STUDIES

Wait, eating red meat is healthy now?

According to one new study, yes. After feeding 41 people two versions of the Mediterranean diet (one where they ate three ounces of lean, unprocessed red meat per day and another the same serving size of red meat twice per week) for five weeks, researchers found both groups came out of the experiment with healthier hearts.

But the group that ate more red meat saw better improvement in their LDL cholesterol, meaning their chances of developing cardiovascular disease are now (theoretically) lower.

There are some problems with this

The biggest is that the study was funded by the Beef Checkoff and the Pork Checkoff, two organizations that (obviously) benefit from people eating more red meat. There were only 41 participants, which is a fairly small sample size.

And also, when have you ever eaten only three ounces of red meat in a meal? That's about the size of a deck of cards, and a standard burger is at least double that. Three ounces of red meat per day may be healthy, but we all probably eat more than that without realizing it.

These back-and-forth studies are a little out of control

One day coffee is amazing, the next it's not. Coconut oil is fixing everything, then it's giving us heart disease. Red meat used to be bad for our heart... but now it's good?

When evidence comes out in small pieces like this, it's hard to see the bigger picture. Our recommendation? Do your research and remember: Everything in moderation.

Try this

We've got one quick move that will leave your abs sore for days: the inchworm push-up. 🐛 From a standing position, bend over and touch the floor with your hands. Walk 'em to a high plank, do a traditional push-up, and walk your hands back to your feet. Greatist

BE NICE TO YOUR BODY

Bloat positivity is taking over Instagram

More and more influencers and celebs are talking about learning to love their bodies when they're crazy bloated. If this 👇 looks familiar, then the challenge to accept bloat as normal and beautiful is probably familiar too.

Lee Tilghman (left) and Jenné Claiborne (right) both showed off their bloated bellies on Instagram, and we've also heard from actress Danielle Brooks and trainer Michelle Bishop about learning to accept their changing bodies. All in all, we love it. If bloating is something you deal with, hopefully you will as well.

Read this

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SOME VALIDATION

**If you feel like you always get the flu, that might actually be a genetic thing**

Please keep complaining, friends, because you really do get the flu more than everyone else. Probably.

Put simply, there's an ingredient in your blood that specializes in fighting off all strains of the flu. Some people have more of it than others, and genetics determine how much you have.

Tell your boss it's your mom's fault you're low on KLRD1 next time you're out with the flu. They'll totally understand.

HAPPY PRIDE!

Read this great photo essay about finally feeling like part of a community at Pride. 👭 Broadly

A reminder that Chick-fil-A still (still!) bankrolls anti-LGBTQ causes, so… yeah. There are other chicken sandwiches out there, y’all. 🍗 Huffington Post

Remembering the Pulse nightclub shooting with some solid calls to action. 🏳️‍🌈 Bitch

LGBTQ people experience discrimination when donating blood. One creative company is protesting by printing t-shirts using their own blood. 👚 Pink News

What it's really like to be a gay couple in the deep south. 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩Greatist

Tragic queer films are a grand tradition, but here are 20 LGBTQ movies that aren't total downers. 🎬 AV Club

30 potential ways to help underserved people get PrEP to help prevent HIV. Futurity

Maine is the third state to offer a gender non-binary option on official state IDs. 🙌 Out

Well Now is Greatist's new roundup of all the health stories you were too busy to read this week. We won't be sending it to you forever, so sign up to make sure you keep getting it.