I want to be honest…

Being healthy can feel overwhelming.

If you asked me a few years ago what it takes to be healthy, I would’ve told you it meant:

😩 spending hundreds of dollars on supplements every month

😩 replacing every piece of plastic within my home (Tupperware, cookware, skincare, clothing, etc) with non-toxic alternatives

😩 investing in the latest health devices and training programs like an at-home sauna, acupressure mat, and personal trainer…just to be too busy to use any of them

These things aren’t necessarily bad, but I felt so flooded by everything I thought I had to do and buy, transitioning to a healthier lifestyle felt completely out of reach and stressful.

I wish I knew then what I know now, which is that hundreds of dollars of supplements, gadgets, and trendy cookware and skincare is fine, but I didn’t need it to be healthy.

What I actually needed was to understand my food, take a few supplements specific to me, make a few lifestyle tweaks, and not listen to random advice from strangers on the internet. Ironic, I know 😂

So today I want to share with you five of my favorite tried-and-true habits, all of which have had a bigger impact on my health than any slew of devices or trendy supplement, and that I truly love doing.

Habit 1: Getting exposed to natural light every morning.

Exposing your eyes and skin to natural light, especially in the morning, has been shown to improve moods, balance hormones, and help heal the gut. Each morning, I make a point to go outside for at least 10-15 minutes as soon as I can. I like to use this time to let the chickens out, water plants, journal, or do habit #2. This is my #1 non-negotiable health habit.

Habit 2: Putting my bare feet on the Earth.

The Earth has a naturally occurring electrical charge. So do you. Putting your bare feet on the Earth, called grounding or earthing, allows electrons to transfer from the Earth and into your body, essentially “recharging” your body and helping it to rebalance. Grounding can lower stress (Hello! I need that🙋🏽‍♀️), reduce inflammation, and improve sleep and moods.

Habit 3: Have a simple, enjoyable evening routine.

Having a regular evening routine (even one that’s 5-10 minutes) can help your body wind down and know that it can relax and get ready to sleep soon. Sleep is when our bodies repair and detoxify, so it’s important that we prioritize it. A solid routine for me looks like no social media before bed, doing my (very lazy) skincare routine, and reading a few pages of my current book. Nothing fancy, but it works.

Habit 4: Walking More

Walking is one of the most effective, truly underrated health hacks in my opinion. It reduces stress, improves metabolism, strengthens bones, improves blood sugar regulation, and a slew of other benefits. Walking more when you don’t have a lot of extra time can feel like a struggle, I get it. A few things that helped me were:

💫If I was meeting up with a friend, we’d go for a walk (and totally bring coffee)

💫If I had phone calls to make, I’d do it while walking

💫If I had a break at work, I’d go for a walk instead of zoning out on my phone

💫My partner and I (and the dog, and the cats, and sometimes the neighbor) would go for a short walk after dinner. This inadvertently created quality time too, which I really loved.

Habit 5: Eating foods that are best for my unique body, and eating enough of them.

I used to skip meals, snack all day, and had cut out complete food groups because I thought they were bad for me (like dairy… which I am SO glad came back into my life!). Once I realized what foods were actually best for me and how much I should be consuming, I literally felt like a whole new person. I had energy, my skin improved, I didn’t crash in the afternoons and I was just content (which tends to happen when you’re not hangry all the time🤪).

I know these habits may sound easy (and they are!) but it took me years to understand what my unique body needed and how to put that into action (which Amy and I break down in Functional Nutrition: The Building Blocks of Cellular Health— our homeschool textbook that teaches kids and teens everything they need to know to feel their best now).

I hope by sharing these simple, effective habits that skyrocketed my health that I can help alleviate some of the exhaustion that can come with transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. The last thing any of us needs is to add more stress to our plate.

I’d love to know some of your own favorite habits. What’s something you do that has a big impact on your health? Let me know in the comments!

Talk soon,