always say. Which speaking of prevention, let's go way, way early into prevention for the parents who have sons in this case. what do you think are some ways that parents can support sons health and even fertility starting as a kid and the kind of habits that we can encourage our sons to get into. Jim White (34:03) Yeah, this is a challenging thing for many parents. And I think it's definitely challenging for parents with boys and even more challenging with parents with girls. When it comes down to the amount of eating disorders that are popping up in our younger generation. I think the biggest thing is we got to keep our kids moving. And I guess, talk so much about how technology can improve, but for that younger generation technology is actually hurting them. They're gaming, they're on their phone, they're scrolling, not only sitting there, which is bad for their physical health, but their mental health. I just saw a study that kids that get a cell phone before age 13 have increased risk of suicide. So we're seeing some negative things with that. obviously postponing any social media and phones as long as we can. Marguerite Buer (34:31) Definitely. Jim White (34:55) would be key, but getting them out. You again, in my generation, we played outside, you always hear the phrase, until the lights came on, or the lights went off at night, And that was big, we're moving around, we're jumping, we're exercising. And honestly, we were burning so many calories, and even if the food wasn't great. But I think now is a time where, getting them moving, number one. Marguerite Buer (35:02) Yep. That was us. Jim White (35:18) And then, Marguerite, like you said about the food, I mean, geez, the kids, what they're eating these days, with all the crackers and the chips and the, the sodium, you could see obesity rising and that's what's happening. You know, the type two diabetes, which is adult onset is now increasing so much in the younger population. So, I think we need to, the one good thing about these days is they are improving. quality foods. Now you can buy baked chips and you can buy dehydrated strawberries and fruits. Maybe they'll enjoy that better. There's a lot of great recipes out there. A lot of kids like ranch dressing. Well, maybe you can make a yogurt ranch dressing. You can make homemade dressings. mean, there's so many new recipes. There's so many new products on the market where kids can try and And introducing new foods. think, a lot of kids are brought up on the chicken nuggets, the macaroni cheese. And, I get it. We do that, at times with our kids, it's hard running a family and having all the perfect foods all the time. But also, experiment with trying, different cuisines, ethnic cuisines. if they don't try it and eat like, most parents eat, we're setting them up for failure later in life. So I think, experimenting with them. getting them moving. The hard part is, is, one thing we don't do with our kids, we got rid of the scales. we do not want our daughters jumping on the scales. we don't want anything focused on that. And also we don't talk about weight at all. We don't talk about, we don't use words like fat. don't, we don't use those words because we know what that can do to their mental health. So we'll use words like, if you eat sugar, just watch your stomach could hurt from that. And they experienced that. Marguerite Buer (36:40) Yeah. Yeah. Jim White (36:57) they'll feel that. know, these foods are best to give you, muscles and to increase your energy, So we use those positive words and try to keep on, positioning that so, they don't run into body dysmorphia issues or eating disorders or anything like that. Marguerite Buer (37:15) Okay, hey, we're doing pretty good. Give ourselves a high five over here. I mean, it helps us to because we're trying to support them and we're supporting ourselves at the same time. And for I know for us, we take every opportunity to make our kids go outside and we'll go with them. I picked up skateboarding again, I'm not a skateboarder by any means, but it's fun to go down the street while they're riding their bikes and get them outside. And then you know, with the food and everything, try new things, explain to them why. Jim White (37:17) Good job, good job. Marguerite Buer (37:44) And like when they do eat something and their stomach hurts, don't try to fix it right away, but explain to them, like you said, this could be because you ate that cupcake, you know? So they start having that real, like almost adult level understanding of what they're putting in their body and how it affects them. And I don't think it's ever too early to do that with a kid. I agree. Yeah. For sure. And so with the sexual wellness, with BALT and fertility specifically, the protocol is not designed to support fertility, but it's such a huge topic right now because everybody in the thirties and forties are having trouble, For a lot of different reasons, but it does seem like the protocol is built to support the systems to support fertility as well, Okay. Jim White (38:28) Exactly, exactly. And the one thing I do like about it, it's not an AM or PM. There's three capsules in a sachet packet. And I think the biggest thing is like where people go wrong is they don't take their supplements. I see this happen so many times with a lot of my guys that they're just like, they'll buy creatine and they'll buy different supplements morning and night, and they just forget about it. So I do love that aspect. I do love Marguerite Buer (38:44) Mm-hmm. Jim White (38:55) the clinical ⁓ relevant dosing and how it supports these systems. We're not promising