What 90% of Blood Tests Reveal (Even When You Feel Fine)

Welcome back to PT Launch Lab. Today we're joined by James from My Medic. How we doing, mate? >> Good. Thanks for having me. >> Nice to meet you, mate. All right.

Nice to meet you. >> Anytime. So, just tell us tell us a little bit about yourself. Anyone who's watching obviously might not know who you are. Um, so just give us a give us a quick brief. >> 100% they know who we are. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So I'm James.

I've got a company called My Medic. Um, two other partners, Rob and Gareth. Um, him and we do a whole health screening and private blood testing. >> Oh, nice, mate. So where where did it all start, mate? I know um we've got a friend in common, aren't we?

Russell. Yeah. >> Who and I've recently had my bloods with you. >> Uh, where did it all come from? I know. Well, like did you start your bodybuilding? >> Yeah. So I I had a little go at bodybuilding a couple of years ago.

I've always gone to gym. Got a lot of friends who are into bodybuilding. So I knew >> like blood testing were a thing for that side of sports. >> Were you would it would it sports? Did you ever like compete in any sports or would it like football ring? No, >> not really.

No, just gym. I just like just like doing >> what what led you into into blood sort of thing? >> There was just a lot of talk about it. Um with me being a paramedic and knowing a lot of people in the gym, they often used to say, "Oh, could you do our blood?" See, I didn't I didn't know you were a paramedic. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> How long were you a paramedic? >> Still I'm a paramedic. I still do that full time. >> Yeah.

Yeah. >> Well, I love NHS or >> I'm now private. So, I'm a local for for NHS GPS, but I work as >> So, how does that work? Do they hire you out for jobs then or do you pick up jobs and stuff like that? >> Yeah. So, they've got a contract with So, the backtory is I started doing locom work for a company called My Medic Network. >> Yeah. >> So, that's Gareth and Rob's business. >> We became friends. I talked to them about I'd been sort of triing doing some private blood testing in the in a gym and it were taking off and I thought that there were a gap in the market and that it would be useful to everyone not just gym goers. >> Absolutely. >> Um cuz working for GPS we hear a lot that people can't get in for certain things or you go to your GP and ask for things because they're so busy waiting weeks and you can't just say can I have all these tested just because I want to know.

Do you feel like that's where they sort of let people down? Because as personal experience, so my partner, she is going through like health conditions with she say they got grave disease, >> right? >> And she had to go private to get specific blood tests because what they do is they diagnose you, but they don't they just treat the symptoms. They don't try to find the root cause of stuff. >> Yeah. It's difficult with it just because they're under a lot of strain and um >> I suppose they couldn't do every test everybody wants to walk through the door. they just they cope with the things they're doing. >> So is it is it best as like a an overall test or is it you know like if someone come in and they could already tell you the problem like what they do from there? >> A lot of people reach out and say these are my symptoms. I've been to my GP there's nothing obvious flagging up can you do something a bit more in depth or >> Yeah.

No, that makes sense. >> Yeah. And then we'll we'll put a panel together for them specific to what they're asking for. >> And uh just you you spoke to me just as we're about to come in. So you've done a test recently. Um the we just spoken on card on the way there. So I just think it's a good time now to like just to show how important it is and how valuable it is to have these extra blood tests and it's almost like a screening, isn't it? >> Yeah.

So we've started auditing um the blood tests and we pulled 100 results and 90% had at least one marker that could be addressed and improved. So they might have come with no symptoms, feeling the best, big to sport. We get a lot of high rocks athletes >> and they say, "I'm feeling good, but I just want to know if there's anything I can optimize." Bit of a buzz word. >> And it it all works on So there's a bar. It's a bar in it. So you have high high end of it, low end of it. >> Yeah. >> Um so even the people who have got nothing, they can still be at a better end, can't they? >> Yeah.

You could have all green as you look down, but certain markers, there's benefits to being the top end of the green. >> So So really, everyone could have it, can't they? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I've been I've been really into blood testing especially in the US now. >> Do you think it'd be optimized for personal trainers who work with high highend level clients even any client?

Yeah. >> Blood tests can really show you exactly what you especially from a nutritional aspect as well because >> what we tend to do now is like process elimination and then overloading on certain stuff. You got pills and everything. >> Ferments are so popular and you're taking stuff that you don't know if you need that. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You might be taking a load of magnesium and it's not what you need. You might need something else. >> Yeah. Well, funny funny enough.

So, I got um shout out to Sam Inks, by the way. So, he's he's doing my nutrition at the minute uh for my pro debut and the supplements he put in actually ones that came up on on your test >> you were lacking in. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, so that's that's what we're going to bring on to the next bit is is there sort of a common theme in in regular people or if there's a common theme in athletes, what's the one that flags up most out of any other >> uh thing that people are lacking? I think a lot of athletes overtrain and they don't realize the negative impact that's having on the body. So we might see that the CK is sky high because of breaking down muscle tissue and they're not repairing in between.

