Issue #213: African Firefighters in Canada
Good morning. It’s Saturday, July 15th.
EXCITING NEWS: we’re partnering with breathing.ai CEO, Hannes Bend - who studied with Wim Hof - to bring an exclusive, free breathing session to all Thrive25 readers. If you’ve ever wondered about how to master your breath or what’s all the fuss about with Wim Hof breathing - this is your chance to learn from a master. And it’s absolutely FREE!
Sign up HERE for a Virtual Session next Wed (July 19th) or Fri (July 21st).
Seriously - take advantage of this unique opportunity. I started this with Hannes a few months ago and it’s truly changed my breathing ability (went from holding my breath for less than a min to nearly 3 min!) and my mental health has improved in countless ways.
LINK to attend next week’s free Virtual Session
Today’s Quick Win
*See Issue #190 for all things “Hydration” and Issue #133 for the top trick to cool down
Inspiration: Firefighters from Around the World
What We’re Listening to: Matthew McConaughey
Moment of Fun: Super Troopers
Brain Games: Word Play
“If today were the last day of your life, would you want to do what you are about to do?”
The number of fires in Canada - 908 are still active and 573 are “out of control.” (Source)
This Week
This week we explored the ever-expanding reach of cannabis:
Issue #211 - marijuana is now legal in 23 states for recreational use (38 for medicinal purposes). Learn why cannabis is an effective pain reliever without the risk of addiction and overdose. Remember: always, consult your doctor before use
Issue #212 - thinking about weed? Get answers to 5 key questions - most importantly, who should NOT get high. Also, explore techniques to achieve your flow state and approach ikigai
Click HERE to check out previous issues in the Thrive25 archive.
Inspiration
For days the skies filled with smoke - too dangerous to even venture outside.*
That was life in the Midwest and Northeast with more than 20 million acres burning in Canada so far this summer.
In a show of unity, countries all over the world sent firefighters to control the blazes to the extent possible.
One of those countries was South Africa.
What makes this especially unique is their program “Working on Fire.” This public works program takes young men and women from marginalized communities and with few economic opportunities and trains them in fire awareness, prevention, and suppression skills - plus first aid, carpentry, cooking, health & safety, and communications (things we should be teaching all kids everywhere).
The group has sent two teams totaling 459 firefighters to Canada, with a third team of 215 being deployed to Québec on July 18th.
Calling themselves “Mzanzi 1 Hotshots”, the first team recently got home after spending 34 days in Alberta. The second team is expected back next week.
These fighters specifically targeted a town west of Edmonton and got numerous fires under control - receiving exemplary reviews and ratings for their work.
“The experience I got there was great from working with various people from Canada, Australia, the US, Brazil and Japan.”
Technology might be what connects and flattens the world - but I can think of few examples that better illustrate our interconnectedness than a 20-something growing up in poverty on the west coast of South Africa traveling to Canada to protect cities in Alberta from ruin and to help people from Minneapolis to New York breathe a little easier.
It’s human nature to believe the problem is over as the skies clear - but 900 fires continue to rage on north of the border.
Here’s to supporting the mission and the lives of the many firefighters from around the world. They’re the ones risking their lives - breathing in these toxic fumes and manually using axes and shovels to clear the brush in an attempt to suppress these massive fires.
To them - I say, THANK YOU.
*Check IQAir for the quality in your zip
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
Think you’re actually getting outside enough? Check out NatureDose - the app that tracks your time in nature. Check out this video from one of the founders at the University of Oregon.
Don’t worry - it’s not another time-sucking app that adds to your screen time. It uses GPS and machine-learning to simply track your time outside. Think of it as the “anti-app”. Check it out HERE.
What We’re Listening To | Matthew McConaughey
A thoughtful conversation on how to live a life full of respect, managing grief, and thinking about love. Lex Fridman does a great job of giving his guests the freedom to talk, while steering the discussion to bring out the most interesting insights. It’s a break from a traditional health topic - but one I think is absolutely worth the listen or a watch.
Moment of Fun | Super Troopers
It’s been 22 years…
Brain Games | Word Play
What English word has three consecutive double letters?
**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the post
Product Recs
☕ Bulletproof - fuel your journey to a better you with Bulletproof. Elevate your performance with science-backed, functional nutrition from a wide range of coffees, proteins and supplements. Click HERE to start your transformation
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Thanks for another great week! Thought of as a love song - who knew that Paul was actually singing about Mary Jane?
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** Brain Games Answer **
Bookkeeper
Why Thrive25
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 3-5 min a day to optimize our health & longevity.
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To health!
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The information in this newsletter is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25 Labs LLC does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.