Start with your weakest foundations from the Master Your Foundations Audit. Build from the ground up and move into optimisation as each area strengthens. The basics always win.
🎯
Take the audit first
Your top three priority foundations will appear here once you've completed the audit. Start the audit →
The 4-Week Roadmap
A simple sequence to follow. Layer in, don't pile on.
Week 01
Lock in the bottom 1-2
All energy goes into your two lowest-scoring foundations. These are the biggest levers right now.
Week 02
Layer the next weakest
Keep the week 1 wins running. Add the next lowest. Lock in hydration, breathing and sleep timing if not already there.
Week 03
Optimise the strong ones
Dial in nutrition - protein first every meal, savoury breakfasts, remove the worst offenders. Tighten what's already working.
Week 04
Movement + environment + community
Add daily steps and a strength routine. Refine light, air and plastics. Engage with the brotherhood.
After Week 4: Retake the audit and watch the bars shift. As your foundations strengthen, you'll move into bloodwork-driven optimisation - gut, hormones, energy.
Your Commitment
Lock in for the next 4 weeks
This is the lock-in you made when you started. Come back and re-read it any time you need to re-anchor. Four weeks. Daily. Honest. The list saves automatically.
For the next 4 weeks, I'm in.
I'll work my top 3 priority foundations daily. The lowest scores from my audit get the most attention.
I'll eat whole foods from the MHC recipe books for 80% of my meals. Real meat. Real fats. Real plants. No ultra-processed shortcuts.
I'll drop alcohol to zero. Or once a month maximum if a social occasion is unavoidable.
I'll cut out recreational drugs entirely. Weed, party drugs, anything that compromises sleep, testosterone or the nervous system.
I'll run my morning and evening routines daily. Even on the rough mornings. Especially on the rough mornings.
I'll show up in the community at least once a week. Post a win. Ask a question. Reply to a brother. Stay in the room.
I'll re-read this protocol every week. Five minutes. Stay anchored to the why.
0 / 7Locked in
One last move
Post your intro in the community
Public commitment changes the equation. Drop a short intro in the brotherhood. Three lines is enough.
Who you are (name, age, where you're at)Why you're here (the thing that pushed you to start)What you're locking in (your top priority foundation + your 4-week commitment)
Your 8 non-negotiables. Tap one to see today's actions.
🧱 The 8 Foundations
Eight non-negotiables. Every action below is something you can start today. No supplements required. No biohacks. Just the work.
If you've finished the audit, the foundations you scored lowest on are flagged below as priority cards. Start there.
01🫁
Master your breathing
Priority
Start here. How you breathe affects everything - digestion, stress, sleep, hormones and recovery. Most blokes mouth breathe at rest, mouth breathe in their sleep and have never trained CO2 tolerance.
Action Points
Breathe through your nose
During the day, keep your mouth closed and breathe through your nose whenever possible.
Slow the exhale
On every breathing drill, focus on making the exhale longer than the inhale.
Use your ribs
Breathe into the sides and back of your ribs, not just your chest or belly.
Check awareness often
Several times per day, ask yourself: nose or mouth, fast or slow, tense or relaxed.
Before meals
Take 3 to 5 slow nasal breaths to switch digestion on.
During stress
Use 2 to 5 minutes of slow breathing to break the stress loop.
Train tongue position
Practise resting your tongue flat on the roof of your mouth during the day.
Support night-time breathing
Prioritise nasal breathing at night. Nasal strips and mouth tape can help if airflow is limited.
Breathwork Practices To Try
Pick one or two and repeat them daily. These are tools, not a checklist.
Slow Nasal Breathing
Inhale through the nose, slow and controlled. Exhale longer than the inhale.
Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)
Inhale 4s, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4. Useful during stress or mental overload.
Alternate Nostril
Best in the morning or when feeling scattered. Helps settle the nervous system.
4-7-8 Breathing
Inhale 4s, hold 7, exhale 8. Strong downshift for stress and night-time use.
Buteyko-Style
Light, slow nasal breathing with reduced air volume. Lowers stress, improves CO2 tolerance.
