At Siskiyou Vital Medicine, we believe that vibrant health is built by supporting our body daily to not only deal with everything life throws at us, but also to improve our understanding of what our body needs at any given time.
The following ten foundations form the groundwork for long-term vitality, resilience, and healing. Choose one or two areas to focus on at a time. Small, consistent changes make the biggest impact – you and your body are worth it!
1. Nutrition – Nourish your Body with Real Food
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” ~ Hippocrates
The foundation of health starts with what you eat. Whole, unprocessed foods provide the building blocks your body needs to function well.
Why choose organic over conventionally grown foods? Simple – they contain less toxins and more nutrients.
Quick Tips:
- Eat a variety of colorful (ideally in-season) vegetables and fruits daily
- Include clean proteins into your diet (wild caught fish, legumes, pasture-raised eggs / meats)
- Reduce refined sugar, alcohol, and vegetable oils
- Try out your local farmer’s market and cook your meals at home – this way you know exactly what’s in it!
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2. Cultivate Joy
“Can you accept the notion that once you change your internal state, you don’t need the external world to provide you with a reason to feel joy, gratitude, appreciation, or any other elevated emotion?” ~ Joe Dispenza
Joy supports your immune system, hormones, and emotional balance. Living with joy not only feels better, it has also been shown to increase longevity. We recommend a daily 10 minute prescription of joy!
Quick tips:
- Become aware of the little moments of joy
- Connect with people and experiences what bring meaning
- Spend time with yourself, with loved ones, and in nature
- Practice gratitude daily
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3. Stay Hydrated
“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” ~ Loren Eiseley
Water supports every process in your body – digestion, detoxification, and circulation. Even mild dehydration affects energy and focus.
Quick tips:
- Get a good water filter
- Aim to drink 48-64 ounces of clean water per day
- Add electrolytes or a pinch of sea salt to your water if you feel dehydrated
- Limit sugary drinks and excessive caffeine
- Avoid plastic water bottles
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4. Support Healthy Digestion
“All disease starts in the gut.” ~ Hippocrates
Digestion is at the core of our well-being, yet many of us give little thought to how, when, and what we eat. By bringing awareness to these topics, we can seriously upgrade our health! Good eating habits, awareness around food and digestion, and contemplating the connection between digestion and overall health, creates a foundation for better energy, mental clarity, and long-term wellness.
Quick tips:
- Eat slowly and chew thoroughly
- Avoid overeating, late-night meals, and eating when stressed
- Include fermented foods or probiotics to aid elimination
- Pay attention to your elimination and work towards regularity
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5. Prioritize Restful Sleep
“A good laugh and a long sleep is the best cure for anything.” ~ Irish proverb
Adequate sleep is absolutely necessary to maintain physical health, cognitive performance, and emotional well-being. During the four stages of sleep, the muscles relax, giving the body the opportunity to clean up, detox, and repair tissues, while the mind goes through an information organization process, some of which we know as dreams. Sleep deprivation has a negative impact on immunity, mood, and the cardiovascular system.
Quick tips:
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule
- Spend time outside in the sun to reset your ‘internal clock’
- Exercise for better sleep (but avoid heavy exercise at night)
- Avoid heavy meals and screens before bed
- Create a dark, cool, quiet sleep environment
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6. Manage Stress Naturally
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll
Chronic stress disrupts nearly every body system. Learning to calm your nervous system is key to long-term well-being.
Quick tips:
- Practice physical and emotional self care daily
- Set boundaries and focus on what you can control
- Move your body – walking, yoga, or stretching help release tension
- Schedule quiet, screen-free downtime
- Have more fun!
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7. Daily Exercise
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
Your body is designed to move. Regular activity supports circulation, strength, and mental clarity. Moderate exercise is one of the most powerful forms of natural medicine – and it costs absolutely nothing!
Quick tips:
- Find a form of exercise you enjoy and do it regularly
- Combine strength, flexibility, and aerobic activity
- Get outside for fresh air and sunlight when possible
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8. Cultivate Love and Self-Care
“Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” ~ Eleanor Brown
Caring for yourself allows your body and mind to relax, heal, and thrive. When we truly love ourselves, we stop forcing ourselves to fit someone else’s mold. Self-love means respecting your own design – your own pace, your own boundaries, your own dreams. It’s honoring the fact that what nourishes you may not be what nourishes someone else. And it’s a sure way to reach lasting happiness in life.
Quick tips:
- Treat self-care as non-negotiable
- Set healthy boundaries and rest when needed
- Listen inwardly and trust your intuition
- Be yourself! You are worth it.
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9. Explore Cravings and Food Gaps
“We seem to be generally well-fed, but not necessarily well-nourished.” ~ Steve Mister
Food gaps are missing pieces in your health. They could be a lack of nutrition – like not getting enough protein, healthy fats, or key minerals. But they could also be emotional. Sometimes, when you feel hungry, you might not be hungry for food, but rather rest, connection, adventure, or a more meaningful life.
Understanding the true nature of your craving is key to vibrant health.
Quick tips:
- When you reach for food snacks, stop and ask yourself what you are really hungry for
- Sometimes, hunger can be a need for connection or emotional safety, a lack of joy, or a call for rest
- Notice poor sleep and stress patterns and do something about it
- Check for nutrient gaps such as magnesium, vitamin D, or B vitamins
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10. Support Natural Detoxification
“The best way to detoxify is to stop putting toxic things into the body and depend upon its own mechanisms.” ~ Andrew Weil
In today’s world, toxins are everywhere: in food, water, air, household cleaners, personal care products, furniture, clothing.. If you already have a health concern, toxic exposure can overburden your body and worsen symptoms.
Your liver, kidneys, gut, and skin are always working to eliminate toxins. You can support them through your daily habits.
Quick tips:
- Support your detox organs with good hydration and a nutrient-rich diet
- Move and sweat regularly to remove toxins through your skin
- Minimize exposure by choosing clean personal care and household products
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Bringing it all together
Good health doesn’t happen overnight. Rather, it is cultivated through small, consistent choices that honor your body’s natural design. Each foundation you strengthen makes the others easier to maintain. Eat real food, rest deeply, move often, and care for yourself with compassion.
No matter where you begin, progress is always possible. The human body has an incredible capacity to heal and adapt when given the right support. Every glass of water, every nourishing meal, every deep breath, and every moment of rest moves you toward greater balance.
You don’t have to be perfect! Start with one foundation, one small change, and trust that these efforts will build upon each other. Over time, they will become a way of life – a foundation for lifelong health and vitality.
If you’d like guidance tailored to your unique needs, our naturopathic team is here to help.
Written by Karen Wegehenkel
Medically reviewed by Dr. McClane