I feel both excited and a little nostalgic writing this.
Because this is the volume where everything comes together.
Where I take everything we’ve explored—the science, the advice, the small shifts—and bring it back to the biggest takeaways.

What started as one article I wanted to write about nutrition turned into something much bigger. And it has been such a joy to go deeper into these topics and share them with you.

This isn’t the end of writing about embodied wellness—but it is the end of this series. And I wanted to close it in a way that feels simple, clear, and actionable.

If you’re new here, I’ve linked all previous volumes at the end of this article.

But as a quick recap, we covered:

• Blood Sugar & Cravings (Volume I)

• Iron & Energy (Volume II)

• Vitamin D & Dementia (Volume III)

• The 4 Supplements That Are Actually Worth It (Volume IV)

• Gut Health, Your Brain, Mood, and Immunity (Volume V)

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So what actually matters most?

If you take anything from this series, let it be this:

1. Walk daily!! (This is truly the most important one)

This really shouldn’t come as a surprise, as I feel like I advocate for this all the time—but this is (in my professional opinion) the habit that offers the biggest return on your health, because it supports so many things at once.

And I want to emphasize—this is not about hitting 10,000 steps or following current “health trends.” In fact, being sedentary all day and then doing one intense hour of exercise is not the best thing you can do for your health!

But one simple daily walk, ideally after lunch, can truly move the needle when it comes to your health, wellness, and longevity. Here’s why:

• Lunch is typically your heaviest carb meal, so walking will help regulate your blood sugar because “your muscles start to use up the glucose, which helps remove it from your bloodstream.” (Volume I)

• If you do it outside, which you most definitely should, you’re also getting sunlight exposure, which helps your body produce natural Vitamin D (Volume III).

• It also gives you a buffer before your post-lunch coffee, which really matters for your non-heme iron absorption (Volume II).

• And on top of that, it helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system, putting your body into more of a “rest and digest” state and therefore improving your gut health (Volume V).

• Speaking of gut health, “it stimulates the muscles in the stomach and intestines to move the food more rapidly after a meal. It also helps reduce the likelihood of acid reflux.” (Volume V)

Now, do you see why I am such an advocate for this?

This one habit alone —10 to 20 minutes of your day— supports your blood sugar, your gut, your energy, your nervous system, your hormones, and vitamin D levels. It’s amazing!

2- Increase your fiber

I know this is also a current trend, which makes me happy, actually, because at least it’s a positive trend. But anyway, it really does make a difference for your health.

Let’s review.

Specifically, I would advise eating fiber with your 3 big meals of the day, and doing your best at eating the fiber first. Here’s why:

• Fiber will blunt the effect of the glucose spike you get from the starches in your meal ( like rice). And it does this most effectively if you eat it first.

  The ideal order is veggies (fiber) first, then protein, and then carbs.

  It doesn’t have to be perfect. I eat all my food combined, but I do try to make the veggies (or other fiber source) my first bite, and the part of my meal that I complete first (Volume I).

Why with every meal?

o With breakfast: Starting your day with fiber helps keep you full longer and blood sugars more stable throughout the day – no more mid day crash! ( Volume I )

o At lunch: again im presuming this is your carb heavier meal- will help the blood sugar spike from those carbs!

o At dinner: will support more stable blood sugar overnight as you sleep.

Additionally, eating fiber with every meal (which isn’t only veggies —see Volume I for examples) will likely increase the variety of veggies and other healthy items in your daily meals, and having a wider variety of plant foods is particularly good for your gut microbiome (Volume V).

3. Give your body a break from digestion

I’m not big on strict fasting protocols (another trend). They work for some people, but it’s not something I personally follow. I like eating too much to restrict it to certain time frames!

What I do think is important is giving your body enough time not to be constantly digesting.

A simple way to do this:

Stop eating 2–3 hours before bed: This alone helps support better overnight glucose control and cardiometabolic health (Volume I).

And when you combine that with 7–8 hours of sleep, you’re giving your body a solid window to actually:

• digest properly ( Volume V)

• reset

• and do the internal “cleanup” work it needs to do (Can really help with DNA repair and therefore is linked to long-term cancer prevention)

4. Add vitamin C to your meals (especially your vegetables)

This is a small shift that makes a bigger difference than people realize.

If you don’t eat a lot of red meat, this matters even more because Vitamin C helps your body absorb non-heme iron more efficiently (Volume II), which directly impacts your energy levels.

It also supports your immune system, which is closely tied to your gut health (Volume V).

It can be as simple as squeezing some lemon or lime, adding a couple of peppers, or tomatoes. (See Volume II for more examples.)

5. Eat salmon weekly

If I had to pick one food that gives you the most nutritional return, it would be salmon.

• Helps to stabilize blood sugar ( Volume I)

• Contains Heme iron (Volume II)

• Has Vitamin D (Volume III)

• Contains Omega-3s (Volume IV)

• Helps reduce gut inflammation and strengthen the gut barrier (Volume V)

Need I say more?

You don’t need to eat it every day. But once a week is a very solid baseline.

6. If you’re going to supplement, take these (Volume IV)

• Omega-3

• Creatine

• Vitamin D (based on your levels)

• Magnesium

That’s it!

Not a very long or complicated list of suggestions, but that was really the point!

Also know that you don’t have to implement all of these at once. Start with one (my suggestion is the daily walks, especially as the weather is getting better) and build on it slowly. Maybe adding a new habit each week, or each month.

But I do truly believe that implementing these suggestions will make a very positive impact on your life!

Not just right now, but in the long run! This body is our vehicle, and we need to prioritize health before everything else, FOR everything else. But it also shouldn’t feel like a punishment.

I still eat my hot fudge sundaes (yummy!), I still drink my wine, and I still have lazy days.

But it’s the small, simple, and consistent habits that keep me physically and mentally healthy now, in the future.

Thank you very much for reading and following along in this series! If you haven’t already, please subscribe. It is the best support I can receive!

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Here are the previous topics covered from The Nourished Life Series

The 4 Supplements that are Actually worth taking!

Vitamin D levels are linked to Dementia and so much more: Simple Ways to Increase Your Levels

The Iron & Energy Connection: Simple Nutrition Fixes for Low Energy and Brain Fog

The Blood Sugar Hacks That Help You Feel Less Sluggish, Crave Less, and Stay Leaner

About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my article. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.

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This is Volume 5 of my 6-part series.

And so far, we’ve talked about

• Blood Sugar & Cravings

• Iron & Energy

• Vitamin D & Dementia

• The 4 supplements that are actually worth it

  And today, we will cover a very important topic… gut health!!

To be honest, this is the topic I feel most intimidated to cover, because gut health is connected to so many different things. It is such a vast and important topic, and I think people often reduce it to one thing: digestion.

And while digestion is, of course, a huge part of gut health, the gut is also closely linked to:

• brain health,

• the immune system,

• the nervous system,

• mood, and energy.