So we can say look I know it's difficult for you but you need to just pull back a bit and you'll perform better for it. >> Yeah. I've just been put on a like a two week pullback thing as well. So I've I'm not fighting for like 13 weeks but >> I were training like I had a fight in six weeks but all me coaches like agreed and they were like right this needs to be changed and calm down a bit. >> Yeah. just just calm it down because and then I went I'm like obsessing with it anyway and I know it all. I just choose not to believe it sometimes. As long as I'm feeling really good, I'll keep training.

But >> u as me main coach, one of main coaches Neil Wayne says to me always says what comes up must come down. So usually when you're hitting your time where you feel at your best uh is usually when you'd probably need to rest. >> Yeah. And that's what's good about this because it's black and white. that's in front of you saying this, you know, this needs looking at >> because obviously the argument with recovery and overtraining has been argued for years and years. Uh bodybuilding were a big side of that as well. There's loads of people >> week where you you have to back off >> because the guys from the 80s 90s were like listen over training doesn't matter like it's it's not a thing.

You're not training hard enough. If you're trying to recover all the time, then you're not working all the time. But everyone's so vastly different until you get those tests. You're not going to know exactly what's going on because you could come in one week and do a lift and feel amazing and then come in the next week after training 5 days after that. Yeah. >> And it feels the same but it's not as consistent.

It's like it happens over a period of time. >> Can you can you overtrain on steroids? You know, like if you're in gym and you are like Callum just said, then it just made me think that actually, you know, like these old school guys that were obviously absolutely fueling the self with um >> uh enhanced product, but um so would that be completely different in terms of recovery or is it still exactly the same internally? >> I think it assists recovery so you can train harder for longer and you can recover faster to then go again. That's partly how it works, synthesizing more protein so you can >> utilize more protein to grow muscle. >> Yeah. I'm so I'm like just I know nothing about anything. >> Just like you said though, everybody's different. There'll be an old bodybuilder who trained twice a day, seven days a week and looked amazing.

There'll be somebody who trained three days a week and just went absolutely all out and then had plenty of rest days and still got similar >> cuz the capacity to train is different for everyone. Someone could >> work out twice a week and put on twice the amount of muscle and someone train four times a week. Yeah. And they could like someone could use calisthetics for instance and build twice as much muscle as someone who's doing strength training. >> They got a lot darker skin color on the ladder. >> Genetics in it. >> You are you are who you are. But yeah. >> Yeah.

They do a couple of pull-ups and on the back looks like they've been smashing gym. >> Yeah. it trained all my life and they'll never look like >> I fought I fought a lot in um well I was sparring a lot uh coming up to me like a few of my amateur fights and every single person I sparring against they just they look twice bigger than me and like it's like the bones of metanome >> some of that could be psychological though cuz if you're similar weight category they probably don't >> yeah but you should see some videos or something like that to I thought they were just like they weren't even a lot of them they weren't even um like genetically like gifted in something but they were just so tall and yeah >> we tall everyone were like Oh, they're skinny though. And I'm like, mate, they look bigger than me still. Like, >> yeah, that doesn't matter. >> Tall and wide. Like, yeah, but what about the legs? I like mate, none of it.

I've got a picture inside of one of them. And we could not we could we look three weight categories apart. >> Yeah. It don't matter how tall they are if you dick, are you? >> Yeah. Yeah. That's what But even that, it doesn't always relate to how much they weigh, does it?

Like, >> no. I know people who look huge and the the weight knee. >> Is it matter with age as well? Cuz these lads that are out fighting like I'm I'm 32 now and these lads are fighting like 21 year old. >> Yeah. >> So not as much like muscle density on that I guess. And >> yeah, they won't have as much mature muscle as >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um >> I'll put it down quicker. >> Yeah.

Leave it at that. >> Yeah. >> So what inspired you um in like the process of getting to my medic? Like what what really made that a thing for you where you think I need to approach this as a business? >> Yeah. So there were like I said I were training at a gym doing some bodybuilding at BIT um because I had set myself a bit of a goal to get on stage once because I'd always followed bodybuilding. >> So I did that and a lot of people were asking about blood. So decided to give it a try and see >> y >> and it were doing all right but I could just see that with my other job as well with the GP side of it people saying they can't get what they want and they're waiting too long and >> I don't think people go out and drinking like they used to. People are more conscious of the health.

So people are happy to spend money if they get you know a fair better service. >> I think there's a big thing of that at a minute. People seem to be looking after the ael a lot more. >> Yeah. Yeah. Good things. >> Is that right? I'm not sure on facts or numbers but there's been a massive decrease in people who drinking now they over the last few years. >> I think that's a good side of social media in some ways like has a lot of negative effects but when you see everyone else real looking after like real looking >> Yeah.

I think I think there's there's two sides to that is there. So when you are say back before social media you know if your if your dad always got back from work and he went out to pub and then that's all you've ever known and that's what everyone does and when your mates do it >> that's so you fall into patterns of like people around you whereas social media can people can be influencing in positive ways but also reverse effect as well. >> Yeah. It can go other way and you can set yourself unattainable targets guys. >> Depends what algorithm you're looking at it. Do you ever have like a recommendation? So, when would you say that the average person should get the blood?

