5HT: 5 Healthyish Things, including the scientifically perfect day and Seed Health

Researchers say they’ve found it! According to the New York Post, a new study from the University of British Columbia revealed the ideal use of our time by analyzing the American Time Use Survey.

That formula is = 

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 6 hours with family

• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 2 hours with friends

• 🗣️ 1.5 horse of extra socializing

• 🏋️ 2 hours of exercise

• 🍽️ 1 hour eating and drinking

• 💻 6 hours of work (max)

• 🚶 15-minute commute

• 📱 1 hour of screen time (max)

So basically, the perfect day is vibes, gym, fam, food, and not doomscrolling on your phone. Sounds about right. Especially that ultimate hack of a less than 15-minute commute. 😆

🚩Minor flag: While I read the findings in the New York Post, I couldn’t find the full study. That said, sometimes media outlets report on research before the formal publication is available to the public. Spiritually, I’ve already cited it in my PTO request. 😂

So, the rumor is WeightWatchers is planning to declare bankruptcy. 

What a master class in mismanagement. An iconic brand everyone (still) knows just couldn’t get anything right. 

I’ve actually been following WW for a long time. I was even a member as a kid (I was very young and very large). Even then, it wasn’t for me—but I saw the brilliance:

1. They made calorie and macro tracking accessible, gamified, and sticky.

2. They built retention around a real community—peer support, identity shift, and accountability.

Those are the same things still driving success today. And yet, WW got lost in branded low-fat snacks, celebrity endorsements, and tech that never quite worked—despite the resources to do it well.

I started my first company, Greatist, partly to build “the WeightWatchers of the future.” Though we ultimately became a media brand, we watched WW closely—and vice versa. They acquired smart startups like Weilos (a health-focused social network), Wello (streaming fitness), and Kurbo (youth health coaching)—but never scaled them or tapped the founders' full potential. (Joanna Strober, who ran Kurbo, went on to found Midi, so, yeah, the talent was there.)

Then came the infamous rebrand to WW 🤦‍♂️ (one of the worst rebrands of all time, IMO), and most recently, the acquisition of Sequence (my friend Dr. Spencer Nadolsky’s company) to hastily chase the GLP-1 wave. It felt reactive, not strategic. And instead of integrating it meaningfully, it diluted their brand further.

At a time when getting healthy is cool again, WeightWatchers should be thriving. Instead, they’re going bankrupt. I met with their execs a few times (even the then-CEO), trying to nudge them toward a more modern, inclusive vision: Less “watching weight,” more living well. But... here we are.

It didn’t have to end like this. I still think someone could buy WW and turn it around. Imagine a version focused on real lifestyle change—redefining “weight watching” as a healthy, sustainable way to support your wellbeing. Anchored by 1,000+ in-person meeting spots. And proudly bringing back the original name.

Anywayyy—what would you do? Hit reply.

Every 5 weeks, I get a fascia-focused massage at AUSTINDEEP… buuut it’s not a fun massage. 😅 It’s a full-body beatdown that targets the fascia—the web of connective tissue that wraps around your muscles, bones, and organs like an internal bodysuit. (One that can apparently hold trauma and memory.)

That layer is constantly getting crinkled and knotted based on what you're doing… or not doing. Skip your workout? Sit too long? Not drinking enough water? Your fascia tightens like shrink wrap, binding your muscles and restricting mobility. When it really gets stuck, it can cause painful knots.

Fascia affects everything—mobility, recovery, pain, posture. If it’s stuck, you’re stuck. And I really don’t want to be—with multiple disc herniations, a fascia-focused massage helps reduce strain around my poor spine 🥲 and keeps me moving. 

Unlike traditional massage (which works mostly on muscle), fascia-focused work—like myofascial release—targets the tissue around it. It’s slow, intense, and all about sustained pressure. Think: Less oil, more grip. Myofascial release has also been shown to help with chronic lower back pain.

Obviously, getting a fascia-focused massage is a luxury. But you’ve got options:

• Use a massage gun (like the new TheraGun I got and use pre/post-workout) to boost circulation and reduce soreness.

• Do some fascia-focused stretching to keep your tissue healthy and flexy.

• Foam roll (I love this one I’ve had for 10+ years) slowly over sore spots to rehydrate tissue and release tension.

• Or book a fascia-focused massage at a place like AUSTINDEEP (which I’ve been going to for a year and super recommend).

Just don’t expect it to be relaxing. And remember to breathe. 😮‍💨

Egg prices have hit a new high 🫠, but it won’t stop everyone from decorating their eggs for Easter. If you’re going for it, here’s a healthyish twist someone shared: Cut the artificial dyes and use real foods like purple cabbage, beets, turmeric, or blueberries to dye your eggs naturally. It's a little egg-stra effort (sorry) but a lot healthier.

I used to struggle with mysterious stomach issues. I'd get these painful gas bubbles, a deep, pressurized discomfort that I didn’t understand or know how to treat. I wondered if I had GERD… or if I inherited the family gift of acid reflux. 😕

Around then, I met Ara and Raja—Seed Health’s very impressive co-founders—as they were formally launching the company. Their science-led, systems-first approach to the microbiome made an impression on me from day one.

So, I started taking their daily synbiotic, DS-01®. The symptoms were there one day and basically gone the next. 😮 No more discomfort. No more digestive guesswork. It’s now been five years, and I haven't had a sign of those symptoms since. 🙌

This is why Seed is one of the very few products I recommend without hesitation to everyone. (When my wife recently asked what supplements she should take, Seed was my #1 ☝️ draft pick.) So imagine how happy I am that Seed has come on board as a 5HT sponsor!

Why are they so great? Well, the ingredients in Seed’s DS-01® are backed by 20 clinical studies (!) and support whole-body health by combining scientifically studied probiotic strains with a uniquely gut-friendly prebiotic. Plus, Seed’s strains actually survive digestion and reach the colon intact. (In other words: Seed’s probiotics are designed to get where they need to go… so you can go. 😆)

Some highlights:

• ✅ Reinforces healthy stool + regularity

• ✅ Eases bloating + digestive discomfort

• ✅ Maintains gut barrier + immune function

• ✅ Supports heart health 

• ✅ Promotes healthy skin

Plus, Seed is also one of the brands I admire most in consumer health. Ara and Raja have truly crafted a beautiful experience, from their memorable dark green pills to sustainable glass jar. 

Another thing I love about them is how they’re deeply mission-based and committed to improving planetary health 🌎. Through SeedLabs—their consumer innovations arm—they’re researching and creating next-gen microbial tools—like probiotics for honey bees 🐝 and plastic-eating bacteria—to restore ecosystems impacted by us humans.

Yeah, I’m basically a fanboy 😍 and you will be, too.

If you’ve been waiting to start taking an all-around probiotic, I recommend Seed’s DS-01® without hesitation. Follow your gut…

Other things

• What we’ve all been waiting for is finally here: The Birkin Bag of toiler paper. 🧻

• MyFitnessPal just launched a meal planner that builds personalized plans based on your goals, preferences, and lifestyle—plus a shopping list you can sync with grocery delivery services. I haven’t tried it yet, but people are loving it. 

• What I have tried is these plant-based kitchen sponges that are half-loofah, half-cellulose, and zero plastic. I’m a biggg fan, earning Blueland a spot on 5HT’s running list of plastic-free & microplastic-conscious brands. 

• Good news: “Healthier living” is up 65 slots and is now the #10 most common use case with gen AI (according to here). Also, #1 is mental health & therapy! 

• Most clicked last week? My reco for Health PaleoFiber, so y’all get more of my fave macronutrient in your diet.

👋 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.)

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