Night-Time Downshift
Slow breathing with a long exhale before bed to help the body switch off.
App pick: Coherence Breath (use code 1A18A3 for a free 14-day trial), or iBreathe for a simple free option. Full guide in Nervous System Resets - or go straight to the Breathwork Application.
02🧠
Master your nervous system
Priority
Your nervous system runs the show. If it's stuck in fight or flight, nothing else works properly. Chronic sympathetic dominance crashes testosterone, destroys sleep and accelerates ageing.
Action Points
Slow your breathing on purpose
At least twice per day, slow your nasal breathing and lengthen the exhale.
Before every meal
Take 3 to 5 slow breaths before eating to signal safety and switch digestion on.
Interrupt stress when it shows up
When you feel wired or tense, pause for 2 to 5 minutes of slow breathing.
Reduce stimulants late
Pull back caffeine and nicotine in the afternoon and evening.
Get outside daily
Spend time outdoors with slow breathing, even if it is brief.
Create one quiet window
Build in time each day with no screens, no noise, no input.
Set boundaries
Choose a clear cut-off for work and screens so stress does not bleed into the night.
03🌙
Master your sleep
Priority
Sleep is where the repair happens. Testosterone is built, memories consolidate, the brain detoxes. Get this right and everything else improves faster.
Action Points
Sleep duration
Aim for 7-8 hours each night. Target bedtime: no later than 10:30pm.
Consistent sleep-wake schedule
Go to bed and wake at consistent times daily (e.g. 10:30pm-6:30am). Regulates your circadian rhythm.
Morning sunlight exposure
Watch the sunrise or get outside early. 10-15 minutes of sunlight within the first hour of waking.
Reduce blue light at night
Wear blue-light blockers after sunset. Minimise evening screen time.
Mouth tape during sleep
Apply a small piece of tape to your lips before sleep to ensure nasal breathing through the night.
Cool the room
Aim for a cool bedroom (16-20°C). Use blackout curtains.
Eat earlier
Finish your last meal at least 2-3 hours before bed. Avoid heavy or sugary meals close to bedtime.
Build a wind-down
Set an alarm 1 hour before bed. Spend 20-30 minutes reading, gentle stretching, journaling or breathwork.
Full breakdown: Sleep tools, blue-light blueprint, environment setup and the down-regulation routine all live on the Sleep page.
04💧
Master your hydration
Priority
Most men are chronically under-hydrated. This alone changes how you feel day to day. Water without minerals is barely better than no water.
Action Points
Change your water bottle
Glass or stainless steel. Avoid plastic, especially with heat. Plastics leach endocrine disruptors.
Set a baseline
Daily water target: bodyweight (kg) × 0.033 = litres per day. Adjust up with training, heat and stress.
Sip, do not chug
Spread water evenly through the day. Steady intake beats big hits.
Filter your water
Reduce daily exposure to chlorine, metals and other contaminants.
Add minerals
A pinch of Celtic sea salt or electrolytes in your water daily. Supports cellular hydration and nerve function.
Hydrate early
Drink 600ml to 1 litre of filtered water with salt or electrolytes first thing in the morning.
Use electrolytes strategically
Best times: morning on waking, pre-training, and hot or high-stress days.
Avoid late over-drinking
Reduce large fluid intake right before bed. Protects sleep quality.
You do not need to destroy yourself in the gym. Consistency and showing up matter more than intensity. Strength two to three times a week. Eight thousand-plus steps a day. At least one full rest day.
Action Points
Hit your daily steps
Aim for around 10,000 steps per day spread across multiple walks. Get outside when possible.
Break up sitting
Move every 60 to 90 minutes. Short walks, mobility or light movement all count.
Use movement snacks
2 to 5 minutes is enough. Squats, arm circles, hip or spine movement, light carries.
Train strength regularly
3 to 4 sessions per week. Full body or upper/lower splits work well. Focus on compound lifts.
Move through full joint range
Use controlled, full-range movements. You don't need heavy loads to keep joints healthy.
Support lymph flow
Use daily lymphatic movement like the Big 6 method at least once per day.
