5HT: 5 Healthyish Things, including preventative heart health and boy kibble

Yep, we’re continuing my series on woo-adjacent wellness! Next on my list? Vortexes.

Way back in 2019, my wife Sara and I were in Sedona, Arizona, hiking Cathedral Rock. Some areas in Sedona supposedly have “vortexes” and this hike in particular is said to have a “feminine” one. That morning, we were reallyyy tired and not particularly excited about the climb. We were doing it mostly because we were there, to check off the box. But then, halfway up, everything shifted—and it wasn’t subtle.

It felt like energy started coursing through us. We powered to the top. Our moods flipped. We felt almost euphoric. And we stayed far longer than planned. It didn’t feel imagined. It still doesn’t. 

I swear I felt this vortex, and so does Sara.

Buuut science is clear: There’s no evidence our Earth has localized energy portals “transmitting healing forces.” While NASA has found hidden magnetic portals between Earth and the Sun and continues to track magnetic anomalies 🧲, it has not found a geological force field hiding in the red rocks. 

That doesn’t mean our experience wasn’t real. In fact, something very real happened. At that moment, we were:

As humans, we’re hardwired to find meaning in things, and when the right inputs come together, how can we not? In our case, all those bullets above stacked and produced something that genuinely felt transcendent.

Religions have long designed rituals to evoke this shift. Modern neuroscience describes it as an altered state of consciousness. And… Sedona calls it a vortex.

So, are vortexes literally supernatural energy centers? I don’t think so. But are they real in an experiential sense—where people reliably and regularly feel elevated and energized and emotionally shifted in certain places? I think yes. 

Basically, I believe I place + effort + story can unlock powerful human states—and I trust (even embrace) the experience without needing a supernatural explanation. If something gets you outside, moving your body, and feeling deeply alive… who cares about the label?

As part of my New Year’s goal to get healthier every decade, I’m working toward reducing my body fat from 19.7% to 15%. That also means building and maintaining more muscle 💪, something we’re increasingly discovering plays a major role in longevity.

One large review found “muscle-strengthening activities” were associated with a 10–17% lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, total cancer, diabetes, and lung cancer. Basically, science points to stronger muscles = longer life. Buuut given muscle health starts to decline in our 30s, that’s easier said than done. 😅

To support my muscle strength (and ultimately my health span), I’ve been weight training 3x/week with a personal trainer, working on grip strength through rock climbing 1x/week, and taking Timeline’s Mitopure daily as part of my evening supplement stack to strengthen muscles from the inside out. 

I’ve written before about Mitopure’s role in renewing aging cells 🧬, but here’s the connective tissue (literally): Muscles are energy-hungry, and healthier mitochondria mean muscles can perform better. In a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (the gold standard), participants who received a daily 500mg dose of Mitopure showed increases in muscle strength of up to 12% after 4 months* 📈. Pretty compelling.

So if you’re looking to strengthen your muscles, start by strengthening your stack with Timeline’s Mitopure. It’ll take you from Do you even lift, bro? to → Do you even take Mitopure? 😂 And if you missed it the first time, you’ve got another chance now: Timeline extended 20% off Mitopure for 5HT readers. 🥳

Use code “5HT” at checkout.

*Timeline’s clinical study showed that sedentary, middle-aged adults with an average BMI of 29.52 increased hamstring muscle strength.

Apparently, something called boy kibble is trending on TikTok. It’s, yes, exactly what you think it is. This coverage from The Guardian is especially good. 😂

A reader recently asked me what heart health testing actually makes sense for men our age (30-40s)—especially with a family history? Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide 💔, and yet most prevention still waits for plaque to show up before taking action.

Given it’s Heart Health Month—and I’m 38, post-ablation, with heart attacks in my family—it felt like the right time to share what I’ve learned. Worth reminding you: I am not a doctor, and none of this is medical advice. That said, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned through my own journey as your friend with health benefits.

The best place to start, IMO, is to get a baseline. 

I’ve been getting annual labs through Function Health since 2023. Based on my research, one of the key markers worth tracking is ApoB (Apolipoprotein B). hs-CRP is another that Eric Topol (my fave, as you’ll see below) emphasizes. (More on that in my Special Report on inflammation.) 

Neither of those are part of a standard blood panel, which is why I opt for something like Function. That—and many PCPs won’t proactively order ApoB or hs-CRP, meaning you may need to advocate for yourself or do testing on your own like I have.

Now, when I noticed I did have some elevated markers, I brought them to my PCP, pushed for a statin, and asked for a cardiology referral. That’s the same cardiologist I returned to when I learned I had PVCs and who I went through this whole process with. (I highly recommend making friends with a cardiologist before you actually need them.)

There’s also scans you can do—like coronary artery calcium scan (CAC) if you’re worried about risk here. (FWIW, I did a cardiac MRI, echocardiogram, Holter monitor, CT scan, and stress test after my ER visit.) Ultimately, I think it’s smart to get an early baseline. Just don’t overdo it (unless you end up in the ER like me).

I also wanted to be able to answer the parallel question on the women’s side—because the guidance there can be murkier. So I asked my community on LinkedIn and got some really thoughtful responses. One that stood out came from my friend Simin Gharib Lee, cardiologist and CEO of Systole Health.

Here’s how Simin approaches cardiovascular risk assessment in women:

According to Simin, long-term data in nearly 28k women show LDL, Lp(a), and inflammation independently predict 30-year cardiovascular events. Combining them gives the clearest signal.

If you’re interested in the future of health or have a mild obsession with longevity, you need to follow Eric Topol on X. Regular 5HT readers will know I reference Topol a looooot—and for good reason.

Topol has a rare combo:

That—and his background is bananas. 

He’s a world-renowned cardiologist and scientist, EVP at Scripps Research (a large nonprofit medical research institute), one of the top 10 (!!) most cited researchers in medicine, and has published 1,200+ peer-reviewed papers. He’s also written four bestselling books, including Super Agers, an evidence-based look at longevity I loved. 

He's regularly talking about topics that matter—from intermittent fasting to reducing heart disease risk. And I'm personally invested in his insights on GLP-1s and Alzheimer's prevention.

I also reallyyy respect that he's not afraid to be critical. He’s questioned the cost of longevity clinics and, most recently, pushed back on the new food pyramid. (His take: We’re already eating more than enough protein—something I’ve talked about too—and there’s little evidence to support adding more red meat to the average diet.)

There are plenty of smart longevity follows on X (including yours truly 😏, though I need to tweet more). But if you want one voice that’s consistently thoughtful, independent, and science-first, Topol is my pick.

Directions: Copy and paste the below prompt into your AI platform of choice to create a preventive medicine plan.

👋 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.) 

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