What should they look for to know when to have it done? >> Uh, again, everyone's different, but I would say everyone should have once a year have a full health screen like >> Yeah. Yeah. Just a just a full checkup like an Mot for a car and then if there's something that's out, we'll give you some advice on adjustments to make. >> Maybe come back three to six months later depending on what it is. >> Do you recommend like TRT and stuff like that? like it especially let's say men over five but let's be realistic it's men over 20 these days. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's a time and a place for it.

Definitely. There's a lot of people who >> that's dependent on person I guess. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um I know people who mid30s and they're genuinely really low in testosterone and symptomatic >> gone to the GP >> reluctant to look into hormones just sort of saying want some anti-depressants and >> yeah that's how the change of >> age you know.

Um, but yeah, there's definitely a time and a place for it and it's life-changing for somebody who really needs it. And do you um I've seen it obviously on on on my phone when I got it back from you uh and like the breakdown and stuff and do you were more pushing towards getting getting the things that I were uh insufficient in with through food over supplementation like would >> Yeah, I think that's >> you would you always say that with the better option. Yeah. >> Um healthwise to get >> supplements to supplements it should be as well as a good healthy balanced diet. Get as much as you can from a good diet. That's the same conversation we had last week cuz people were talking about the GLP1s as well.

Like that should be a supplement. It's not a replacement stuff. And it's like anything I think people always like the idea of a marketable thing that says this fixes that. So they'll go for it rather than looking at the food cuz it's the simplest solution. >> Yeah. >> But people want a product in a bottle that fixes the problem. >> Yes. It's a quick fix in. >> Yeah.

Well, to be honest, that's the first thing that come to my mind. kind of wanted to think right what what would I lacking in and then I were just going to see what what you said and then I wanted to get supplements for it but then straight away I reminded to be like yeah >> well these are foods that you get it and I thought yeah >> I didn't even didn't even I didn't mean it should have done but it didn't enter my head really at first I just thought obviously cuz I just previously had the nutrition breakdown and with the supplements yeah >> that's the first thing I thought I wonder if I'm taking right supplements rather than thinking well maybe >> I just need to incorporate more of this in my food Yeah, that's something we've put a lot of time into in the background is trying to get the reports right because >> in the early days we'd do somebody's bloods, give them the results and say there's your results, off you go sort of thing. >> Um, but then people would say well what shall I do about this and what would you do and what so we've really needed to start being able to answer them questions. So over time we've built the >> just keep getting better. Yeah. Refining >> keep adding to it and we advise on the best food you know you're lacking in this eat this this and this >> you know >> do you find that obviously what you guys do and they let's say someone comes to you for the blood doing and then they refer back to their NHS. >> You ever find it hard to make that connection to work with them because they what I tend to find is everyone ever goes privately for stuff they don't tend to want to touch you after. Do you ever find that >> I think it varies.

I've I've heard various different situations. I've had some who've come and had a full blood test who've not been able to get them test through the GP for whatever reason. They've gone back and said, "Look, this has been done what we're going to do about XY Z." Some have said some have seen it as what it is and thought, "Great, all the all the background work's been done. Let's just put it right." Others have said, "Right, we'll redo everything." >> Have you got do you got certain ones that you get in touch with for that though? Have you got like contacts with direct? >> Yeah, it's just >> No.

So, what we do don't go on your patient record. Yeah, that's what >> NHS. No, it's all private and then it's just on the GP if they'll accept our tests, but it's all done through a a proper law. >> What made you What made you get into um the paramedic side? Well, were that straight from >> since I were 20? I'm 42 now, so 22 years of being a paramedic.

Don't know any different. >> I mean, you must have seen some crazy stuff. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I going to say what's worse one, but we ain't going to come on. >> I've seen some stuff. Yeah. I worked in a prison for a couple of years as well. >> Did you? >> Yeah. As a paramedic, so >> All right.

Yeah. >> Some serious. >> What a work that that would that bad on it. >> Yeah. >> I There's a guy who comes in this gym and he's um he's a prison like officer. >> Yeah. >> And so much stuff. He comes in. He can't wait to tell me as well. I don't even know if I want to hear it half the time. >> Yeah. >> He tells me some beauties. People are smearing [\h__\h] all around the cells and that and >> innocent after and he's like, "Yeah, he does." >> Yeah.

It's like, "How how was your weekend?" Yeah. Sam, what about you? Well, it's this after. You're like, >> "Not mates." >> He like asks me. He says, "What you been up to?" And I'll go, "No, mate." And I'll go, "Well, what I've been up to." And he like only ask me so he can tell me.

And every time he tells me, I'm like, "Mate, how do you even just like >> traumatic evolve?" Yeah. >> He's like, "They're going to send you in there. There's someone hanging off the ceiling and there's smear [\h__\h] everywhere and that all of like some just crazy like >> somehow I won't end my >> Yeah. >> Then he tells you then just toddles off and then you suck at >> Yeah. And then and then he went Yeah. He just walks over and carries on boxing. >> I think they're just getting numb to it though. They just >> used to it.

It's just dayto-day for them. But >> you look at him and say that he's just been through that. >> No. >> Whereas like just told me and I'm going home sitting up and like I haven't to do with it. >> I thought I'd seen a lot as a paramedic. >> Yeah. >> 15 years on ambulances. I thought I'd seen it all but I had seen it till you got up and >> crazy. So how come how come you stopped working at prison? >> I just did a couple of years there and got some primary care experience which then um led me into doing what I do now working for GPS. >> Right. as a law company. Yeah. >> What's uh what's your plans for the future then? >> We want to grow my medical healthcare the business, but we're just it's been quite a slow process so far because we want to get it right in the background.