Match movement to energy
Low energy or high stress - lighter sessions. Better energy - train with more intent.
Your environment is either helping you heal or quietly making things worse. You do not need to fix everything. Pick one and begin.
Action Points
Fix light first
Outside light in your eyes in the morning. Dim lights and avoid bright overhead lighting after sunset.
Improve the air you breathe
Open windows daily. Air out bedrooms and work spaces. Avoid sleeping in stale, sealed rooms.
Regulate temperature
Keep nights cool. Avoid overheated indoor spaces. Use layers instead of blasting heating.
Lower chemical load
Reduce strong scents and air sprays. Simplify cleaning and body products. Don't heat food in plastic.
Avoid plastics
Stainless steel water bottles. Glass containers. Throw out the plastic chopping board. Filter water. Avoid touching receipts.
Increase sunlight exposure
15-20 minutes morning, midday and evening. Sun bathe as often as possible. Avoid toxic sunscreen. Never burn.
Review your social environment
More time around people who support you. Limit time with people who drain you or keep you on edge.
08🤝
Master your brotherhood
Priority
You are not doing this alone. Loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The community exists for a reason. Use it.
Action Points
Introduce yourself
Post who you are and why you are here. You do not need perfect words. Just be real.
Use the community when stuck
Post when something is not working. Clarity comes faster when you ask.
Share your wins
Big or small, post them. Wins build momentum - for you and others.
Use weekly check-ins
Reflect on the week. Reset your focus. Stay accountable before things slip.
Engage with others
Comment on at least one other man's post each week. Support builds connection. Connection builds consistency.
Show up on low days
Those are the days community matters most. Do not disappear when things feel hard.
📋 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
Complete the Master Your Foundations Audit and write your top 3 priority foundations somewhere visible
Book a baseline bloodwork panel (testosterone, thyroid, iron, inflammation) for future tracking
Re-read your top 3 priority foundations 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. If you've got specific intolerances or restrictions, work around them. Otherwise this is the default starting point.
🍽️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 Electrolytes 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. Cut what's a daily input first. Optimise from there.
🍳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.
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.
Recipes
Calories per serveAny
All recipe books
Calories per serveAny
🍽️ 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
🧘The Pre-Meal Ritual
3-5 slow nasal breaths before the first bite. Switches digestion on.
Smell your food. Activates the cephalic phase - saliva, stomach acid, enzymes.
Chew 20-30 times per mouthful. Easier digestion. Less bloat. More satiety.
Pause when full. Stop at 80%. The signal lags the meal by 15-20 minutes.
🍯 Pre-Exercise Nutrition
Stable, easy-to-digest fuel 30-90 minutes before training. Prevents fasted-training nausea, bile reflux, energy crashes and protein breakdown mid-session. Pick one option below based on time and appetite.
🥤Fuel Options
Option A · Solid (60-90 min)
Greek yoghurt with raw honey, a banana, and a scoop of whey isolate. Protein + fast carb + minimal fat for quick digestion.
Option B · Light (45-60 min)
Raw honey, a banana, and a handful of dates with a pinch of Celtic salt. Pure-glucose fuel for fasted morning training.
Option C · Travel (30-45 min)
Beef jerky and a piece of whole fruit (apple, pear, banana). Portable, no cooking, protein + carb.
Option D · Liquid (30 min)
A smoothie - 1 scoop whey isolate, banana, raw milk or coconut water, raw honey. For mornings when appetite is low.
🚫Avoid
High-fat, heavy meals within 60 minutes of training. Slows digestion, sits in the gut.
Caffeine on an empty stomach if you're cortisol-fragile or training hard. Pair with food.
Anything ultra-processed or seed-oil heavy pre-workout. Energy crash mid-session.
✅Lock In
500ml water + a pinch of salt 30 minutes pre-training. Sets up performance and prevents cramps.
Post-training within 30 min: protein and carb together - eggs with fruit, chicken with rice, whey + banana.
💧Hydration
Dial in your daily water target. Most blokes are walking around chronically dehydrated, and water without minerals is barely better than no water - build your mix on the Electrolytes page.
