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#1 My personal anti-inflammatory protocol

You’ve heard about it. You’ve felt it. You might… even be inflamed right now.

Inflammation is one of this year’s biggest health buzzwords—but it’s wayyy more than that. Three in four Americans now have at least one chronic condition (!), and growing research suggests inflammation could sit at the root of nearly all of them. Big deal, big ramifications, big opportunities.

For me, it’s personal. I have allergies from hell, a history of elevated heart markers, Alzheimer’s in my family, and a super duper cranky back. But this year, I actually found some relief. After changing a few things, my back pain, itchy eyes, stuffy nose, and even my biomarkers all chilled out. That sent me down a rabbit hole—annnd led to my latest epic Special Report on what inflammation is, why it flares up, and how to cool it down.

If you think inflammation only flares up when you’re sick or sore, think again. The real triggers surprised me—and it turns out they show up in more parts of life (and the body) than you’d expect.

The good news: There are science-backed ways to cool your internal flames 🔥. Based on months of research (and years of living inflamed), here’s a sneak peek at the levers I’m pulling to stop the burn:

  • 🥦 Eating an anti-inflammatory diet. What you eat can either fuel or fight it the first. A few basics do a lot of the heavy lifting.

  • ♻️ Reducing microplastic exposure. Out of sight doesn’t mean out of (immune) system—but small swaps can lower a big, invisible burden.

  • 🏃‍♂️ Exercising regularly. Think burning off inflammation > burning calories. (And it doesn’t require anything fancy, either.)

  • 🧘 Managing stress. Your immune system can’t chill if you don’t, and I’ve built playtime into my chill time.

  • 😴 Prioritizing sleep. Sleep basically acts like your body’s overnight trainer, and a few new tools are helping me strengthen my weak spot.

  • 🥵 Harnessing heat therapy. Sweating in the sauna can actually cool your body down. Ironic, I know!

  • 💊 Microdosing GLP-1s. Turns out, “weight-loss drugs” may cool more than cravings.

  • ⚕️Checking my baselines. I track a specific blood marker so small sparks don’t burn me out. (See which one in this Special Report, just saying).

To learn more about how inflammation hides in your habits—and the science-backed ways to fight back 👇

🌟 Read the Special Report 🌟

#2 Sperm Racing

If you haven’t heard of Sperm Racing before, well… now you have. Basically, a bunch of LA guys got together to race their sperm (sooo LA). They literally created a microscopic racetrack and projected the action onto a big screen in front of a live audience. Think of it like something between biohacking and performance art. And a bunch of billionaires invested in it! It's absurd, but also entertaining? I mean, look at this: 

Not to spoil it too much, buuut turns out the “live” race video was CGI-generated. (Though apparently it was based on coordinates obtained from real prerecorded footage of the sperm samples.) Either way, that didn’t stop people from betting $300,000 (!) on Polymarket for the outcome. 🤯

So, why race sperm in the first place? To raise awareness around male fertility—which, honestly, I’m glad we’re talking about. Research shows sperm counts have dropped 59% since 1973, leading scientists to call this era “Spermageddon.” (Dun, dun, duuun.)

And while Sperm Racing sells awareness, one company I keep seeing in this space is selling supplements: Swim Club. (Great name.) The brand launched in September as “the first sperm performance supplement,” with Dr. Michael Eisenberg—one of the world’s leading male fertility experts—as its Chief Scientist.

The supplement comes with a bunch of normal stuff like Omega-3 fatty acids, L-Carnitine, and Folate. Each ingredient has moderate evidence behind it for improving sperm count, sperm motility, sperm morphology (my new favorite word), and DNA integrity. Nothing snake oily, buuut also nothing revolutionary. 

Could this be the next-generation of sperm optimization? Potentially. Broadly, I’m glad men are talking about it more—infertility is, after all, a 50/50 issue. It’s a space I’ll be watching more closely, especially as my wife and I think about maybe having a third kiddo (!).

#3 Man Cereal, part II

Speaking of “manly” things…I finally tried Man Cereal after finding out about it in August. The Internet (and our 5HT+ Slack channel) lost it over its branding. I actually appreciate its bold stance. What I don’t appreciate is, er, the taste. 

Man Cereal is positioned as the world's first creatine cereal—designed for guys who want to gain muscle with their breakfast. Kind of cool. Kind of compelling. The problem? It’s disgusting. The closest comparison I can make is… drywall. And it’s not just me—online reviews agree it’s baaad. Folks on the pointlesslygendered (amazing that this exists) subreddit even call it “deeply repulsive.” 😂 To be fair, one person gave it a 10/10, but I can’t imagine how.

