Healthier, Stronger Systems in 2024

Happy New Year! January is traditionally a month where most want to reinvent themselves. I feel like this often results in our feeling guilty about our behaviours and choices over the holiday season. When people talk of resolutions it is usually things that they are removing or depriving themselves of to achieve a healthier version of themselves. We all know this doesn't always lead to the results that we want!

In my experience, removing habits doesn't work as well as adding new habits to your routine. This is what James Clear highlights in his book Atomic Habits which I highly recommend reading. Clear states that it is small, deliberate actions that create habits. He says "you do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." So if you want to be a "healthy person" it's the small tweaks that add up over time to create a changed identity.

Here are my recommendations to help you create healthier, stronger systems with already existing habits that you hold.

1) Brushing your teeth --> Add tongue scraping

Your tongue detoxifies your system overnight. These toxins are deposited on the tongue's surface and most people just swig it all back down with that first sip of coffee in the morning. Tongue scraping is a tool based in Traditional Chinese Medicine, where you use a copper device to scrape the toxicity from the tongue first thing in the morning.

2) A glass of water --> Add collagen liquid and immune herbs

This is an easy addition to help with hydration and overall wellness and is best suited before any food. A big glass of lemon water in the morning (while your coffee or tea is brewing) will help with alkalinity and detoxification. I recommend:

• 8 oz of water, with:
• 1/4 lemon wedge
• 1tsp Collagen liquid
• 1 dropper Astragalus tincture for immune function

3) Morning Coffee --> Add a mushroom tincture

Most of us have a hot cup of java in the morning and the best way to make that a healthy version is to add a mushroom tincture. We sell blends or individual tinctures if you want a specific effect. Reishi helps with stress, Chaga helps with vitality, Cordyceps helps stabilize energy and Lion's mane helps with cognition. Two full droppers of any of these will help heighten your coffee to your body's best benefit.

4) Smoothies or breakfast --> Add Ashwagandha

If you are someone that has a smoothie, oats or any kind of toast in the morning, you can level-it-up by adding Ashwagandha powder. This stress adaptogen helps the body better withstand stressors and controls the release of cortisol, our stress hormone. It comes in capsules or powder which makes it easy to sprinkle into or onto your traditional breakfast food. Modulating our stress response helps create better mental health and a stronger immune system.

5) Lunch and dinner --> Make it 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/4

At every lunch and dinner meal, do your best to have the plate consist of 1/2 leafy greens, 1/4 healthy protein and optional 1/4 healthy carb. If you keep these proportions, the body will become full on healthier foods while you still get to have your protein and carbs in moderation. If you go back for seconds, keep the same proportions.

I am wishing you all a healthy January, full of simple, sustainable habits that will contribute to developing your healthiest self. Remember that health and wellness is a journey, not a destination. Small, repetitive habits will create the systems of health that you can rely on.

Be well,

Dr. Kate