Issue #235: The Thrive25 Diet
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, September 5th.
Today’s Quick Win
From the Lab: The Thrive25 Diet
Speed Read: Top 5 Studies from Neuroscience
Tuesday QR: Medieval Hummus
“Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”
Percent of Americans who say online nutrition research is conflicting - making it challenging to know what to eat and what to avoid. (Source)
From the Lab
One of the reasons Thrive25 exists - I can’t stand the clickbait headlines and paid social media influencers peddling the perfect diet.
The truth is there is no perfect diet, and any self-respecting dietician, nutritionist, or expert would say the same.
Plus, I’m never going to track all my food. I’m not going to count calories. I’m not going to stick with one diet forever.
But that doesn’t mean to just give up and eat all the garbage stocked on the shelves of our grocery stores by Big Food and the FDA - that s*** will kill you.
So what’s the solution - best I can tell, there’s a simple (not easy) plan to eating the best way to optimize our health & longevity.
Here’s what to eat every day:
1. Drink at least 10 cups of water 🚰
That’s the baseline of what to drink to stay hydrated (Issue #190) - much more if you work out or it’s a hot day.
2. Six servings of fruits & veggies 🥦
Technically the research calls for 800g, but since I can’t picture what this actually means, it roughly means eating a full cup of 6 different fruits and vegetables.
3. Eat 0.75-1g of protein per pound of body weight 🥚
We covered this is Issue #112 - but the research shows that protein really is the building blocks of life and the more we exercise, lift weights, or just get older - the more important protein is to our longevity.
Advantages of this Plan
First - you’re full. If you follow this guide you won’t be reaching for a bag of chips or another sugar-filled bar nearly as often.
Second - it’s flexible. You decide what you like to eat and what you don’t. You figure out what you can digest and what bothers your gut.
Third - this food actually tastes good - like really good. There’s nothing better than a white nectarine or watermelon in the summer. Or butternut squash soup in the fall.
Fourth - it’s relatively simple.
Get a non-plastic reusable water bottle to track your water intake. Try to have a cup per hour for the first 10 hours you’re awake. I add in lemon and salt for my first cup of the day to help with absorption and boost my energy with the electrolytes.
Make sure every meal has at least one fruit or vegetable (plus 3 or more fruit/veggie snacks - unless you consolidate all your eating into meals, then you’ll need 2-3+ per meal).
Include protein with every meal - eggs, meat, protein powder, nuts. There’s a lot out there on what is the perfect protein. But for most of us - starting with clean, organic protein is a great start.
Finally - you feel great. The whole point of all this isn’t to have any rules of what you should or shouldn’t eat. It’s about living your best life. We can’t be our best selves - late night working sessions, car pooling kids, staying on top of everything - if we don’t consume the right fuel for our body and brain.
The whole idea is to wake up full of energy, to workout like we’re in our 20’s or 30’s, to keep our brains sharp, and to fend off those deadly diseases as we get older.
Don’t diet - just eat real food.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
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Speed Read
Health & Longevity in the News
Top 5 Things for Your Brain: Check out the top study results from Neuroscience - like “the power of knowing two languages” or “healthy aging by shifting from glucose-rich to galactose-rich diet.” (Neuroscience News)
A/B Testing for Preventive Care: Only 8% of us have received all immunizations, cancer screenings and other preventive services available to us. Researchers at NYU Langone are taking a page out of Google’s playbook and deploying A/B marketing to test different messaging in real-time. We believe in preventive health - and think there’s more that can be done beyond marketing - stay tuned! (Knowable)
Cart or Horse?: Researchers have found the volume of the hypothalamus is significantly increased in people who are obese. The hypothalamus is a brain region that controls appetite and satiety (among other functions), and an enlarged hypothalamus can’t regulate energy homeostasis - we can’t tell when we’re “full.” The key question - is the increased size of the hypothalamus a cause or effect of obesity? (Big Think)
Tuesday QR | Medieval Hummus
This recipe is a little more intense than buying hummus at the store, but the effort will be well worth it. Full of plant-based protein, key nutrients (calcium, iron, and folate), and heart-healthy fats, this hummus is a perfect food for longevity. I find the beauty of hummus, like guacamole, to be more of an artistic endeavor - so feel free to adjust the ingredients to your palette - and don’t forget to add music.
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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.
This newsletter is for you and we truly value your feedback. Never hesitate to reach out to us at team@thrive25.com.
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.