When you create something provocative like “man cereal” and make it about gender (even though science says creatine is dope for women, too), you invite a certain kind of criticism. (The same thinking applies to Monster Energy’s new female-focused energy drink called “FLRT,” which just feels 🙄.) 

To me, there’s a difference between confidence and arrogance. And in this case, Man Cereal feels like classic male overconfidence thinking everyone will love your product… even if it tastes terrible. And before you @ me, I didn’t just try one flavor. I tried all three. They’re all gross.

I don’t want to completely knock someone who’s built something. It’s hard! But as someone who’s working to launch my first CPG business, Fixie Dust, even I know the product has to taste good. So, if you’re looking for a functional cereal, try Magic Spoon instead. They’re the OG in the category, and they’ve never skimped on taste (I’m into it, at least).

#4 Estrogen therapy

Something else that’s dope for women: Estrogen. I asked friend Dr. Robin Berzin, who shares in-depth and easy-to-follow women’s longevity protocols in her awesome RBMD Off Script newsletter, to weigh in on all news about estrogen therapy in the headlines over the last few weeks. She thinks estrogen is the most powerful longevity drug for women. Here’s why 👇

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: there’s no better longevity drug for women than estrogen. New data presented at The Menopause Society last month backs that up in a big way. Researchers looked at over 120 million medical records and found that women who started estrogen therapy in perimenopause—and stayed on it for 10+ years—had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke compared to women who waited until after menopause or never used hormones. Sixty percent! That’s not a rounding error.

For decades, estrogen’s been the most misunderstood and maligned molecule in women’s health. But the truth is, the 2000s-era fear came from a misread of the Women’s Health Initiative study. The result? Only 5% of women are given HRT. This is shocking to me—every woman should have an informed conversation about the preventive benefits of estrogen as a longevity tool.  We now know estrogen, when started early and dosed smartly, is profoundly protective for the brain, bones, heart, and metabolism. It literally slows biological aging. 

Earlier this week, the U.S. government announced it’s finally removing the black box warning on menopausal hormone therapy in light of all this new data. It’s about time. The key is timing and personalization. Bioidentical estrogen (like a patch or compounded cream) started within 10 years of menopause—ideally during perimenopause—is where the magic happens. 

The bottom line: if your provider is telling you HRT is dangerous, their information is out of date. Period. You deserve to work with a hormone literate provider like my team at Parsley Health to determine the best protocol for you. You can read my in-depth HRT protocol here. 

If you want more straightforward, science-backed protocols to help you optimize your health, subscribe to Robin’s newsletter! (You’ll get her in-depth preventative testing guide when you sign up.)

#5 Healthyish gadgets

I recently picked up two new healthyish tech gadgets—one’s a keeper, the other a clunker. 

👍 Logitech Vertical Mouse: I first heard about the vertical mouse while doing keyword research for our Neural Signals section in 5HT back in September. Then, when I shared a picture of my desk on LinkedIn, a bunchhh of people recommended it in the comments. Obviously, I had to see what all the hype was about. 

Verdict: Small ergonomic shift, huge payoff. While the design looks funky at first (it’s tilted at a 57-degree angle), it instantly improved my wrist posture. Less twisting, less tension, more comfort. It felt intuitive within minutes annnd it’s earned a stable spot on my desk. For such a minor change, it’s pretty amazing. Highly recommend. 💯

👎 Apple Watch Ultra 3: I got the brand new Ultra 3 last month… and returned it in less than 10 days 😬. I’ve seen it get solid reviews, buuut it just wasn’t for me. For one, it felt massive, like wearing a mini iPad on my arm, which bothered me nonstop 😩. I bought it thinking the advanced heart sensors might help after my heart scare but the data didn’t feel any more helpful or accurate than what I already get from my WHOOP and Oura. Ultimately, not worth the wrist real estate for me. 🤷

⚡ Neural signals

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

  • 1️⃣ Citicoline. Searches are spiking for this natural nootropic with legit, science-backed benefits for memory, mood, and focus. Talk about brain gains. 🧠

  • 2️⃣ Junk journals. Basically a craft combining scrapbooking and collaging ✂️. The NYT just covered it—and a boost in searches followed.

  • 3️⃣ Clove water. There are lotsss of TikToks of this spicy water steeping up attention. 

  • 4️⃣ Finger exercise equipment. Remember that grip-strength study I shared last week? Turns out, there’s a whole industry for finger grip gadgets. 

  • 5️⃣ Cuticle balm. It’s still in the 70s here in Austin, buuut winter is coming, right? Byrdie recommends these if your hands need TLC. 🫶🏼

🍿 Brain snacks

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👋 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.

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