Good morning. It’s Tuesday, November 5th.

We hit Issue #400! Can’t believe we’ve written enough newsletters to write six books on longevity (maybe that’s what we should do).

Thanks to everyone for supporting us by reading the newsletter and getting ready for the launch of our new Thrive25 product!

If you have any feedback on how we can make this newsletter even better for you - please reach out. We really want to hear from you! Just email us at [email protected].

In today’s email:

• Learn: DNA Methylation

• Try: Gratitude Challenge

• Measure: Folate (not Folic Acid)

• Laugh: Time Traveler?

• In the News: Ditch the Toxic Spatula

Stat of the Day

The percentage of Americans “stressed out” by the Presidential election. Fortunately (hopefully) that ends today - or at least real soon. (CBSNews)

Just remember that although this election will have consequences one way or another and the media attempts to hijack our attention - leave mental space for the things that really matter - like time with your family, the feeling of autumn sun on your face, having your health, and just being here and now.

Learn

DNA Methylation

We started this newsletter in 2022 because what we do every day affects our health and longevity.

The decisions we make - from what we eat, to how we move, how much we sleep, who we hang out with, even what we think - determines how healthy we are right now and how long we can maintain our health (or not).

The reason this is possible is through epigenetics. While we’re all born with a given set of genes, we can change which of these genes are turned on or off based on what we eat and how we live.

The specific way this works is through DNA methylation.

Methylation is when a “methyl group” or group of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms attach to another molecule. This is happening all the time in every cell in our body.

But specifically, when this happens to our DNA it affects all the ways we can build, repair and turn on/off our genetic code.

See our DNA is just a set of letter pairs G (guanine), A (adenine), C (cytosine), and T (thymine). You’ve seen the long double-helix of these letters.

But DNA methylation is what brings these letters to life.

As we age, DNA methylation slows down and makes more mistakes. 

But the more we give ourselves the right inputs (healthy food, exercise, even laughter), the more we keep this process going and give ourselves the best chance to age without health problems or limitations on the life we want to live.

So that’s why we’re writing this newsletter and why, hopefully, there will be another 400 more in the future!

Try

Gratitude Challenge

Daily gratitude equals better health.

It boosts our immunity, improves our heart health, and engages our parasympathetic nervous system to keep our stress in check.

Even brain imaging shows that our neurons are firing in areas of the brain that support “social bonding and stress relief.”

So as we enter into November - here’s a challenge for you:

Write down (physical pen and paper - no phone apps) just one thing at the end of the day that you’re grateful for in your life right now.

That’s it - just one thing.

Do this for the next 25 days - or at least until Thanksgiving - and see how you feel.

PRO TIP: Make this an easy habit to stick with - have the notepad and pen next to your bed or tie it to another habit you already do, even when you brush your teeth at night.

It’s a great way to get to the end of the year and into the holidays. I guarantee this will push you to more positive thoughts and put you into the mindset for a great end of year and awesome 2025!

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Measure

Folate (not Folic Acid)

Folate (a.k.a., Vitamin B9) is a water-soluble nutrient that is essential from the time before we’re born and has a big impact on our longevity.

Why?

Basically it builds our DNA (it’s one of the key methyl donors). Specifically, folate helps convert the amino acid, homocysteine, into methionine - which we need in order to create new proteins.

This leads to healthy cell growth and function, plus the formation of red blood cells to pump oxygen around our entire body.

This is why it’s been known for a long time that pregnant women need a lot of folate to develop the brain, spine and nervous system of the new baby.

But there’s a big caveat here - folate does NOT equal folic acid.

Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate that was created in a lab to be shelf-stable so we can get this nutrient without eating real food.

The problem is that most people don’t convert folic acid to folate very well - and we’re left with unmetabolized folic acid in our blood - which might be bad for our cognitive function.

On the flip side, if you’re one of those people that does convert folic acid efficiently - then you might overdose on folate, which can turn off genes that help prevent tumors and inflammation.

You really want to be in the sweet spot with folate, and you want to get it from real food.

And if you do take a multivitamin, use one with natural sources of folate listed as 5MTHF folate, NOT folic acid.

Get your folate levels tested to find out where you stand:

Optimal Range = 10-25 ng/mL

If you’re deficient - here’s a list of the top foods to add to your list for a folate boost:

• Beef liver (54% daily allowance value)

• Spinach (33%)

• Black-eyed peas (26%)

• Asparagus (22%)

• Brussels sprouts (20%)

• Romaine Lettuce (16%)

• Avocados (15%)
  Broccoli (13%)

• Kidney Beans (12%)

See - it’s kinda hard to overdose when just eating real food. 

*For more on this nutrient - check out Dr. Kara Fitzgerald’s book, “Younger You.”

Laugh

Time Traveler?

If you went back in time could you prove you were from the future and explain how things work?

funnyibelieve

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H&L in the News

Ditch That Toxic Spatula: Your black plastic spatula may be leaching dangerous chemicals into your food. Opt for silicone or steel alternatives to reduce your exposure to harmful flame retardants. (The Atlantic)

Silent Liver Threat Exposed: 4 in 10 people have MASLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease), a hidden liver condition that can progress to cirrhosis. Early action through diet and exercise is crucial to reverse damage before it’s too late. (NYTimes)

Stronger Teams, Deeper Connections: Build lasting teams by fostering friendships, trust, and managing relationships across all levels. Learn how to strengthen bonds, leverage support, and succeed together, both upward and sideways. (Big Think)

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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!