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Good morning. It’s Tuesday, November 19th.

In today’s email:

• Learn: Why to NOT Avoid the Doctor

• Try: Take Control of Your Health

• Watch: The Cavs Undefeated Season

• In the News: Birdwatching World Record

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

A Fan of Carrots? 🥕

Throw out any organic carrots from these brands on these dates - they’ve been recalled with e. coli that’s led to 15 hospitalizations and no doubt plenty more upset stomachs.

Stat of the Day

The percentage of Americans over age 35 who complete all the appropriate clinical preventive services recommended for their age and health. (Health Affairs)

Learn

Why to NOT Avoid the Doctor

We complain in the U.S. that what we’ve really got is a “sick care” system.

But is that on them or us?

It’s true that the system is massively flawed and prioritizes profit over health, BUT…we don’t prioritize our own health until there’s a problem. So if we don’t care, how can we expect anything different?

That’s why two-thirds of us (65%) only go to the doctor when we’re sick.

I’m as guilty as anyone. I always avoided the doctor when I was healthy - and even the few times I’ve gotten sick.

It felt like a waste of time. Why should I take hours out of my busy schedule for the doctor to tell me “everything was fine.”

But - this misses the point. There’s actually a ton we can get from these appointments that can save our life and really extend our longevity - we just have to know how to best use the system for what we need.

Here’s a few ways to turn your plan into Medicine 3.0:

1. Know ALL Your Preventive Services

Did you know that under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there’s actually quite a few preventive services that are covered by your insurance (regardless of your policy)??

And for some - like your Annual Physical - you can’t even be charged a co-pay! (So don’t just swipe your card for that $30 when you get to the office - because sometimes offices will “conveniently” not put in the right code and charge this fee).

Based on your age and gender - there’s quite a few services and screenings that are already built in your annual healthcare premium*. For me - here’s what I get:

• Annual Physical

• Dental Cleanings 2x per year

• Prostate Cancer Screening (every 1-3 years depending on risk)

• Colon Cancer Screening (every 2-5 years depending on risk)

• Dermatologist Visit (may require copay)

• Eye Exam (may require copay)

For women, this would include appointments like a gynecological exam and potentially a separate breast cancer screening.

Again - even if there are small charges for these services. We’ve already paid for them!!

Not using them is throwing money away and losing the chance to identify small risks today that could be HUGE risks tomorrow.

2. Get Lab Tests

I hear from a lot of people that an annual physical is pretty much a waste of time.

One way to change that - get a full blood panel of all the key biomarkers in your body.

PRO TIP: Do this a few days BEFORE your physical so the results are ready to talk with your doctor in person.

I avoided going to the doc because I thought I was 100% healthy. Getting my blood tests was an eye-opener for sure:

• My LDL cholesterol was too high 

• My ALT (alanine aminotransferase) which measure fatty liver was too high

Waiting to find this out later would have only made things worse. I need to know these risks now and get ahead of any problems before it’s nearly impossible to do anything about - at least without taking any drugs.

3. Have An Agenda

One of the reasons going to the doctor might feel like a quick 8 minute drive-by is that we don’t contribute anything to the appointment. We get our vitals, say everything “is fine,” and then are on our way.

If we don’t tell the doctor what’s important to us; what we want to be able to do in 10-20 years; what we think might be a risk for us; how often we get sick - then they aren’t going to do anything but give us general feedback.

But if we’ve done our homework and go in with a plan - then we can have a real conversation with our doctor.

If we want Medicine 3.0, then we have to be a part of the process.

For example - know what a Gleason Score is and what each result means before getting a prostate exam. Or, know the rate of false positives for breast cancer screens (7-12%) and how to confirm initial results before you get too worried.

It may seem like more work on our end - but I honestly can’t think of anything more important than understanding and taking control of our health.

We get this one body (at least today) and that’s it. How does it NOT make sense to really understand it so that you know what you can do to give yourself the best health??

When I’m going to the doctor - I’m thinking about the Turkey Trot in 2035 when my daughter will be a senior in high school and I’m trying to keep up with her.

When I’m getting my skin cancer screening - I’m thinking about surfing with my buddies when we’re in our 60’s.

When I’m getting my blood work - I’m thinking about traveling the world with my wife when we’re in our 80’s.

It may not seem like the best use of time right now (work deadlines, kids’ practices, holiday planning), but the time we invest with the doctor now - just might give us years of health in the future.

Try

Thrive25 Membership

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• The preventive service plan for you

• How to understand your lab results

• The things you can do to optimize your health

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Watch

Cavs vs. Celtics

Ok - I don’t ever watch regular season NBA games and we might be biased growing up in Cleveland, but the Cavs are off to an insane 15-0 start 🔥, becoming just the 4th team in NBA history to hit this mark. Only nine more wins to match the 2016 Warriors (they went on to set the single-season record with 73*). Browns who?

Tonight they’re playing the defending champion Boston Celtics. As long-time Cleveland fans, we’re hoping for a win…but expecting a 20-point loss.

It’s all a part of the NBA Cup. (the what?) It’s a new in-season tournament. If you know the rules, you’re ahead of most of us. Max (our Euro football fan) loves it - I’m still on the fence. One thing we can predict? Those wild court designs will spark some feelings.

In other NBA news - TNT may have lost their NBA rights, but "Inside the NBA" with the great Charles Barkley, Kenny, Shaq, and Ernie lives on at ESPN.

* Only to fall to LeBron and the Cavs for the city’s first major sports title in 52 years

H&L in the News

Birdwatchers Shatter Global Record!: Birders across 201 countries documented 7,800 bird species in one day, setting a new world record and capturing invaluable data to aid conservation efforts. (Good News Network)

Lunches Kids Love, Energy Approved: Pack your kids a lunch that fuels lasting energy and focus! Discover quick, nutritious, kid-friendly options that beat sugar crashes and keep them energized all day. (Levels Health)

America's Weight Epidemic: Over 75% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, with rates tripling since 1990. This growing crisis fuels chronic disease and highlights the urgent need for systemic health reforms. Check out Issue #379 for our thoughts. (NYTimes)

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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.

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To health!