12 Simple Wellness Habits to Stack and Hack Your Way to Health

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These days, staying healthy isn’t just about avoiding illness. It’s about staying balanced in your body, your mind, and your nervous system. All in the middle of a world that often pulls you out of alignment.

More and more, I see patients who are doing “all the right things.” They’re cleaning up their diets, taking supplements, and trying to exercise. But they’re still hitting walls and feeling exhausted, inflamed, anxious, or stuck.

Why? Because our modern environment asks more of the body than ever before.
We’re surrounded by nutrient-depleted food, chronic stress, hidden toxins, sleep disruption, and digital overload. And for many, it’s created a perfect storm of hormone chaos, gut dysfunction, and burnout.

You don’t necessarily need a radical overhaul. You just need to work with your body strategically, not against it.

Below are 12 simple (but powerful and foundational) wellness practices I return to again and again in my own life and in my clinical work. These aren’t trendy hacks or rigid routines. They’re evidence-based, real-life habits that help bring your body back into balance, one small signal at a time.

1. Hydrate and Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods

Feeling tired, foggy, or moody by midafternoon? It’s easy to blame stress or poor sleep, but the truth is, many of us are simply under-hydrated and undernourished… at the cellular level!

Let’s start with water.

Your body is mostly water. Every cell, every hormone, every detox pathway relies on it. Yet, most of us walk around mildly dehydrated and don’t even realize it. Even slight dehydration can affect your energy, focus, digestion, and mood.

Filtered water is a great start, but here’s the part most people miss: your body doesn’t just need water. It needs minerals to absorb and use that water effectively. That’s why adding a pinch of mineral-rich sea salt or a splash of electrolytes can make a big difference, especially if you feel like water “goes right through you.”

Now let’s talk about nourishment. Not just eating “healthy,” but actually fueling your cells with what they need to do their jobs.  Nourish is such an appropriate word to describe the potential healing effects of real food.

A lot of modern meals are calorie-rich but nutrient-poor. You might be eating enough, but still feel off, because your body isn’t getting the raw materials it needs to create energy, balance hormones, or repair tissues.

This is where nutrient density matters.

Nutrient-dense foods are those packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats.  The things your body can actually use. When I talk with patients about “food as medicine,” this is what I mean.

Try this simple reset:

• Load your plate with colorful vegetables, especially leafy greens and cruciferous options like broccoli or cauliflower.
• Add healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds, they help your brain and hormones run smoother.
• Include quality protein from pastured meats, wild fish, or plant-based sources like lentils or quinoa.
• Skip the ultra-processed stuff. Real food should look like it came from the ground or a living thing, not a factory.

And remember: the goal isn’t perfection, it’s nourishment. When you combine mineral-rich hydration with nutrient-dense meals, you’re laying the foundation for better energy, better digestion, better hormones, and a more resilient body overall.

2. Support Natural Detoxification

You don’t need a juice cleanse or a $200 detox kit to support your body’s ability to clear out what it doesn’t need. Your body already has a detox system, it just needs the right conditions to do its job well.

Here’s the truth: every day, your liver, gut, kidneys, skin, and lymphatic system are working behind the scenes to process and eliminate the chemicals, waste products, and hormones your body no longer needs.

The problem is that modern life is asking a lot of that system. From processed food and medications to pesticides, plastics, and chronic stress that is beyond socially acceptable, it’s easy for your internal “clean-up crew” to get overwhelmed.

That’s where functional detox support comes in.

You don’t need to force detox. You need to support the pathways that already exist with daily habits.

Start with the basics:

• Drink enough water (half your body weight in ounces per day is a good rule of thumb as a minimum).
• Eat cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale, these contain sulfur compounds that support liver detox enzymes.
• Get your bowels moving daily, constipation slows detox down and can even lead to reabsorbing waste your body was trying to get rid of.
• Dry brushing, sauna, or gentle movement (like walking or rebounding) help stimulate the lymphatic system, which clears cellular waste and supports immune balance.
• Bitters and herbs like dandelion root, milk thistle, or lemon water can gently nudge your liver to keep doing its job without overloading it.

Think of it less like “doing a detox” and more like creating a detox-friendly lifestyle.

And if you’ve ever felt worse when trying a trendy cleanse, there’s a reason: If your elimination pathways aren’t working well (think sluggish digestion, poor hydration, or low fiber), trying to “push detox” can actually backfire, leaving you tired, foggy, or breaking out. This is why order matters: clear the exit routes first.

