Good morning. It’s Tuesday, September 3rd.

In today’s email:

• Learn: The Molecular Map of Exercise

• Try: 25-Day Challenge

• Explore: Canary Islands

• In the News: Best Plunge Pools

Stat of the Day

The number of biological molecules that adapt and respond to endurance exercise over time. (source)

Learn

The Molecular Map of Exercise

For our long-time readers - you already know that exercise is probably the best tool we have for longevity.

But it’s always helpful when new science underscores the point.

Every one minute of exercise buys you five minutes of extra life.

That’s from Euan Ashley, Chair of Genomics and Precision Health at Stanford.

The basis for these comments come from old research like the London Bus study in 1958 that compared the lifespan of conductors - who walked up and down the aisles of the bus all day - compared to the drivers - who obviously were sitting all day.

But now Professor Ashley has pulled together the top researchers in the world to create MoTrPAC (The Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium).

If that doesn’t get you excited…

Ok, but seriously this group is the first to create a “molecular map” based on the effects of exercise. The mission is so powerful - it’s trying to prove from a medical perspective that exercise really is the most powerful drug in the world.

The group just released a new paper that shows just that.

But first, the caveat that the study was done on rats - which obviously aren’t humans. Nevertheless, even with 140 million years of evolution separating us, rats are remarkably similar to humans.

The findings are crazy - 

Rats that exercised 20 min a day at about 75% max rate seemed, according to the researchers, to “turn into different beings” compared to rats that didn’t exercise.

Again, this is at a cellular level. It changed basically every organ and tissue in their entire body. And 94.5% of the expressed genes that changed can be mapped directly to humans.

Some obvious things changed - like the heart and muscle, but also the small intestine and adrenal gland (gives us adrenaline).

The changes were so pronounced that the liver showed the exact opposite of what happens when the liver gets sick (cirrhosis). Like it was literally an antidote to liver disease.

Exercise is hard - it literally stresses the body. For example, our blood pressure goes sky high when we run or workout. But it’s for a good reason.

When we’re stressed our blood pressure goes up because our blood vessels tighten. But when we exercise our blood vessels loosen to allow for a lot more blood to pump through.

That’s why every tissue, organ, every drop of blood is transformed by exercise.

The results:

• 60% less likely to experience heart disease

• 50% less likely to have diabetes

• 70% less likely to fracture your hip

• 50% less likely to have colon cancer

• 25% less likely to have breast cancer

• 25% less likely to be depressed

Speaking specifically to depression - the research is so strong now that medical expert Eric Topol calls SSRI’s (antidepressant drugs) “a joke” compared to exercise.

And research also shows exercise can increase healthspan and lifespan for those afflicted by the awful pancreatic cancer.

This is just the start of what we’re going to know in the future. MoTrPAC makes all their data publicly available in hopes that we can collectively move faster to learn more.

So back to that longevity formula -

If you exercise 5 hrs/week for the next 40 years, you might have just bought yourself 6 more years of the good life. Want more? You know what lever to pull.

Try

The 25-Day Challenge

Move for at least one hour everyday for the next 25 days.

Can be as easy as a fast-paced walk or as tough as my 20-min workout. 

The important thing is consistency - so get into the habit that you’re an athlete, that you’re committed to your longevity, and that you need to move every day.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Caraway is on a mission to craft well-designed home goods that thoughtfully raise the standards of what you cook with - their products are designed to make your life easier and healthier.

Every time Max adds a tablespoon of Zero Acre Farms cultured oil to his Caraway sauté pan, he knows he’s eating healthier and reducing his carbon footprint.

Caraway Core Value #2: Functional Products For Real Life - from naturally slick surfaces to complimentary storage racks, Caraway products are designed to be convenient, functional, and bring joy back into your daily rituals.

Explore

Canary Islands

Back when I took time off in between companies in 2014 I spent a few weeks solo traveling in the Canary Islands. Pretty amazing spot. These islands off the coast of Africa belong to Spain and are a little-known gem for most Americans.

The weather is magical and there’s enough stuff to do outside to keep you busy (or just hang by the beach) for weeks. I went surfing on the highly volcanic island of Lanzarote (see Surf Camp) and then spent a ton of time on Tenerife - the largest Canary island has become a home to world-class cyclists and nature lovers.

Great diving, birdwatching, hiking (4 national parks), and stargazing make these islands a great spot that might not be on your bucket list. Plus - there’s plenty of fitness and wellness retreats ready for you.

H&L in the News

The Best Plunge Pools: Why cold-plunge pools or ice baths? See Issue #132. In the market - check out this rundown from budget-friendly to premium options. Jump in to boost mental clarity, muscle recovery, and more. Think it’s a fad, start with a cold shower first. (WIRED)

Good Reads: Author Ryan Holiday always has a good list of book recommendations - whether it’s around stoicism, history, or just pure entertainment. For this month - I read “How to be Perfect” and would double down on the rec. (Painted Porch)

Corporate Wellness?: We’re back to pre-pandemic levels of well-being as reported by employees across the country, according to Johns Hopkins. But is that really a surprise? (Inc.com)

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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!