Good morning. It’s Tuesday, July 30th.

In today’s email:

• Learn: Mold in Our Home

• Try: A Clean Toothbrush

• Explore: Equinox in Saudi Arabia

• In the News: A New Alzheimer’s Test

Stat of the Day

Number of hours it takes for black mold to start growing spores on wet drywall or tile. (source)

Learn

Mold in Our Home

What’s so frustrating when you do all the right things - you stick with eating real food, you get out and move every day with some intense exercise every week, you focus on good sleep, you even meditate to clear your head of daily stress - but you still don’t feel your best.

It might be something hiding in plain sight.

Mold Season

It rains just about every afternoon in Florida this time of year - really increasing the humidity in and out of the home. This might be one of the reasons we spent too many hours last Saturday doing a real deep clean of our entire shower to get rid of all the mold on all tile, grout and caulk.

We’re not alone - 70% of homes in the U.S. are exposed to mold.

It might not seem like it matters as much as what you eat or going for that workout - but breathing in mold can absolutely crush our health!

Mold comes from fungi. Isn’t the world crazy - last week we talked about the fungi (mushrooms) we should eat (Issue #370) and now we’re talking about the fungi that can make us really, really sick.

Fungi has been around for a billion years - it’s an essential part of our world by decomposing dead stuff back to dirt. But that’s not what we need in our homes.

And today’s homes are ripe for mold - stone, brick, and plaster don’t hold mold. But today’s home built of drywall - the main component of homes after WWII - is basically gypsum between sheets of durable paper. Contrary to its name - drywall doesn’t dry very well and it doesn’t take long for mold to start growing (see Stat of the Day).

Plus, we have no exposure to the outdoor elements - we’re committed to staying comfortable with heat in the winter and AC in the summer with no outdoor airflow.

Mold & Our Health

It’s not an exaggeration to say that mold is one of the biggest culprits of chronic health problems. Over 20% of asthma cases are linked to mold exposure, it also creates allergies and is tied to more serious autoimmune diseases.

One of the primary symptoms is brain fog and it is also now believed mold is connected to Type 3 Alzheimer’s Disease.

Here’s the full list of symptoms that might occur due to mold exposure:

Mold Mitigation

Like anything, prevention is key - but first you should find out if you have mold or not. We got our home tested to get a full report:

There is an agreed upon scoring system for mold called a MoldSCORE.

Green doesn’t mean you’re in the clear (mold can go undetected), but you can at least see if you have a big problem.

If necessary get through that drywall and get out the mold - might be expensive, but what’s your health worth?

Even if the scores come back green - here are 5 tips to keep mold out of your home:

1. Keep Humidity at 35-50% (mold needs moisture to grow)

2. Take care of water leaks/spills ASAP

3. Keep bathrooms and kitchens clean - use white vinegar (not bleach)

4. Clear out your gutters

5. Use an air purifier with a filter that captures mold spore

If you feel any of the above symptoms AND think you’ve been exposed to mold - go to your Primary Care Doctor or find a Functional Medicine expert to get a real test to see if mold is the cause!

Try

A Clean Toothbrush

If mold grows where things stay wet, then think about your toothbrush (yuck).

In addition to changing it out regularly - put your toothbrush (especially if it’s electric) in half cup water, 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and 1 teaspoon baking soda for 30 minutes 1x per week to keep mold off.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

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Explore

Equinox in Saudi Arabia

Ever thought of hitting up the Gulf of Aqaba? Well, maybe now add it to the list. Equinox is building a new hotel with a 1,500 foot bridge hovering over a lagoon. Oh and that bridge - it will sport a pool that goes the entire distance so you won’t have to do too many laps. The spa will focus on longevity, health & performance. Maybe where we should hold a Thrive25 retreat?

H&L in the News

Blood Test for Colon Cancer: Yesterday, the FDA approved a new blood test for colorectal cancer. While it struggles identifying pre-cancerous growths - it can encourage more people to be screened for the second-most common cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. (NYTimes)

More Blood on the Brain: One day earlier, a new study was published for a groundbreaking blood test for Alzheimer's. This test is 90% accurate and more effective than cognitive tests and CT scans - it could revolutionize early diagnosis and care for millions. (Study)

Unlimiting Your Endurance: Unlock the secrets of "predictive processing" and its impact on sports psychology and endurance. Discover how this groundbreaking brain theory can enhance athletic performance and mental resilience. (Outside)

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We’re 40-something dads that felt our bodies and minds start to slow down and we’re not ready for that. We found too much information on every subject. So we started Thrive25 to transform what we’ve learned into something useful for the rest of us to spend just 5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.

This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected].

To health!