5HT #113: the ultimate sauna protocol + why air fresheners are a lie + 3 more

Last week, I told y’all about the world of sauna accessories I discovered after going down a rabbit hole on how to optimize heat therapy. I have no chill, literally. 

While the accessories were pretty cool (I have since acquired a very fun sauna hat), what actually moves the needle for longevity is not in gear. It’s the protocol. 

And for that, we lean on the Finns. 

A Finnish prospective cohort study found more frequent sauna use was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality. Compared with once-weekly sauna users, people doing 4–7 sauna sessions/week had a much lower rate of fatal cardiovascular events. 

Another study published in Nature also found longer sauna sessions (>19 minutes) were associated with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death and fatal cardiovascular disease. 

So what does the research-backed sauna protocol look like? 

I usually do 20 minutes, though 15 is often plenty. I’m currently at 2x/week, but my goal is to slowly up that. It’d definitely help if I had an at-home sauna (hint hint), so if any brand wants to gift me one, I’d graciously accept. Just a friendly reminder. 😉

Also: You do not need to white-knuckle it at the top of the heat range. The cohort average in the Finnish study was 169°F, and another study using 163°F found acute improvements in blood pressure and arterial stiffness. 

Point is: hotter and longer isn’t necessarily more optimal. The most optimal thing is the thing you do consistently.

Sara, who’s pregnant (that’s right, we’re having our third!), came home a few weeks ago with a bag of air fresheners to make our house smell, well, less like a house with two kids and a dog. And I did the thing every annoying health nerd does: I went, “Wait, maybe not,” mid-unboxing.

She was not thrilled. 😅 

The problem was, I couldn’t really defend why. So I did some homework. And here’s what I found: Air fresheners are kind of a lie.

We think they clean or freshen the air. What they actually do is add fragrance (read: chemicals) to overpower the smells you don’t want to smell. You’re not removing pollution. You’re layering scented pollution on top. 

A widely cited University of Washington analysis tested 25 fragranced products and found 133 different VOCs (volatile organic compounds), with 24 classified as toxic or hazardous under U.S. federal laws. Buuut almost none were listed on the label because “fragrance” has a secret loophole that lets companies skip the full ingredient list. 🙄

This matters because indoor air is already doing the most. The EPA says levels of some common organic pollutants are often 2–5x higher inside homes than outside, and acute exposure to VOCs can cause symptoms like eye/throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

Still, the strongest human evidence against air fresheners is what we in the biz like to call “associational.” One survey found 20.4% of the general population and 41% of people with asthma reported health problems from air fresheners. Again: survey, not randomized trial. Still.

There’s also a childhood respiratory association. One study found using air fresheners during pregnancy was associated with higher odds of lower respiratory tract infections in infants.

So while an occasional spritz probablyyy isn’t ruining anyone’s life, with a pregnant wife, two kids, and a dog? I’d rather skip the plug-in.

What to do instead:

Bottom line: Ultimately, using air fresheners is probably fine for most people, but if you can avoid it, do. And if you really need it, do it temporarily and not all the time.

Our friends at Herman-Scheer (known for building amazing brands like Bobbie, Native, Myo, Neuro, Lifeforce, Fatty15, & Bowflex—plus, also known for having me as an advisor, nbd 😏) put out an epic white paper on the future of women’s health and how brands can better help women feel heard, supported, and understood at every stage of life. You know I love a good white paper (doesn’t everyone? 😆), and this one is genuinely awesome.

My biggest takeaway:

Literally.

Some brands, like Midi and Bobbie, already do this well. But as the category keeps growing (finally!), the best brands will be the ones that:

Basically: fewer fragmented fixes, more whole-person understanding.

What brands do you think are already doing this well? Respond to this email, and I might feature them in a future 5HT!

And if you work in this space or are just a curious human, the whole thing is definitely worth reading.👇

Note: If you’re looking for design/brand help and want an intro to the best in the business (which I firmly believe Herman-Scheer is), happy to intro!

One 5HTer (thank you, Yael G.!) was kind enough to offer me a Chinese astrology reading. I’ve been dabbling in the world of woo lately (see write ups on reiki, craniosacral therapy, vortexes, etc.), so I figured, why not?

Technically, this was Chinese Polestar Astrology, or Zi Wei Dou Shu, which uses your birth date and time to map out “palaces” for things like wealth, health, career, family, pleasure, and so on.

My chart, for the curious: I’m a Fire Rabbit / Fire Goat / Wood Rooster, which somehow translates to a “quiet, aesthetic nature carried on a sharp, idealistic tongue.” It also had me as a “Scholar-Alchemist” with a Metal inner nature: Intellectually restless, drawn to refinement, writing/editing, secrets, spiritual distillation, and “mentally precise practices” over vague doctrine. Which is either surprisingly generous or just a mystical way of saying “newsletter guy with too many Google Docs.” 

Overall, I’ll admit, this one wasn’t exactly for me 😬. The reading felt pretty off base! But hey, it was an awesome excuse to get to know a 5HT reader, and they were lovely and gracious enough to walk me through it. 🙏 

Anyway, here’s how to find your Chinese zodiac sign as a fun entry point, if you’re curious:

Last summer, I did what any healthyish 38ish-year-old man with limited free time would do. I ate more than 25+ protein bars to find out which one was the best. In the name of science, of course. And content. 5HTers need the content, right?? 😅

The result of my righteous investigation was a suuuper comprehensive review of the best protein bars (rated on things like macros and ingredient quality) and the ones best kept under wraps (or should I say wrappers? Sorry!). From bars that taste like 3 Musketeers to bars that taste like dirt with a hint of tahini (yes, really 🥴), there’s a wiiide range of bars—all rated with precision. Yes, I developed an official scoring formula for this challenge 🤓. No, I was not cool in school.

This summer, I decided to revisit the challenge and re-tested all of the top performers to see if they’re still worthy of the chew. A new bar was added to the top five 👑. Another was dethroned 🫢. I also added a few non-protein bar alternatives for those who prefer to sip or slurp their protein. 

So whether you’re looking for the cleanest ingredients, the most protein bang for your buck, or a guilt-free snack that tastes great, I hope my protein bar experiment helps you find your favorites 😋.

Okayyy, so most of you voted to keep this section, buuuut I’m still on the fence. Going to take a pause on these until the end of summer and will keep you posted. 🫡

👋 Who are you again? I’m Derek Flanzraich—founder of two venture-backed startups in Greatist (👍) and Ness (👎). I’ve worked with brands like GoodRx, Parsley, Midi, Ro, NOCD, and Peloton. I now run Healthyish Content, a premium health content & SEO agency (among other things).

Every Thursday (and now Sunday!), I share healthyish things I feel strongly about. (Disclaimer: I’m more your friend with health benefits. None of this is medical advice.) Also some links are affiliate links, but they influence my decisions zero.

Oh, you also feel strongly about some health things? Hit reply—I’d love to hear it.