In other words, there is a reason people call it the “second brain”.

Sometimes, poor gut health does show up as digestive symptoms. But sometimes it shows up as:

• Brain fog.

• Fatigue.

• Feeling inflamed.

• Feeling off in your body.

• Even feeling more anxious, more dysregulated, or just not quite like yourself.

That is why gut health deserves a place in this series.

Because this series is not about extreme wellness trends or turning your life into a full-time health project. It is about understanding the body better, and then supporting it in ways that are practical, sustainable, and actually doable in real life.

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So let’s get into it…

Inflammation and Gut Health

Let’s start with inflammation, because I think this is one of the most important parts of the gut health conversation.

Inflammation is part of the immune system. It is not automatically bad. We need inflammation to protect us, fight infections, and help the body heal.

The problem is that for many people today, the immune system is being constantly activated. And that can create chronic low-grade inflammation.

This is where the gut comes in.

When the gut barrier is strong and intact, it acts like a protective layer between what stays in the gut and what passes into the rest of the body.

You can think of it almost like one of the first lines of defense.

But when the gut is under constant stress — from things like a poor diet, chronic stress, alcohol, or poor sleep — that protective barrier can start to weaken.

When the microbiome is disrupted and the gut barrier becomes weaker, the immune system can become more activated. As a result, the immune system releases cytokines, which cause inflammation. And while that response is meant to protect us, when it happens too often or too chronically, it can start contributing to damage in tissues and more widespread inflammation throughout the body.

This is one reason gut health can be connected to so many seemingly different issues.

• It can show up in the skin through things like acne, eczema, or psoriasis.

• It can be connected to joint pain and conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

• It can affect how you feel mentally and physically, including contributing to anxiety.

The Gut and the Brain

This is probably one of the most fascinating parts of gut health.

The gut and the brain are constantly communicating with each other. One of the main ways they do this is through the vagus nerve, which acts like a communication highway between the gut and the brain. The gut also has its own nervous system, called the enteric nervous system, which is one reason the gut is often referred to as the second brain.

And this connection is not just theoretical. It is very real.

Gut bacteria also play a role here. They influence the production of certain compounds and signals that can affect brain function, mood, and the nervous system. This is one reason gut health is now being studied in relation to anxiety, depression, brain fog, and cognitive health.

There is even growing interest in the possibility that some neurological diseases may involve the gut-brain connection.

For example, scientists have observed that constipation often appears years before Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed. That does not mean constipation causes Parkinson’s, and it definitely does not mean everyone with constipation is at risk. Most people with constipation will never develop Parkinson’s. But it does suggest that the symptoms for this disease start in the gut, long before they reach the brain.

To me, that is just another reminder that the gut is not separate from the brain. They are deeply connected.

When your gut is off, sometimes it is not just your stomach that feels it. Your mind feels it too.

The Gut and the Metabolic System

Of course… the gut is also connected to metabolism.

Your microbiome helps influence how your body handles energy. It plays a role in:

• appetite regulation,

• fat storage,

• insulin sensitivity,

• and the release of certain hormones and peptides involved in metabolism and blood sugar regulation.

A healthier microbiome may help support better insulin sensitivity and a more balanced metabolic environment, while a disrupted gut can push things in the opposite direction.

I do not want to go too deep into insulin sensitivity here since we already covered that in Week 1, but just know that there is overlap. These systems do not work in isolation. Blood sugar health, gut health, inflammation, and metabolic health are all very connected.

This is why so many of the same habits help multiple things at once.

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How to Improve Gut Health

The good news is that improving gut health does not need to be complicated.

A lot of it comes back to simple, consistent habits.

1. Drink more water

Water matters for digestion more than people think. It helps keep things moving through the digestive tract and supports overall gut function.

This is not the sexiest advice, I know. But as I said in a previous note, the most effective wellness advice are often too simple to be marketable.

2. Eat more fiber — gradually

If there is one place to start, it is fiber.

Fiber helps feed the beneficial bacteria in the gut. When those bacteria break fiber down, they produce short-chain fatty acids, which are incredibly important because they help support the gut lining and have anti-inflammatory effects.

And most people are not getting enough. Apprxomiately 90% of people in the U.S. and the U.K. are deficient in fiber.

That said, this is where I want to emphasize: ease into it.

Do not go from barely eating fiber to suddenly eating a mountain of beans, chia seeds, and cruciferous vegetables in one day because your stomach needs time to adapt!

Build gradually.

Some easy ways I add more fiber into meals:

• berries with yogurt for breakfast

• chia seeds or flax in smoothies

• avocado in my salads

• lentils or beans added to my soups

• choosing whole fruit instead of juice

• adding an extra vegetable to dinner, even if it is something simple like spinach, zucchini, or roasted carrots

It does not have to be fancy. It just has to be more consistent.

3. Increase plant variety

This is another big one.

Different plant foods feed different types of gut bacteria. So the goal is not just to eat “healthy” in some vague way. It is to expose your microbiome to more variety.

That means fruits, vegetables, legumes, herbs, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and other plant foods all bring something a little different to the table.

For example, instead of eating the exact same produce every week, you could rotate:

• spinach one week, arugula the next

• blueberries one week, kiwi the next

• chickpeas one week, lentils the next

More variety helps support a more diverse microbiome, and diversity is generally a good thing when it comes to gut health.

4. Include fermented foods

Fermented foods can also be helpful for many people.

These include:

• yogurt with live cultures,

• kefir, kimchi,

• sauerkraut,

• miso,

• fermented sourdough bread.

I am not saying everyone needs to go overboard with this. But adding some fermented foods into your routine can be a simple way to support the gut.

For example, I swap out regular bread for sourdough in my avocado toast, and eat yogurt a few times a week.

5. Take short walks

If there is one thing that I have consistently suggested in this series, and that I firmly stand by, it is the importance of walking!

While I have mentioned the benefits of walking in the other parts of this series, I also want to emphasize why it is specifically beneficial for digestion. It stimulates the muscles in the stomach and intestines to move the food more rapidly after a meal. It also helps reduce the likelihood of acid reflux.

6. Activate the parasympathetic nervous system

Your body digests better when it is in a parasympathetic state — the “rest and digest” state — rather than constantly being stuck in stress mode.

That means gut health is not just about what you eat. It is also about the state your body is in when you eat.

Things that can help:

• meditation

• breathwork

• journaling

• sauna

• eating meals more slowly

• Taking a few deep breaths before eating

• Reducing overstimulation while eating

You do not need to live like a monk. But your gut does benefit when your body gets more moments of safety and calm.

Things to Avoid as Best as Possible

1. Antibiotics when they are not truly needed

Antibiotics can absolutely be necessary and lifesaving. This is not anti-antibiotic.

