Welcome to 2025! A new year brings new opportunities to prioritize your health and wellness. Whether you’re starting fresh or building on last year’s progress, this checklist is here to help you begin the year with intention and energy.

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Remember, you don’t need to tackle everything at once. Choose what resonates with you, take small steps, and build momentum at your own pace.

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Here’s how to set yourself up for a healthier, happier 2025.

1. Reflect and Reset

Take a moment to reflect on what worked and what didn’t work in 2024, if you need help start here. Use these insights to set your intentions for the new year:

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• What are your health priorities?
• What habits can you build upon or improve?

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Reflection allows you to align your actions with your goals and make realistic goals, making your health journey more meaningful.

2. Prioritize Preventive Health

January is the perfect time to book:

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• Annual check-ups: Address any health concerns early.
• Specialist visits: From dermatology to cardiology, tackle what you’ve been putting off.
• Routine screenings: Stay on top of bloodwork, mammograms, and other age-appropriate tests (is it time for a DEXA bone scan?).
• Supplement smart: get together with your functional doctor to review your current supplements, your test results (from routine screenings), and how you can supplement with more precision.

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Staying proactive keeps you ahead of potential issues.

3. Plan Your Nutrition Strategy

Your nutrition is the cornerstone of your health and longevity. Start the new year with a thoughtful plan to fuel your body and mind:

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• Stock up on nutrient-dense foods. Fill your kitchen with whole, unprocessed ingredients that nourish and energize you.
• Declutter your cabinets. Remove foods that don’t support your well-being, such as heavily processed snacks or sugary treats.
• Eat for your genetics. If you’re a patient, your 3X4 genetics test provides personalized insights, allowing us to tailor dietary advice and recommend supplements that align with your unique genetic profile to enhance longevity.
• Focus on balance. Build meals with lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of colorful fruits and vegetables to support optimal health.
• Cultivate a positive relationship with food. Practice mindful eating, savor your meals, and avoid guilt around indulgences.
• Look at your relationship with food - it's important to enjoy what you eat.

4. Commit to Daily Movement

Consistency beats intensity. Incorporate movement into your daily routine:

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• Schedule workouts like any other important meeting with the mindset that unscheduled exercise is a great bonus too! Not all exercise needs to be scheduled, but scheduling does ensure that you’ll get the exercise you need.
• Try short bursts of exercise (15-20 minutes) to build the habit if you’re just starting.
• Incorporate non-exercise activity: walk more, stand frequently, and take the stairs.
• Prioritize daily stretching.
• Roll out your fascia when you can.

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Find an activity you enjoy—it’s easier to stick to a routine when it’s fun!

5. Upgrade Your Sleep

Sleep impacts every area of health, including mood, energy, and immunity.
Tips for better rest:

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• Stick to a consistent bedtime and wake-up schedule.
• Avoid screen time 1-2 hours before bed.
• Create a calming pre-sleep ritual, like bath-time or stretching.

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Aim for 7-9 hours of restorative sleep every night.

6. Develop a Stress Management Plan

Start 2025 with realistic and convenient tools to handle life’s pressures:

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• Practice mindfulness or meditation daily, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Need a refresher on the powerful of mindfulness to motivate you? Check out this Netflix refresher: The Mind Explained: Mindfulness or the Ted Talk How mindfulness changes the emotional life of our brains.
• Schedule “unplugged” time for yourself to recharge.
• Carry a vagal nerve stimulating device, like Verelief - a little goes a long way!
• Don’t hesitate to seek professional support if stress feels overwhelming.

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Reducing stress improves not only mental health but also physical health, from heart health to immune function.

7. Build a Support Network

Health is easier with accountability and encouragement.

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• Join a group fitness class, walking club, or online community. Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of social wellness clubs too, like Remedy Place ($$$) or Othership ($), if you’re in NYC - which is such a fun idea that kills two birds with one stone.
• Share your goals with a friend or family member for extra support.
• Find a health coach, personal trainer, life coach or professional to guide and motivate you.

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Your network can provide inspiration, feedback, and a sense of camaraderie.

8. Do a Mindset Reset 

Your mindset plays a crucial role in your overall health. Studies show that optimism and positive thinking are linked to a longer lifespan and better health outcomes. People with a positive outlook often cope better with stress, make healthier choices, and bounce back more quickly from setbacks. Cultivating a healthy mindset isn't just about feeling good—it's about empowering yourself to live a vibrant, long life.

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• Practice positive thinking - notice when you think negatively about something and try to reframe the thought. 
• Eliminate things in your life that are bringing you negativity and surround yourself with things, habits, and people that lift you up.
• Practice gratitude.

9. Audit Your Environment

Your surroundings influence your habits. Start the year by:

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• Decluttering your space to reduce stress.
• Minimizing exposure to toxins with non-toxic cleaning products and personal care items. Check out EWG’s Skin Deep to find an ingredient rating for personal care products.
• Drinking clean water by upgrading your filtration system.
• Upgrade the air quality in your home with an air purifier.

A supportive environment makes it easier to maintain good habits.

10. Think Longevity Upgrades

Consider the big picture when setting your health agenda:

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• Eat anti-inflammatory, polyphenol-rich foods, like berries and leafy greens, to your diet.
• Explore longevity-focused practices, such as intermittent fasting or regular blood sugar monitoring.
• Consider setting up a routine around red light therapy, cold therapy and/or the sauna. You can book sessions at a local gym, longevity clinic or wellness club. None available in your area? Alternatively you could purchase an in-home sauna, red light therapy device, or cold plunge.
• Upgrade how you breathe.
• Stay curious about new advancements in health and wellness, like biomarker testing or emerging therapies.

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Investing in your future self starts now.

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2025 is your year to shine. With this checklist, you can take actionable steps toward better health and well-being. Remember, every small change you make adds up - Here’s to a vibrant, energized 2025!

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