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Good morning. It’s Friday, February 7th.

In today’s email:

• Learn: Make Healthy Eating Easier

• Try: Eat Real Food

• Measure: Nutrients

• In the News: Screening Breast Cancer

• Watch: Super Bowl Ad Teaser

• Brain Games: Sports Connections

Stat of the Day

The number of fast food outlets in the United States. That’s one for every 1,600 people. (IBISWorld)

Learn

Make Healthy Eating Easier

A friend of mine reached out the other day - “have you ever heard of [food tracking app]?”

I clicked on the link - seemed to be the same as about every other app out there. Maybe this was a little more slick; maybe it made calorie counting easier.

But at the end of the day it was doing the same thing.

In that same conversation my buddy asked, “Do you think the daily stress of trying to get more of this or less than that is doing more harm than good?”

By the tone in his voice I could tell he already knew the answer for him.

Nutrition remains one of those elusive pillars of health that we can never quite master. It’s a battle we fight every day.

The biggest issue is that we’re bombarded with bad options everywhere we go.

Every major street is lined with fast food options (see Stat of the Day). Every grocery store (except for very few health stores) have 70% of shelves stocked with ultra-processed junk.

It seems like I’m in a constant battle with my kids’ schools - why are we celebrating “100 Days of School” with junk food? And how is it always someone’s birthday that requires more cupcakes? 🤦

So every day it feels like we have to constantly say “no” and avoid that evolutionary temptation to eat as much as we can when food is available.

But the answer for most of us ISN’T to count calories or track our macros.

The Real Solution = Eat Real Food

All the eating advice - including what we’ve written about comes down to just that.

I see all these arguments about what’s “processed food” vs. “ultra-processed” and that “everything is processed to some extent.”

These inane arguments try to complicate what is really pretty simple - we know what’s real food and what’s not.

I’m thinking about most of our recommendations and even the Quick Wins we have in the Thrive25 app:

Eat more…

• Healthy Fats 

• Fiber

• Protein

Eat less…

• Sugar

• Saturated Fat

• Fructose 

The items in the first category - avocados, veggies, seeds, nuts, fish, organic chicken/turkey. Food found in the perimeter of the grocery store (because it has to stay fresh).

The second category - crackers, cookies, soda, pasta,…you get the idea. 

Now the real issue is - how do you make that happen, consistently?

Here’s one solution:

1. Make a list of the real food you like

2. Pick a handful of those things on the list

3. Prep your lunches/dinners for the week with just the stuff you wrote down

I love bowls. So we buy a bunch of stuff that can go into a bowl and mix and match our meals.

On Sunday we prepped:

• Quinoa

• Kale

• Sweet potatoes

• Peppers

• Avocados

• Chicken and Salmon

• Cilantro

• Carrots

• Broccoli

• Red Cabbage

• Ginger

• Berries

Then I picked 3-4 of these items to go into a bowl.

I just keep mixing it up until the stuff is gone. 

So here was my food routine this past week:

• Breakfast = Protein smoothie

• Lunch = Bowl (kale, sweet potato, chicken, broccoli, olive oil)

• Snack = Greek Yogurt with strawberries and blackberries

• Dinner = Bowl (quinoa, salmon, avocado, red cabbage, cilantro, olive oil)

There’s plenty of calories, protein and fat so I’m not hungry and craving sugar.

The bowls are delicious and vibrant with a ton of different flavors so I’m not “missing out” (Pro Tip: add as many herbs and spices as you can!).

I felt good energy because everything was good fuel without the sugar crash.

And guess what - I have no idea how many calories I ate. I didn’t break down the exact macros either.

But I’m pretty sure I’m healthier today than I was last week with these meals.

Try

Eat Real Food

So if you’re worried about nutrition being what’s keeping you from your optimal longevity - just remember these 3 things:

1. Don’t eat junk food (it’s totally cool to cheat a little bit)

2. Don’t overeat (hard to do when it’s not sugary junk)

3. Pay attention to what bothers your gut and avoid it*

As for this last point - don’t just listen to social media about nightshades or dairy or lectins. Pay attention to what makes your gut not feel good and take that out of your diet. You’re an N of 1 - but it’s up to you to know what works and what doesn’t for your body.

Bonus: Keep moving - we still need to burn the energy we consume. The best part is - when you eat real food you actually feel like working out, walking, and getting after the day.

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Measure

Nutrients

Now, this simplified view of nutrition does mean we can get into a rut (even within healthy food) and miss out on some key nutrients that we absolutely need to optimize our health.

That’s why it’s essential to include a Nutrient Panel when you get your annual lab tests.

Here’s a list of the top nutrient tests to have included at your next physical:

• Vitamin D - not really much you can do in terms of your diet here, but essential to know this level for your bone health, immune function, and overall longevity.

• Magnesium - a vital mineral involved in 300+ enzyme reactions. It boosts brain function, energy, DNA production, and supports sleep.

• Omega-3 - not on most standard lab panels, but you can request it and it’s just too damn important to not know your level for this healthy fat.

• Vitamin B9 (folate) - vital for DNA production, cell growth, and red blood cell formation.

• Vitamin B12 - essential for DNA health, nervous system function, and hormone production like serotonin.

• Homocysteine - not technically a nutrient (it’s an amino acid), but it’s a test where you want to know if you’re deficient or not for inflammation and heart health risk. Note: If high, it can reinforce the importance of getting more B Vitamins.

• Zinc - supports 100+ enzymes for metabolism, digestion, nerve function, and brain health. Deficiency is linked to dementia.

BONUS Nutrients - if you want to get an even more comprehensive panel:

• Vitamin A - isn't just for your eyes. It supports cell growth and maintenance for many primary organs (heart, lungs, and eyes).

• Copper - produces melanin (color of our hair, skin) and key for our nervous system, immune function, and activates our genes.

• Selenium - a trace element that reduces inflammation and supports brain health. Low levels linked with increased cancer risk.

• Iodine - essential for making thyroid hormones that control metabolism and bone growth.

Want to get all of these tested?

Join the Waitlist for your Thrive25 Personal Longevity Advisor!

H&L in the News

Sleep Like a Pro at 30,000 Feet: Struggling to sleep on a plane? Smart seat choices, pre-flight prep, and simple tricks like blackout masks and meal timing can help you rest better - even in an upright seat. (NYTimes)

Breast Cancer Breakthrough: AI can predict breast cancer risk up to six years before diagnosis, outperforming human experts. This breakthrough could revolutionize early detection, cutting costs and saving lives through personalized screening. (Science Direct)

Epidemiology - The Hidden Lifesaver: Discover the untold heroics of epidemiology - the hidden science protecting our world. Understand its pivotal role in averting crises and why we must prioritize public health before the next outbreak. (Big Think)

Watch

Super Bowl Ad Teaser

Our Super Bowl ad winner from last year is back, tune into the game to see who wins on, and off the field.

Brain Games

Sports Connections

So, did we say there’s a Super Bowl this weekend? I bet this Sports Connections is focused on football.

Remember the rules - create 4 groups of 4 words based on some common theme from the list of 16 words below:

Credit: NYTimes / The Athletic

** For answer, scroll to the bottom of the email

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Brain Games Answer

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!