But because they can disrupt the gut microbiome, it is worth avoiding unnecessary use when possible. They do not just wipe out harmful bacteria. They can also affect beneficial bacteria in the gut.

So the point here is not fear. It is just being thoughtful and using them appropriately.

2. Alcohol

Alcohol can irritate the gut lining, disrupt the microbiome, and contribute to inflammation.

Again, this is not about never drinking. It is just about understanding that frequent alcohol use can work against gut health, especially if someone is already dealing with inflammation, poor digestion, sleep issues, or feeling run-down.

3. Chronic stress and unresolved trauma

This is a very complex topic, and I am really just giving a short explanation here, but there is a real link between trauma and gut health.

Research has found that when someone has experienced trauma, the nervous system can remain in a heightened state for long periods of time. The amygdala, which helps detect threat, may become more reactive. That can keep the body feeling “alert”, even when there is no immediate danger.

When that happens, the brain can release more stress-related signals, including CRH, and this can affect digestion, gut function, inflammation, and the communication between the brain and the gut.

And the reason why I wanted to mention this here is that while this topic is nuanced and complex, sometimes just becoming aware that trauma is the root cause can really help guide you towards better gut health.

Ok, well, that was a lot! But I truly hope it helped!

Next week, I will be doing a final article where I combine all the information from this series and provide you with the best takeaways!

Thank you so much for supporting my work. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.

And if you enjoyed this read, please subscribe below, it is the best support I can recieve.

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I can’t believe we are already in Volume 4 of this 6-part series.

So far, we’ve talked about:

• Blood Sugar & Cravings

• Iron & Energy

• Vitamin D & Dementia

Today’s topic was actually going to be gut health, but I am writing this from bed, with a cup of hot tea next to me (recipe at the end), because… well… I’m a bit sick.

This is surprising for me because I rarely get sick. Like, almost never. But my boyfriend had a terrible virus all week, and apparently, I am not as indestructible as I thought😅.

So, gut health will now be next week’s topic, because that one requires a bit more of my brain power.

Today, I want to focus on a simpler question instead: which supplements do I actually think are worth it?

When I first started doing research on supplements, I felt overwhelmed by all the options and how many supplements were being marketed left and right. But then I paused and decided to go back to the basics of what I learned from my nursing training and experience.

I listened to podcasts I trust and read peer-reviewed research studies. Based on all of this, I do believe the supplements that I list today are the best and most important supplements to take.

These are the supplements that are consistently recommended by longevity scientists and evidence-based research.

They are also the ones I personally take.

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1. Creatine

Did you know that this is actually the most extensively researched supplement out there? Yes! And all of the research consistently shows just how beneficial it is for us, with virtually no downsides.

People historically thought this was a supplement just for the “weightlifting bros”, and often women worried that taking this supplement would lead to unwanted muscle growth, but that theory has been debunked over and over again by the research.

Here is why I highly recommend you take creatine:

• It helps your body regenerate ATP more efficiently — in other words, it helps with quick energy production during short, intense efforts.

• It helps preserve your muscles even if you are not exercising, but especially if you do resistance training. And muscle is one of the biggest predictors of how well you will age and recover from injury.

• It helps improve your strength and training performance over time, as well as during training recovery periods.

• Research is now showing increasing evidence of creatine aiding in healthy aging and mental cognition. (more on this below)

The recommendation is usually 3-5 grams per day, but I take at least 5 grams daily.

Additionally, there is a lot of recent research that shows the benefits of creatine on brain health and cognition. Dr. Rhonda Patrick is a well-known scientist who talks about this extensively, and one of the most promising studies that she often refers to was one done on sleep deprivation.

They had two groups of subject undergo the same amount of sleep deprivation and in the morning one was given a placebo, the other group was given creatine. The group that was given the creatine performed significantly better on cognitive reasoning tasks throughout the day and suffered less symptoms of sleep deprivation. If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.

With that said, on days when I need more brain power to get things done, I take 10-15 grams so that my brain can reap the benefits of this supplement. This is because those first 5 grams tend to get used up by the muscles before they reach the brain.

2. Omega-3

Omega-3 is another one I consider foundational.

We hear about it all the time, but for good reason. Omega-3 fats are part of cell membranes throughout the body.

The most useful forms of this are EPA and DHA, which are found mainly in fatty fish and seafood :

• Salmon

• Sardines

• Mackerel

• Herring

• Anchovies

• Trout

• Mussels

• Oysters.

Plant sources like flax, chia, and walnuts contain ALA, which is still an omega-3, but the body converts it into EPA and DHA very inefficiently. So if the goal is to actually raise the omega-3s that matter most for the brain, eyes, and long-term health, fish or supplements are the best routes to take.

A simple rule of thumb is this: if you are eating about two servings of fatty fish per week — roughly 6 to 8 ounces total — you are already doing pretty well. If you are not eating that much fish consistently, which a lot of us are not, then an omega-3 supplement is what I would recommend.

I usually eat salmon about once a week, which is great, but not enough for me to feel confident relying on food alone. So for consistency, I supplement daily.

3. Vitamin D3 + K2

I won’t go too deep into this one because I spoke about it more in last week’s post, but Vitamin D is the one I would take if I could only take one supplement.

Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is essential for bone health, brain health, muscle function, and immune function. In the U.S. and Europe, about 40% of us have insufficient levels.

The tricky part with vitamin D is that food usually doesn’t move the needle much. Sun exposure is the major source for most people, which is why so many people struggle, especially in colder months, if living farther from the equator, or when they spend most of their day indoors. That is why I recommend getting your levels checked and then supplementing based on your personal needs.

Personally, I adjust mine by season. I used to be deficient, then improved with supplementation, and recently my levels were drifting borderline low again during winter, so I increased my dose. In the summer, when I’m at the beach more and getting more sun, I will pull back on my dosage.

I also like taking D3 with K2. Here is the simple explanation: Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, and Vitamin K helps ensure that calcium gets directed into your bones instead of accumulating in your blood vessels.

Pro tip: Vitamin D is fat-soluble, and its absorption is significantly improved when taken with a meal that contains fat — think eggs, avocado, yogurt, olive oil, or salmon.

4. Magnesium

Most people hear “Magnesium” and immediately think sleep, but that is actually such a small part of the picture. Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar, blood pressure, energy production, bone health, and normal heart rhythm. In other words, it is not just a “nice extra” supplement. It is a foundational mineral that your body relies on constantly.

Magnesium-rich foods include nuts, leafy greens, legumes, seeds, and dark chocolate. However, a lot of us are not consuming enough magnesium through diet alone.

This is why I think magnesium can be so helpful even beyond the usual wellness talking points. If you are

• stressed

• training hard

• dealing with muscle tightness or bad period cramps

• not eating enough magnesium-rich foods

• feeling low energy

  Magnesium is one of those basic supports that can really move the needle.