We want to do a really good job of the reporting and >> yeah, it's it's kind of it's kind of like what we're doing and it's like um and what you just mentioned then you're always just tweaking and refining and a couple of businesses that me and Calum have got same. you almost use some of it like your first location and base like a little bit of like >> I say trial period because everyone's still getting a quality experience but I feel like >> we do make any little mistakes it's not quite as >> yeah that's it made a lot of adjustments but by the end of the year we'd like to be >> sort of national trying we're just in talks to link up with pharmacies to tap into their flotamist to be able to offer our our tests up and down the country >> you'll be able to do it like you know like Starbucks now they just stick all the thingies is everywhere. Petrol stations like >> I thought you meant like a drive-thru. >> But you here first. >> No, but >> right test will be up front. >> Yeah. >> Shouting your name at the front. >> Get wrong name. >> [\h__\h] hell. Andy. Andy's blood. Yeah. >> What you mean?

I'm jogging. >> Upgrade again. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> No. So that's um >> but we we'd like the plan is to work with pts, gyms, aesthetics clinics. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And for them to be able to offer our different panels or us to build panels for them. We can even brand it.

So yeah, >> you could have a PT business and say to all your clients, >> right, >> you signed up with me, we'll do a full MOT blood test, see where you're at. We'll make these changes. We'll diet. We'll lose some weight. You might be borderline diabetic.

Yeah. >> We'll retest in three, six, 12 months, whatever you decide. That's a great >> will show you how much progress you've made internally, not just how you look. >> And the same for any athlete for performance, especially or even day-to-day people. >> I think I'd solve 99% of the problems that a PT has as well because when you're starting with a new client, let's say they've got a weight loss goal and they might be quite a big person. Your first thought is calorie deficit. Yeah. you know, all standard stuff, whole foods, which is great, but you don't know if there's something underlining that might be sort of half in that effort. Yeah.

Because they've obviously tried stuff before and you don't know what they've had. They don't know what they've done. So, that would solve 99% of the problems because you're starting with a clean slate. >> Yeah. Yeah. On on that note of finding things underlining, is there any anyone who's come in and you've found something serious? >> Yeah.

Obviously can't say too much but there's been um a friend of mine who won't mind me mentioning he felt great probably fittest he's been everything were good we did a blood test on him and his iron were very high thought was unusual so he made some adjustments he ate a lot of red meat at the time and like ironrich foods and stuff so he made some changes we reviewed him and it had gone up again >> so we sent him to his GP and he's had lots of tests and he's got um something called hemocchromattosis So he's been having blood taken out of him every week for last three or four months to get. >> So So what would have happened then if he'd never made that correction then is that risk of >> he could have lived with it for another 10, 15, 20 years without realizing >> your body just stores far too much iron and it and longer term it can lead to >> lift your organs. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we stumbled across that sort of thing and now he's getting it sorted out and >> wow, >> he'll be fine now.

Now he knows about it. Um so that is >> is that quite a rarity then or is there quite a few cases more than you think that >> um it's more like since since then I've spoke to a few people and most people know someone who's >> who's got it >> um and it can run through your family as well so he had to get his his child tested and stuff. >> And we've we've talked about uh well me you talked about it so you were on about how important hydration is as well. Yeah. >> Over everything really. >> Yeah. said, "Well, nearly from our results, nearly everyone who comes who's who is an athlete and knows about hydration and drink thinks they're drinking enough. Quite often they're not hydrated since they haven't got their electrolytes." >> What's what's your borderline for anyone who's watching who's interested in just the quick little health uh tip there? What's the borderline amount anyone any average person should be drinking per day, would you say? >> Um, again, it it depends on the person and the level of activity.

Like for you sweating in a boxing gym for a couple of hours a day, yours is going to be much higher than someone who has an office job or Yeah. >> then you might have a builder who's at it all day. And so it just depends. But you you need a lot more than you think. Yeah. I feel like most people stick to like >> if they were going to I mean not many will do it, but like 2 liter mark. >> Yeah. >> Is that why they that's why I always thought they sold the the big gym like tank things.

They usually like two liters, aren't they? >> Personally, I always aim for three. >> Yeah. Um I I never I barely ever drink water. And it's one thing that I'd suggest to all my clients, every boxer that I have sure hydration is key. Yeah. And I always think I always feel great all the time.

Like I feel even after I had sessions, I I never sort of whack up and feel. >> I don't like you had many headaches since talking about hydration. >> Yeah. You know. >> Yeah. I I've really tried to concentrate on hydration over the last couple of years mainly because what I noticed was the mornings were getting groggier. >> Yeah. So, I've tried really hard to find a good enough brand that has enough magnesium in it because do you ever find that a lot of the electrolyte products that go out there, they're really low in magnesium and the milligrams in them are really terrible. So, then you buy an extra.