Real detox happens when your body is nourished (there it is again), not deprived.

3. Exercise with Intention

Movement is medicine, but not all movement is created equal, and more isn’t always better.

If you’re constantly exhausted, stressed, or dealing with hormone or gut issues, the type and timing of your workouts matters just as much as doing them in the first place.

One of the most common things I see in practice? Pushing through high-intensity workouts when their nervous system is already fried. They’re trying to do “the right thing” for their body, but it backfires, leading to burnout, poor recovery, or stubborn symptoms that just won’t budge.

Instead of just checking the “exercise” box, shift the question to: What kind of movement does my body need right now?

For most people, the sweet spot is a well-rounded routine that includes:

• Strength training 2–4x/week to support muscle mass, insulin sensitivity, and healthy aging. Muscle is protective, it helps regulate blood sugar, supports bone density, and even improves mood.
• Low-to-moderate cardio, like brisk walking, hiking, cycling, or dance. This supports heart health, circulation, lymphatic flow, and brain oxygenation, without overstressing the adrenals.
• Mobility or recovery movement, like yoga, stretching, or tai chi. These practices don’t just help your body feel better, they send a message of safety to your nervous system and support healthy aging!

If your workouts leave you more tired than energized, that’s a clue your body may need more restoration and less stimulation.

Some of my patients thrive with structured programs. Others need to strip it back to just walking and breathwork while we rebuild their reserves. There’s no one-size-fits-all prescription, just an invitation to move with purpose and presence.

4. Prioritize Restorative Sleep

If there’s one health habit that makes everything else work better, it’s sleep.

Sleep isn’t just “rest”, it’s when your body does its most important behind-the-scenes work. Hormones recalibrate. The brain clears out waste. Your immune system resets. Even your gut lining heals more efficiently at night.

That’s why, no matter how dialed in your diet or supplements are, poor sleep can stall progress across the board, especially when it comes to mood, energy, hormone balance, and inflammation. It can even make losing weight that much more difficult!

Most adults need 7–9 hours of sleep to feel restored. But here’s the catch: it’s not just about quantity. Sleep quality and timing matter just as much.

Here are a few sleep habits I share often in practice:

• Waking up at the same time each day is the single most powerful way to reset your circadian rhythm, even more than when you go to bed.
• Cortisol and melatonin are on a rhythm: If your cortisol is too high at night (from stress, blue light, or blood sugar crashes), it suppresses melatonin and keeps your brain wired.
• Blood sugar dips at 3 a.m. can jolt you awake. This is why a small protein-rich snack before bed (like almond butter or boiled egg) can actually help some people sleep through the night.

To improve sleep naturally:

• Dim lights after dinner and aim to shut down screens at least 60 minutes before bed.
• Create a wind-down routine, this tells your nervous system it’s safe to relax. That might include reading, stretching, journaling, or deep breathing.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Blackout curtains, a sound machine, or a weighted blanket can make a bigger difference than you think.

And if you’ve struggled with sleep for years, don’t assume it’s “just how your body works.” Sleep issues are often tied to hidden cortisol dysregulation, nutrient imbalances (like magnesium or B vitamins), hormone shifts, or even gut imbalances. There are ways to test and treat those root causes.

Bottom line: deep sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s a biological requirement for healing.

5. Manage Stress Daily

Stress isn’t just a mental state, it’s a full-body experience.

Every time your body perceives a threat (real or imagined), it activates a cascade of hormones designed to help you survive. Cortisol goes up. Blood sugar spikes. Digestion slows. Sleep gets disrupted. And if that stress isn’t resolved, these changes become your new normal.

Even if you don’t “feel” stressed, your body might be carrying it.

I can’t count how many times patients tell me, “But I don’t think I’m that stressed,”, while their labs show elevated cortisol, depleted neurotransmitters, sluggish digestion, or estrogen dominance. In functional medicine, we call this allostatic load, the cumulative wear and tear on your body from years of physical, emotional, chemical, and even perceived stress.

That’s why stress management isn’t optional. It’s essential. And it has to happen daily, not just on weekends or vacations.

Here are a few simple, science-backed ways to start:

• Breathe slowly and intentionally, especially through your nose. Just 5 minutes of deep breathing can shift you out of fight-or-flight and into rest-and-digest mode.
• Try a daily stress download, whether that’s journaling, prayer, walking, or just sitting in stillness. The point is to decompress, not just distract.
• Practice “bookend habits”, simple grounding routines at the beginning and end of your day (like stretching, breathwork, or gratitude practice) help regulate your nervous system over time.

