Abigail's Wellness Habits: A Realistic, Personalized Approach to Daily Health.
Throughout all the approaches and advice to health and wellness, I’ve learned there is no “one-size-fits-all.” With that being said, it’s important to listen to and work with your body’s needs and prioritize what matters most.
Habits and rituals can look different for everyone: personal experiences, lab work, and health goals all play a part in supporting your mind and body. The key isn’t to habit stack all the trendy health “secrets,” but to invest in learning your body and shifting approaches when necessary.
Here are a few of my favorite realistic and personalized approaches to wellness:
Digestive Enzymes with HCL
Digestive Enzymes have become a staple for me during travel or higher-stress seasons when digestion tends to take a hit. They support stomach acid production, which is essential for proper breakdown of food, nutrient absorption, and even gut motility.
As a functional nutritionist who specializes in gut health, many of my clients come to me with bloating, gas, and intestinal issues–especially when eating out or while traveling. Incorporating Digestive Enzymes is a simple tool that makes a noticeable difference in how I feel after meals!
Essential Oils
I love using essential oils for sleep, to help me unwind and destress, and to uplift my mood. Essential oils help support my nervous system with scents like lavender and chamomile at night and uplifting blends like citrus, rosemary, and peppermint during the day.
Water with electrolytes and creatine before coffee
When you first wake up, think about how many hours your body has gone without any water! Proper hydration has been essential for me right when I wake up–especially before coffee.
Being consistent with creatine means I also prioritize it as part of my morning routine. Creatine has many more benefits than just muscle growth: it reduces recovery time, improves cognition, and supports the immune and reproductive systems.
It is especially advantageous for women trying to gain muscle mass through strength training! To read more about creatine, check out my previous blog, “Creatine~Not Just for Muscles!"
10K steps daily
Staying consistent with movement is more important than spending hours at the gym one day and not moving your body for days afterwards. Remember, any movement is good movement!
An easy way I make sure I’m moving my body every day is by incorporating daily walks. Sometimes it’s one long walk, and sometimes it’s multiple short walks–my dog is my #1 accountability partner! Walking has become a non-negotiable for me as it supports blood sugar balance, digestion, mood, and overall metabolic health.
Strength training 4x/week
Another one of my non-negotiables when it comes to movement is strength training. Not only is strength training foundational for longevity, but its other benefits include burning calories more efficiently, lowering the risk of injury and disease, improving heart health, helping support blood sugar levels, and much more! Read more about the benefits in my previous blog, The Benefits of Strength Training for Women.
Yoga/pilates 1x/week
Incorporating breathwork and mind-to-body movements like yoga and pilates allows for deep core engagement and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, or the “rest and digest” response. Improving flexibility, strength, posture, and balance, yoga and pilates can be a great way to change up your workout routine by taking group classes!
My personalized supplement stack
My supplement regimen, including magnesium, multi, fish oil, probiotic, electrolytes, and creatine, helps me fill in the gaps to provide targeted support. Choosing whole foods rich in a variety of colors will always be my main source of fueling my body and supporting its needs, but supplements can aid in personalized deficiencies or areas that need extra help.
Prioritizing protein + fiber at every meal
Having a balanced plate is a pillar to sustained blood sugar levels, satiety cues, gut health, and energy. Instead of overcomplicating meals, I focus on plates that are simple but keep me full and stable.
A few quick and easy recipes I have on repeat in my kitchen:
8 hours of sleep - talk about a consistent sleep-wake schedule
Sleep can be an underrated health “hack.” Getting enough sleep is absolutely crucial for energy levels, recovery, brain health, immune strength, hunger levels, and emotional balance. Even further, prioritizing my circadian rhythm, or natural sleep-wake cycle, supports my body in being alert in the morning, winding down at night, and maintaining my metabolic health throughout the day. Running on a 24-hour cycle, hormones, especially cortisol and melatonin, follow circadian patterns.
Daily habits are foundational to daily health. I’ve found that the things I do or add to my day have formed and shaped the way I prioritize my health. Once a habit is formed and repeated enough times, it takes little effort to get yourself to complete it.
Remember, habits can look different for everyone, and there is so much power in getting to learn your body’s cues and its uniqueness to support longevity, mental well-being, and physical health!
Looking for more ways to jumpstart your habits?
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