I'm just like doing concoctions, but I'm like making a cocktail every single morning. But then one might have something else that you're already enough of. And it >> What is the baseline electrolyte amount you think should be for every person that should have like potassium, magnesium? >> If I'm honest, I don't know the exact figures. I would just say find a good brand that you trust and follow their guidance on because it's a it's dependent on the amount of water you have as well. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Like you >> you could drink 10 liters of water and be dehydrated because it's not going to where it needs to be because the salt's not right and >> Yeah. cuz they need it straight back diluting your body.

Yeah. But that can have a negative effect. >> Yeah. >> Too much water cuz it emo dilution. So I've done like most I've done for water I had to do nine liters once for I was doing a water load for a weight cut that when I was fighting MMA. >> Yeah. >> And we were doing like five six kilo weight cuts I think or something like you started >> with nine liters one day then seven liters then five then you cut it in half. But we were up in at the time, I can't remember how it were, but it were like you have to have a,000 milligram of vitamin C per one liter. >> Yeah. >> And then we were doing with uh cutting a grapefruit in half. Citrus couldn't make you we and stuff with it. >> Yeah.

And then there were >> things that corrected with your sodium or >> Yeah. >> added loads of salt earlier week and then completely stop your salt by end or something and then everything were like all these little tips and tricks. But it's just talking eight years ago. So >> I did similar with bodybuilding. built the water to 10 liters and then just stopped it dead. Everybody thinks, "Oh, I'm getting loads." So, it's flushing it, flushing it, and then suddenly it's getting >> Yeah. But it's still flushing for a period.

So, >> yeah, we were doing that and then Epson salt baths and stuff in my skin were like it were flaking off. >> Yeah. >> But like we're dying. >> It's not healthy, is it? >> Is it not? >> It's not good for you. >> No. >> Um, >> a lot of practice bodybuilders is not healthy. >> No, it cuts I think they're trying to move away from it in combat sports. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> They're bringing in things where you can't have IVs after and stuff. >> Yeah. Most are like that now. the combat leads I think I think like in China and stuff like that they extremities >> you're not allowed to have IVs before is it because it also mass um enhancements. >> All right. >> So that's why this so um yeah people getting IVs before like on the week of fight week and it will masking >> like flushing the >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Right. I don't >> So that's so they they clocked on on that. >> Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. >> Makes sense like doesn't it? >> I know. I think they should be able to do it after, but again, it's like people are just going to kill us in even more knowing that they've got >> I think that's the thing. People were going to such extremes that they needed IV fluids to be right again to find >> I know they still I know they're still doing that. I've got a couple of the bare knuckle lads that train in this gym and I know around and they're getting photos with like their their sponsors might do the IV trips and >> they've just done a weigh in and then next minute they photoing.

I just >> Yeah, that's something we get asked about a lot is IV trips, but it's not something we've >> So, what's the what's the general on IV drip? So, is who who would benefit most from those? again for because we've we've all got a medical background from like health care. >> I think we we prefer the diet approach. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, you should be able to get everything you need from a good healthy diet if you need. >> So, who would need it? Like what sort of what sort of state would you need to be in to need the dribbling just as a normal person? >> Does it just tend to be in athletes? >> They tend to use them. Yeah.

But um because they're going to such extremes like who does it now? I don't know if it was Ross Ross Edgley who did it. I don't know if it was him and they when they were doing one of these mad runs and he was stopping off. Was it a big I can't remember what it were anyway. And I'm sure they were doing IV drips in van and stuff like midway through this such an extreme >> these big extreme.

Yeah, >> possibly. Yeah. Yeah. For health reason they probably need it. >> But I think they got them they got complaints about it. >> They said well it's not real. So we had to like stop >> stop doing that.

You can't make people happy can you know what I mean this challenging world we a bit of help and they're like ah [\h__\h] now. So >> yeah there's extremes of everything but I mean there's these um hangover IVs and stuff in there and >> you know and I've um I can't remember last time I had a go. >> No me neither. >> I can see bad at you. >> No I stopped four years ago. >> Did you? How come you stopped for that? I know this wasn't part of podcast because it's interesting. >> Sick sick of getting IB. >> Yeah. >> Trying to be healthier to promote the business. >> Yeah. >> Um now I just just I would have binge drink. I weren't really bothered for drinking but when I did growing up suffered >> didn't feel right for five or six days and I just got to an age where I thought I can't can't do this anymore. >> It just throws you off completely.

Like it does like hangovers in your like early 20s you just don't feel them. No. And then like say I'm I'm the same as you. I'm a binge drinker. Yeah.

So I'll go periods and periods of time and then I like right this is my night I'm go. Then you still got to be a dad. You still got to work and for the next five days it just doesn't work and it makes sense. >> Well my dad really unwell um and I you know when you drink when you've got a lot going on it's not a good mix is >> it's just a quick way out. >> Yeah. So I had a bit of an embarrassing drink when me dad were unwell and I thought I need to just give it a rest. I planned to just stop for a few months and I never started again. >> Yeah. >> So, >> and so in in back on to uh onto your business and are you wanting to go >> fulltime into just the blood stuff or are you are you still you plan on keeping >> I think I'll always be in and do some clinical work.