And no, you don’t need to meditate perfectly for 30 minutes a day. In fact, one of the most powerful things you can do is notice when your body feels safe: a warm shower, a quiet moment outside, a hug, music you love. These micro-moments of regulation are how we build stress resilience.

Also worth noting: stress isn’t just psychological. Hidden physical stressors, like blood sugar crashes, inflammation, mold exposure, or nutrient depletion, can keep your stress response switched on without you realizing it. That’s why functional testing can be a game-changer.

This is not about “eliminating” stress. It’s about building your capacity to handle it or relationship to the stress, and helping your body come back to balance faster and more often.

6. Supplement to Make Up for Deficiencies

In a perfect world, we’d get all the nutrients we need from food. But in the real world? Supplements can play an important role, especially when they’re used strategically, not haphazardly.

Here’s the deal: most of us aren’t deficient because we’re doing something “wrong.”  It’s just that our food supply isn’t what it used to be. Nutrient deficiencies are common.

Soils are depleted. Stress burns through nutrients faster. Medications (like antacids, birth control, or statins) can interfere with absorption. And the modern lifestyle, late nights, processed foods, environmental toxins, creates higher demand for things like magnesium, B vitamins, omega-3s, and antioxidants.

That’s why many of my patients benefit from targeted supplementation, to rebuild what’s been drained, not to chase quick fixes.

The key is being thoughtful, not reactionary. I call this the 3Ts of Smart Supplementation:

• Targeted – Supplement recommendations grounded in your objective lab data, not just as “green pharmacy”.
• Therapeutic – Get enough of what your body actually needs, not just a sprinkle. Use bioavailable forms your body can absorb and use (e.g., magnesium glycinate over oxide) 
• Temporary – Supplementation should largely be temporary based on your unique needs

A few foundational supplements I often discuss:

• Vitamin D – Crucial for immune health, hormones, and mood. Deficiency is incredibly common, especially if you live indoors or wear sunscreen (which most of us do).
• Magnesium – Involved in over 300 reactions in the body, including stress regulation, sleep, muscle function, and blood sugar balance.
• Omega-3s – Support brain health, inflammation, and hormone balance.
• Probiotics or prebiotics – To support a healthy gut microbiome and digestion, especially if antibiotics, stress, or processed food have taken their toll.

But remember: more isn’t always better. “Green Pharmacy”, where we swap medications for handfuls of supplements, can backfire. The goal is not to replace prescriptions with pills, but to restore function and give the body what it needs to heal.

When in doubt, test, don’t guess. Functional lab work can help identify your unique needs so you’re not flying blind.

7. Support Gut Health

You’ve probably heard the phrase “health begins in the gut”, and in functional medicine, that’s not just a catchy saying. It’s a guiding principle.

Your gut does way more than just digest food. It’s home to about 70% of your immune system. It influences your mood through the gut-brain axis. It helps regulate hormones, detoxification, and inflammation. So when your gut is out of balance, it doesn’t just show up as bloating or indigestion, it can look like fatigue, skin issues, anxiety, or autoimmune flares.

That’s why supporting gut health is foundational in any wellness habits toolkit.

Here’s what that can look like in real life:

• Eat a wide variety of plants, especially fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes. These feed your beneficial gut bacteria and increase microbial diversity (a good thing!).
• Add fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, or kimchi a few times a week. These contain natural probiotics that help balance your microbiome.
• Limit sugar and ultra-processed foods, which can feed the “wrong” types of bacteria and lead to dysbiosis (microbial imbalance).
• Chew your food thoroughly and avoid rushing meals. Digestion starts in the mouth, and mindful eating helps your body shift into “rest and digest” mode.

And if you’re dealing with symptoms like:

• Gas or bloating after meals
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Food sensitivities
• Brain fog or fatigue after eating

…it might be time to dig deeper.

In some cases, digestive enzymes can help support nutrient absorption, especially for those with low stomach acid, gallbladder issues, or pancreatic insufficiency. Functional stool testing can also identify whether you’re dealing with gut inflammation, low beneficial bacteria, or hidden infections like candida or parasites.

The goal is to create a gut environment that supports healing, not just treat symptoms. When your gut is nourished and balanced, the ripple effects show up everywhere, from your mood to your metabolism.

