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Good morning. It’s Friday, January 3rd.

Welcome to 2025!

In today’s email:

• Focus: Healthspan in America

• Move: Lightning Bolt Pose

• Listen To: Good News?

• In the News: Meals for GLP-1 Patients

• Brain Games: Calcudoku

Check out the latest episode from the Thrive25 in 5 podcast!

Listen on: Spotify | Amazon | Apple

Stat of the Day

The number of “healthy” years (healthspan) for the average American. It’s one of the absolute lowest results in the world. (US News & World Report)

Focus

Healthspan in America

US life expectancy has bounced back to 79.25 years in 2024, higher than in 2010. But that’s not the real story.

THE NUMBERS GAME

Look at what happens to our expected lifespan over time -

• A newborn boy born today is expected to live 73.5 years* 

• But if he makes it to 40, he'll likely live to 76.6 

• By 60, his life expectancy jumps to 80+ 

• At 70, it reaches nearly 84

*Females also increase, but less so - going from 79.3 expected lifespan at birth up to 86 by age 70. 

Why the jump? Two primary factors happening here:

1. Early-Life Crisis. The US is a troubling outlier in early deaths (before 40):

   • Men: Violence, suicide, drug overdoses 

   • Women: Poor prenatal care 

   • Both: Preventable accidents

2. The Medical Paradox. Once we hit about age 60 our healthcare system excels at keeping us alive. We've mastered the art of prolonging life through: drugs, advanced surgeries, and innovative procedures

But at what cost?

THE HEALTHSPAN CRISIS

While we're living longer, we're not necessarily living better. The U.S. ranks dead last globally (183 countries) in the healthspan-lifespan gap. (see full study)

12.4 years 

That’s how many years the average American will deal with significant health problems at the end of their life. That's over a decade of life potentially spent managing chronic conditions, dealing with limited mobility, or worse - losing independence.

I’m continuously baffled that we accept this as reality.

We're not just living longer; we're extending the period we spend managing:

• Heart disease

• Metabolic dysfunction

• Neurodegenerative conditions

• Chronic pain

It’s so common now that we think it’s inevitable. But it’s not.

YOUR LONGEVITY BLUEPRINT

You can change this trajectory. Here's how:

1. Embrace Medicine 3.0. Don't wait for symptoms to appear. Do these things right now - and yes, you can get most of this with your insurance (check for rates):

   • Regular lab work (beyond basic panels)

   • Proactive cancer screenings

   • Advanced cardiovascular testing (yes, even in your 30s)

   • Regular biomarker tracking

Your doctor thinks in 5-10 year windows. You need to think in decades.

2. Take Lifestyle Medicine. You’re thinking about your 2025 goals - but these aren’t just about what you’ll feel like in 12 months - what you do now will have an impact for the next 10-25 years.

   Think of health like your 401K:

   • Small, consistent investments every year

   • Compound returns over time to have a foundation for health

   • Early action = bigger payoff

THE BOTTOM LINE

Those 12.4 years of poor health aren't inevitable. They're not a natural part of aging. But they’re not going to go away from any change in the healthcare system.

It’s up to each individual how they want to spend their last decade.

Your future self is watching. Every workout you do, every meal you choose, every hour of sleep you prioritize - they're all deposits in your healthspan bank account.

Make 2025 count.

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Move

Lighting Bolt Pose

If you’re like me - sitting on your knees seems like the worst position in the world. But it shouldn’t! That means you’ve got tight muscles that lack movement - from your ankles to your hips.

Here’s a way to practice getting to that position over time.

Listen To

Good News?

Derek Thompson talks to Charles Fain Lehman about the reduction in homicides, drug overdoses, and auto accidents. Seems like it’s all good news. Is it all good and will the trends continue?

Apple | Spotify

H&L in the News

Frozen Meals, GLP-1 Approved: Conagra’s Healthy Choice meals get a “GLP-1 friendly” label, targeting Ozempic users with high-protein, low-calorie options, as weight-loss drugs reshape food industry strategies. (WSJ)

Stretch Smarter, Move Better: Discover the science of stretching! Learn when to use dynamic stretches to boost performance and static holds for recovery in your everyday routine. (Outside)

The Hornet That Drinks Us Under the Table: Meet the Oriental hornet, immune to alcohol's effects thanks to unique genes. Could its secrets unlock treatments for alcohol use disorder in humans? (Big Think)

Brain Games

Calcudoku

This game is really growing on Max - 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 (/)

Third time’s a charm - this is the last time we share some hints.

1. See that brown cell with 1 + in the middle bottom - write a 1 in that cell

2. Oh, and that 2 x block of red directly to the left? The two cells must be 1 and 2 to multiply (x) together to get 2. You just have to figure out which digit is in which row…but we kinda told you which in the first hint

Ready…set…go - solve this in under 2 minutes!

Credit: Brainzilla

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

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Thanks for another great week!

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Brain Games Answer

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!