I enjoy it. It's what I've always done and I like it but I would like to grow this business and there's I think there's loads of avenues we can go down. We've we um we've looked into getting a cryopen so we can take off like skin lesions. That's cosmetic. GPS don't really do that anymore.

They send you private. So, we're just going to try and fill some gaps where people struggle to get things done. >> Explain that a little bit more then, James. So, what's that? I've not I've never >> So, you might just have just an unsightly skin tag that you want off that really bothers you, but if it's not affecting you medically, >> it's cosmetic and they'll say you'll have to get it done private and things like that. Um, >> so what what hoops do you have to jump through to get to that sort of thing then? >> Um, we're just doing some training now.

We're just about training up on it. And then >> how do you train for that do? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's crazy. >> Yeah. Under supervision and practice. Um, also ear wax removal. >> Yeah. >> Getting into that because a lot of GPS have stopped doing it.

So, we're going to be offering that. I'm just going to try and add more services to the clinic because until we've got a big enough client base, we can't fill >> days with bloods. like you might come again in 3 months and that's someone who comes quite frequently. You need a massive client base to to do it every day at week. >> Yeah. Russell said you had a big box of blood this morning. >> Yeah, we we do some blood letting for that hemocchromattosis or for >> one of the side effects of uh long-term testosterone use is it can thicken your blood a bit. So you need to keep that something to monitor.

So we can help with that if that >> get a few bodybuilders in for that then. >> Yeah, a few. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Are you finding more bodybuilders now go down the route of the health side now?

Right? Because the biggest problem, isn't it? It's your small independent gyms or your bodybuilders that are not competing, but they're training, eating, and abusing steroids like they're going to step on stage. Yeah. Just everyday people.

Yeah. >> And they don't know how much they're supposed to have. They're not and they're doing all these things and they don't know what's going on under the hood. >> No. No. >> And that's the most terrifying thing for me. You got someone on the same cycle as pro bodybuilder stepping on stage which usually they take a lot less than the people the norm is doing. >> Yeah. And they might have a medical team around them who's advising them.

They're monitoring them. They'll have regular checks whereas >> Joe Blogs was doing it in a local gym. >> Yeah. >> He's just hoping for the best in a lot of cases. >> I think that's the biggest risk. >> There's been a lot of uh influencers die recent as well, aren't there? >> Yeah. Young. >> Yeah. has been u yeah he probably most recent one man >> who got into there was some u there are some younger guys aren't there as well >> there's a lot of young bodybuilders there >> and again like we've touched on bodybuilding anyway but I I know quite a lot of bodybuilders and uh they always say you might look like the picture of >> picture of health almost like it's godlike physique but um internally you >> Oh yeah I agree >> energy levels and like you literally >> when I were dieting for that bodybuilding show we're not to anyone Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Like a walking zombie. But I look the best I've ever looked on a photograph, but I'd rather feel like I do now. Be fit and healthy. >> Yeah.

So, what do you do for your your own health and fitness now? Then how do you look after you? >> Just more functional fitness. So, sort of high rocks ax type training. That's what I've give that a go. >> Have you Have you completed any Hierro rocks? >> I've done two. Yeah.

And I've got another one in Cardiff. >> Nice. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> They're everywhere, aren't they? >> Yeah. It's addictive. It's >> Yeah. Yeah. >> How long How often do you look after your own bloods?

Obviously, because you got access, do you do it fairly regularly? >> Um, probably at the moment once a year, >> maybe twice a year depending if I making any changes. My cholesterol were out a little bit. So, made some changes. Um, improved slightly, but not enough. So, I'm just due to do it again. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> how regular would you uh say checks, you know, if you did find something that were quite a bit out of scale, would you um would you how long would it take for your body to like adapt to that change? >> Again, it depends what it is.

I think like cholesterol if you're going to try and improve it just through diet and not take any prescribed medication for it like a starting it's going to take months really >> healthy eating for months and make changes >> um so I'd say minimum three months before you do it >> is there any quick to change >> say your iron will >> you take an iron supplement that could be rectified in weeks >> so yeah it just depends what it is really >> can you differentiate what the biggest deficiency are usually in men and women like is there a difference between those two? >> Um off top of my head no not massively. Um I think most common thing people book in with is brain fog, fatigue, lack of motivation, wondering if there's something physical going on or whether it's psychological. I think most people get to a certain age and start thinking >> I ain't got the energy I had. I'm not recovering as quick >> and >> you just want to find root. I was speaking to someone the other day and they were talking about women's health especially like they're getting round to the age of the maybe the menopause stage. >> Yeah. >> They should be really pushing for better blood tests on that and more screens for that cuz usually when you start having these symptoms you go to your GP they'll just give you medication or you cruise and stuff like that but the hormones can be different from A to B.

Yeah. >> So you're not going to get the same outcome as person A to person B and it's going to be all over the place. So really a blood panel to tell you what's happening inside and you can adjust that. >> Absolutely. Yeah. For some reason when women go to GPS with them sort of symptoms, they will do a blood panel that's just rules out a medical cause of the symptoms and then assume hormonal and try a patch and if that's don't work or it gets rid of one symptom but gives you another try this other patch. It's all done a little bit behind for some reason.