There is also some evidence that magnesium supplementation can have small but meaningful benefits for things like blood pressure, especially at higher doses over a longer period of time. One recent meta-analysis found a modest reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, particularly in studies using 400 mg or more per day for at least 12 weeks. I would not jump to using magnesium as a treatment for hypertension, but I do think this adds to the case that it supports overall metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Which type should you take?

This is the part where I feel many people get confused.

Forms like magnesium aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride tend to be absorbed more completely than magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate.

Here is the simple version:

• Magnesium bisglycinate (or glycinate): This is the one I personally take and the one I tolerate best. It is often a great option if you want a well-absorbed form that is gentler on the stomach and less likely to have a laxative effect.

• Magnesium citrate: also well absorbed, but more likely to pull water into the intestines, so it can be useful if constipation is part of the picture. Some people (myself included) complain that this one can cause too much of a laxative effect.

• Magnesium oxide: common and cheap, but generally doesnt get absorbed as well.

• Magnesium threonate: popular in the brain-health world, but the evidence is still much less established than people online sometimes make it sound. Bisglycinate has more evidence to back it!

My “not essential, but worth knowing about” category

These are not supplements I think everyone needs. They are not in the same league for me as creatine, omega-3, vitamin D, or magnesium.

But they are still worth talking about, because both of them can be useful in the right context.

Collagen

Collagen is one of those supplements that I think gets both overhyped and unfairly dismissed.

On one hand, no, I do not think collagen is some magic anti-aging powder that will suddenly transform your skin, hair, nails, joints, and entire life. On the other hand, I also think it can be worth considering.

The research here is not as foundational or universally compelling as it is for creatine or omega-3, but it is also not nothing. Recent studies suggest that hydrolyzed collagen peptides may offer modest benefits for skin hydration, elasticity, and signs of skin aging, and there is also evidence for joint comfort and musculoskeletal support.

That is why I personally put collagen in the category of supportive, not foundational.

If your budget is limited, I would absolutely prioritize protein, creatine, omega-3, vitamin D, and magnesium before collagen. But if your basics are covered and you are thinking about skin health, connective tissue support, or joint support, I do think collagen can make sense as an “extra credit” supplement.

I also use collagen as part of my overall skin and connective tissue support routine, especially because with a larger chest, I’m more mindful of supporting firmness and elasticity over time. Additionally, I have a previous ankle injury (was in a cast for 6 months), so I like using it as extra support for my joints and connective tissue.

Zinc

Zinc is different.

I do not think zinc is something most healthy adults need to blindly take every day just because “it’s good for immunity.”

But zinc does matter. It is an essential mineral involved in immune function, wound healing, DNA synthesis, and normal growth and development.

Most people with a varied diet are probably getting enough, so I think of it as more strategic than essential.

For example:

• If you get sick often

• If your diet is low in zinc-rich foods (Think seafoods, nuts, red meat, chia seeds, dark chocolate)

• If you are under a lot of physical stress

• Or if you want to keep zinc on hand for when you feel a cold coming on.

That last point is actually where zinc gets more interesting. Researchers have hypothesized that zinc may help reduce the duration of cold symptoms by acting locally in the mouth and throat, which is why zinc is often studied as a lozenge or syrup rather than just a standard capsule. The evidence is not perfect, and it does not seem to reliably reduce severity, but it is one of the more practical “at first sign of a cold” supplements people look to.

Currently, I’m taking zinc to help me get over this infection quickly, but I don’t normally take it on a daily basis.

So for me, zinc is not a daily non-negotiable. It is more of a tool:
useful in certain situations, unnecessary in others.

With that said, I wanted to also leave my favorite tea recipe for when I am feeling sick. Its simple:

• Freshly grated ginger

• Half a lemon squeezed

• A drizzle of honey

  Let it brew for a couple of minutes, and voila! It’s delicious, and immune system supportive 🌞

  Thank you so much for supporting my work. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.

  And if you enjoyed this read, please subscribe below, it is the best support I can recieve.

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my work. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.

If you’re new here, this is part of a 6-part series where I break down some of the most overlooked factors affecting your energy, mood, metabolism, and long-term health … and then give you simple and realistic ways to improve on them.

So far we’ve talked about blood sugar and iron… and today we’re getting into something that quietly affects almost everything:

Vitamin D.

I was originally going to include Vitamin D in my future supplements volume, but I ended up deciding to make it its own article because Vitamin D levels are SOO important, and I feel they are not talked about enough!

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In my years working bedside as a nurse, I worked in a rehabilitation center, a geriatric nursing home, an ICU setting, and in a mental health clinic with a younger population.

Completely different patient populations, completely different needs.

But one of the most common deficiencies I kept seeing across all of them was Vitamin D.

So I looked up the statistics, and the results were shocking: Around 50% of the global population has insufficient levels of Vitamin D, and many don’t even know it. This is not limited to low-nourished populations — 41% of Americans have insufficient levels, as do 40% of Europeans.

Because here’s the thing with Vitamin D: low levels don’t typically lead to an acute condition (besides severe deficiencies like rickets), they cause a more insidious damage that accumulates over time.

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Now, before we go any further, let’s clear up the definitions.

Vitamin D Levels

Insufficiency is around 30ng/mL

Deficiency is around 20ng/mL or lower

You should aim to have 40 ng/mL – 50ng/mL, as studies show that people with Vitamin D levels in this range have lower all-cause mortality, and a decreased likelihood of having cognitive decline with aging. Meta-analysis of All-Cause Mortality According to Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D - PMC

Vitamin D is not just a vitamin

It’s actually a hormone.

Once in your body, vitamin D gets converted into a steroid hormone that helps regulate gene expression — meaning it literally influences how your body functions at a cellular level.

This is why its impact is so widespread.

Why this matters more than most people realize

Low vitamin D doesn’t usually show up all at once.

It’s more subtle… more accumulative.

But over time, it can affect:

• Your energy levels (and why you might still feel tired — even after fixing iron levels)

• Your mood and mental health

• Your immune system ( Correlated to certain autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis)

• Your hormonal balance

• Your muscle strength and recovery

• Your inflammation levels (we’ll go deeper into this in next week’s post)

• Your metabolism and insulin secretion ( Yes, it affects glucose metabolism, which we discussed in week 1, and may be involved in the pathophysiology of Type 2 Diabetes) Vitamin D - Health Professional Fact Sheet

Additionally…

During the pandemic, I saw firsthand how hard COVID hit some patients. Research has found an association between lower vitamin D levels and worse COVID outcomes, including mortality, and that lines up with what many clinicians noticed in practice as well. Again, that is a correlation, not me saying vitamin D alone determines the outcome, but it is another reason I think this nutrient deserves more attention than it gets. Dr. Roger Seheult was a doctor during the pandemic who paid a lot of attention to this correlation and has become one of the world’s leading experts in Vitamin D. Vitamin D Expert: The Fastest Way To Dementia & The Big Lie About Sunlight!

