via MDVIP
Editor’s Note: This post is sponsored by MDVIP, but the mid-life crisis and health anxiety are 100% Brandon’s own.
If you caught my last update back in January, you know I’ve been unpacking the heavy existential baggage of turning 40. We talked about time speeding up, the wild 15-year ride of building BroBible across New York City and Los Angeles, and the glaring realization that we millennial men aren’t invincible anymore. I remember being a kid and thinking my dad hitting 40 meant he was ancient. While he rightfully opted out of the cheesy “Over the Hill” gag gifts and party (not his style), there’s no denying it’s a massive milestone for a reason.
With a wedding on the horizon this year, I realized it was time to stop playing defense with my health and start going on the offense. MDVIP is perfect for this because it shifts the entire focus from reactive sick-care to proactive, personalized wellness.
I’d like to think I live a pretty healthy and happy lifestyle, but the reality is I’m glued to a laptop for at least eight hours a day, often more. And sitting, as my dad once joked to me, “is the new smoking.” It’s time for me to put all those daily habits and lifestyle factors under the microscope. We aggressively optimize our stock portfolios, our careers, our closets, and our weekend itineraries. Why are we just crossing our fingers and hoping for the best when it comes to the vessel actually carrying us through all of this?
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In the family group chat and around the house with my fiancée, I’ve unironically started calling my new MDVIP-affiliated physician, Dr. Sam Setareh, my “longevity doctor.” His official title is actually Sam Setareh, MD, MS, FACC, but I think the “longevity” label fits perfectly, given his dual focus on primary care and cardiovascular health. Based right here in L.A., his MDVIP-affiliated practice model means he sees way fewer patients… think concierge medicine, but without the pretentious velvet rope. This gives him the actual bandwidth to focus heavily on preventive medicine, specifically, helping you keep your heart running in tip-top shape. It’s the ultimate power move for guys who want to live life to the fullest, seize every opportunity, and need a healthcare experience that actually accommodates a busy, slightly unconventional schedule.
I went in for my big post-40 check-up the other week. I’m trying to be radically transparent here about stuff I’d rather not talk about, because as guys, we are notoriously terrible at this. We ignore the weird aches, we brush off the fatigue, and we treat our bodies like rental cars we assume we can just return when we’re done. But health is wealth, and for the sake of a sports metaphor, it’s infinitely better to be ahead of the ball than constantly playing from behind. It’s really, really freakin’ important, you guys. We’re not getting any younger. If there’s an issue, you have to tackle it head-on instead of burying your head in the sand. So please… take your health seriously as you get older. Go get your baselines checked. Do it for yourself, and more importantly, do it for the people who love you, rely on you, and want you around for the long haul.
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Here are 5 massive takeaways from upgrading my healthcare and finally getting a look under the hood.
1. The Rushed, 15-Minute Doctor Visit is Dead
We’ve all been there: you wait 45 minutes past your appointment time in a crinkly paper gown, only for a doctor to rush in, look at a chart, and bounce 10 minutes later. Dr. Setareh’s MDVIP-affiliated practice offers a totally different approach to cardiovascular and primary care. Appointments are same- or next-day, and they miraculously start on time (an absolute rarity in Los Angeles). Having a doctor who actually has the time to sit down, look you in the eye, and map out a health blueprint is a game-changer.
- DO: Find a physician who treats you like a partner in a long-term health project.
- DON’T: Settle for the standard, transactional 15-minute visit where you barely get a word in before they write a prescription and bolt.
2. Getting an Ultrasound of Your Own Heart is Trippy
Part of the annual MDVIP Wellness Program includes hyper-advanced diagnostic tests to catch the sneaky stuff earlier. For me, that meant getting an ultrasound of my heart. Let me tell you, lying there watching this vital meat-engine pump away on a monitor is profoundly trippy. The coolest part to me was how Dr. Setareh pointed out how you can literally tell if your body is adequately hydrated just by looking at one specific side of the heart on the screen. Wild stuff.
- DO: Take advantage of advanced screenings that give you a literal look inside your body’s mechanics.
- DON’T: Rely purely on how you “feel” on the outside when there is so much data to be gathered on the inside.
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3. Data is the Ultimate Cure for Medical Anxiety
I have a bad habit of spiraling into a “search-your-symptoms” doom loop over every pang and phantom ache. Instead of letting me panic, Dr. Setareh masterfully talked me down with highly practical, grounding advice. He told me to take all those blood pressure cuffs I’ve hoarded over the years, measure my BP at home where I’m actually relaxed, and gather the data. Spoiler alert: For me, looking at cold, hard data helps drop the panic. And you can’t optimize what you don’t measure.
- DO: Measure your vitals (like blood pressure) at home in a relaxed environment to get an accurate, baseline reading.
- DON’T: Go down a 2 a.m. internet rabbit hole and convince yourself you have an incredibly rare, incurable disease.
4. Ditch the Internet Diet Fads
I walk and hike six to eight miles a day in my California neighborhood, but I’ve ping-ponged on the scale for years, and yeah, I’m carrying a few extra pounds. Look, guilty as charged: I like my Friday night pizza, beer, and movie, OK?
But I know there are ways to drop those pounds. Dr. Setareh measured my exact body composition—mapping out fat versus muscle mass—and gave me a rational plan to build more muscle. He also gave it to me straight: ditch the internet fads. The Mediterranean diet is the only one scientifically proven to actually work. Bring on the olive oil, fish, and greens.
- DO: Focus on building lean muscle mass and eating a sustainable, scientifically proven diet like the Mediterranean.
- DON’T: Ping-pong between whatever extreme, unsustainable nutrition fad is currently trending on your algorithm.
5. Your Family History is a Blueprint, Not a Suggestion
Getting granular with your health matters because of the stuff lurking in your background. A couple of years ago, my terrible stress management rewarded me with a brutal bout of shingles. Even heavier: my dad had prostate cancer at 49. He caught it early and he’s still with us, thank God, but having that family history means getting a baseline on my PSAs isn’t just a good idea—it’s mandatory.
- DO: Have aggressive, honest conversations about your family’s health history so you know exactly what baselines to test for.
- DON’T: Put your head in the sand and assume “it won’t happen to me.”
Working with an MDVIP-affiliated physician isn’t just about putting a Band-Aid on things when they break; it’s an investment in my next decades. It’s about being proactive so I can keep enjoying the ride.
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Next up on the docket for my MDVIP check-in, I’m going to share the results of my blood panels, and then I’m going in for a full-blown stress test in a few weeks.
Follow along… hopefully, I pass with flying colors.
Like we have said previously, here are some of the comprehensive tests that your Wellness Program appointments may include:
- MPO (Myeloperoxidase): Identifies vascular inflammation that can be an earlier sign of cardiovascular risk
- LipoFraction NMR: Helps identify hidden cardiovascular risks by analyzing particle size and number as opposed to just total cholesterol levels
- HbA1c: 3-month glucose snapshot to understand long-term blood sugar control that’s essential for diabetes monitoring and identifying metabolism issues
- CRP (High-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein): Inflammatory marker that detects low-level chronic inflammation, a primary precursor to major age-related and chronic diseases
- TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone): Insights into your thyroid function which regulates energy, weight, mood, and more
- Uric Acid: Provides insight into metabolic health, cardiovascular disease, kidney function, oxidative stress, and gout risk
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