that, hey, we're going to skyrocket your energy with a stimulants or, it's going to have a bunch of testosterone that, it's going to do everything. this is working what they already have. It's for men that are serious about their health. This isn't for men that are saying, you know what, I'm not going to exercise. I'm eat that great, I'm just gonna take this and it's not for that. This is for men that are already working hard that they want to get to the next level, they want to support their system, they want but they're going to get checked every year, they're going to put health at least one of the top priorities in their life. Marguerite Buer (39:39) No, that's great. I think one hack that I have is, you know, if I was going to take it every day and it's in a pouch, I sit at my desk every day for work. So I put the box on my desk and then you see it all day long and there's not a chance that you're not going to have five minutes, one minute, whatever it is to just grab it, take it and get it done. Yeah. Jim White (39:58) Absolutely, yeah. And I think that goes with what we were talking about. It's having things planned, prepared. I can't even tell you how many times, and this has happened to me, if I don't bring my lunches and snacks with me, there's times where I'm rushing, I'm starving. I'm more likely to go out and grab something at a restaurant that might not be the best for me. So I think it's really planning and making sure that food is there. Another trick I do is I put my food into the charting systems the day before. I don't have time to do a lot of thinking throughout the day on this type of stuff. So I'll put in what am I going eat for breakfast tomorrow? What am I going to eat for my snacks, lunch? And then I'll talk to my wife. We'll plan our dinners for the week. And I already have that already. So all I have to do is eat. And then if I have something extra, it's easier to add in. by charting, there's a 30 % increase in adherence. by some of those things, it can really make a big impact on our health. Marguerite Buer (40:53) Yeah, and you know, the forgotten part of that too, it declare putting your clothes out every day, you know, getting your coffee ready, knowing what food you're going to eat, you're taking that decision out of your daily routine, a little bit of stress, right? You don't have to think about it. You can think about other things, think about taking better care of yourself, whatever it may be. But you take that decision out and make things a little bit easier to Jim White (41:13) Absolutely. Marguerite Buer (41:13) I do have two questions that are unrelated, since you're a dietitian, was curious about what your thoughts are on salt. Jim White (41:19) I think that everything has a purpose and there's some things that are good and there's some things that are bad. take salt. Obviously we need salt. It's a mineral in our body. the average American's taken in 3,500 milligrams a day and we need roughly around 2,400 milligrams for your average person. I think it goes on the levels of, staying under that recommendation, especially if you have high blood pressure or, you have family history. but then I worked with a lot of athletes and they're not taking any electrolytes. they're drinking a ton of water. in fact, I just had a friend did a half marathon and it was in, um, complete heat and she's drinking gallon of water a day. Well, there's a thing called hypernatremia. and it's knocking enough salt, knocking up potassium, all your electrolytes and being over saturated water. And she had acute renal failure on the eighth mile. And now she's okay, she didn't have enough salt. So someone like her, it was very important, but then you have other people that are overdoing it. So I think the case is for your average person, we need to watch that and salts and everything, even your healthy foods, such as your cottage cheese, your protein supplements. It's okay to have some of these, you got to look at your salt throughout your whole day. And that's where a charting system can work. But I do believe in electrolytes, especially as we're sweating athletes running, and especially as the summer's coming up, where we can really focus on that as we're leaching it out of our body. Marguerite Buer (42:47) Totally. And all salts not the same too. there's a big difference between a Morton's table salt that is probably bleached than, say like a Redmond's mineral salt or something too. Jim White (42:58) Absolutely, and I think that goes with sugar on that side too. We have our white processed sugar and then we have our cane sugar. I mean, a lot of it affects the body the same, but we're getting a more cleaner version. So I think those are those next levels. People always ask me, should I do sugar sweeteners? I think it's one of these things that I look for habits. If you're drinking three diet sodas a day for 20 years, you're gonna be in some trouble. you're drinking three sodas a day for 20 years, you're gonna be in some trouble. But if you have one here and there, I think like you said, it's about balance. We're not perfect. We like to have our wine here and there. A lot of people, we like to maybe have a Coke here and there. I think we gotta look at the big picture. If we're doing most of the things right, we can have something here or there. Because what I've seen, I've coached bodybuilders for years. they get so on the micro level eating all the healthy foods. And after their 12 weeks and after the show, they're eating the worst foods and it really affects their mental health. So, I've seen that all in and all out and that's not a good product