Good morning. It’s Tuesday, July 22nd.

In today’s email:

• Learn: Is Gray Hair Reversible?

• Try: Eat Luteolin

• Focus: The Protein Boom

• Think: Scottie Scheffler and the “Arrival Fallacy”

• Explore: Glacier National Park

• In the News: Master Emotions, Master Life

Check out the following webinar from Thrive25!

If you don’t use Google as your calendar, save the following Zoom Meeting link to your own calendar:

Stat of the Day

The amount of whey produced in the U.S. every month. This is up from 8 million pounds per month just 20 years ago - everyone is starting their day with a protein smoothie. (NYTimes)

Learn

Is Gray Hair Reversible?

We dove into gray hair a few years back (Issue #89).

Stress, genetics, and nutrition all affect how early or how quickly we go gray. It’s a sign of aging - but it might not be permanent. Maybe (a big maybe) we can do something about it that doesn’t involve hair dye.

A recent NYU study (in mice) suggests graying might be reversible if we can free up the “stuck” pigment-producing stem cells (McSCs) in hair follicles. When these cells get trapped in one part of the follicle, they can’t mature to produce color - that’s what leads to gray strands.

Why Gray and What Can We Do

There’s three key factors to going gray:

• Stress hormones (like cortisol) damage pigment cells - anything to reduce chronic stress (taking a pause, being present, mediation, breathwork) all help delay gray hairs.

• Antioxidants help protect McSCs from damage - specifically luteolin showed promise in lab studies

• Scalp Protection - chemicals (found in most shampoos) and heat/UV overload (sun and blow dryers), crush our follicles. Try to use natural products and limit sun exposure on your head (wear a hat).

• Lifestyle matters - smoking, poor nutrition, pollutants all contribute to premature graying and loss of follicle health

Honestly - we’re not sure if we can reverse gray hair. But we can minimize stress, nourish our cells, and support the environment where pigment is (or was). This is all good stuff for our health anyway.

Try

Eat Luteolin

To get the best antioxidants (luteolin) for your gray hair try these foods:

#1 = Radicchio (by far the best choice for the most dense luteolin)

Other good options include:

• Green peppers

• Serrano peppers

• Hot chili peppers (see a theme here?)

• Celery

• Pumpkin

• Red leaf lettuce

• Artichoke

• Kohlrabi

Even if you’re not worried about your grays - can’t go wrong with these foods!

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

The #1 Daily Health Habit

Between meetings, errands, and endless to-dos, your health should feel like a steady rhythm, not another task.

That's where AG1 comes in.

With 75+ vitamins, minerals and pro/prebiotics - it’s one of the easiest things you can do for your health –all for less than $3 a day.

Get a FREE AG1 Welcome Kit!

Focus

The Protein Boom

Most of us aren’t drinking milk like we used to - or are we?

Milk consumption is down 47% since 1975. In 2000, the average American drank 196 pounds per year - but that’s down to 128 pounds in 2023.

Wouldn’t want to be a dairy farmer. Except they found a new product that is now the key to their profits - whey protein.

This byproduct of cheese-making used to be considered waste. Farmers would try to find the cheapest way to get rid of it. But now it’s how they make money. It’s a $10B market and could double in the next 10 years.

It takes 10 pounds of milk to make 1 pound of cheese - so it leaves a ton of excess liquid. The farmer now takes out the cream and lactose to leave just the whey. It is then filtered to increase the protein content.

Whey protein is the biggest segment of the smoothie market and how many of us start our days.

So while we might not be drinking a glass of milk with dinner - we’re still getting in our daily dairy.

It’s not just whey. Food companies are jamming protein into everything - from bars to cereal to pasta. One bar company even calls itself a “protein lab” now, customizing macros for startups, athletes, and influencers.

We’ve talked about protein a lot - it’s an essential nutrient for us to optimize our longevity. Just remember before you down another bar or shake:

1️⃣ Protein only works if you move.
If you’re not working out or building muscle, excess protein can convert to glucose or fat. If you start your day with a smoothie - make sure you run and/or lift!