8. Try Time-Restricted Eating (But Only When Your Body Is Ready)

Time-restricted eating (TRE), also called intermittent fasting, has gained a lot of attention lately, and for good reason. When used strategically, it can help regulate blood sugar, support gut repair, and reduce inflammation.

But here’s the part that often gets missed: fasting is a stressor, and like any stressor, the impact depends on your body’s current capacity to handle it.

If you’re already dealing with fatigue, hormone imbalance, high cortisol, or blood sugar crashes, pushing into a restricted eating window too soon can actually make things worse. It can increase stress hormones, disrupt sleep, and tank your energy.

That’s why in my practice, I never start with fasting as the first tool, especially for women, people in burnout, or those with a history of restrictive eating.

Instead, we focus on nourishing first. We build stable blood sugar, restore cortisol rhythm, and get digestion working smoothly. Then, and only then, do we explore time-restricted eating, as a gentle experiment, not a rule.

If your body is ready, here’s how to try TRE in a balanced way:

• Start with a 10–12 hour eating window, such as 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., enough to give your digestion a break without over-stressing the system.
• Don’t skip breakfast unless you’re naturally not hungry and have stable energy through the morning.
• Focus on blood sugar-stabilizing meals, protein, healthy fats, and fiber, to reduce cravings and support metabolic balance.

The goal isn’t to “fast harder.” It’s to support your body’s natural rhythm in a way that promotes healing and sustainability.

And if you’re a cycling woman, note: fasting impacts hormones differently depending on where you are in your cycle. It may be best tolerated in the follicular phase (after menstruation) and avoided during the luteal phase when your body needs more energy and stability. In men, it can also have the effect of decreasing androgens so use caution.

In short: TRE can be helpful. But only when it’s the right time for the right body.

9. Reduce Environmental Toxins

Your body is equipped with an incredible detox system. But in today’s world, the load it’s expected to handle is higher than ever.

We’re exposed to thousands of synthetic chemicals daily, through air, food, water, cosmetics, plastics, and even furniture. The body’s detox systems (liver, kidneys, gut, skin, lungs) can handle a lot, but when that load exceeds what the body can process and eliminate, symptoms begin to show up: brain fog, skin issues, hormone imbalances, fatigue, even inflammation that just won’t budge.

The good news? You don’t need to fear every product or live in a bubble. Reducing your toxic load doesn’t require perfection, just a few thoughtful swaps and daily habits that lighten the burden on your body.

Here’s where I often have patients start:

• Ditch plastics for food storage. Use glass, stainless steel, or silicone instead, especially when heating food.
• Choose fragrance-free, non-toxic personal care products (like deodorant, shampoo, and lotion). Many scented products contain endocrine disruptors like phthalates.
• Swap conventional cleaning products for safer alternatives (look for EWG-verified or DIY options with vinegar, baking soda, and essential oils).
• Use a water filter, especially for drinking and cooking water. This can reduce contaminants like chlorine, heavy metals, and pesticide residues.
• Ventilate your home. Open windows regularly, especially when cleaning or bringing in new furniture. Indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air!
• Support your body’s elimination by staying hydrated, eating fiber, and sweating through movement or sauna.

Even small shifts make a big difference over time, especially for hormone health, detox capacity, and long-term resilience.

And if you’re dealing with persistent symptoms despite “doing all the right things,” functional testing can help identify hidden sources of toxicity (like mold, heavy metals, or poor Phase II liver clearance) that may be blocking your progress.

Your body wants to heal, but it can’t detox what it’s still being asked to process every day. Supporting detox isn’t about restriction… It’s about creating conditions where your body can keep doing what it was built to do.

10. Make Time for Self-Care Habits

Let’s clear something up: self-care isn’t indulgent. It’s not bubble baths and spa days (unless that’s your thing). Real self-care is about creating space to reconnect with yourself, regulate your nervous system, and restore your energy, so you can keep showing up for your life.

And for most people I work with, it’s the first thing to get pushed aside when life gets full.

But here’s the truth: you can’t pour from an empty cup. And chronic depletion, whether it’s physical, emotional, or energetic, can set the stage for hormone imbalances, immune dysfunction, digestive issues, and burnout.

