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Good morning. It’s Tuesday, November 4th.

In today’s email:

• Focus: The Gift of Clean Water

• Try: Test & Filter

• Explore: Sweden

• In the News: The $4T Influence of King Lear

• Brain Games: Calcudoku

Stat of the Day

The percentage of PFAs (“forever chemicals”) removed from drinking water using reverse osmosis filters. (EPA)

Focus

The Gift of Clean Water

We finally upgraded our water system - and it’s been a game-changer.

We went from a basic water softener and countertop filter to a whole-home setup with activated carbon filtration before any water enters the house.

Here’s what that looks like - and why it’s so important for your health.

Why We Did It

I’ve written before about Tampa’s water quality - it’s rough.

Tests found perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) - one of the “forever chemicals” (PFAS) - at levels 1,686× higher than the health-based guideline.

PFAS compounds are linked to liver and thyroid dysfunction, hormone disruption, and immune suppression. And it’s not just a Tampa problem - PFAS are in the drinking water of nearly half of all U.S. homes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Our old system?
Just a water softener and a countertop filter. Better than nothing - but nowhere near enough for what’s actually in our water.

So we upgraded to a 3-level defense system for truly clean water:

1️⃣ Water Softener
2️⃣ Activated Carbon Filter (Whole House)
3️⃣ Under-Sink Reverse Osmosis (RO)

Water Softener

Tampa’s water hardness is around 201 mg/L - a lot of calcium and magnesium. Those minerals are good for us (see health benefits for Mg), but they’re brutal on our home.

They cause scale buildup in pipes and appliances, leave mineral residue on fixtures, and reduce water heater efficiency.

A softener works through ion exchange - water passes through a resin tank filled with sodium (salt), which is negatively charged and attracts the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions. See…high school chemistry is important!

A study from the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) found that using softened water can double the lifespan of water heaters and keep them running efficiently for over 15 years.

The catch? A softener doesn’t filter or purify anything - it just removes hardness. Unfortunately, that’s where most people stop.

Activated Carbon Filtration

Activated carbon (also called activated charcoal) is where the real filtration starts. It’s a form of carbon treated to create a massive internal surface area - just one gram has 3,000 m² of surface area (yes - meters).

Here’s how it works:

Water passes through, and contaminants like pesticides, herbicides, chlorine, and VOCs bind to the carbon surface.

It’s the same science behind why activated charcoal capsules can help during food poisoning - it binds the junk you don’t want in your body.

The benefit?

Every faucet, shower, and laundry load now runs through chlorine-free, cleaner water.

It’s not perfect - it doesn’t remove everything - but it dramatically reduces the overall toxic load your body deals with daily. I’ve seen a difference in the lack of buildup in our tile shower.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

For drinking water, we needed the next level.

Reverse osmosis uses pressure (40–80 psi) to push water through a membrane with microscopic pores ~0.0001 micrometers wide (umm - super small).
So water molecules can pass through, but contaminants cannot.

It removes:

• >99% of PFHxS and >94% most PFAS compounds

• 91-98% of heavy metals (arsenic, lead, cadmium)

• >99% of bacteria and microplastics

Here’s a pic from Max’s reverse osmosis filter - 480 total dissolved solids (TDS) went in and only 5 made it through the filter in the water to drink.

And when put together - carbon and reverse osmosis filtration removes the majority of steroids, hormones, and other pharmaceuticals.

65% of women between 15-69 are on birth control pills and this excess estrogen gets into our water supply - so removing hormones is a big deal.

And yes, you can taste the difference.

✅ No chemical aftertaste
✅ No film on boiling water
✅ Clearer ice cubes than bottled water

And the bonus - zero plastic waste. No bottled water, no disposable filters. Just clean, pure water from the tap.

The only downside is that it’s so effective at removing everything that we add some electrolytes that we want to drink (maybe not shower with everyday) back in - like high-quality magnesium.

Is it an investment? Yes - a full system can range from $5,000-$10,000 (and go up to $50K+). But even starting with a single-sink RO system is a huge win for your long-term health.

Because every time you drink, shower, or cook, your body either has to filter out toxins or focus on thriving.

I’d rather let the filter do the work.

Looking for a big holiday present this year? How about the gift of clean water - 365 days a year.

Try

Test & Filter

Before you invest, start with knowledge.

Check out your water at the EWG website (type in your zip code) or order a professional lab test (e.g., MyTapScore) - to find out what’s in your water.

You’ll likely find a mix of…

• PFAS (forever chemicals)

• Arsenic, lead, and heavy metals

• Chlorine or chloramine

• Nitrates/nitrites and microplastics

Remember - what’s considered “safe” isn’t always optimal for our health.

Once you know what you’re working with, upgrade your drinking water.

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

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Explore

Visit Sweden

Many destinations are trying to win “wellness travelers” - but Sweden is taking it to the next level. They are marketing themselves as truly a prescription for your health when you visit.

(Well done on the side effects listed in the video below)

1. Ease Your Stress - spending more time in nature (like real nature) where the only sounds are birds, and the only light is the sun and stars.

2. Find Balance - “fika” is the social break during the day with friends (not on your phone) and “lagom” is the mindset of “just the right amount” to reduce burnout.

3. Lift Your Spirits - they claim their culture will raise your serotonin levels (suggested checking out one of the 5,000+ metal bands). Not sure about this one.

Plus - don’t forget to hit up a sauna. 🔥

I can’t think of a better prescription for health (maybe minus the metal band).

H&L in the News

Birds, Bids, and Breakups?: TikTok’s viral bird test claims to reveal relationship strength. Experts say it’s less a dealbreaker, more a bid for connection - and a chance to deepen intimacy if you know how to respond. (NYTimes)

Sharper Vision for Cancer Care: UCSC and Google Research unveil DeepSomatic - an AI model detecting rare cancer mutations once hidden in the noise. A breakthrough in precision oncology, powering faster, more confident diagnoses and treatments. (Inside Precision Medicine)

The Bard Behind Apple: Steve Jobs found his spark in Shakespeare’s King Lear - learning that true innovation comes from amplifying the unconventional. Here’s how embracing singularity, not logic, fuels world-changing ideas. (Big Think)

Brain Games

Calcudoku

The objective is to fill in the grid with the correct digit in each cell, between 1 and 5:

• Each row contains exactly one of each digit

• Each column contains exactly one of each digit

• Each bold-outlined group (with same color) must equate the result with the numerical operation - addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*) and division (/)

It’s go time - this one is a little bit easier than others we’ve shared - try to solve this in under two minutes. Ready…set…go!

Credit: Brainzilla

** 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!