Good morning. It’s Thursday, September 29th. Fortunate to be coming to you this morning from Tampa without any major hurricane damage. I was seriously taken aback by the outreach of so many friends and readers for their support this week - even offers of places to stay for my family. Grateful for such an amazing community! 

Unfortunately so many aren't so lucky - massive flooding destroying homes and extended power outages. Hoping everyone is safe with some shelter. 

To that end, Thrive25 is donating funds to World Central Kitchen (the organization started by Chef José Andrés) as they mobilize to feed the millions of people that will struggle to find food this week. Link below if you are interested in donating: 

Blood will also be in low supply. Check out your local Red Cross or (if you're in FL) OneBlood donation centers to schedule time to give a pint to save a life. 

Shifting focus from this week's Metabolic Training theme to talk about our experience over the last 3-4 days with Hurricane Ian. 

The average number of major hurricanes per year during the Atlantic hurricane season. This year, we've gotten 2 (Fiona, Ian) in the last 3 weeks. 2022 marked the 8th straight year cyclone activity formed prior to the start of the season in the Atlantic. However, the number of hurricanes making landfall in the U.S. hasn't increased since 1900. 

Prepare, Don't Panic

On Monday night I found myself sitting on the couch and I could literally feel the cortisol pumping through my body. I was exhausted, yet wired. How bad was this storm going to be? Would we need to leave? Would our house flood? How can we take care of the kids? 

I needed to regain control. First things first - take a breath.

Fear comes from what don't know and what we can't control. 

Get the Right News Source. Media companies today depend on clicks and eyeballs to survive. This means negative and sensational headlines cover most of what we read online.

I couldn't put my head in the sand or just seek out inaccurate positive news. I needed the latest intel to make an informed decision for how my family would get through this Category 4 Hurricane. 

Instead of just checking weather.com every 10 minutes, I followed Denis Phillips (local Senior Meteorologist). He reports facts and delivers data that can actually be used to assess risk based on location and timing (without the panic).

Next - Make a Plan. 

Getting the right information allows us to assess the situation and take a course of action. We had two alternative locations we could drive to for the storm. But after looking at the latest tracker and talking with my wife, we decided to stay in our house. There were major risks with this plan, but based on what we knew at the time that became our decision. 

Once the decision is made, then focus on the most important priorities.

For me this meant:

Safety First > Comfort Next > Stuff Last

Based on the above priorities, I could mitigate risks the best way possible.

I was worried about: wind damage to the house, flooding in the house, and the loss of power.

So over the next 48 hours we took out anything that could hit the house from wind, taped the doors/windows and put sandbags by all doors crevices leading into the house. We planned for an extended time without power, getting together - batteries, flashlights, shelf-stable food, charged electronics, tub full of boiled water.

Focus on Controllables 

Hurricane Ian's path continued to move all over. People evacuated in areas that ended up being safe and never left where the eye of the storm hit. Unfortunately, we can't control mother nature (or predict it 100%). 

Even with the precautions in place and the storm shifting south, there was still a chance things could get real bad. But negative thoughts and panic wouldn't help if that did happen.

Sitting and waiting for the storm to worsen throughout the day - that's when my mind wanders and those negative thoughts creep in. 

For me the best way to stay keep calm - Have a Purpose. 

1. Keep the Family Safe & Healthy - recheck all potential risks for the wind and flooding

2. Keep the Kids Positive - easy to get stir crazy and kids don't know what's happening so make sure they are feeling good (we did a family puzzle & musical chairs)

3. Get out Thrive25 Everyday - this was a commitment to all of you and if it was possible I wanted to deliver on our promise to not miss any planned newsletters

So with those objectives (in that order), my mind was focused and it re-framed the day to how I can still make it a positive, rather than simply waiting for impending doom. 

Taking Care of Ourselves

We were lucky - our home wasn't unexpectedly taken over by 10 foot storm surge and we weren't put into harm's way like so many. Our biggest inconvenience was being stuck inside, sleeping without AC, and going a few days without a hot shower. 