Why are so many of us low?

The biggest reason is simple:

We do not go outside enough.

We now live mostly indoors, whereas our ancestors lived mostly outdoors. And when we do go outside, we wear sunscreen, which blocks UVB radiation, which blocks the ability of your body to make vitamin D.

There is also a seasonal aspect, as Vitamin D levels tend to decrease in the Winter season (and especially in places farther from the equator).

Other factors that play a role:

• Where you live: The farther away from the equator, the worse, specifically during the winter season.

• Skin tone: More melanin = more sun needed to produce Vitamin D.

• Gut health can affect absorption because Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Therefore, conditions like Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease make it harder to absorb Vitamin D.

• Aging: As we age, our ability to naturally synthesize Vitamin D decreases

How to increase it naturally: Go outside!

• Your daily walk outside does so much more for you than you realize. Getting 10-30 minutes of sun exposure each day can help your body naturally make vitamin D while still keeping things realistic and safe.

(Try to allow body areas like your arms and legs to get some exposure as well. )

• Foods: Fatty fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms.

  Pairing these with healthy fats like avocado or olive oil can help with absorption. However, eating these foods alone is not usually enough to have sufficient levels of vitamin D.

What about supplements?

Even if you go outside daily (like me!), you may still need additional support.

I always recommend: Get your levels checked first.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, which means it stays in your body longer…. and while it’s rare, it is possible to take too much.

I personally take Vitamin D3 + K2, increasing my dose in the winter and lowering it in the summer because I get significantly more sun exposure.

The reason I like this pair ( which, by the way, is one of the cheapest and most accessible supplements out there) is that Vitamin D helps your body absorb more calcium, and Vitamin K sends that calcium to your bones (instead of letting it build up in the wrong places, like your arteries).

To summarize the action steps

Thank you so much for supporting my work. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments.

And if you enjoyed this read, please subscribe below, it is the best support I can recieve.

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Additionally, this week I thought I’d get your input on what upcoming posts you are more excited for in this series! Or if there is anything you would like me to incorporate, I would love to do so!

Or maybe you are interested in my previous topics in this series!

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Lia. Thank you for being here and reading my work. I was born in Cuba, raised in Miami, and two and a half years ago, I moved to Portugal. Since then, I’ve been on a journey of deep inner healing, transformation, and embodied wellness. I’ve taken back the driver’s seat of my life, built a community here, found my soulmate, and am slowly designing a life I truly love. In this space, I write about life abroad in Portugal, the inner work, and science-backed wellness and longevity through the lens of my nursing background.

As a nurse, I saw over and over again how low iron can quietly affect how people feel.

The symptoms can vary. It can look like

• Low energy

• Brain fog

• Getting winded more easily

• Struggling to focus

• Feeling colder than normal

In more serious cases, it can show up as:

• Hair shedding

• Brittle nails

• Dizziness

• Restless legs

• Feeling especially wiped out during your period

Special note: This article is focused on naturally increasing your iron levels through nutrition. It is not meant as medical advice for those who have a serious iron deficiency and may need additional supplements to help. This article aims to help those who may have lower iron levels. Not enough to be a serious concern, but enough to affect your energy, focus, and overall vitality. I am always a fan of getting blood work done to have a better understanding of your personal needs!

Note: this is especially important if you are currently trying to conceive. While I advise you to consult with your doctor, of course, Ferritin below 30 can suggest low iron stores (even if it’s still in “normal range”), and combined with TSH in the upper-normal range may sometimes warrant a closer look when it comes to your fertility.

Who is most likely to be affected by this?

• Women, when they are menstruating

• Pregnant women

• Vegetarians, and vegans even more so

• People whose diets are low in iron-rich foods

• People who regularly have tea, coffee, or high-calcium foods right alongside iron-rich meals

• Endurance athletes (especially females)

• People with celiac disease or IBD

So with that said…. Welcome to Volume 2 of The Nourished Life Series

• If you have been feeling low energy and find coffee doesn’t help…

• If you’ve been feeling a bit of brain fog or more difficulty with memory…

• If you are a woman and feel especially wiped out around your period…

• If you’ve been wanting to get healthier but don’t know where to start…

• If you care about longevity, but also want to enjoy life along the way…

This one’s for you.

The two main types of Iron

Heme iron

It’s found only in animal foods such as red meat, seafood, and poultry. Red meat is usually one of the richest sources.

This form of iron is generally absorbed more easily by the body and is less affected by other components in the meal. But, even if you consume heme iron a couple of times a week (I consume it almost every day, either in fish or meat form), it still may be worth being intentional about the rest of your intake too.

Non-heme iron

This is the iron found in spinach, legumes, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, and fortified grains.

This form is harder for the body to absorb because it is much more affected by other parts of the meal.

It still counts, of course, but this is why iron is not just about how much you eat — it is also about how well you absorb it.

Pro-tip: soak your beans, lentils, and chickpeas before cooking them to “unlock the iron”

Thus, whether you eat both, but especially if you only eat non-heme iron, here are the best ways to optimize it :

1. Pair iron with Vitamin C

Add vitamin C to your iron-rich meals in order to facilitate uptake.

This can be as simple as:

• Squeezing lemon or lime over your meals

• Adding tomatoes and red peppers to your salads

• Adding berries or oranges to your chia seed pudding

• Eating kiwis after your dinner

2. Time your caffeine, tea, and calcium-rich foods

Coffee and tea contain compounds that can reduce non-heme iron absorption, and calcium can interfere, too. So, in other words, if you are drinking milk alongside your meal, adding a lot of cheese, or drinking coffee right after, you may be decreasing your body’s ability to absorb some of that iron.

And now listen… no one is stopping me from drinking my morning coffee after breakfast!

But being mindful of this can help you make small adjustments:

• Maybe more realistically, after lunch/dinner, try to wait 30 minutes to an hour before drinking coffee or tea

• Go a little easier on the cheese with meals that are more plant-iron focused (like bean-based or salads)

• If you drink milk throughout the day, try to keep it away from your more non-heme iron-focused meals

3. Do not rely on one “healthy” food

Spinach is great. But spinach alone is not a complete iron strategy.

If you are trying to naturally support your iron, think in layers:

• Iron-rich foods

• Vitamin C pairings

• Spacing caffeine and tea away from meals when possible

• Including heme iron more often, if you eat animal foods

That is where the magic is. Not perfection. Just smarter combinations.

How I’m applying this to my life

Breakfast: I usually alternate between smoothies and avocado toast.

• For my smoothies, I use almond milk and add chia seeds for iron and berries for vitamin C.

• If I am doing avocado toast, I can add spinach (iron) and tomatoes (vitamin C)

At lunch and dinner, I like spreading iron-rich meals throughout the week. I include red meat a few times a week, but I also use things like black beans, spinach, lentils, and seeds. Then I try to pair them with vitamin C where I can.