💧 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 400-800 ml per hour of sweat, more in heat
Salt your water if you sweat heavily or fast, and sip no faster than ~1 litre per hour
Adjust up for illness, sauna, flights, sun, fasted training
Stop ~2 hours before bed so you're not up at 3am
⚡Electrolytes
Servings13serves
0255075100
Your mix
LMNT Style
Tip: Mix everything into one airtight jar, shake well, and scoop ~one serving worth per glass of water. Add a squeeze of lime or a pinch of stevia/monk fruit if you like it sweet.
Not medical adviceThese figures are general guidance for healthy adults and are calibrated to match each brand's published electrolyte content per serve. They are not a substitute for personalised medical advice. If you have a kidney, heart, or hormonal condition, are on medication that affects fluid balance, or are pregnant, talk to your GP or a qualified health professional before changing your electrolyte intake.
🔥 Daily Calorie Target
A rough but reliable starting point. Set your stats, training load, and goal and you'll get a daily calorie target plus a protein, fat, and carb split. Adjust over two to three weeks based on how your bodyweight, energy, and gym performance respond.
-
kcal / day
Tap below to set your stats and get your number.
🌙 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 - on the face, chest, joints or anywhere you're working on. Supports mitochondrial energy and recovery.
⏳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.
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. Use the Breathwork Application to guide you.
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).
⚡ Already covered
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.
📚 Protocol Library
Short, focused playbooks for the things that move the needle most. Pick one, run it, then come back for the next.
🌙 Sleep Blueprint
🔒
The full protocol is Inner Circle
The step-by-step protocol, what to track and the deeper builds are part of the MHC Inner Circle. Join to unlock every mini protocol in the library.
+Conditioning - 1-2 sessions per week. Sprints, hill walks, bike, swim, or sport. Keep it short and hard, or long and easy. Skip the middle ground.
+Hobby or sport movement - golf, tennis, surf, jiu-jitsu, climbing. Counts toward weekly load. Counts as brotherhood if it's with mates.
+Recovery work - mobility, foam rolling, sauna, cold plunge or testicle icing. One or two of these, 10-15 min, on rest days.
+Deload every 4 weeks - one week of reduced load. Same movements, lighter weights, fewer sets. Lets the nervous system catch up.
🧠 Lifestyle & Environment
☀️Daily Lifestyle
20-30 min outside in nature daily
🧴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 and water below) 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
Avoid 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)
🧘 Recovery Room
Guided video sessions for calming the nervous system, releasing tight fascia, mobilising stiff joints and moving lymph. Tap any clip to play it right here.
🧠 Nervous System Resets
Chronic stress creates a feedback loop: sympathetic overdrive locks the psoas, jaw and diaphragm, restricted breathing drops CO2 tolerance, and the nervous system stays in threat mode. Break the loop at all three layers - breath, fascia, and vagal inputs - and the whole system shifts.
4-7-8 breathing before bed - inhale 4, hold 7, exhale 8. One of the most reliable wind-down patterns there is. 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) - the exhale activates parasympathetic via the baroreceptors. Extend it and the nervous system follows. Use the Recovery Breath in the app.
Barely breathing (Buteyko Breathe Light) - sit quietly and slow your breath to almost nothing. Tiny sips of air through the nose. Trains CO2 tolerance and nervous system downregulation. Breathe Light tutorial
Humming on the exhale - vibrates the vagus nerve through the throat and sinuses. Raises nitric oxide, lowers blood pressure, quiets the mind. Use the guided Humming pattern in the app
🪢Fascia Release
When you're stuck in fight or flight, your body braces. Jaw, shoulders, hips, psoas, diaphragm - all of it locks up and feeds back into the nervous system keeping the stress loop running. Release the tissue and you release the signal.