I'm not sure the reasons why, >> but we're getting more and more women who are coming in and saying, "Can you check me hormones and see which ones I actually need cuz this patch isn't working or I feel worse." So, we've been doing a lot of that and we've linked up with a hormone doctor in Otley. So, we send send our patients to her and she'll do um like a custom script of just what they need. >> So, I can find a lot of women who've had zero testosterone and they need a small amount to function properly. Uh that's quite common that women need testosterone, but it sounds a bit frightening to women. >> I don't want to draw a beard and get an average pull and get get all masculine. Yeah. Yeah.

It's not about that. You just need them. >> Well, if you get that I'm going there. >> Yeah. I'm going to say >> but it's it's one of those things that like from a health perspective that should be cuz it's going to happen to pretty much everybody in that stage. >> That should be looked at as a priority thing like let's find out what you need. Yeah. >> Rather than just throw something out and hope it sticks. Yeah.

Yeah. That must be why there's so many of these private sort of menopause clinics because >> yeah, I don't think it's tested that well in the NHS for some reason. And for men, hormone checks are quite difficult to get. And if you find your testosterone's low, it's it might be like say the range is 6 to 29 and it's 6.1, you're in range. So >> yeah, >> see what you do about it. >> Just for like a PT perspective though.

Yeah. So a personal trainer, what would guidance could you give them to sort of help their clients on the health journey? Like what symptoms to look out for? Even like prescribing what they can do to point them towards a blood test, what to look for? >> Um I think I don't know how it works with you guys, but if you get a new client, do you do a bit of a consultation, see what the goals are, see what they're struggling. >> Yours are not all mine now just there to box. So >> yeah.

Yeah. So that's sort of when it used to Yeah. So I used to have wide range like quite vast like vast range sort of um people with different different goals but now it's pretty much either they want to get fit boxing or they want to compete boxing like there's not really but obviously Callum will be completely different to that. >> Tend to go down cuz like uh because of the resistance training and yeah looking at diet and stuff. I try and find out you know how much they're sleeping. Yeah. >> What are they eating? like get a diary with me over seven days and try and work that out.

Yeah. >> And try understand what they've done before. >> But the problem is when you ask for this kind of information, you can't really go beyond that without people feeling like it's too intrusive. Yeah. Rather than if you had the opportunity like look as a standard practice part of me package, >> you have this blood test, get a full and then I've got a good idea what because a lot of people won't really know the answers to those questions. And I think that's where the consultation stage for a lot of personal trainers go wrong. I know we teach it in our courses, but a lot of it fails unless you have the emotional intelligence to understand where the start point is because usually it's the you're the last resort.

You know, they've tried fast, they've tried extreme dieting, they've tried training relentlessly for a long time. So the damage they've done over that much time or the setbacks that they've had, your body could be giving you a different response in a way that is not going to benefit exactly from the standard practice. >> Yeah. >> So I I've always loved the idea they do it more in America now, don't they? Where they do the standards because it like PT companies offer those blood tests strictly as like a a nutritional standpoint saying this is what you're lacking in or you might be sensitive to this food group so we're going to inject this and do that. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I think that would have way more benefit than sort of process of elimination. >> That's been a big thing for us.

We offer food intolerance test and allergy testing and we do loads of food intolerance tests. I >> mean loads. >> Most popular. That's just getting one off you to be fair >> because people like you say they follow different diets or they'll go with a PT who say right you need to have x amount of protein. We want you to eat eggs. We want you to eat and they're getting bloating. in it. >> I never I never used to feel any issues when I when I were younger and like now I started to know cuz I'm quite like a creature of habit like I eat same sort of things all the time and then it just weirdly for me it were rice >> right.

Yeah. Yeah. >> I' never had any problem with anything else but every time I had rice stomach were in bits and it took me I would eat it for about two three years not really realizing. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I be good to see like cuz I've never had any tests on it but I just know obviously. >> Yeah. Same. I know that if I eat pasta, feel a little bit too clue 20 minutes after. >> Yeah. >> Not enough to put me off ever having it again.

But >> every time I think, well, feel >> have it that often. But >> have you have you not done? >> I've done it on myself yet. I am going to because um we've had a few people come with really bad eczema and psoriasis flares and they've not been able to get on top of it. They've been to doctors. They've been in hospital some of them >> and the last resort they just said, "I just I'm desperate.

I want to know why they've had food again on me. I there for after a sweat after a session. I'm wondering if that is so to do with what I'm eating or you know through your sweat off. >> We had someone who came and five days after she cut the foods out that the intolerance test told her to cut out her exma cleared up really. Yeah. She'd been in hospital that bad >> and it's all diet.

So you can't underestimate what a diet does good and bad. >> Your hormones govern your body though it doesn't matter what you do externally. If you don't have a fix on what's actually going to work for your body and what's not, you're just going to be shooting in the dark. Another avenue we're going to go down is microbiome, gut health, because they reckon that >> Yeah. that everything is linked to your gut though. >> Yeah. >> And set up with >> to be able to offer that. So, >> do you find that it's a rabbit hole though? >> That's that's the approach, isn't it? Because you can just you can take it all the way down to the atoms before you actually figure it out like >> and for the common person as to in the nicest way, they actually don't really care that much.

