DOCHS Author

Highlights

Valentino Muza is the managing director of DOCHS.org. He is a certified nutritionist in Croatia, supplement expert, and author of his book “Health Shining Bright: A Practical Guide for the 30+ Body – From Brain Fog to Joint Comfort and Beyond“.

Valentino draws upon years of first-hand experience within fitness, nutrition research, and supplement testing to deliver information based on the most up-to-date studies to unclutter the confusing world of dietary supplements.

Valentino’s Story

Early Life

Valentino’s early years were marked by a love for sports and camaraderie. His favorite sports were football and basketball, which he often played after school with friends. One of Valentino’s favorite memories was a spontaneous moment during a basketball practice in his school’s sporting hall: with a casual kick, the basketball was sent across the large hall and straight to the hoop, to everyone’s amazement.

However, after this school period finished, so did other things.

While some of his peers went on to become professional athletes, Valentino lost interest in sports as his high school days came to a close. Instead, he developed an unhealthy passion for video games.

“Between the age of 16-21, I used to spend (waste) up to 14 hours a day playing World of Warcraft. Safe to say it was an addiction.”

Valentino did learn a lot about consistency, discipline, and competitiveness while playing these video games. However, spending so many hours in front of computer negatively affected Valentino’s health, well-being, and even his relationships.

“Most of my relationships during this time were virtual, I enjoyed it, but looking back now, it was sad.” – Valentino

Health Problems

Valentino’s sedentary lifestyle, coupled with an ultra-processed diet, gradually took its toll, resulting in brain fog, low energy, and anxiety. Over the years, the stress on his body and mind only grew as Valentino had to start facing challenges of the adult life—taking on his first full-time freelancing job in 2016.

The sudden transition from living comfortably in his parents’ house to having to work 8-10 hours per day, along with some personal issues, caused Valentino to burn out. He remembers waking up in the morning feeling like he was “hit by a hundred bricks,” with no motivation to do anything productive.

Blood tests showed the stress hormone cortisol was through the roof, and his testosterone levels weren’t looking great for a 25-year old man at the time. Valentino suspects it was this hormonal imbalance that made him feel groggy, moody, and irritable all the time.

Luckily, this difficult period proved to be a “blessing in disguise.” It forced Valentino to grab things he could control in his own hands taking care of his body and delving into areas of fitness and nutrition.

A New Direction

The interest for fitness and health was sparked after Valentino saw YouTube videos of fitness models with inspiring physiques and disciplined daily routines. This motivated him to emulate their lifestyle and improve his mental and physical health in the process. His first steps were joining the gym and looking more carefully at what he was putting into his body.

By early 2017, Valentino began extensively researching and testing supplements for relieving stress, improving brain function, and increasing energy. He also explored various “biohacking” routines, such as doing cold showers, grounding/earthing, mitochondria optimization through HIIT exercises, and many others. Seeing some success and benefits from these routines shifted his mindset towards a more positive future.

Through countless hours of trial and error, Valentino began grasping what works and what doesn’t. He took his knowledge and expertise a step further in 2019 by enrolling into a nutritionist program in Zagreb. Valentino solidified his extensive personal experience with an official nutritionist certification. His health problems didn’t magically vanish all of a sudden, but his changed lifestyle significantly improved both his physical and cognitive well-being.

Fast forward to today, Valentino channels his journey of transformation into helping others achieve their health and wellness goals, writing extensively on topics that range from muscle building to mental performance enhancement, among others.

If you find yourself in some of these paragraphs, and if you want to improve any area of your health and well-being, why not contact Valentino for coaching, or read some of his articles on different wellness topics.

You can learn more about Valentino’s expertise on DOCHS’ about page.

Alternatively, see his article catalog here: https://dochs.org/author/valentino/