📅Daily - Do These Every Day
Psoas release - the psoas is your fight-or-flight muscle. It literally contracts when stressed and pulls you into a protective posture (hips forward, chest collapsed). Lie on a soft ball just inside the hip bone. Breathe into it slowly. 2-3 min each side. Pso-Rite tutorial
Jaw / masseter release - the jaw is the primary unconscious bracing site. Grinding at night, clenching when stressed - that tension constantly signals danger to the amygdala. Use thumbs or knuckles inside the cheeks, or a lacrosse ball on the masseter. Circular pressure 2-3 min. Drop the jaw between passes.
Upper trap + levator scap release - most men hold stress here. Lacrosse ball against a wall or a Theracane on the upper traps and base of skull. Go slow. If you're holding your breath while on the spot you're pushing too hard. Lacrosse ball upper trap release
Diaphragm release - lie on your back, fingers just under the rib cage, breathe slowly and let the tissue soften on each exhale. 2-3 min. A locked diaphragm prevents full belly breathing and keeps the nervous system in shallow, sympathetic mode. This one is foundational. Manual diaphragm release
🗓️3x Per Week - Deeper Work
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 minutes done with intention beats 30 minutes of rolling mindlessly. 10 min foam roller for tight hips
Zone exercises (Paul Chek) - targeted movements that activate reflex zones to reset the nervous system. Combines breathing with movement to clear stored tension and rebalance the autonomic system. Best done as a 20-min sequence. Paul Chek Zone Exercises playlist
Abdominal massage - releases fascial restriction around the gut and gets motility moving. The enteric nervous system is directly affected by restriction in the abdominal cavity. Abdominal self-massage for digestion
💧Lymphatic Flow - Daily
Big 6 lymphatic movement - 5 min daily hitting the major lymph nodes and drainage points. The lymphatic system has no pump - it relies on movement, breath and muscle contraction. Stagnant lymph equals elevated inflammation and toxin load. Big 6 lymphatic flow (5 min)
Rebounding - 5-10 min on a mini trampoline. The vertical G-force is the most effective mechanical driver of lymphatic circulation. Also resets an anxious nervous system better than most people expect.
⚡ Key principle
Breathe INTO the tight spot. When you find a restriction, don't push through the pain - breathe slow nasal breaths and imagine the tissue softening on the exhale. The parasympathetic state is required for fascia to let go.
⚡Vagus Nerve Activation
80% of the vagus nerve's fibres run upward - body to brain. Stimulate it and you directly flip the parasympathetic switch. These are the fastest physical levers you have.
🧊
Cold Finish
30-60 sec cold at the end of your shower. Cold on the face and neck activates the diving reflex - the strongest single vagal stimulus available. Works in seconds.
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Humming / Singing
The vagus passes through the larynx and pharynx. 5 min of humming on the exhale measurably shifts your state. Use the Humming pattern in the app.
😂
Laughter
Even forced laughter works. Diaphragm contractions, facial muscle activation and CO2 release all stimulate parasympathetic pathways. Force it until it's real.
Gargling - gargle water vigorously for 30-60 seconds twice daily. The muscles at the back of the throat are innervated by the vagus. Easy to stack onto teeth brushing.
Neck side-to-side rotation - the vagus runs alongside the carotid artery. Slow head rotations left and right combined with nasal breathing mobilise the tissue around the nerve. 10 slow rotations each direction.
Posterior neck self-massage - the suboccipital region (base of skull) is where the vagus exits the brainstem. Gentle fingertip pressure here with slow exhales is calming out of proportion to how simple it is. 2-3 min, eyes closed.
Sauna or hot bath - 20 min at 80-90°C (or hot bath in the evening). Heat shock proteins protect neurons. Post-sauna parasympathetic rebound is one of the deepest physiological relaxation states possible outside of sleep.
Hand on heart - place your hand on your chest while you breathe. The interoceptive signal of warm pressure activates self-soothing circuits (vagus + oxytocin). 5 min of this combined with slow belly breathing genuinely moves the needle.
EFT tapping - tap collarbone, under eye, side of hand, top of head while breathing and talking through what's stressing you. Looks odd, works well for releasing stored tension and calming the amygdala. Tapping tutorial
Breathwork
Pick a practice. Breathe with the orb. +25 XP a day.
