Tune in

Welcome back to Wellworthy. Here’s this week’s health and wellness rundown:

• A beverage entrepreneur’s go-to Health Stack

• Why you should trust your body over your watch

• Legos as a mental health benefit

• New product launches from David Beckham, Bandit Running, Garmin, and more

— Let’s go!
 Ash Read, co-founder, Wellworthy

Health Stack: Victor Guardiola

Each week, we tap our network of health and fitness experts to offer personal insights and recommendations.

This week: Victor Guardiola, founder of Bawi, a sparkling agua fresca beverage blending Mexican heritage with modern wellness. 

Victor’s wellness goals start with consistency.His day begins at 5AM with household tasks before working out between 7-8:30 AM, combining strength training, running, and weekly boxing sessions. At work, he prioritizes movement with walks between meetings. 

At night, he’s winding down with cooling temps and custom lighting to optimize sleep.

Here’s Victor to share his Health Stack: 

• Eight Sleep Mattress: “I don’t usually spend money on anything flashy, but I will always invest in my health. Eight Sleep is a recent addition, but it’s worth it.” 

• Strava Premium: “I have a love/hate relationship with fitness tracking. Being overanalytical about your daily performance can often lead to a negative relationship with fitness. So I like Strava because it enables me to simply track my annual progress.”

• Bawi Pink Guava: “I drink Bawi daily because it’s a lower-sugar version of a classic agua fresca I grew up drinking.”

• Juvee Electrolyte Powder: “I am big on hydrating every morning. I’ll drink between 18 - 24 oz of water with electrolytes within 30 minutes of waking up.”

• Hero Pimple Patches: “These are awesome for small blemishes that come up during the summer months in Austin.”

• Breathe Right Nasal Strips: “I use these every night. Most of my running is done using nasal breathing, too.”

• Hoka Clifton 9: “A good running shoe that works for your foot is hard to find. I’ve gone through so many pairs of these!”

On Our Radar 

Interesting stories we spotted this week → 

Listen to your body. The University of Udine tested seven methods to gauge workout intensity, from wearables to heart-rate zones. But the most accurate predictor of fatigue was surprisingly simple:a 1980s NASA questionnaire asking six questions about perceived effort.. The lesson: When it comes to assessing how hard you’re working, self-awareness outperforms gadgets.

Mixed signals. A randomized study found sucralose increases blood flow to the brain's appetite center and makes people feel hungrier than regular sugar. While real sugar triggers satisfaction signals that reduce hunger activity, artificial sweeteners create a "metabolic mismatch", tricking the brain and potentially increasing cravings. The punchline: sweeteners may backfire by amplifying appetite signals rather than satisfying them.

Strength science. A meta-analysis of 102 studies involving nearly 5k older adults found all forms of resistance training, including machines, free weights, resistance bands, and bodyweight, delivered improvements in strength. Machine-based training showed the biggest gains, but consistency is the key takeaway. Whatever equipment you use, putting in the effort matters most.

Workplace wellness. Deloitte expanded its employee benefits to include a $1,000 stipend for "Legos and puzzles."The move reflects a growing shift away from traditional perks like fitness classes and gym memberships toward hands-on, screen-free activities that support mental health. For overstimulated workers, building a puzzle could offer a much-needed reset.

Just Dropped

New products spotted this week → 

Garmin debuted two new products, the Venu X1 smartwatch and Index Sleep Monitor: 

The Venu X1 packs a 2-inch display into a thin 8mm titanium case, complete with built-in LED flashlight, speaker, and mic for calls; plus 8 days of battery life. Shop the Venu X1 here.

The Index Sleep Monitor is a wearable designed to be worn on the upper arm that tracks sleep stages, heart rate, HRV, breathing patterns, and skin temperature for comprehensive sleep and recovery insights. Shop the Index Sleep Monitor here.

Fjord launched floating sauna and plunge experiences on San Francisco Bay, creating wellness spaces designed to reconnect tech-weary humans with the physical world through ancient hot-and-cold practices. Check it out.

Brezza debuted the Supermix countertop device that precisely dispenses and mixes perfect protein shakes in under 30 seconds, eliminating the clumpiness. Preorder it here.

David Beckham launched BEEUP honey-infused fruit snacks at Target, trading refined sugars for superfood energy while packing vitamins A, C, and E into kid-friendly flavors like Sour Watermelon and Tropical Mix. Get yours here and at Target.

Arbonne launched HerCore Essentials, a five-product women's wellness line targeting everything from UTI health to menopause support with plant-based, clinically studied ingredients designed by women who actually understand the journey. Shop now.

Equip Foods debuted Prime Bar, the first grass-fed beef protein bar delivering 20 grams of pasture-raised protein with collagen and colostrum in a fudgy texture that tastes like dessert—no seed oils, refined sugars, or gut-wrecking fillers included. Try it here.

Bandit Running dropped Delivery 2 of its Summer '25 collection with 22 new pieces inspired by golden hour light along Portugal's coast. It features luminous blues, warm clay tones, and rust hues across performance tops ($65-$118) and bottoms ($78-$118) engineered for peak training season. See the collection here.

Apothékary unveiled Rescue Bloat™, a fast-acting herbal tincture designed to ease occasional bloating and gas. The formula combines carminative herbs rooted in traditional and modern Japanese herbal medicine. Check it out. 

Beekeeper's Naturals added Kid's Prebiotic Fiber Pops in Sweet Cherry and Raspberry Blast flavors. The doctor-formulated pops deliver 3g of prebiotic fiber with just 2g of sugar, designed specifically for children's digestive health. Shop now.