• I squeeze lemon or lime over everything

• I have kiwi after dinner a few times a week (great source of vitamin C, and as a bonus, research suggests it helps to improve sleep onset and duration)

• I eat hummus (iron in chickpeas) with red bell pepper strips (vitamin C) for a snack

• For a treat, I eat Dark chocolate (a bit of iron but counts) with strawberries (vitamin C)

• I go for a walk after lunch to buy myself some time before drinking my post-lunch coffee.

Nothing extreme. Nothing obsessive. Just more intentional.

And that’s really the whole point of this series.

Sometimes nourishment is not about discovering some magic supplement or doing your diet perfectly. Sometimes it is just about learning how the body works, noticing what your own body may be asking for, and making a few smart changes that support your energy and longevity a little better.

Thank you so much for supporting my work. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments. And if you enjoyed this read, please subscribe below, it is the support I can recieve.

P.S: Next week, we will be talking all about vitamin D.

Here is last weeks post incase you missed it!

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Here’s the thing: balance is hard.

I’m someone who cares about longevity, wellness, energy, and yes… looking good in a bikini. But I also love rum (I am Cuban after all), gelato on summer nights, and my boyfriend’s delicious spaghetti bolognese.

So over time, I’ve become obsessed with the small things that make a big difference. The kind of nutrition “hacks” that help me walk that fine line between being healthy and actually enjoying my life.

The habits that really move the needle, not just whatever wellness trend is currently having a moment!

And in my deep research era, after many nights reading studies and listening to experts, I’ve learned a lot of important things. Blood sugar, digestion, meal timing, fiber, movement, and even the order in which you eat your food can all influence how energized, hungry, clear-headed, and steady you feel throughout the day.

And the thing is, the better you support your body now, the more you’re investing in your energy, your health, and your longevity later.

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So with that, I’d like to welcome you to Volume 1 of The Nourished Life Series

• If you’ve been wanting to get healthier but don’t know where to start….

• If you’re too busy or overwhelmed to overhaul your entire lifestyle…

• If you care about your longevity, but also want to enjoy life along the way…..

• If you’re tired of counting calories and not feeling any real progress…

This one’s for you.

Why blood sugar matters more than most people realize

When we think about eating “healthy,” most people jump straight to calories. But one of the most helpful things I’ve learned is that how your body responds to a meal matters too.

A meal that sends your blood sugar sharply up and then quickly back down can leave you feeling sluggish, foggy, shaky, snacky, and craving more sugar. That does not mean you need to fear carbs or obsess over every meal.

It just means that a few smart habits can help you feel a lot more stable. Studies on meal sequence, post-meal walking, and early eating windows all point in the same direction: small changes can improve post-meal glucose control.

Here are the blood sugar habits I come back to again and again

1) Swap the orange juice for the orange

Yes, even if it’s fresh-squeezed. Even if the label says “no sugar added”.

Reason: One medium orange already contains 12 grams of sugar. The current recommendations by the AHA for how much sugar you should have in one day are 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men.

Two things happen when you swap out the fruit for the juice.

1- You eat more than one orange and likely the entire amount of sugar you should have in a whole day….in one glass.

2-You lose the protective fiber in the orange.

Fiber helps slow the rise in blood sugar after meals, supports fullness, and benefits digestion and gut health. When you squeeze the orange out, you lose all the fiber, and therefore the protection to keep your blood sugar stable.

So naturally….

2) Add fiber to every meal that you can

Starting a meal with fiber-rich foods can also blunt the glucose spike you get from the starchier part of the meal.

Simple ways I add fiber:

• chia seeds in my Greek yogurt

• flax seeds in oats or smoothies

• berries with my breakfast bowl

• avocado on toast

• lentils or beans added to soups or on my rice bowls

• a side salad, cucumbers, or greens before dinner

• zucchini noodles instead of spaghetti with my bolognese

That last one is especially good at night. I’m not anti-carb, but swapping part of your pasta for zucchini noodles is such an easy way to make dinner lighter without making it sad.

And decreasing carb intake at night is a great way to keep your blood sugar stable while you sleep.

3) Move after meals

This one can be made simple and very effective.

A walk after a meal is amazing for blood sugar.

But if you can’t go for a walk, even just moving around the house helps.

Clean up the kitchen, fold some laundry, dance to your favorite song, pace while you talk.

If you just had a sweet treat or a high-carb meal, even a few minutes of movement can really help because your muscles start to use up the glucose, which helps remove it from your bloodstream.

And if you’re stuck in the office, or just don’t have the time to move…

4) Desk calf raises are an underrated trick

This is an especially good hack if you have a little treat in the middle of your workday.

Your calf muscles are sometimes called your “second heart.” When you do calf-raises, even while sitting at your desk, they get your lower body muscles contracting, and they bring that glucose into your muscles and out of your bloodstream!

Try doing it for 5 minutes while sitting in your desk the next time you have a treat!

5 ) Add cinnamon to your meals- when it makes sense

The research on this is still new and underdeveloped, but so far, results are pointing to cinnamon having a positive effect on your blood glucose levels. Therefore, I like to use it as a supportive habit.

I add it:

• to sweet potatoes before I put them in the air fryer

• to my mid-morning coffee with dark chocolate

• to my yogurt bowls

• to dessert when I want something that tastes sweeter and warmer without adding more sugar

6) Don’t eat 2-3 hours before bed.

Part of this is just real-life experience: I sleep better and feel less heavy the next morning. Also, Ive noticed my heart rate and heart rate variability have significantly improved since implementing this.

But the research is interesting too. Eating dinner earlier and aligning more of your food intake with the earlier part of the day may support better overnight glucose control and cardiometabolic health.

To me, this is also a more sustainable version of “fasting” than some of the current trends online.

It’s not about being rigid. It’s just about giving your body a little more time to digest before sleep.

7) Eat your veggies first

This is one of those things that sounds too simple to matter, but it actually can.

When you start your meal with vegetables or another fiber-rich food, you create a kind of buffer before the starchier or sweeter parts of the meal. That can help with blood sugar, but also digestion and fullness.

So instead of going for the bread basket first, try:

• salad first

• cucumbers first

• sautéed greens first

• raw veggies while dinner finishes cooking

It’s a tiny shift, but it can work surprisingly well.

Pro Tip: it’s even better if you can eat your protein second, and carb last!

8) A high-fiber, high-protein breakfast sets the tone for the whole day

Protein helps with satiety, fiber helps slow digestion, and together they create much steadier energy than a pastry and coffee situation.

Since I started eating breakfast with enough protein and fiber, I feel more stable for the rest of the day. Less snacky, less ravenous, less likely to crash!

This doesn’t have to mean a huge breakfast. It can be something as simple as:

Greek yogurt with berries and chia
Protein from the yogurt, fiber from the berries, and chia.