No, >> be good for like a full full like like what you say is expanding, but having a section for a full like health sort of >> Yeah. >> circuit and you got for each each thing. >> Yeah. We've got to carefully pick which ones we think the most useful for people and >> Yeah. That' be a good thing to think to start. I was just I was just thinking over my head then is almost like one goal could be my maybe you know have you like regen and do the uh physio stuff. >> Yeah. and they're in all the um go on what's gym called Ultraflex. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Um and they've got like a deal with them.

So every time they set one or they put um a new place in there. >> Yeah. >> Um so it be good if you could do something like that. >> Oh yeah. >> I've worked with a few gyms now. Yeah. And >> sort of going back to the PT thing with you guys. >> It could all you could sell that yourself and earn from it as well. We're going to set like an affiliate thing. So if you wanted to work with us Yeah. and it could be branded it with your PT logo or >> that sort of thing.

Same it's clinics and things >> and we could build a panel just that's specific for what you want to share. >> Yeah. It's just what you >> we we do very very similar thing with uh PT referrals don't we? >> Yeah. >> So we go and work with gyms as well and anyone like they sort of put through on their as a PT. It still comes under sort of branded them but we just do the work. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

That's >> so it's very very similar. So it can all intertwine can't it? sort of >> same. It's amazing which how many different directions we've we've been talking to physios, aesthetics, clinics. >> Yeah. >> Gyms. >> It's a numbers game, is it? Like and recognizable name and once people start you just want it to drop on. So get like there's always it's not a fad, but there's always something that um that circle's really big at one point.

You just need something to take off like that quickly. Yeah, >> it's just yeah, like I said before, it's been a slow burner because we want to get all the back end stuff right on the report and that's the main thing that the information we're giving is the best out there. >> Well, do you do much for advertising? >> Not at the moment. Everything we've been putting all the money back into the IT side and yeah, we're like soon going to roll out a full new website that'll have its own booking system in it rather than it's a bit of a self-made website we've got now. We use bookings. We're gonna >> couple of athletes with like testimonials and stuff.

That's what we're big on. And um again, we're always in process all the time of of >> social media is massive, isn't it? >> 100%. Yeah. You can scale it, can't you? And you don't have to cost much either.

Like we we run ads and stuff as well, but um from an organic standpoint, like any any videos of people's real life experience goes Yeah. goes a long way, doesn't it? >> Yeah. >> Is that what you find out about business? Cuz >> we always like to talk about business in the real sense. Do you always find that social media sometimes can be like a mask to how business reality really is? Because when you're running your own business, you're not just like everyone can pick your own hours. You can do this, you can do that, and that's all bollocks.

It doesn't make sense. And you end up working all the hours. You're thinking every day of a new idea. You're constantly tinkering. It's uh especially like you guys bringing that up because >> it's like a gap in the market.

Like the gap in the market thing is always a thing. >> You still need to work on it in the background because you got to make a perfect product. Yeah. And it's never going to be perfect, too, because you're always going to find flaws in it. I don't know about your personality, but I like everything to be right and I want to do a good job. So, I can't switch off >> like today rather than trusting a career, I'm driving the samples from today to T-side myself. >> Yeah. >> To make sure that nothing goes wrong. >> Is that what you're doing after this? >> Yeah. >> No way. >> I can't The odd time the careers let us down.

I just can't >> You can't deal with it. Yeah. >> People are really understanding. I apologize. Get them back in. Do it all again.

But to me, >> problem is if they fail, it's on you. >> Yeah. That's the problem. >> Would that would that be another >> addition to the the team then? Someone who you you obviously know that's going to do it privately. >> I have got somebody here who who normally does it. He's gone away on holiday. So, >> right. >> We're going to go back to special delivery guaranteed next day, but that's what we've tried before and it it let me down too many times.

So, >> Right. And um yeah, so it sounds like you're going to be busy tonight and I'm going to be busy after this. Is there that you've that you want to add into this, mate? >> No, I just appreciate you having us on chat about things. I just think it's really valuable to everybody. >> Good. Your mold. >> Yeah.

So, overall view from what I've got from it as well today, mate, is um there's not one person with the average Joe. Someone who trains doesn't train. I think every single person can benefit from what you do. >> Yeah. I've had I've had someone in the 60s, 70s today came, he's been to his GP, he's had some tests, he didn't think they looked into things enough, and he just said, "I want >> It's just a It's a no-brainer to just feel good, isn't it?" Yeah. >> Even if like that's why I come cuz I feel good all the time but why not feel better? >> Yeah. >> And it's just for me like >> if it's there it's on your doorstep to be able to do it. >> So if where can people find you James for um >> so only one base at the moment um Cargate Garden Center got a clinic in there but like I said the long-term plan hopefully within this year is to be national and be tapping into other places that'll be able to do it. We're also going to have other people like me set up their own small clinics and run it how I run it as well. >> That's awesome, mate.

And what's your social media platforms? >> Uh, my medic healthcare. >> Is that Instagram? >> Is that Instagram, Facebook? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Right. Well, is that it, mate? >> Yeah. Thank you very much. >> Pleasure to speak to you, mate.

Re >> mate. Thank you. >> Cheers, mate. Thanks a lot. Cheers, guys. Thank you everybody.