Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.
Today’s Health Upgrade
Number you won’t forget
Can shower water damage your skin?
Weekly wisdom
The secret to staying mentally sharp
Arnold’s Podcast
Want more stories from Arnold? Every day, Arnold’s Pump Club Podcast opens with a story, perspective, and wisdom from Arnold that you won’t find in the newsletter. And, you’ll hear a recap of the day’s items. You can subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Longevity
Number You Won’t Forget: 4 Years
If there were a pill that could slow down how fast your body ages, almost everyone would take it. But what if the real solution isn’t a pill at all — and it’s already sitting in your gym?
New research suggests that adults who performed more than 90 minutes of strength training per week appeared four years younger on a biological level.
In a large-scale study analyzing nearly 5,000 adults, researchers looked at how different types of physical activity related to telomere length — the protective caps on your chromosomes that shorten as you age.
The shorter your telomeres, the older your biological age and the higher your risk of age-related diseases like cancer, heart disease, and cognitive decline.
Even after adjusting for age, BMI, smoking, and chronic illness, the connection between resistance training and telomeres was hard to ignore.
Strength training is strongly associated with longer telomeres — a key indicator of biological aging — meaning lifting weights could help you age more gracefully and live a longer, healthier life.
Listen, we’re the first to say that you shouldn’t put too much stock in biological clocks. At the same time, many studies have linked resistance training to improved lifespan. And this study now shows that those who lift weights also have longer telomeres, suggesting how pumping iron provides anti-aging benefits.
The researchers believe strength training improves mitochondrial function and reduces oxidative stress — both of which are key mechanisms in slowing the aging process at the cellular level.
If you want to keep your cells younger for longer, start picking up the weights.
Together With Jolie
Is Your Shower Water Damaging Your Skin?
Most people don’t think twice about what’s in their shower water—but new research suggests you probably should.
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that hard water—which contains high levels of calcium and magnesium—may impair your skin barrier and worsen eczema.
Researchers examined data from both children and adults, with and without eczema, to understand the role water hardness plays in skin health. Across multiple studies, they found a consistent link: mineral-rich water can disrupt your skin’s natural barrier, dry it out, and contribute to irritation, sensitivity, and flare-ups.
This matters more than you think. Your skin barrier isn’t just about how your skin looks—it’s your body’s first line of defense against inflammation, infection, and environmental stressors. And when hard water breaks it down, everything from itching and redness to chronic eczema can follow.
The solution? Upgrade your water before it hits your skin.
We tested several filtering shower heads—and Jolie stood out as the best. It’s the only one that’s both lab-tested and clinically trialed to remove chlorine, heavy metals, and other harsh minerals without sacrificing water pressure. Research also found that the Jolie filter was lab-tested to protect your hair’s surface layer and overall health.
Better skin starts at the source. With Jolie, you can support a healthy skin barrier, minimize irritation and dryness, and help reduce eczema flare-ups.
As a member of Arnold’s Pump Club, you’ll get free shipping and a 60-day trial to try it out risk-free. If you don’t love it, send it back—no questions asked.
Mindset
Weekly Wisdom
Health
The Secret To Staying Mentally Sharp
You already know exercise helps your body and mind. But your brain might benefit even more from a different kind of workout.
A new study suggests that regularly engaging in challenging mental activities — especially as you age — can significantly improve memory performance and reduce age-related cognitive decline.
Researchers wanted to understand how cognitive engagement — things like reading, learning new skills, or solving complex problems — affects memory during midlife. To do this, they analyzed data from a long-term, large-scale study tracking nearly 2,000 adults.
Those with higher levels of cognitive engagement between the ages of 40 and 70 had significantly better memory later on.
And it’s worth noting, the benefits remained after adjusting for other lifestyle factors that are linked to better memory, such as physical activity, education level, and health status.
The researchers believe the memory boost is tied to what’s known as cognitive reserve — the brain’s ability to compensate for aging or damage by forming new neural pathways. By keeping your brain challenged, you build a stronger foundation that protects against age-related memory loss.
The study didn’t point to any single activity. Instead, it emphasized variety and consistency, but also doing mentally challenging activities that you enjoy. That could mean reading books, playing strategy games, learning an instrument, doing puzzles, or even tackling a new language or hobby.
And that’s it for this week. Thank you for being a part of the positive corner of the internet, and we hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
-Arnold, Adam, and Daniel
—
Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