2️⃣ Real food wins.
Whey’s great. Bars are convenient (trust me - I get it). But nothing beats whole sources like eggs, fish, beans, lentils, or grass-fed meat. Your body (and gut) will thank you.

Think

Scottie Scheffler and the “Arrival Fallacy”

A week ago Scottie Scheffler said, “winning doesn’t fulfill me.” How can that be true? He’s one of the most competitive guys on the PGA Tour and by far the #1 golfer in the world.

But 5 days later after winning The Open (can we just call it The British Open?) I think I believe him. After he drained the winning putt on 18, he barely reacted. Like literally you would have thought he just finished a practice round. No massive fist pump or tears. Just another shot.

But that changed when he saw his wife and son - that’s when he finally let loose.

He said he enjoys winning for like two minutes - then it’s like ok that’s over.

This is the arrival fallacy.

It’s the illusion that happiness is waiting for us if we can just get to that next goalpost.

Life will be better when - we get a promotion, buy a bigger house, our kids are out of diapers, or win the next tournament.

The reason it’s a fallacy is because that’s not how life works. The reward comes in the journey not the outcome.

I’m still guilty of this - things will calm down with work after the next launch; I’ll feel more in control when the kids are older; I’ll have more time with friends 10 years from now.

None of it is true.

Beyond the extreme of living paycheck to paycheck or losing our health - circumstances don’t determine our happiness, we do.

Sure - Scheffler is pretty damn fortunate to make millions of dollars playing golf for a living. But that fulfillment is that he gets to do what he wants to do most days - not that he gets a trophy for it.

There’s no destination on this journey - or if there is, then it’s the destination we get to every day. If you’re too focused on chasing “later,” you miss what’s happening right now.

That doesn’t mean casting aside ambition or striving to make life better - Scheffler worked his ass off to beat the best players in the world and win the tournament. But that’s because he says he loves the grind and the feeling that he’s getting better. 

Life is short. Make today the best time of your life - until tomorrow.

Explore

Glacier National Park & Whitefish, MT

I can’t recommend this trip enough as a place to get away for a summer vacation with the family. Just a perfect spot for some rejuvenation. If you're looking for a place that blends awe-inspiring nature with family-friendly wellness, it’s hard to beat Glacier National Park and Whitefish, Montana.

We spent over a week out west hiking the incredible trails, kayaking crystal clear, glacier-fed lakes, and seeing a ton of wildlife - marmots, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, even a black bear just a few feet away.

If you make your way there - here’s a few of our favorites:

• Hidden Lake Trail - a moderate alpine hike with breathtaking views (from last week’s newsletter) and some snow along the trail even in July.

• Avalanche Lake - shaded forest, waterfalls, and an awesome reward at the end of the path to chill at (in) the lake surrounded by mountains.

• Kayaking Lake McDonald - nature’s cold plunge with crystal-clear water that is way better than any artificial tub.

Honestly, we were probably outdoors 10+ hours every single day of our trip. You’ll move more in a week than maybe a month back home, yet still come back totally recharged.

Fresh air, cold water, and one of the most beautiful spots in the U.S. - all good for the soul.

H&L in the News

Can’t Sleep? Try This: Mind racing at 2 a.m.? Skip the scroll and try science-backed tips like cognitive shuffling, nature sounds, light snacks, or muscle relaxation to calm your brain and reclaim sleep. It also helps to have a great routine - the Thrive25 routine stands the test of time. (NYTimes)

Fruit Goes Savory: Tired of sugary pies? These 10 unexpected recipes use peaches, berries, and melons to elevate pork chops, grilled chicken, chilled soups, and salads. Summer fruit just got seriously savory. (Washington Post)

VIDEO - Master Emotions, Master Life: Emotions aren’t enemies - they’re data. Psychologist Ethan Kross shares powerful science-backed tools like distanced self-talk to help you regulate emotions and reclaim control in work, life, and relationships. (Big Think)

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!