Good morning. It’s Friday, January 10th.

Just a note to all of those affected by the wildfires in LA this week. It’s crazy to see some of my favorite spots when I lived out there for 12 years - like Reel Inn and Rosenthal Wine Patio - just gone. And I also personally know a few people who lost their homes and school their kids attended. Life thrown into absolute chaos - just like that.

If you want to help from afar, here are the top recommended ways you can support both victims and the courageous first responders - like the brave fire fighters battling the flames and the winds:

• World Central Kitchen (WCK) - making meals.

• American Red Cross - donate money or blood.

• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation - give directly to these brave men and women.

In today’s email:

• Think: The Longevity Paradox

• Watch: Don’t Die (Bryan Johnson documentary)

• In the News: Restarting Exercise

• Cook: Oven-Baked Beet Chips

• Brain Games: Logic Equations

Stat of the Day

Number of centenarians (people over 100) in the United States in 2024. That’s nearly 2x the number just 15 years ago in 2010 (53,000). It’s expected to grow to 421,000 by the year 2054. (Pew Research)

Think

The Longevity Paradox

“Do you want to live tomorrow?”

A question posed by Bryan Johnson in his new Netflix documentary (see below).

It’s been humanity’s pursuit since the beginning of time - how to stay alive. But today it’s sparking a fierce debate about longevity science.

• Do humans have a “natural” lifespan?

• Should we attempt to go beyond it?

• Are so-called experts and influencers just pushing snake oil in their attempts to live beyond 100?

Any healthy person would answer YES - they want to be alive tomorrow. That’s why we celebrate medical breakthroughs that extend life - cancer treatments, organ transplants. Yet, when the medical community redirects efforts away from a disease and tries to just slow down “aging” - which is the primary driver of these diseases - it suddenly becomes controversial.

We don't question spending billions on treating diabetes, but when researchers suggest we might prevent it by slowing aging, people suggest this is humans trying to do something completely unnatural. It's a curious double standard, considering aging is the number one cause of these diseases that kill us.

The Great Divide

But there are issues with the longevity market and the science:

1. Voodoo Science - the longevity market went more mainstream after the publication of David Sinclair’s book, Lifespan. But today some of that research has been debunked. More and more we find the science isn’t what we’re told and there are commercial interests that go beyond helping consumers.

2. Snake Oil - similarly influencers have found an audience with outrageous claims (the more crazy the better for eyeballs). They tout unproven protocols and supplements - which at best waste our money and at worst crush our long-term health.

3. Inequality - the market is being formed by billionaires with the means to spend whatever necessary to live forever. It’s creating a divide between the top 1% and everybody else. Will these guinea pigs help pave a path for society or be the only ones to afford longevity (if such science turns out to be real)?

4. Playing God - humans used to live half as long as we do today. Supporting women during childbirth, stopping an infectious disease for a 30-year - these advancements seemed obvious. But if you could get past some of these challenges, even in the 1700s, living past 70 or 80 was humanly possible (Benjamin Franklin was 84 when he died). But something feels different when we know we’re at the limit of how long any human in history has ever lived.

Personally - I don’t think the goal is about living to 150 or beyond (whether that becomes possible in the future is still unknown).

But if we can slow down aging so that we have more energy, feel better, can do more things and prevent disease until the end of life - well I can think of few missions more worthy to pursue. And if we want real preventive health - it’s better to fight aging than any treatments.

As for anything that goes beyond the recommendations of mindset, nutrition, movement, growth, sleep, community, fun, environment - the lifestyle stuff…well that’s why we’re here to help with what’s real and what’s not (at least not yet).

Thrive25 Partner Spotlight

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Watch

Don’t Die (Bryan Johnson documentary)

Bryan Johnson became famous as the guy spending $2M/year to live forever. He’s apparently lowered his “biological age” and rate of aging due to the ridiculous regimen he follows everyday…here’s a small sample:

• 4:30 AM wake-up with artificial sunlight

• 54 morning supplements

• Heart rate variance (HRV) therapy

• Precise 1,900-calorie diet before noon

• Hours of exercise

• 8:30 PM bedtime

That’s just a start - he’s tried human growth hormone, gene therapy, plasma transfusion with his son, and stem cells.

The radical concept is him giving up all decisions to this algorithm - sounds really weird to turn off our conscious mind. But his belief is that we’ve created a world of toxic addiction - junk food, alcohol, smoking, gambling, porn, envy - that we’re constantly trying to avoid. Our mind becomes our enemy and it’s no wonder we’re not happier.

Bryan has demons and even his son calls what he’s building a cult. Plus, what’s the point of living longer if you’re not really living now. Even he realizes that the key to everything isn’t the supplements or drugs, but the relationship with his son and building a community.

The question is - is this dangerous or pushing the limits to see what will actually help us achieve better health and longevity?

H&L in the News

10 Mind Hacks for 2025: Unlock sharper thinking and resilience with 10 science-backed strategies for mental health, from movement to meaningful connections. A healthier, happier mind starts here (NYTimes). Also, check out our Top 8 Quick Wins for 2025!

Pause, Rebound, Perform Better: Taking a long training break could recharge your body and lead to unexpected fitness gains. Discover why stepping back might be the secret to bouncing back stronger. (Outside)

Turning the Tide on Obesity?: Are we hitting "peak obesity"? New data shows U.S. obesity rates may be stabilizing, fueled by GLP-1 drugs. Discover the trends, challenges, and future of combating this complex epidemic. (Big Think)

Cook

Oven-Baked Beet Chips

Snack smarter with these Oven-Baked Beet Chips! Beets are loaded with betaine, a phytonutrient that supports heart health and detoxification, especially for those with MTHFR deficiencies (impacts folate metabolism and protein synthesis). High in vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and manganese, they may help lower blood pressure and fight inflammation. Plus, don’t skip the greens - they’re antioxidant-rich and packed with iron and protein! 🥗❤️

Brain Games

Logic Equations

It’s been a bit, let’s go with 5 variables today - A, B, C, D, E - with five possible values - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. None of the variables can share the same number. Based on the following equations, what do the variables equal:

1. C = 2E

2. B = 3A

It doesn’t look like much, but you’ve got everything you need to solve. And solve it quickly. Try to get this one done in less than a minute!

Credit: Brainzilla

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

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Brain Games Answer

Answer: Yellow are the values for the variables. A=1, B=3, etc.

Why?…

• First, review equation (2). To be true, A can’t be 2 or higher, otherwise, B would be greater than 5. A = 1, B = 3.

• Now, equation (1). You can either use similar logic in the first step or say C must be even because it has to be divided by 2. Either way, you learn C is in the set {2,4} and E is in {1,2}. But we just learned A = 1, so E = 2. If E = 2, then C = 4. And if all that is true, then there’s one more variable and one more value - D = 5.

Not too bad. How’d you do?

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!