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Welcome to 4 Minute Fridays, my weekly newsletter, where I reveal cutting-edge tips to help you get lean, boost energy, and live longer.

What's In Store For Today:

• The lazy habit that reverses the age of your brain by 6.5 years
• Use this cheap solution to remove pesticides from your food
• How to create a "dumbphone"

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Hey friend,

The other day, I had a conversation with a client who told me something crazy.

He had been dealing with chronic knee pain for 5 years. Every time he got up, he would feel a sharp pain in his knee, which persisted even when he walked or went upstairs.

The pain was so disruptive that he was thinking about getting surgery to fix it.

When we started working together, we didn't do anything to fix the pain; we only mitigated the pain around it. Our primary focus was to lose weight.

And what happened next shocked him and me.

After helping him lose over 20+ pounds of fat from his body, his knee pain magically disappeared.

Thankfully, the pain hasn't returned after a year, and his knee feels stronger than ever.

For every pound you lose, 4 pounds of pressure is relieved from your knees and 6 pounds from your hips.

A 5% reduction in body weight can result in a 50% reduction in joint pain. Most people do not experience joint issues. They have weight issues.

So, if someone deals with joint pain, they may be able to spend less money on physiotherapy and chiropractic care and instead put that emphasis on achieving a healthy weight for their body.

That said...

Here is your 4 Minute Friday:

1. The Lazy Habit That Reverses The Age Of Your Brain By 6.5 Years

Are you a fan of napping? Well, I might have some good news for you.

Researchers at University College London collected data from nearly 400,000 adults.

They didn’t just ask people if they nap; instead, they used Mendelian randomization, which is a fancy way of saying,

“Let’s use genetics to see if napping makes your brain younger, or if people who nap just have other healthy habits.”

People genetically predisposed to regular napping had brains up to 6.5 years “younger” (measured by total brain volume).

Reaction time and memory didn’t change, but your brain’s square footage? Bigger.

So if you have a proclivity for catching a couple of snoozes during the day, remember it may not be laziness, it may be genetics, and can lead to a bigger brain.

Now, if you don't mind me, it's time to force myself into an afternoon nap.

2. Use This Cheap Solution To Remove Pesticides From Your Food

One of the most effective ways to remove pesticides from your produce is to soak it in baking soda.

A 2017 study from the University of Massachusetts wanted to test the best way to remove pesticides from fruits and vegetables.

Here's what they did:

They tested rinsing apples with tap water, a commercial bleach, and a 12-15 minute soak in baking soda. The winner was baking soda hands down.

They found that soaking your produce in a 1% solution of baking soda (2 teaspoons of baking soda per liter of water) for 15 minutes effectively removed 99% of the pesticides from the surface of your fruit and vegetables, outperforming the use of bleach or tap water.

Unfortunately, some pesticides had seeped into the apple's flesh, but nothing's perfect.

Now, I have tried this myself, and I'm not sure if the pesticides were removed entirely. So I'm going to have to trust the study.

Having my fruit soaked in baking soda made it taste a bit saltier.

It's a small sacrifice I'm willing to pay in the name of a healthier kitchen.

❤️ My Favourite Thing This Week  

You can turn any iPhone into a "dumb phone".

Strip out distractions. Keep what matters. And switch back whenever you need.

Here’s how to do it using Focus Mode + Shortcuts (in under 5 minutes): pic.twitter.com/pbfUf7Y7N2

— Clint Jarvis (@clinjar) April 17, 2025

I am on a mission to use my smartphone for what it's intended to be used for - to enhance my life - and to break free from using it as a distraction device.

When I came across this thread on how to turn my smartphone into a dumb phone, I was all ears.

Smartphone usage to me is like the modern-day food environment. If you don't establish boundaries and guardrails, it will control you and lead to overconsumption.

By having at least a focus mode, we can create a 'dumb phone' to use and regain our concentration and focus on the most essential thing: living life outside of our phones.

Client Of The Week - John, Entrepreneur

Matt is an entrepreneur who has been successful in every aspect of his life, but couldn't figure out how to lose weight, which frustrated him like crazy.

In 12 weeks, we were able to lose 23 pounds of fat while gaining 5 pounds of lean muscle and reducing his body fat percentage by 10%!!

Here's how we did it:

• The biggest focus was getting a handle on his nutrition, so we set up his eating in a way where it was automated and timed perfectly to his busy lifestyle.
• Losing weight is not enough. We must lose the right weight. So we focused on strength training, and because of his former athletic background, we were able to build muscle while burning fat.
• The final part was identity and behavior change. Michael has now evolved from doing things in order to lose weight to loving healthy eating and exercise because of the way that it makes him feel and perform.

He's feeling more confident in his body than ever before, and he's grateful that he's finally figured out this part of his life.

Are you an entrepreneur who wants to drop the fat, gain muscle, and boost energy? Click this link to apply for our coaching program.

One Quote to Finish Your Week Strong

The motto I live by: Transform your body, unlock your life.

As promised, get healthier in under 4 minutes.

- Dan

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:

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References

1. Paz V, Dashti HS, Garfield V. Is there an association between daytime napping, cognitive function, and brain volume? A Mendelian randomization study in the UK Biobank. Sleep Health. 2023 Oct;9(5):786-793. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2023.05.002. Epub 2023 Jun 20. PMID: 37344293.
2. Yang T, Doherty J, Zhao B, Kinchla AJ, Clark JM, He L. Effectiveness of Commercial and Homemade Washing Agents in Removing Pesticide Residues on and in Apples. J Agric Food Chem. 2017 Nov 8;65(44):9744-9752. doi: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b03118. Epub 2017 Oct 25. PMID: 29067814.

Disclaimer: This email is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.