Issue #443: 3 Stats You Can't Ignore
Good morning. It’s Friday, April 4th.
In today’s email:
Focus: It’s Clean - But Is It Killing Us?
Try: Branch Basics
Watch: March Madness
In the News: To Drink or Not to Drink
Brain Games: Logic Equations
Stat of the Day
The increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD = it’s always harder to breathe) based on exposure to chemical cleaning products. (NIH)
Favorites
March Madness - got my 7-yr old daughter to pick her own bracket this year. She asked really good questions - basketball stuff like “what’s the mascot?”, “what are their colors?” and “what state is the school in?”
Well, it seems like it worked - she did better than two-thirds of all brackets on ESPN and still has the winner (went chalk with the Dukies with maybe a little tip from her dad). Speaking of favorites - is it Duke? Jason Gay and Las Vegas think so.
Focus
It’s Clean - But Is It Killing Us?
Spring cleaning - ready to open the windows and really clean up the house?
Just be careful what you think is “clean.”
Cleaning your home with traditional chemical-laced cleaning products has been shown to be the equivalent of smoking 10-20 cigs a day.
This is what’s it’s like breathing in that bleach with your lungs:
These products contain VOCs - volatile organic compounds. And the ingredients have the potential to not just cause lung damage, but also higher risk of cancer, and problems with reproductive health.
In a study assessing 30 cleaning products - researchers found 530 VOCs and nearly 200 of them are hazardous to our health.
This isn’t surprising - the warning labels on traditional cleaning products are scary.
But it’s not just that - just walking down this aisle at the store is enough to make your eyes hurt. You can just feel your body is breathing in toxins that we’re not supposed to have in our body.
What about these “green” alternatives that even big brands like Clorox now offer? These options are shown to have only about 50% of the total VOCs compared to traditional cleaners. And it’s even lower if you choose the “fragrance free” options.
But, on average, these products still have four hazardous chemicals.
Don’t worry - 98% natural
The same thing is true with our laundry detergent and those awful dryer sheets.
25 VOCs on each of those dryer sheets - including acetaldehyde and benzene - which the EPA classifies as carcinogens with no safe level of exposure.
When you take the lint out of the dryer - try running water over it. The wax that creates a water-resistant barrier is what’s on your clothes, touching your skin, all day long.
We can’t continue to shrug at stats like these three:
Asthma rates are up from 3.1% in 1980 to 7.7% in 2021
Cancer diagnosis for people under 50 up 79% since 1990
1 in 7 couples experience infertility
Why is this happening?
“The working hypothesis is that there is an environmental exposure - or multiple exposures - that people born starting in the 1950s came in contact with. It’s possible that the exposures began in the 1960s or ’70s and have been continuously present since then.”
So here’s the thing -
It’s not just the chemicals on our clothes, on our counters and sinks, on our pots and pans, on our couch and mattress - it’s the accumulation of all of that exposure over time that’s creating massive health problems.
The more we can limit our exposure - the better chance to stave off these diseases and keep a higher quality of life.
And if my clothes aren’t as soft - well that’s ok by me.
Thrive25 Partner Spotlight
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Don’t take my word for it - here’s what Jason Wachob, CEO of mindbodygreen says, “If you want to get in the best shape of your life, in the privacy of your own home, then there is no better place to start than TMAC.”
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Try
Branch Basics
This is not an ad promoting Branch Basics - I don’t know the CEO and they have no idea we’re writing about them today.
This product is 100% non-toxic - the harshest ingredient is baking soda.
You buy a single bottle of the concentrate and then use different ratios of the concentrate and water for laundry detergent, all-purpose cleaner, and even window cleaner.
As a bonus you just get 1 concentrate refill in future orders and never have to buy more plastic bottles for detergent and cleaner.
I guess it’s the longevity cleaner.
Watch
March Madness
No Cinderella story this year. If you like high-quality basketball this weekend is for you.
In an unprecedented result for this year’s NCAA Final Four:
Four #1 seeds for the men’s tournament - hasn’t happened since 2008
Three #1 seeds for the women’s tournament - plus #2 seed UConn, one of the greatest programs in the history of college basketball and possibly this year’s favorite. I’m excited to have the Women’s Final Four here in Tampa!
On the men’s side these teams are good - like historically good. All four teams are in the top 10 all time (based on KenPom ratings).
Enjoy the talent, the athleticism, the passion (maybe some tears) and One Shining Moment!
H&L in the News
When Sobriety Shakes Love: What happens when one partner stops drinking and the other doesn’t? Discover how couples navigate mismatched habits and find new ways to connect - without pouring another glass. (NYTimes)
Break the Scroll Spell: Feeling glued to your phone? These smart, practical boundaries - tech tweaks, physical shifts, and social resets - can help you reclaim focus without judgment or drastic life changes. (Washington Post)
Resurrecting Life to Save It: Astrobiologist Betül Kaçar is reviving ancient enzymes to unlock life’s origins—and engineer climate-resilient crops. Her work could redefine evolution, sustainability, and our future on Earth and beyond. (Big Think)
Brain Games
Logic Equations
6 variables today - A, B, C, D, E and F - with six possible values - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. None of the variables can share the same number. Based on the following equations, what do the variables equal:
E = AD
8B + D + 1 = A + 2F
C > F
It’s been a few weeks - shake off the rust with some brute force logic. Get out the stop watch and see how fast you can solve!
Credit: Brainzilla
**For answer, scroll to the bottom of the post
Product Recs
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** Brain Games Answer **
Answer: Yellow are the values for the variables. A=3, B=1, etc.
Why?…
First, let’s learn from equation (1). If E = AD, then A and D ≠ 1. The only way for the result to be less or equal to 6 is if A,D = {2,3}. So E = 6
Next, take a look at equation (2). We know A,D = {2,3}, so we can get a strong relationship between B and F:
If A = 2, D = 3; then the equation is 8B + 3 + 1 = 2 + 2F. Solving for F on the right side, you get…
8B + 2 = 2F >> 4B + 1 = F. (therefore) B = 1, F = 5
If A = 3, D = 2; then the equation is 8B + 2 + 1 = 3 + 2F. Solving for F on the right this time, you get…
8B = 2F >> 4B = F. (therefore) B = 1, F = 4
So, B = 1 and F is {4,5}
Let’s finish this with equation (3), C > F. We know F = {4,5} and A = 6, so C = 5 and F = 4. And if F = 4, then A = 3 and D = 2
✅ How long did it take you?
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