5HT: 5 Healthyish Things, including my home office and getting fit

A trend I’ve noticed recently is supplements labeled as “liposomal.”

I didn’t know what it meant, so naturally I looked it up 🤓. Turns out, “liposomal” basically means the nutrient is wrapped in tiny fat bubbles (called liposomes) so your body can absorb the nutrient more efficiently. 

Absorption is actually a bigger deal with supps than you may think. Some nutrients—like vitamin B12 and iron—are notoriously poorly absorbed. It’s also why gummy supplements sometimes brag about higher bioavailability because their digestion is similar to food. (FWIW, a study found this to be true for vitamin D gummies!)

The pitch behind liposomal supplements is that these small fat bubbles protect nutrients while they travel through your digestive system so they reach your bloodstream intact (vs. trying to help you absorb them initially). Basically, they chauffeur nutrients to where they need to go so they can do what they need to do 👨‍✈️. A hack on top of a hack!

Buuut they're also more expensive. Shocker 🫠. I don’t currently take any liposomal supplements, but if I were to, vitamin C and glutathione have the strongest evidence. For now, I take a shot of EVOO with my morning supplements every day. Not the same thing, but it does boost nutrient absorption—especially for citicoline and B12.

I spent 6 weeks in Europe this summer and constantly faced the same dilemma: Which button on the toilet am I supposed to press? 🤔

I assumed the purpose was water conservation, and hey—turns out, I was right! The small button uses ~3-4 liters, while the larger one uses ~6-9 liters. Translation: Little button = little business, big button = big business.

Seems like an important PSA for those traveling abroad. 😆

One thing I’ve learned after years of working in health: You go further when someone else is invested in you getting there. That’s true in business, life, and especially fitness. Even if you’re super duper motivated, it’s a different game when you’ve got someone in your corner—cheering you on, calling you out, and making sure you’re doing the right work for you. You need what I call an accountabilibuddy! 

Yes, group classes and social workouts are a great entry point for those looking to motivate themselves to move. But if you reallyyy want to level up your fitness, personalized training is the move. Science agrees. Research shows working with a personal trainer can fast-track your results. Buuut finding the right personal trainer and finding the time to train? Still tough. 

To help up my workout game (and accomplish my new recomp goal of 15% body fat), I’ve recently started using Future—a virtual personal training app with 1:1 coaching—to supplement an IRL trainer I work with sometimes, but who isn’t always available. From fitness pros at top training facilities to D1 programs to pro sports teams, Future recruited the best of the best. Tom Brady is notably an advisor for Future’s athletes (cause, hey, trainers need someone pushing them too!). 

Here’s how it works: You complete a questionnaire about your workout experience, goals, and what equipment you have available, and then you’re given a list of coaches to select from. Once you’ve picked your coach, they build and adjust your program based on your needs. The trainer I got paired with (hey, Josh! 👋) has, tbh, surpassed my high expectations. He’s positive, helpful, and built every workout around what I have in my home gym.

Because of my back injuries, he’s also tweaked countless exercises. The app even enables Josh to jump in with modifications to his pre-programmed workouts, so I can still train without hurting my back. Plus, he’s texting me daily (and not just about my workouts, but holistically about my health). Very impressed! 

So, if you too have an ambitious fitness goal (or just want to get back on the fitness track) do yourself a favor and start with 1:1 coaching. And go with Future if you want an elite coach who's committed to your success. Use this link to get 75% off your first month, exclusive for 5HT readers! 🥳

As I share more of my personal protocols, here’s everything in my home office that keeps me sharp. The vibe: Ergonomic + organized. Partly because I’ve got a bad back and need alllll the posture support I can get 😅. Partly because I’m kinda anal (shocker 🙃) and feel more focused when things are tidy.

Think of this as a behind-the-scenes look at 5HT! 😃

What’s on your desk? Hit reply with your favorite home office hack. 📥

While on a mission to double my restorative sleep (spoiler: not there yet), part of my strategy has been to make our bedroom as dark as possible. Think: Blackout curtains. Under-door draft stoppers. And a sleep mask.

The problem: Most masks I’ve tried suck 👎. They’re either uncomfortable, fall off, or make you feel smothered. I don’t want to feel like I’ve got anything on me, ya know? So I asked ChatGPT for recos and it suggested the Manta Pro Sleep Mask. (Thanks ChatGPT!) I thought twice given it’s expensive…but I’ve been using it for about a month now, and I’m totally sold that it's the best one out there.

​The adjustable gel strap lets me dial in the fit (without squeezing my head) and stays on even when I toss around. But my favorite feature is the C-shaped eye cups; they’re deep enough to actually be comfortable and block every bit of light, which is exactly what you want at bedtime. 

When doing research for The Sun edition, I learned that darkness basically cues melatonin to kick in, while light hits “snooze” on your circadian rhythm (and tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime). Sooo think of turning your room into a cave as next level sleep hygiene 😎. 

​I’ve basically recommended the mask to everyone since getting it. I even got one for my wife (we look like bugs at bedtime, but like super cute bugs). They also recently released a Manta Sound Sleep Mask with a built-in white noise machine. Do I need one? Does anyone need one? No. But I do think it's really neat! Eastman (I’m a fan!) says, sleep is a skill—and this is another way I’m practicing mine.

Okay, you know what I’m curious about—but here’s what everyone else is Googling, according to a few trusty platforms.

👋 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, I share 5 health things I feel strongly about so you can live healthyish. (Disclaimer: I’m more your friend with health benefits. None of this is medical advice.) Annnd follow me on LinkedIn for more hot takes on health.