either. I think having a little bit of salt, doing the cleaner salts, obviously, having a little bit of sugar, doing the cleaner sugars, obviously, and enjoying life and food. Marguerite Buer (44:18) Right, right. Do you ever recommend pickle juice? Jim White (44:22) Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. love pickles. I probably eat two a day. ⁓ I think it's one of those things again, for those athletes, we train a lot of ultra marathoners, a lot of triathletes, I think for that population for sure, for the general population, unless you want to enjoy a pickle or things like that, I wouldn't recommend it. getting plenty of salt. Marguerite Buer (44:44) Do you know of any specific foods that would help reduce, of exterminate microplastics out of the body? Sorry, I know that's kind of like a random question, but I just know that has a lot to do with everything with men's sexual health and fertility too. know microplastics are being found in testicles and everywhere really, but in this subject specifically. Jim White (44:56) No. Yeah, yeah, the problem with microplastics are they have a hard time getting out of the system. I'm not quite sure. I know there's some chelated charcoal and different things that may help, but as far as food, that's something that I'm not quite sure on that's what's successful. And I'd have to look into the research on Marguerite Buer (45:29) would you have any tips on avoiding them? Jim White (45:32) Wow, that's a tough one. I think definitely microwaving. I probably wouldn't even recommend microwaving any plastics. The problem with our water bottles are, we don't know where they've been. Some of them could have been sitting on a pallet in 90 degree, 100 degree sun, baking. Marguerite Buer (45:31) Yeah. Jim White (45:50) And then that's what can cause, that heat can cause some of that leaking in. I definitely recommend getting a Yeti or some stainless steel container for drinking water. I think that would cut it out. I mean, I know we've been drinking bottled water for years. With the information we have, we've got to pivot. again, I think it's one of these things, if we're heating up our plastics every single day, We're drinking bottled water every single day. It could be some people can still live to 103. But it might be that one person that has some genes where, maybe not. I think we just need to keep an eye on it. We need to make the changes that we could do economically and what we can do with our lifestyle. And we make enough of these changes when it comes to sleep, exercise, de-stressing, watching the microplastics, technology, things like this. And we're giving ourselves the best chance to live not only a quality life, a quantity life, living as long as we can. Marguerite Buer (46:52) Right. Yeah. Those are some good tips too. I would add also a organic cotton boxers or underwear too for men. Yeah. No polyester. No polyester near the important stuff. Jim White (47:06) Yes, I'm telling you, there's so much out there. And I think these podcasts, especially the one you have, are great. I think men need to educate themselves and women. think what we don't know is going to hurt us. And the nutrition field, it's a science. I've been a registered dietician for 25 years, and it's unbelievable what new stuff are coming up. I've got to keep on it all the time. these podcasts are great that you're offering. where people can listen, they can get motivated, they can really make these changes. Marguerite Buer (47:37) Thank you, we're trying to, it's hard when there is so much out there all the time because that leads to overwhelm, that can lead to feeling defeated, I think, it's like so much more important to be aware. So we're just trying to kind of put the information out there and then take what you like and leave what you don't, because we don't want anyone to feel overwhelmed. Yeah, that's a point. Because there is so much information out there. Like what do you trust? What is correct? Do you have any good resources just for like the everyday guy out there? If they have a question they're thinking about something they see, you should have this much salt or you should have this much salt. Like where do you go to actually find the leading cutting edge science research and everything else to make the right decision? Jim White (48:22) When it comes to the nation's health nutrition science level, eatright.org is one, I think that I'd recommend finding an exercise physiologist, find a registered dietitian. Now nutrition is covered by insurance. So it could be no co-pays on limited visits, no out of pocket costs. And this, you're right, this is not easy. You know, I think everyone should have an accountability partner of some sort. to guide them, to give them the right information. And I think that's something that can really make an impact. So, finding a retro dietician, getting a health coach or exercise physiologist to help you on your exercise goal, to educate you, to motivate you and to keep you accountable. Marguerite Buer (49:04) That's great. We'll have to share that link too. Yes. Definitely. Okay. Let's do a little bit of a rapid fire. No, are you ready? There's this five of them. Okay. biggest lie in men's health. Jim White (49:13) Yes, let's do it. Let's do it. my gosh. I think that, you hear a lot of men say, as I get older, my gosh, I'm older. This is what happens. how I, Mandela was just on, Kelly and, Mark and they said, you look good for your 70 and he got, he got upset. I think that we can, we can live vigorously into our seventies if we take care of our health and we, do all the right things, we could still