Self-care doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. In fact, the most powerful forms of it are often free and simple:

• A 10-minute walk alone without your phone
• Journaling or brain-dumping the thoughts circling your mind
• Calling a friend who makes you laugh
• Listening to music or dancing around your kitchen
• Sitting still with your hand on your chest and noticing your breath

It’s not what you do, it’s how you do it. With intention, presence, and the quiet message to your body that “we’re safe now.” For me, it’s crocheting.

And for those who struggle with guilt around taking time for themselves (especially parents, caregivers, or high achievers), let me offer this:

Self-care is not selfish. It’s strategic. You’re more present, patient, and emotionally available when you’re resourced and grounded. Your relationships improve, health builds, and your resilience grows.

If you don’t feel like you have time for self-care, that’s often the sign you need it most.

Start small. Anchor it to something you already do, like your morning coffee or brushing your teeth. Tiny rituals repeated daily build the foundation for a calmer, more connected life.

11. Track Your Health with Regular Testing

When it comes to your health, what you don’t know can hurt you, but what you do know can help you heal.

Functional medicine doesn’t just chase symptoms, we look under the hood. We use lab testing not to label or pathologize, but to uncover what’s really going on at the root. It’s how we turn guesswork into strategy.

That said, testing should be thoughtful, not excessive. The goal isn’t to run every panel available, it’s to gather the right information to guide the next best step.

Here’s what I often recommend as a starting point:

• Annual blood work with a wider lens than the standard panel:
  Include nutrient markers (like vitamin D, B12, magnesium), inflammation markers (like CRP), thyroid function (including antibodies), and blood sugar trends (fasting glucose and insulin, not just A1C).
• Functional stool testing to assess microbiome balance, digestive function, and hidden gut stressors, especially if symptoms like bloating, skin issues, or autoimmune flares are present.
• Hormone testing (like the DUTCH test) to understand adrenal and sex hormone patterns, especially in cases of fatigue, sleep issues, PMS, or perimenopause.
• Organic acids testing to get a snapshot of nutrient metabolism, detox pathways, and mitochondrial function, your body’s energy engines.

But here’s the bigger point: labs don’t replace your story, they add to it. Testing gives us objective data, but it’s your symptoms, goals, and lived experience that bring the context.

And once you know what’s going on inside, you can take action that actually moves the needle, instead of relying on guesswork, trendy protocols, or well-meaning advice that wasn’t made for your body.

One of the most empowering things I see in practice? Patients who finally understand their patterns. Those who realized their symptoms weren’t “in their head” and get to make informed choices instead of shooting in the dark.

That’s the power of data in the right hands, and with the right guide.

12. Personalize Your Health Plan

If there’s one truth that functional medicine returns to again and again, it’s this:
There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to healing.

You are not a generic protocol. You are a dynamic, complex, beautifully adaptive human with a unique history, physiology, and life rhythm. And that means your path to health should reflect that.

What worked for your friend might not work for you. What worked for you six months ago may not be what your body needs now. And that’s okay.

Personalization is where real transformation happens. It’s how we move from short-term fixes to sustainable change.

This starts by asking better questions:

• What’s driving my symptoms, not just what are they?
• What stage of healing am I in right now?
• Am I pushing through or partnering with my body?

And it deepens with collaboration. When we look at your labs, lifestyle, stress patterns, and history together, we can build a strategic, flexible plan that supports your body, not fights it.

For some, that means focusing on nervous system regulation before diving into gut work. For others, it means layering in nutrient support before trying fasting or high-intensity workouts. But for all, it means listening to your body and adjusting as you go.

Healing is not linear. It’s a layered process, and your plan should evolve with you.

This is exactly what I help patients do: connect the dots, clarify their priorities, and walk forward with a clear, customized roadmap.

So whether you’re just starting out or have been on this path a while, remember: The most effective plan is the one designed for you. And you never have to figure it out alone.

Conclusion:

Here’s what I hope you take from all this: You don’t have to be perfect to make real progress.

Your body is always adapting, always working to protect you, even when it doesn’t feel that way. And with the right support, it wants to heal. These 12 practices aren’t a checklist, they’re invitations. To nourish, to listen, to slow down, to restore.

Even one small shift, repeated with intention, can change the trajectory of your energy, your focus, your sleep, and your stress.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin, start with the one area that feels most doable right now. And if you want help building a personalized plan that meets your body where it’s at, I’m here for that.  Feel free to book a FREE Health Clarity Consult anytime to talk out loud!

Your health is not just your responsibility. It’s your birthright and a portal to your best self. And you don’t have to navigate it alone.