Dr. Ruben Montané, DC

09/09/2026

For 10 years, I’ve treated patients who were told:

**“Your labs are normal.”**

But they didn’t feel normal.

They were tired. Stressed. Out of shape. Not sleeping well. Anxious. Disconnected from their families.

And I started noticing something:

The people who actually got better weren’t fixing just one thing.

They were paying attention to **four pillars:**

**NOTICE** — What is your body telling you?

**MOVE** — How are you training and caring for it?

**QUIET** — Can your mind actually slow down and recover?

**RETURN** — Who and what are you coming home to?

Most health advice treats these as separate problems.

I don't think they are.

I learned that personally.

After my twins were born, I stopped training, gained weight, and watched old anxiety start creeping back in.

I was coaching patients toward a healthier life while not fully practicing it myself.

So I rebuilt.

I started training again, running, preparing for a 70.3 and marathon in my forties, journaling daily, and paying much more attention to stress, recovery, movement, and family.

That process became **The 4 Pillar Method.**

I wrote this book for anyone who's tired of generic advice like:

“Exercise more.”

“Manage your stress.”

“Get more sleep.”

Those things matter.

But **how do they actually fit together?**

Inside, you'll find:

→ 3 simple self-tests you can do this week
→ My actual morning and evening routines
→ A plain-English explanation of cortisol and chronic stress
→ Why I journal every day
→ The fourth pillar most wellness frameworks leave out

This isn't about becoming perfect.

It's about building **a body, a mind, and a family life that can hold up.**

**The 4 Pillar Method**

My real framework for health, rebuilt from both clinical experience and personal failure.

08/20/2026

Something that doesn't get talked about enough: hair thinning on GLP-1s.

If it's happening to you, it's probably not the medication itself. It's usually the combination of rapid weight loss and reduced food intake pushing hair follicles into a resting phase earlier than they normally would. The good news: it typically improves once your weight stabilizes.

But there's a nutrition piece that makes a real difference either way:

🔹 Protein — the same target that protects your muscle also supports hair. Most people on a GLP-1 are eating 40-60% less overall, so protein is often the first thing to slip without realizing it.

🔹 Iron — red meat, spinach, lentils. Worth paying attention to if shedding becomes noticeable.

🔹 Zinc — beef, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas. Same idea, supports the same process.

None of this guarantees it stops completely, hair follicle cycles are complicated and genetics play a role too. But going into a calorie deficit under-fed on protein and these two nutrients makes it worse, not better. And it's one of the more controllable pieces of this whole picture.

If your appetite is low, a scoop of protein powder is still a real meal here, it doesn't have to come from a plate of food to count.

08/20/2026

If you're on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound: the weight is coming off, but not all of it is fat.

Studies show up to 40% of what you lose on these medications can be muscle, not fat. That's where "Ozempic face," loose skin, and that flat, deflated look actually come from. It's not the medication itself, it's muscle loss happening alongside the fat loss, and most people have no idea it's preventable.

I put together a guide with the exact protein targets and a simple 3-day training protocol (no gym required) to protect your muscle while you lose weight. Also covers whether creatine is worth adding, what to do on days you can't eat much, and when to actually call your doctor.

Not a meal plan. Not a coaching program. Just the specific numbers and the workout, so the weight you lose is fat, not the muscle you'll want to keep.

Link in comments 👇

08/11/2026

https://youtu.be/8ov29HHyjIU?si=GjFl7tAn9KflLYIc

07/09/2026

If you’re on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound, here’s what’s actually happening while the weight comes off.

You’re eating 40-60% less overall. Protein is usually the first thing to fall off a plate that’s already smaller, since it’s easier to just eat less of everything than to protect one macro on purpose. Your body doesn’t know the difference between “cutting on purpose” and “not getting enough of what keeps my muscle around.” It just starts breaking down what it has.

This is also part of why some people end up with more loose skin than others on the same medication, and why hair thinning shows up for some people and not others. Muscle is what holds skin structure up from underneath. Hair follicles are sensitive to the same nutrient shortfalls. Neither one is bad luck. Both track back to the same root cause.

The fix isn’t complicated:

Protein target: aim for 0.7-0.8g per pound of body weight, daily. For someone at 180 lbs, that’s roughly 126-144g. Higher than a normal day on purpose, because you’re protecting muscle through a faster deficit than your body’s used to.

Training: three short strength sessions a week, full body each time, 35-45 minutes. Not more exercise, just the right kind. Cardio alone won’t cover this part.

That’s the whole mechanism. No supplements required, no extreme measures, just protein and a reason for your body to hold onto the muscle instead of treating it as expendable.

I put the full breakdown, protein targets by body weight, the exact workout, and what to watch for, into a guide. Link in the comments below if you want it.

07/06/2026

Most people on Ozempic do not realize the scale dropping and muscle loss look identical from the outside.Your body does not know the difference. Without enough protein and a reason to keep it, muscle goes with the fat.Less muscle means slower metabolism. Slower metabolism means the weight comes back harder once you stop.Most people find this out after the fact. I see it in patients regularly. The medication worked. The muscle loss was the part nobody warned them about. Standard protein advice does not account for a suppressed appetite. That is the specific gap this guide addresses.The window while the medication is working is when this matters most. Not after you stop. Now.If you want a generic wellness PDF this is not it. If you want the protocol built around what GLP-1s actually do to your appetite and energy, it is in bio.You worked too hard to lose it twice.

08/09/2024

Hey friends, family, and colleagues,

As you know l've been a chiropractor for 8 years now and I love health and wellness!

I started a weekly newsletter called “The Wellness Journey” that discusses one area of wellness each week, ranging from physical, financial, and mental wellness with actionable steps to better your health.

Please subscribe if you’re interested AND please past it along if you know anyone who may be interested.

If not then don't worry I am only a little offended 😂

Here is the link ⤵️

https://thewellnessjourney.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Thank you and I appreciate your support!

Ruben

The email newsletter to help you discover and navigate a balanced and abundant life.

08/03/2024

I started a wellness newsletter! Please subscribe!

The email newsletter to help you discover and navigate a balanced and abundant life.

08/09/2023

San Diego Chiropractor & Wellness Coach Serving La Jolla | UTC | San Diego

05/31/2023