I planned to write about HRT today. But as I sat on the beach during my vacation, gazing out at the glimmering, rhythmic ocean waves, something struck me.
With almost all the clients who come to me, the first thing I do is reduce—and often stop—most of their supplements. The second thing I do is help them re-balance their nervous system.
Yes, I’ll be sharing the latest research on topics like HRT, olive oil, and creatine in 2025. But in a world drowning in information (and misinformation), I felt compelled to send this post today instead. It’s also something I’m personally doubling down on in 2025 for my own health.
When people DM me on Instagram, let’s take gut health as an example, the question is almost always: “What supplements (probiotics, glutamine, fill in the blank) should I be taking?” The energy is very much, “What MORE can I do? I’m not getting any better.” - and that’s what I want to talk about today. Because what I’m about to share might just be more important than any supplement you take.
The Busyness Epidemic
As our lives have become more convenient, we have become busier.
Technology promises to save us time, but we are now constantly available via our phones, with notifications pinging faster than we can blink. Ultra-processed foods & takeouts make meals quicker, but they erode our health, leaving us sluggish. Even ‘self-care’ is squeezed into tightly allocated massage slots as we rush from yoga straight to Zoom calls or school pickups.
Whenever I bump into friends and ask them how they’re doing, the most common response, “Good, but busy!” It’s as if “busy” has become the default state of being. A badge of honor, even. But in chasing productivity and convenience, we’ve lost something precious: peace and calm. The cost? Our health and well-being.
Health isn’t just about food and exercise. Our nervous system plays a huge role. It is the key to the wellness kingdom.
The Surprising Role of Your Nervous System
When I work with clients 1-on-1, or teach in my detox course, the first step I emphasize is balancing the nervous system. Why? Because an overworked, overstimulated nervous system stuck in ‘fight or flight’ is a HUGE stumbling block to achieving health goals.
For example, if you’re trapped in a constant state of ‘fight or flight,’ your body puts detoxification on the back burner, focusing instead on survival. In today’s world, those “predators” aren’t lions or bears—they’re the relentless worries and racing thoughts in our own minds, convincing the body it’s under siege. If this is you, no amount of fancy cleanses will help you ‘detox’.
A dysregulated nervous system is often responsible for the common: “I am doing everything right, but I just can’t seem to get well.’
Our nervous system is the control center of our body. It governs everything from digestion to immunity, fertility, mood, sleep, and cognition. When our nervous system is out of balance—stuck in a constant state of “fight or flight” where it is preparing our body to escape from danger —it can wreak havoc on our health.
And unlike trendy diets or costly supplements, bringing your nervous system back into balance is something you can start doing today, without spending a cent (some steps below). All you need to do is commit and stick to it - because consistency is key.
It may just be more effective than all the things you are about to throw money on in the January wellness craze.
Less is MORE
Let’s address the elephant in the room: our collective obsession with “more.” More money. More workouts. More supplements. More health gadgets.
I’m not saying you should ditch healthy habits and live on the couch eating junk food, but the wellness space has swung to the other extreme, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “I’m not doing enough” unless you’re following every health trend, drinking the latest ‘elixir’ out there.
Here’s the truth: for most of you already on your health journey, eating right and exercising regularly, the biggest barrier to better health isn’t doing too little. It’s the constant stress, fear, and inner dialogue of “I am not enough.” or “I’m not doing enough.”
That feeling of “Not doing enough” drives us to constantly check the news and our social media for the latest trends, supplements, and gadgets our favorite influencers are using, and buying these temporarily creates the illusion of control over our health.
However, the size of our supplement cabinet doesn’t equate to how healthy we are.
This mindset of “I am not enough as I am, I need to do more” or FOMO keeps our sympathetic nervous system stuck in overdrive, making it nearly impossible for the parasympathetic nervous system — the one responsible for rest, digestion, and healing—to kick in.
Think of our nervous system as a gearbox. If we’re constantly stuck in 1st gear (fight-or-flight mode), pressing harder on the gas pedal (more supplements, more fancy gadgets) won’t get you anywhere fast. We need to shift gears to parasympathetic mode—the higher gears that let us cruise at speed with ease.
The Science of Less (stress)
When we focus on the key pillars of health:
Wholefoods-based & plant-rich meals
Sleep
Movement
Community & Purpose
Stress & Toxin reduction
The overarching theme is clear. SIMPLICITY. Back to basics. In fact, they sound so basic that most people dismiss their efficacy.
Take sleep, for example. With the exception of jet lag, why are we buying expensive supplements to fall asleep when falling asleep is a natural process? The global sleep aid market is an astonishing $60 billion! As a former insomniac, I know that a jacked-up nervous system was often blocking natural sleep for me. So one way to ensure quality sleep is to balance our nervous system.
