🥶 Cold showers, clean power, and camera traps

Happy Friday my friend,

Imagine discovering the humble rock used as a doorstop in your relative’s house is actually one of the world’s most prized in-tact chunks of amber, worth over $1M and up to 70M years old! (This really happened in Romania, and you can read all about it here.) 👀

ECL TRIVIA: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, which season is associated with the liver and the element of wood? (Answer below)

🌎 Planet Health

♻️ CLEAN ENERGY RISES: In 2024, renewable energy sources, led by solar, significantly impacted the global energy landscape. Solar and other renewables are not just growing; they're reshaping how the world generates and uses power, signaling a major shift towards sustainable energy solutions. Learn all the exact stats and details (and how solar solutions are on the rise) here. 

🚫 PLASTIC PROBLEMS: Experts are demanding urgent reforms in plastics production, calling for a ban on toxic chemicals and improved transparency. Recycling alone can't solve the crisis, as harmful substances and PFAS persist throughout plastics' lifecycle, threatening health and ecosystems through cross-contamination and other impacts of the product. Researchers have developed five policy strategies to make plastic production and recycling safer and more sustainable, and you can read more about it here. 

📸 WILDLIFE SURVEYS: How do we protect America’s furriest friends? Snapshot USA uses camera “traps” to— with virtually zero disruption to their habitat— capture nearly 900k mammal movements across the nation. With AI's help, volunteers are turning these snaps into valuable data to fuel region-specific conservation efforts. “Over time, we can use the data set to look at trends in species diversity, species abundance, and all other kinds of different questions that you can answer with a large quantity of data like this,” the survey coordinator at Snapshot USA says.

🧑‍⚕️ Human Health

🏊‍♀️ COLD WATER SHOCK: Who’s ready to cold plunge with me?! A small study of male participants was published this week in Advanced Biology, with scientists saying findings “indicate that repeated cold exposure significantly improves autophagic function, a critical cellular protective mechanism.” Swimming in cold water for a week can kickstart your cells' recycling system, helping you better handle stress and potentially fight aging. And while the initial shock is intense, this limited initial research says the body quickly adapts for the better. 

🍳 CHOLINE FOR COGNITION: Have you heard of choline? It’s a crucial nutrient for brain health, supporting cognitive function and neurodevelopment. It aids in synthesizing acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for memory and learning. It’s also critical for pregnant women, to ensure fetal brain development. While abundant in animal products like eggs, it can be sourced from plant-based foods like peanuts and broccoli too, and this recent article explains more about this “underappreciated” nutrient! 

😴 SLOW WAVE SLEEP: Could specific sleep phases be linked to risk of Alzheimer’s? This recent study reveals that reduced slow-wave and REM sleep are linked to smaller volumes in brain regions vulnerable to Alzheimer's, particularly the inferior parietal region. Slow-wave sleep seems to be especially crucial for clearing toxins and waste products from the brain, including substances associated with neurodegenerative disorders. This is a great reminder to ensure you’re getting quality and consistent sleep.

🫐 Top 8 Superfoods For Your Brain

A study from Rush University involving 1,000 adults discovered that people who ate just one serving per day of a specific food had cognitive health equivalent to that of someone 11 years younger, compared to those who rarely or never ate it.

In other words, eating this one food could lead to sharper thinking, better memory recall, reduced brain fog, and higher productivity every day.

What would 11 more years of healthy brain function be worth to you and your loved ones?

And this is only ONE of eight superfoods that have been proven to support brain health and longevity!

>> Download Brain Food: 8 Superfoods Your Brain Will Love right here.

My friend Ocean Robbins from Food Revolution Network put together a free, research-backed guidebook on eight superfoods for optimal cognitive health.

These aren’t exotic ingredients. They’re simple, accessible foods you can find at any grocery store. How many of these are you already eating?

When you download your guidebook, you’ll also get a free ticket to the most anticipated food and health event of the year — the brand-new 2025 Food Revolution Summit Docuseries: Healthy People, Healthy Planet.

It features the brightest and most trustworthy luminaries in the food world, including top doctors, best-selling authors, scientific researchers, journalists, weight loss experts, and more.

Hundreds of thousands of people are signing up to join in.

>> Get your Brain Food guidebook and your link to watch the docuseries now.

Photo of the week

Trivia Answer:

Spring. Spring is a time of renewal, growth, and upward energy. It’s ideal for gentle detox practices, eating leafy greens, and aligning with nature’s push toward expansion.

🎥 Solar Panels with Viana from Italy

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...and a healthier planet:

• • Improve health awareness: Deep Dive articles & recipe videos
• • Protect ecosystems: expert video tutorials with leaders around the world
• • Prioritize mental health: custom meditations for relieved stress
• • Camaraderie: likeminded community (app coming soon!)
• • Inspiration: members-only ebooks, personal picks, and DIY ideas
• • Portion goes to support independent films, local food projects, and planting trees