Eggs with avocado toast
Protein from the eggs, fiber and healthy fats from the avocado, plus extra staying power if you use a seeded or whole-grain bread.

Cottage cheese with fruit
Protein from the cottage cheese, plus fiber, if you pair it with berries, kiwi, or a pear.

Oats with protein and seeds
Fiber from the oats and seeds; protein can come from Greek yogurt on the side, milk, soy milk, or protein powder mixed in.

The biggest thing I’ve learned about nutrition is that health doesn’t usually come from doing one dramatic thing.

It comes from small, repeatable habits.

Eating the orange instead of drinking the juice.
Adding chia seeds to breakfast.
Walking after lunch.
Starting with vegetables.
Give your body a break before bed.

None of these things are flashy. But together, they can make a real difference in how you feel.

And honestly, that’s the kind of wellness I’m interested in now:
not obsession, not extremes.

Just smart habits that support your energy, your body, your longevity, and your actual life.

P.S: Next week we will be talking about iron and energy! But feel free to comment with any topics you’d like to discuss. Make sure to subscribe so that you dont miss a post!

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Bonus Recipe: My Easy Protein Waffles

Makes 4 waffles

Ingredients
1 egg
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 banana, mashed
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon

For topping
A small amount of peanut butter
Blueberries

Method
In a bowl, whisk together the egg, protein powder, oat flour, mashed banana, almond milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until smooth.
Pour into a waffle maker and cook until golden.
Top with a small amount of peanut butter and blueberries.

Why I love it:
This is the breakfast we make on slow weekend mornings, when were craving something a little sweeter but still satisfying. It has protein, fiber, and a little healthy fat, so it keeps me fuller and more stable than a typical sugary breakfast.

Thank you so much for supporting my work! I’d love to know who is trying out my recipes, and hear your feedback in the comments! If you enjoyed this read, please subscribe below, it is the best support I can recieve!

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Check Out Week’s 2 post here:

On my 24^th birthday, I was out with friends celebrating, well… ME, and as we were walking from my restaurant of choice to a bar in the busy streets of Brickel, I suddenly started crying. I don’t mean little tears, I mean full-blown breakdown with sobs and gasps for air. My friends looked at me in shock, asking if the alcohol had hit me a bit too strongly. As everyone made light of the situation and my friends attempted to make me laugh to ease the situation, I wiped my tears, and off to the bar we went! Never mind that weird and awkward moment of vulnerability I had just had! But the truth was, and this is embarrassing, I was crying because I felt old! HAHAHA! I have to laugh now, thinking about it, but when I was a kid, I really thought I would have my life figured out at 24. My mom had given birth to me at 24, and my grandmother had given birth to her at 24, so I thought that at 24 I would be married, with a house, and a kid on the way. I would be a real and functioning adult. AHAHAHAAAH- now I really have to laugh!

Fast forward 10 years, on my 34^th birthday, I looked around and thought, “Where the hell did all this time go?” Just like on my 24^th birthday, but this time with a little bit less drama, I thought “how did I get here?” and once again realized that time had continued to pass and I, living very much only in the world of today, had not been prepared for it.

Things had changed in those 10 years, of course. I had grown a lot, and I actually do feel like a capable adult now (unlike 24-year-old me), but I also realized something crucial. For such a huge part of my life, I was so busy just trying to land my feet on the ground, just trying to get through the current pressing issues of my life (which, in retrospect, weren’t that urgent or important), that I hadn’t spent much time looking towards the future. But on my 34^th birthday, now powered by tools that make me a much more grounded person, I realized I do have to pay attention to the future. Because the future is coming whether I want it to or not, and one day I will wake up and be 44, and another 10 years will have passed. At what point do I start caring about future me?

They did an fMRI study at UCLA on a random group of people who were asked to think about their current selves, a celebrity, and their future selves (I linked the study below). What they discovered through studying the brain activity in these subjects was that people consider their future selves a stranger, as much of a stranger as a celebrity is. This means, when making decisions, most people are not worried about the consequences their future self will deal with as a result of their current decision. After all, why worry about a stranger, right? That’s their problem; they’ll deal with it.

The stranger within: Connecting with our future selves | University of California

For me, these results were shocking and incredible, but the more I pondered about it, the more I realized, I too am like the subjects of this experiment.

I’m not worried about future me- that’s future me’s problem! Also, in my head, future Lia is much smarter and is much more capable of making important decisions and taking care of difficult issues; she’s a totally awesome stranger😅! But the reality is that future Lia can be all those things, yes, if I set her up for that now. If I take care of her now, if I make the conscious decisions that will impact her- NOW.

So, as is my tendency, I started to do a lot of research on how to make healthy choices now that will impact future Lia. This is when I started to listen to a lot more podcasts, read books by experts, review research papers (my medical training comes in handy here), and slowly but surely, I started making small changes. As James Clear (the author of Atomic Habits) says, “small habits, when repeated consistently, lead to remarkable results.”

Making these small changes wasn’t the hard part—the hard part was discerning which advice to follow and which to ignore. In today’s world of information overload and constant contradictions, it’s hard to tell what’s real guidance versus what’s just marketing disguised as truth. So after a lot of research (and plenty of trial and error), here are the small changes I made that actually made a difference.

And as promised, these habits are small and easy to make!

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1. I stopped using tea bags!

Tea is generally regarded as a healthy drink to consume, but what they don’t tell us is that most tea bags have microplastic and nanoplastic particles. When placed in hot water, as one does with tea, these particles break down and are released onto your beverage. When I initially discovered this, I was a bit in denial, to be honest, why the fuck has no one told us this? Why the fuck are we all using tea bags if they are so dangerous? I don’t know, but here are two research studies that made it difficult for me to stay in denial land.

Plastic Teabags Release Billions of Microparticles and Nanoparticles into Tea - PubMed

International Journal of Surgery

These studies not only confirm the microplastic content in tea bags ( mostly inside the lining of the filter and the glue used to seal the bags), but they also raise concerns about potential health risks associated with it, such as reproductive issues, cancer, and metabolic issues. While some of this research is still ongoing, and scientists are still debating the health risk, I personally would rather not take my chances!

This is not meant to come off scary; this is meant to inform because I am a firm believer that information is power, and thus, powered by this information, you can make a small change in your daily habits.

For me, it looked like this: Because I had a bunch of tea bags when I first came to terms with this information, I initially bought a tea filter off Amazon and would open my tea bags and dispense the contents onto it. Eventually, I switched over to buying loose-leaf teas, which I now keep in cute containers, and in restaurants, I always ask in what form they have the tea before ordering it.

2. I started doing Small Vigorous Exercises

I discovered this through Dr. Rhonda Patrick ( One of my favorite health + longevity experts to follow!), who posted a lot in 2025 about this. For reference, here is a podcast from her that I believe explains it very well- The Best Type of Exercise for Longevity, but I will do my best to explain it as well!

