#CellFish · In practice
Lunch Between Meetings? Inside My Office Health Stack Hub
A cabinet, a shake, and a lunch routine that fits between meetings.
By Jimmy Ricard ·
A busy workday can turn into meeting after meeting. Before you know it, lunch is another decision you have to squeeze in.
In today's video, I make my lunch shake at the office. But the part I want you to notice comes before the blender: the cabinet.
01 · The setup
One place. Ready to use.
I call this cabinet my Health Stack Hub. It holds the ingredients and supplies I use for my shake, with labels I can read at a glance. I open the door, grab what I need, and put it back when I'm finished.
That little bit of organization removes a lot of friction. I don't have to hunt through different rooms or turn lunch into a project.
This is the practical side of #CellFish for me: making nourishment easier to repeat in everyday life. Your hub might be a kitchen shelf, a lunch bag, or one corner of the fridge.
02 · Today's lunch
What went into my shake
I started with about eight ounces of water, then added whey protein, walnuts, chlorella and spirulina, hemp seed, cacao, Kakadu plum, collagen, blueberry concentrate, a greens blend, and a drizzle of olive oil.
That's my mix today. You can start with the ingredients you enjoy and a routine that fits your own needs. The useful part to borrow is having your setup ready when the workday gets busy.
03 · Ingredient in focus
Why cacao earns a place
As I say in the video, “That cacao is the jam.” I enjoy the chocolate flavor it brings to this shake. Here's how I think about it, from today's lunch to the bigger picture.
Today: flavor that makes the habit enjoyable
The most immediate benefit for me is simple: I like the taste. Unsweetened cacao brings chocolate flavor without adding sugar of its own. It also contributes some fiber. A routine I enjoy is one I want to come back to.
Circulation: helping blood vessels work well
Cacao contains plant compounds called flavanols. Human trials show that cocoa flavanols can improve how blood vessels dilate, partly through nitric oxide signaling—the process that helps vessels relax. Regular intake of flavanol-rich cocoa may also modestly lower blood pressure. [1] [2] [3]
That gives cacao a meaningful place in the conversation about cardiovascular health. Whether it prevents heart attacks or strokes remains inconclusive. [4]
Metabolic health: promising insulin-sensitivity findings
Some randomized human trials have found improved insulin sensitivity with flavanol-rich cocoa—meaning the body responds more effectively to insulin, the hormone that helps manage blood glucose. A review of cocoa trials also found a modest reduction in fasting glucose, though no clear improvement in HbA1c, a longer-term measure of blood sugar. [5] [6]
Skin health: encouraging results for elasticity and wrinkles
In a 24-week randomized trial, women with sun-aged skin who consumed a high-flavanol cocoa drink had better skin elasticity and wrinkle measures than those receiving a placebo. This is an encouraging, still-developing area of research. [7]
A separate study found that cacao increased collagen production in cultured skin cells. Its human trial found improvements in wrinkle measures, but did not establish increased collagen synthesis in people. [8]
Everyday nourishment: fiber and magnesium
Along with its flavor and flavanols, cacao contributes fiber and magnesium. Magnesium supports normal muscle and nerve function and healthy bones. For me, the appeal is an ingredient I enjoy that also brings useful nutrients to the mix. [9]
These findings come from particular cocoa products and measured amounts; flavanol content varies between products. I use cacao as one enjoyable part of my overall routine.
04 · Try it your way
Build a hub that fits your day
You don't need my exact cabinet or ingredient list. Start with one routine you want to make easier.
- Give it a home. Put the supplies you use together in one convenient place.
- Make it easy to see. Arrange things so you can quickly find what you need.
- Reset for next time. Clean up and put everything back while you're there.
Today, this setup helped me make my shake, clean up, and get back to work. That's the kind of small, repeatable tactic I'm sharing here.
What would make your next lunch easier: storage, prep, ingredients, or cleanup?
Explore the cacao research
- [1] Epicatechin and vascular function (2006): human experiments supporting a nitric oxide mechanism.
- [2] FLAVIOLA Health Study (2015): a controlled trial showing improvements in blood-vessel function and blood pressure.
- [3] Cochrane blood pressure review (2017): an average reduction of about 2 mmHg across short-term trials. A 2026 meta-analysis also found modest reductions.
- [4] COSMOS cardiovascular trial (2022): the primary measure of total cardiovascular events was not significantly reduced.
- [5] Cocoa and metabolic health trial (2008): 12 weeks of high-flavanol cocoa improved an insulin-resistance measure in overweight and obese adults. Results vary across trials.
- [6] Cardiometabolic review (2024): lower fasting glucose on average, without a clear HbA1c effect. Improved markers do not establish diabetes prevention; COSMOS (2023) did not find fewer new cases of type 2 diabetes.
- [7] Cocoa and skin trial (2016): 320 mg of cocoa flavanols daily for 24 weeks improved wrinkle and elasticity measures in women with photo-aged skin; hydration did not significantly differ from placebo.
- [8] Cacao and skin study (2024): a 12-week human trial found improved wrinkle measures. Hydration improved from baseline; that alone does not establish superiority to placebo. Collagen-production findings came from cell experiments.
- [9] NIH: Magnesium and USDA food composition data: magnesium's roles and cocoa's mineral content.
- The cacao I used: Viva Naturals Organic Cacao Powder. The studies above did not test this shake.
Make the next step easier.
What would help your lunch routine: storage, prep, ingredients, or cleanup?