How Your Daily Thoughts Add Years to Your Life (30-Year Study)

Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we help you make sense of the complex world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and providing quick tips designed to help you stay healthier in under 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.

Today’s Health Upgrade

• Protein bar guide (correct link)

• Gym therapy

• A healthier way to enjoy red meat

• Write this down tonight (it might help you live to 85 or longer)

• As seen on social media

Health
The 30-Minute Therapy Session You Can Do At The Gym

If you’ve ever left a workout feeling calmer or clearer, it’s not just in your head.

In fact, one study even suggests that structured exercise can reduce clinical anxiety as effectively as traditional talk therapy in as little as 8 to 12 weeks.

Researchers reviewed six clinical trials involving adults diagnosed with anxiety disorders. Across all studies, exercise led to a moderate-to-large reduction in anxiety symptoms, similar to what’s seen in cognitive behavioral therapy. Participants followed structured workout routines ranging from 20 to 60 minutes per session, two to five times per week, using either aerobic or resistance training. The improvements were consistent even among those who hadn’t responded well to medication.

The researchers believe that exercise triggers changes in brain chemicals like serotonin, GABA, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), all of which help regulate mood, reduce stress, and improve resilience. Unlike medication, exercise also enhances sleep, energy, and confidence, creating a feedback loop that supports long-term recovery.

If you struggle with anxiety, you don’t need to overhaul your life, and you don’t need to avoid therapy either. But adding a little mental fitness with 30 to 60 minutes of moderate exercise (such as brisk walking, cycling, strength training, or swimming) two to three times per week might help support positive change. 

Together With Maui Nui 
If You’re Going To Eat Red Meat, Join The Ohana

We have told this village many times that we only advertise with partners we believe in and buy from ourselves. When we first heard about today’s partner, it was a perfect fit in so many ways that we couldn’t decide whether they should partner with the newsletter or our environmental work.

Maui Nui Venison is solving multiple problems at once. Most importantly, for our village, they’re offering nutritious, lean meat. Besides being nutrient-dense from the volcanic soil in Maui, this venison packs 53 percent more protein per calorie than grass-fed beef and is low in saturated fat.

When research discusses the health concerns about red meat, a deeper analysis reveals that the issue could be the level of processing and the amount of saturated fat. Studies have found that increases in LDL cholesterol are associated with cardiovascular disease. And consuming too much saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol. Some people can consume more saturated fat without seeing an increase in LDL. But, if you want to enjoy red meat with less concern, selecting options that are low in saturated fat is a simple move, and that’s why we approve of Maui Nui.

But this is also meat you can feel good about eating for environmental reasons. These invasive deer are causing ecological havoc on Maui, even harming coral reefs by overeating all the grass and causing runoff. Maui Nui has developed the only stress-free and 100% Wild harvest systems. They work with local authorities on herd management, which is why they only offer limited subscriptions, and two USDA veterinarians oversee every harvest. Their process is so respected that Maui Nui was selected for Fast Company’s “Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Agriculture of 2023.”

We’ve all joined the Ohana (that’s family in Hawaiian). We’ve replaced some of our grass-fed steaks with leg medallions, and we make chili with ground venison. 

Right now, we’re obsessed with their reserve cuts and their summer sausage, which we can’t stop eating. The reserve cuts are remarkably delicious: aged 14 days for tenderness, flavor, and consistency. And the summer sausage is the way deli meat should be. It’s 98% lean, has no junk or fillers, is made from 100% wild-harvested Axis deer from Maui, and is ready to slice and serve on sandwiches, salads, or as a snack.

If you want to make one choice that can help upgrade your diet, Maui Nui provides the highest-quality protein and an ethical, regenerative food system. 

​​Supplies are limited for the Reserve cuts and the Summer Sausage. And, for a limited time, all Pump Club members get a complimentary 12-Stick Starter Pack (a $79 value) with any purchase over $79. That means you automatically qualify with any reserve package. We are all long-time subscribers of Maui Nui, and we hope you love it as much as we do. 

Longevity
The Mindset That Helps You Live to 85 (Backed by 71,000 People)

Most people chase longevity through diets, workouts, or supplements. But one of the strongest predictors of living longer is oftentimes overlooked.

People with the most optimistic outlook are up to 70 percent more likely to live to age 85 or beyond, regardless of their health habits.

Researchers analyzed data from more than 71,000 adults in two long-term studies, tracking participants for up to 30 years. They wanted to know if believing that good things are likely to happen was linked to “exceptional longevity.” Even after controlling for lifestyle factors like smoking, exercise, and diet, as well as chronic diseases and depression, the most optimistic individuals had dramatically higher odds of reaching 85 or older.

The effect held for both men and women and across different levels of health and stress. In other words, optimism didn’t just overlap with healthy behavior; it added something extra.

The researchers believe that positive expectations help regulate stress hormones, improve immune function, and encourage healthier coping strategies. Over decades, these slight differences in how people handle life’s challenges can compound into years of additional life.

If you want to strengthen your “longevity mindset,” start small. And here’s exactly what you can do tonight and every night:

Before you go to bed, write down three good things that happened. When setbacks occur, write down why they are temporary and specific rather than permanent and personal.

You don’t need to ignore problems to live longer. You just need to believe you can overcome them, while also seeing the good in your life.

As Seen On Social Media
Do Hot Baths Improve Muscle Growth? Here’s What the Science Actually Says

The latest social media health trend is that soaking in a hot bath after training can boost muscle growth. It sounds great on paper: relax and recover at the same time. Before you rearrange your recovery routine, we took a deeper look at the study that caused all the noise.

Despite the hype, the new study found no difference in muscle growth or recovery between people who took hot baths after training and those who didn’t.

Japanese researchers recruited 36 healthy young men (ages 21–23) for a 2-week high-intensity leg-training program. After each workout, participants either rested normally, took a 15-minute hot bath at 108°F (42°C), or bathed and then did light cycling. At the end of the study, all three groups showed similar gains in muscle size strength, and recovery markers.

So why are some headlines calling it a breakthrough? The researchers measured short-term spikes in hormones like growth hormone and testosterone immediately after the baths. While those numbers sound exciting, decades of research show these temporary hormonal changes do not translate to long-term muscle growth. The real adaptations happen over months, not minutes.

Another reason to be cautious: this study lasted only 2 weeks, included only 12 participants per group, and tested only young men. That’s too small and short to draw significant conclusions about what helps you recover better or build more muscle.

That said, research suggests that heat exposure — such as sauna use — could help with muscle growth and recovery, but we need more studies to say with certainty how much benefit it might provide. So if it’s working for you, there’s no need to stop. But you might want to temper your expectations.

If you want to improve your recovery, here’s a short list of behaviors that appear to work:

• Get 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night.

• Eat enough protein (if you resistance train, that means 1.6–2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight).

• Manage training intensity and take rest days.

• Stay hydrated and keep stress in check.

Pump Club Exclusive
Wear Your 100%

On Monday, Arnold issued his 100% Challenge. If you want to approach every day with a little more intensity to get what you want from life, consider this new shirt your reminder.

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell