Good morning. It’s Tuesday, October 29th.

In today’s email:

• Try: Standing Like a Flamingo

• Measure: hbA1c

• Explore: Best of the World - 2025

• In the News: Sleep Now for Your Brain Later

I wish I had a report telling me how healthy I am and what specific risks I (not anyone else - just me) had to pay attention to for optimal health in the future.

Then you know what - I wish I had a blueprint of what I should do to address those risks and make sure I’m setting myself up for real longevity. You know, so that my health doesn’t get in the way of what I want to do in life - things like surfing in my 70’s, traveling in my 80’s, being 100% independent in my 90’s.

Well that’s what we built - sign up (no obligation) to join the Waitlist of our brand new platform to get access to a personal guide to help you understand your lab tests, go to the right preventive health appointments and screens, and do the daily Quick Wins to optimize your health.

You honestly have nothing to lose here - all you get is a chance for Early Access and special exclusive pricing for our readers who join the Waitlist.

Stat of the Day

The number of Americans over age 65 that fall every year - that’s 25% of everyone in that age range. (CDC)

Try

Standing Like a Flamingo

Want to thrive longer? Then don’t lose your balance.

Not only are falls pretty prevalent (see Stat of the Day), they’re devastating too. Over one-third of all falls require medical attention and it’s becoming worse. The death rate of falls has nearly doubled in the last decade.

Now any of us in our 30’s and 40’s might be thinking - that’s not an issue for me right now. But just like grip strength - balance is a key indicator of our “functional age” and even the slightest imbalance now will significantly increase our inability to stay active later.

Research just published from the Mayo Clinic shows that balancing on one leg is a measure of how quickly our body is aging.

What this basically means is that standing on one leg:

• Measures our leg strength (actual ability to hold up our body)

• Assesses how well our brain talks to our muscles

• Tells us if our senses still give us accurate information

• Identifies if our reflexes are able to quickly respond and adjust

So where do you start:

1. With bare feet - try to raise one leg with your foot at or above your standing knee and hold for at least 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

2. If that’s easy - then do the same thing with your eyes closed (loss of sensory support).

3. If that’s still easy - then raise your heel off the ground and hold for 50 seconds.

4. Still not a challenge - then stand on a pillow with your heel raised and go for a full minute.

This is part of the Stork Test - one of the 15 Fitness Tests we put together to assess your speed, endurance, strength, mobility, and balance - all with the goal of maximizing your longevity and functional age.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

Caraway designs kitchenware for modern home cooks - yes, that’s you! Max grabbed the cookware set (navy), a square grill pan (marigold), and bakeware (perracotta) - and if kitchen gear can be sexy, this is it. Plus, it’s super functional - beautiful design that’s easy to use and clean.

Why Choose Caraway?

• Thoughtful Design: Sleek, intentional details in a variety of chic colors.

• Built for You: Caraway’s kitchenware is designed to fit perfectly into your modern lifestyle.

Add some style and ease to your kitchen - explore Caraway’s gorgeous, functional sets today!

By purchasing Caraway’s products, you’re not only enhancing your cooking experience - you’re also supporting Thrive25 in our mission to make health and longevity approachable.

Measure

HbA1c

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) is a biomarker that measures our average blood glucose levels.

Unlike Fasting Glucose, which is a snapshot in time, this test provides an average glucose level over the last 60-90 days - the lifespan of a typical red blood cell (RBC).

That’s because in our blood, glucose sticks to RBCs. This test measures the percentage of those RBCs that are glycated, or basically coated with sugar.

By providing this average over time, HbA1c can provide a more complete picture of our blood sugar - or at least add to the story of what we find out from fasting glucose. It's a key measure for diagnosing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Everyone should get this test 1x per year.

This test is, unfortunately, becoming less standard for patients that are not prediabetic or currently have Type 2 Diabetes; however, it should be free with health insurance. Be sure to request it from your doctor if they leave it off your comprehensive metabolic panel.

It's especially important for individuals with high blood pressure, a waist circumference over 37" (men) or 31.5" (women), a family history of diabetes, or have a strong desire to keep health from getting in the way of your best life.

Key Stat: Over a third of Americans have prediabetes - 84% of these people don't even know it.

• Optimal: <5.2%

• Normal: <5.7%

• Prediabetes: <6.4%
  Diabetes: 6.5%+

Don’t settle for being “just under” the cutoff for prediabetes. If you want to thrive you want to be in the optimal range for HbA1c!

Not pumped with your results?

First thing to do is cut down on the simple carbs. Try to avoid breads, pastas, cereals and anything with ADDED sugar.

Next - you gotta move. The more energy you burn, the more the glucose (which is our primary fuel) will be shuttled into cells and not sitting in your blood waiting to be stored as fat.

Don’t just sit all day at your desk - get outside and move your body!

Explore

Best of the World - 2025

National Geographic put out their annual top 25 places to visit for next year.

There’s a new international airport to get to Greenland. There’s a remote reef off Indonesia that’s still vibrant with thousands of fish and manta rays that can only be accessed by boat. There’s a 870 mile hiking trail through Romania. There’s 850 species of birds (if you’re into the mindfulness of bird watching) in Cerrado, Brazil.

Whatever you’re looking to get into next year - this list will definitely spark some ideas of how to make the most of 2025!

See a summary of the list HERE.

H&L in the News

Midlife Sleep Habits Impact Future Brain Risks: A new study reinforces what we’ve been saying for years - Poor sleep in your 40s may speed up brain aging and increase dementia risk. Early interventions targeting sleep issues could help delay cognitive decline and Alzheimer's symptoms. (The Hill)

Succeed with the 5-Hour Rule: Unlock your potential by dedicating just one hour a day to learning, experimenting, and reflecting. The 5-hour rule is a powerful habit used by leaders throughout history to turn wasted time into personal success. (Big Think)

Colonoscopy Alternatives?: Not ready for a colonoscopy? Fecal tests like FIT and Cologuard offer less invasive screening options, but each has pros and cons. Learn why your doctor recommends the scope. (NYTimes)

Max has his colonoscopy scheduled for December - connect with your trusted healthcare provider on the best option for you - if you’re of age, just remember what Ryan and Rob say…

Thrive25 Referral Program

Thanks for being part of the Thrive25 community! Want to further support our mission of transforming science into digestible insights to support our health & longevity. Earn Thrive25 swag and other rewards from our Sponsors via our referral program:

Thanks for joining us today!

• Want to see what we’re up to? Sign up for early access to our platform

• Missed an issue? No problem, check out our newsletter archive

• Got feedback, recommendations or stories to share? Tell us what’s on your mind here

• Someone send you this email? Sign up here

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!