So many others aren't so fortunate and we're thinking of them and their families.

But it's important to not let our positive luck still create such a negative mindset and experience. Cabin fever and the ongoing risk of catastrophe can still lead to massive stress - that we can take out on others. 

For me personally, I needed to keep some routine to keep away that stress so all of us could be the storm and not the other way around. That meant, in addition to being prepared, I needed good food and exercise.

Nutrition Without Power

Here are some things we kept on hand so that we didn't keep going back to bags of chips for food when the power eventually went out on us:

1. Organic Apple & Peanut Butter (my go to snack anyway)

2. Avocados (eat with spoon or make avocado toast - without the toaster)

3. Nectarines

4. Almonds, Cashews, Walnuts

Here's a link to all the fruits & veggies that don't need to be chilled in the fridge if the power goes out. 

Looking for some more options - 

1. Bars without too much sugar - Keto Krisp, SANS Meal Bar, MCT Bar, Phat Fudge*

2. Drink Supplements - AG1 (Athletic Greens) and Amazing Grass 

*NOTE: Thrive25 is only affiliated with Phat Fudge, where our readers receive a 10% discount on all order. All other recommendations are from personal experience. 

Pro Tip: Stay hydrated when stuck inside. The hours can pass by without noticing so keep even more water bottles than you think you'll need. 

Keep Moving Inside

Still important to keep moving inside. We don't have a Peloton or treadmill. But we do have a rebounder - so that became a fun family jumping contest. 

For Strength you can pull up nearly any of our Wednesday Weights Workouts, but even if you don't have any weights or equipment at home - you can never go wrong with 25-50:

• Push-Ups

• Sit-Ups/Plank Hold

• Squats/Lunges

Want to break a sweat? Turn the push-up into a burpee and the plank into a mountain climber. Or if you're like us - do a family dance party!

No hot water for a shower? Then maybe a quick yoga, meditation, or light stretch. 

Anyway, that was my week as I sit here typing next to my flashlight and phone hot spot to make sure this hits your inbox in the morning. Now get outta here Ian! 

Speed Read

Health & Longevity in the News

Many in Puerto Rico Still Without Power: It’s much the same story and too soon. 5 years after Maria and 33 since Hugo…80% of the island’s electrical system was damaged by Fiona. 10 days after landfall, 300,000+ homes in PR were still without electricity, down from 1.5M. So progress 🤷‍♂️. Meanwhile, a teacher and city councilwoman of a remote town underscored the struggles across the island. Regardless of your political leaning, change needs to happen in PR before the next storm.

$700M in Insurance Losses in Canada: Not a traditional hurricane target, some of our neighbors to the north were devastated by Fiona last week. The storm wreaked havoc on coastal homes and knocked out power for thousands across 5 provinces. The insurance bill is rapidly approaching $1B CAD, with true damages much higher as most residents could not afford expensive flood policies. If you haven't seen the awesome power of these storms, check out the devastation the cyclone left behind.

Letters From Grandma: What can we learn from people in their nineties? A lot. A few secrets from those approaching 100: spend time with family, don’t stop moving, enjoy the pleasures of life, treat yourself (in moderation), and be an active learner.

Thursday Night In

Got a spin on tacos without the meat - Butternut Taco Wraps. This delicious dinners is a staple for us in the fall.

Answer to Yesterday's (Issue #32) Logic Puzzle

#1: Using only addition and the number 8, 8 times - construct a series of numbers that equal 1,000

Answer: 888 + 88 + 8 + 8 + 8 = 1,000

#2: A small number of cards has been lost from a complete card deck. If you deal among four people, three cards remain. If you deal among three people, two cards remain and if you deal among five people, two cards remain. How many cards are there?

Answer: 47.  4 * 11 = 44 (-3).  3 * 15 = 45 (-2).  5 * 9 = 45 (-2). 

Thanks for joining us today - tomorrow (fingers crossed the power is back on) we hope to get back to our normally scheduled programming as we finish the week of Metabolic Training. Stay Safe FL! 

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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. 

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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.