have that energy. We can still have that. Marguerite Buer (49:43) I love that answer. Me too. Absolutely. Most underrated habit. Jim White (49:49) man, I think I gotta say hydration. I think we're not drinking enough water and I think it's really having an impact on every single cell of our body. So 64 ounces basic. If we sweat every pound we lose on the scale, we wanna drink 16 ounces of water, drink about 16 ounces before and after a hard workout and that will keep you at least well hydrated. Marguerite Buer (50:13) Most overrated supplement. Jim White (50:17) Man, think testosterone. First of all, a lot of guys are taking these testosterone supplements and their testosterone is actually pretty normal or high, especially the younger population. I think this is something you need to get checked and we got to keep baseline levels and, you know, if there is a place to supplement with it, absolutely. But I think it's overused and overrated, especially in the supplement form. and not monitored by a physician. Marguerite Buer (50:45) before you guess. absolutely. One thing every dad should do for his health. Jim White (50:46) That's right. I think honestly it's getting up in the morning and working out first thing. we go through our day and we get blasted with everything. Kids running, to practice, obviously needs with our spouses and work and we just lose track. So if we get it first thing in the morning, I always call it, it's eating the frog. It's doing the hardest thing first. It makes your confidence goes up. It gives you energy throughout your day. and it sets you up for eating healthy choices when you exercise. So that would be the first one. Marguerite Buer (51:19) And that that could be one of the toughest ones too. Like we said earlier, you know, you gotta have a little downtime at night. Maybe you want to watch your Netflix shows, but why not do it on the elliptical or while you're lifting dumbbells. I've intended to do that for years now, but by the end of the night, I just want to sit for a minute, just decompress before I try to go to bed and get some sleep and then wake up and get right back into it. So something is tough, but it's definitely a very important need to be prioritizing that effort. Jim White (51:22) again. Yeah, and I always recommend habit stacking. know, if you love a cup of coffee, make that your reward after that morning workout. Marguerite Buer (51:48) focusing on sleep and getting up. That's a great way to look at it. Yeah. With some food in your system first. Yes. And the last one is one thing that has improved your life the most. Jim White (52:06) Kids. You know, I think, ⁓ I feel that it, when you always see how a diamond's made and how it gets purified, I feel like with kids, you know, they test you, you're selfless, you sacrifice, you'll do anything for them, and it makes you a better person, it makes you a better... Marguerite Buer (52:08) I second that. Jim White (52:29) father or mother and the love that they give. think it keeps us young. Marguerite Buer (52:34) I think so too. And I think always knowing that you're, setting an example, they're always watching you totally makes you want to be a better person. Yes, absolutely. So good for you. Yeah. If you're paying enough attention. Is there anything else that you want to add for a bolt or for men's health in general? Jim White (52:44) Absolutely. Yes, official supplements are coming out this summer. If you want information, go to Bull official underscore. If you want to hear about what we're doing at Jim White Fitness, jimwhitefit.com to find out the latest nutrition and exercise. And, if you're interested in nutrition counseling and, I think that again, you know, a Bull supplements are great, a great package for men trying to get to that next level. on the vitality sense, the improving cardiovascular and our vascular systems, hormonal balance, and its foundation for sleep, and really setting the stage for optimal health. Marguerite Buer (53:30) No, it's great. Definitely for all the listeners, check out your website. There's a lot of great information out there. I looked you up on YouTube, lots of different videos on a variety of subjects that help with everyday life. So we'll definitely check that out. And the Bolt website is beautiful. It's a great branding. I love it. And it gives you a lot of good information and looking forward to it after the first manufacturing run here. Yeah. What are your Jim White (53:51) Great, thanks for having me guys. Marguerite Buer (53:52) what are your Instagrams for bolt and for you? Jim White (53:55) Jim White fit and both official underscored. Marguerite Buer (53:59) Perfect. Awesome. Hey, Jim, we really appreciate it. This is a really good conversation. I love it. I think you're doing great stuff and we'll just keep pushing out information and getting men's health to the top of the talking list for everybody. But you know, just being able to feel comfortable and have these conversations is step one and you know, hopefully good things to come for all of us. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. Really appreciate it. you so much. Jim White (54:18) Great, thanks for the platform guys.
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Jim White is a registered dietitian and ACSM-certified exercise physiologist known for translating nutrition science into practical guidance. Jim can speak to supplement overload, ingredient quality, daily adherence, and how men can think more holistically about sexual wellness as part of overall health, energy, and performance.
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