Duration5 min
Orb colour
Never do breath holds or fast breathing while driving, in water, or in the bath. Mild light-headedness is normal: sit down until it passes. If you have epilepsy, a heart condition, high blood pressure, or are pregnant, check with your doctor first. Stop if you feel chest pain or numbness that does not ease.
Binaural Beats
Pick a goal below, set your time, then scroll to Begin. Headphones on. +XP a day.
🎧Headphones required. Binaural beats only work with stereo earphones - each ear hears a slightly different tone. Start at a low, comfortable volume.
Duration15 min
Ambient sound
Layer a soft soundscape behind the tones for a more musical session, or keep pure beats. You can switch live too.
Educational wellbeing tool, not medical treatment. If you have epilepsy or a seizure disorder, check with your doctor before use. Never listen while driving or operating machinery.
Pomodoro Timer
Work in focused sprints with short breaks between. Optionally layer study beats over each focus block.
Focus length25 min
Short break5 min
Long break15 min
Rounds before long break4
Focus sound
Binaural beats play only during focus blocks and pause for breaks. Headphones required.
🎧Headphones recommended for beats. Binaural beats need stereo earphones - each ear hears a slightly different tone. The timer itself works fine without them.
A focus aid, not medical treatment. If you have epilepsy or a seizure disorder, check with your doctor before using binaural beats. Never listen while driving or operating machinery.
🌅 Daily Routines
Two anchors. Run them daily. They reset every morning so you can tick them off as you go. Miss a day, don't beat yourself up. Show up tomorrow.
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Current Streak
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Morning Routine
Resets daily
First 60 minutes set the tone for the whole day. Light, water, breath, food, in that order.
Sunlight in your eyes within 60 minutes of waking. 10-15 minutes outside.
500ml to 1L of filtered water with a pinch of Celtic sea salt. Before coffee.
3-5 slow nasal breaths before anything else. Set the nervous system.
Movement snack - 5-10 minutes. Mobility, walk, or light strength.
Pre-meal ritual before breakfast - smell your food, chew 20-30 times.
Savoury breakfast within the first hour. Protein and animal fats. No sugar.
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Evening Routine
Resets daily
The last 90 minutes decide your sleep, your recovery, and tomorrow's energy. Wind down on purpose.
Last meal 2-3 hours before bed. Nothing heavy or sugary close to sleep.
Blue light blockers on at sunset. Or dim every light in the house.
Screens off 60 minutes before bed. Read, stretch, journal, or just sit.
Cool the bedroom to 16-20°C. Blackout curtains, no glowing LEDs.
4-7-8 breathing or slow nasal exhales for 5-10 minutes in bed.
Mouth tape and nasal strips on. Lights out by 10:30pm.
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📓 Weekly Check-In
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Digestion
How smooth was your digestion this week?
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14 / 20Reflect on your week
⚖️
Bodyweight
Same scale, same time of day - first thing in the morning is best. Optional.
🏆
Biggest win
Could be a mood lift, gym PB, showing up for family, or better sleep.
✅
What helped?
Sticking to your food plan, consistent workouts, better stress management?
🤔
What felt off?
Growth comes from noticing what's not quite right - let's capture it.
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Next week's focus
One thing you're committing to. Keep it simple and specific.
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Big or small, it matters. Optional.
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Anything else?
Resources, feedback on your protocol, anything on your mind. Optional.
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🎯 Daily and Weekly Goals
Tap any goal to tick it off for today.
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.
🚀 Your Next Move
You've got the eight foundations in one place. Two ways to take it further when you're ready. Both are designed for blokes who've nailed the basics and want to compound from a stronger base.
Inner Circle · 90 days
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Progress > Perfection
The foundations are not glamorous. They are not new. They will never trend. But they are the only thing that compounds. One off day does not derail months of work. What matters is the average across the week. Show up. Stack wins. Stay patient. The foundations always win.
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Morning anchored. Evening anchored. This is what compounds. Share the win in the brotherhood - it pulls the next bloke up with you.
Nathan May is not a medical doctor or registered healthcare professional.
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