Take a breather
Don’t underestimate the impact of simply pausing for 5 minutes to breathe deeply and properly —a habit that costs nothing yet can profoundly influence our health.
This isn’t woo-woo; it’s grounded in science. Researchers studied human lung cells and discovered something amazing: deep, natural breaths reduced inflammation and even slowed viral replication of the flu virus1.
Good vs Bad Stress
And of course, stress is not ALL bad.
There is ‘good stress’—the stress and excitement that comes with doing something you are passionate about, like giving a talk on a topic you love. This type of short-term stress does not seem to be associated with negative health outcomes.
However, if you are constantly feeling like you are not enough, letting media outlets instill unnecessary fear, chronic stress can:
Impair Gut Health2: Stress can disrupt our gut microbiome—the friendly bacteria in our gut that governs immune health, brain health, metabolic health, and more. It can also lead to ‘leaky gut’—a condition where the gut barrier becomes compromised, allowing pathogens and undigested food proteins to cross into our bloodstream and trigger inflammation. Stressful events often precede inflammatory bowel disease flares, and researchers3 have found a link between psychological stress and gut inflammation. In addition, chronic stress can compromise digestion and bile flow, leading to bloating and indigestion. So if you’re on a gut healing journey and NOT balancing your nervous system first, your expensive probiotics are just Band-aids that become expensive poops.
Dampen Immunity: Stress suppresses our immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to illness. Activating our parasympathetic nervous system through being in nature (forest bathing4, for example), breathwork, and meditation can help us build a stronger immune system to fend off pesky winter germs and even more serious diseases like cancer.
Disrupt Blood Sugar Control and Metabolic Health5: Both chronic and repeated acute stress are involved in developing metabolic syndrome, which includes poor blood sugar control, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and belly fat.
Increase Inflammation: Chronic stress is a major driver of inflammation, which is linked to nearly every chronic disease. By calming your nervous system, you can reduce inflammatory markers in your body - I’ve seen this with my own eyes in my clients.
How Do We Balance Our Nervous System?
There are so many different strategies — the FIRST step is awareness. So well done for getting this far. Choose ONE thing that sounds good to you that you can stick to and make a daily habit.
Do less. Keep strong, clear boundaries and get activities that don’t bring you joy or serve you off your plate.
Meditation - there are so many apps/classes out there - pick one that resonates.
While the world rushes to set big goals and spends insane amounts of money on longevity gadgets and pills with no scientific backing, I’m here to remind you of something important: YOU are enough.
Our bodies are equipped with the tools they need to heal and thrive. We just need to remove the stumbling blocks. One of the biggest is a dysregulated nervous system.
What we’re truly missing in today’s fast-paced world is calm, inner peace, and the trust that our bodies ALREADY know how to heal. Yes, medications and supplements are sometimes necessary to bridge a gap. But we must also deeply believe that our bodies can thrive, even without the latest fancy supplements or wellness IV shots. No more FOMO (fear of missing out) in 2025.
Remember, health isn’t about striving to do more. It’s about tuning in, slowing down, and creating space for your body to come back into balance. And that starts with our nervous system. Once that’s dialed in, nutrition, sleep, movement, and community can work so much better.
So, tell me, which nervous system balancing habit will you choose and stick to in 2025? Let me know in the comments below!
Bai H, Si L, Jiang A, Belgur C, Zhai Y, Plebani R, Oh CY, Rodas M, Patil A, Nurani A, Gilpin SE, Powers RK, Goyal G, Prantil-Baun R, Ingber DE. Mechanical control of innate immune responses against viral infection revealed in a human lung alveolus chip. Nat Commun. 2022 Apr 8;13(1):1928. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-29562-4. PMID: 35396513; PMCID: PMC8993817
Beurel E. Stress in the microbiome-immune crosstalk. Gut Microbes. 2024 Jan-Dec;16(1):2327409. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2024.2327409. Epub 2024 Mar 15. PMID: 38488630; PMCID: PMC10950285.
Li Q. Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environ Health Prev Med. 2010 Jan;15(1):9-17. doi: 10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3. PMID: 19568839; PMCID: PMC2793341.
Meditation and breath work have definitely been a practice that I have incorporated that I will continue into this new year, alongside light therapy. I am definitely working towards developing communities that nurture and allow me to be my authentic self.
Thank you for this post! I am going to try to get back to meditation :). That picture of you relaxing by the ocean was so powerful I could also hear the waves. I miss that deep feeling of a relaxed mind and body.
Meditation and breath work have definitely been a practice that I have incorporated that I will continue into this new year, alongside light therapy. I am definitely working towards developing communities that nurture and allow me to be my authentic self.
Thank you for this post! I am going to try to get back to meditation :). That picture of you relaxing by the ocean was so powerful I could also hear the waves. I miss that deep feeling of a relaxed mind and body.