Well, gents. It’s time. The down jackets are locked up in storage and you’re shaking the dust off of the ol’ swim trunks. You may be wondering if those same trunks that you’ve had for the past five years will fit once again this year. Today, I’m going to give you a guide to not only set your mind at ease for swimsuit season. If you commit to these guidelines, this could be the best summer yet! (Sorry ladies, this one is geared towards men but give this to a man in your life!)

Being tan and fit should not simply be a goal for aesthetics. Having a golden complexion and ripped frame affects not only the outside, but the inside as well. When it comes to men’s health and living in congruence with the summer, you’ll see testosterone and DHT skyrocket. You’ll see men become more insulin sensitive. You’ll see athletic performance improve. You’ll see mental health, stamina, and stress resilience drastically improve. You’ll see confident and less frantic men. It’s more than what you see in the mirror. To live separate from nature in this season is to see each of these changes flipped on their head.

So, here is a guide to not only be “summer ready” but to also enjoy the health changes of Summer:

1. Get a lot of Sun — If you work outside, this should be easy to attain, however the majority of men are working inside. This is creating a hormonal epidemic of men with low testosterone, low dopamine, and failing health. Take frequent breaks outside, eat lunch outside (this even improves blood sugar regulation), and take meetings outside as much as you can allow.

2. Zinc, Magnesium, and Taurine are your friends — Zinc and magnesium have big impacts on summer physiology and metabolism. The best natural sources for zinc are oysters, beef, chicken, and eggs. Avoid taking zinc with a calcium supplement as they compete for absorption. If you supplement with zinc, I will use zinc picolinate or zinc bisglycinate. For magnesium, you can get a magnesium chloride spray or a magnesium glycinate supplement orally. If you use the spray, you can put it directly on your neck and abdomen in the morning and evening. Taurine is a multi-use protein that is an excellent resource for men’s health. This protein is solely found in meat and is a great antioxidant.

3. Go lift some weights — Don’t worry, you don’t need to train like you are becoming the next terminator. Find 2-3x per week, preferably with a rest day between. Train multiple regions at high intensity (where you will break a sweat). Even a 30 min workout is enough to change your physiology. If you are having trouble finding lifts while working through an injury or this is your first time working out with weights, talk to one of the doctors and we will make sure that you are more than ready.

4. Real sugar over Lab sugar — High fructose corn syrup is found in a lot of summer snacks and beverages. This chemical is enzymatically created to make the animals and people that consume it put on more weight (and it’s not muscle weight). Eat fruit and honey liberally during the summer. UV light helps your body to metabolize sugar, so eat it during the daytime.

Now that you have what you need to make it an awesome Summer, put these into action. Don’t waste time as summer is approaching with each moment. Now’s your time to shine!

To a Bright Summer!

Dr. Nate