Researchers took data from a large UK Biobank and concluded that the intensity of movement can significantly impact the health benefits acquired. Here is the study- Association of wearable device-measured vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity with mortality | Nature Medicine

In other words, if you were to walk for one minute versus doing jumping jacks for one minute, you would get significantly more health benefits. This may seem obvious, but the study went further than this – for the participants, it averaged that 1 minute of intense exercise was the same as between 53-94 minutes of light activity (such as light yoga and easy pace walking) and 40-79 minutes of moderate activity (such as light jogging and moderate weight lifting)- this is huge! And what’s more, the health benefits are the greatest for those who are normally inactive and don’t exercise regularly. So for all those busy moms and entrepreneurs who don’t have time to go to the gym daily, this can take only 3 minutes of your day!

Now hear me out! This may not sound like it’s for you, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. I currently do 3 a day, 5 days a week (I’m working on building it up to 7 days, but I’m lazy on weekends!). Currently, I do a mid-morning 1-minute “break” to do jump squats for one minute, and trust me, I am OUT OF breath after it! But I have also come to love it because when I sit back down at my desk, I feel so much more awake, alert, and concentrated on my work. My second one depends on how my day is flowing, but it usually involves either a minute of pushups, a minute of crow pose, or a minute of running up the stairs to my apartment complex. Usually, my third one is a post-dinner dance section with my boyfriend, where I really let loose and dance my heart out 💃!

Now, I don’t recommend that everyone start doing jumping squats mid-morning because it is important to first and foremost reflect on your fitness level! If you haven’t done any physical activity in years, and you are out of breath from walking up stairs, this sudden burst of activity can potentially be dangerous. Determine what high intensity is for you- it can be anything that gets your heart rate up and your breathing rate up! The short burst of activity can be something as simple as carrying the laundry load up the stairs or chasing after your dog in the backyard.

3. I started taking more grams of Creatine.

Did you know that creatine is the most well-studied and researched nutritional supplement? Yes! Literally, if there is a supplement that I trust, it’s this one!! Its safety and efficacy have been confirmed over and over again from thousands of different studies across the world, and it is definitely so much more than just a muscle growth supplement.

First and foremost, let’s bust the myth that creatine makes you bulky! It doesn’t, I would know! In my opinion, it is even more important for women to take it than men because it helps to sustain our muscles and it helps in lean muscle growth, which us women need because having muscles protects us from osteopenia! But I was already taking creatine as a supplement to my workout regimen, and muscles aren’t the reason I started to take more.

Recent studies have shown that creatine significantly improves cognitive function! But in order for your brain to get that benefit, you need to take more than the regular 5g a day (as this all gets sucked up by the muscles), which is why I like to take 10g in the morning.

Single dose creatine improves cognitive performance and induces changes in cerebral high energy phosphates during sleep deprivation | Scientific Reports- There are a lot of studies on this, but I found this one extremely interesting, as it had a group of people who underwent 21 hours of sleep deprivation split into two groups. One group (the control group) took a placebo, and the other took creatine. The study concluded that those people who took creatine had a significant improvement in processing speed, short-term memory, and attention in comparison to the sleep-deprived control group. In other words, creatine helps you function better when you are sleep deprived!

4. I stopped using loofahs- you know those cute little shower scrubs we all love to use!

I have been using loofahs in the shower since I was a teenager, and to be honest, I felt like I was getting a better clean than with just rubbing soap all over my body- I think it’s the foam effect. So, when I discovered that loofahs harbor bacteria, which is further worsened by the fact that they are constantly in a wet environment, I was resistant. I did not want to hear about how loofahs were a breeding ground for bacteria! I wanted to keep using my cute shower scrubs!

But, as per usual, I came around to it! Here’s a reliable source with more details on the dangers of loofah! Why Loofahs Are Bad and Alternatives To Try

Anyways, I was not satisfied with alternative options such as body soap or wash cloths. So, I did my research and ended up finding these NOT BACTERIA FRIENDLY silicone scrubs- and am happy to report that I still get (some) foam!

Side Note- It’s ok to use the loofah for a weekend trip and in more disposable manners, but if you have a loofah hanging in your bathroom for weeks at a time, please consider this alternative!

5. Started taking Omega 3 + Vitamin D

I listen to A LOT of podcasts with health experts in different fields, from gut health to insulin specialists to fitness researchers and these are the two supplements that they all consistently recommend (aside from creatine). Not so fun fact- studies show that an estimated 57%-70% of women are vitamin D deficient! And Vitamin D is so important for bone health, cardiovascular health, immune system, cancer prevention, and brain health (just to name a few!) It is such an important vitamin, because unlike other vitamins, it is also a hormone!

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid, also incredibly important for heart and brain health. Most of us are also omega-3 deficient because it is pretty much only obtained from fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds. Thus, unless you have recently checked your lab levels are at a healthy range for this- and/or get healthy sun exposure every day and eat salmon daily- I recommend taking these supplements!

6. I stopped applying sunscreen every day – especially not in the winter.

This seems counterintuitive, I know, but the reality is that I am currently looking out the window of my apartment as I type this in early February, and guess what- I can’t see the sun! I haven’t seen it for at least a month, given this godforsaken cloudy and rainy weather! So, as a result, I have barely been outside and have barely gotten any exposure. Now I know that, of course, the sunrays are still hitting me even through the clouds and through my apartment glass window, but the amount of exposure I am currently getting is minimal and not dangerous. The sun is not our enemy! Here is a podcast that makes my point and cites examples of patients whose health improved just from sun exposure!

Vitamin D Expert: The Fastest … - The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett - Apple Podcasts

We need sun exposure to make vitamin D and increase endorphin production. Of course, too much sun exposure is dangerous! And if you’re spending a summer day at the beach, PLEASE wear sunscreen! But when I am spending the majority of my days indoors and only going outside for about 10 minutes on a cloudy day, I don’t believe it benefits me to wear it. This famous study shows the positive correlation between increased sun exposure and decreased all-cause mortality! Avoidance of sun exposure is a risk factor for all-cause mortality: results from the Melanoma in Southern Sweden cohort - PubMed

7. I bought a posture corrector.

Did you know bad posture negatively impacts the cardiovascular system? Yes! Having bad posture, or slouching over your laptop, restricts the chest cavity and the lungs’ capacity for expansion- in other words, the heart has to work harder to get your blood moving! No Bueno!

Here’s a reputable source to back up my claim- From Posture to Pulse: The Heart-Spine Connection | National Spine Health Foundation

As someone who works on a laptop, and now also writes on a laptop (YEEY!), I found my posture getting consistently worse throughout the day, so I went on Amazon and bought a posture corrector to wear while I’m in front of the screen! It looks a bit funny, but it keeps my posture much, much better!

I hope in the future, when I turn 44 (now only 9 years away), I don’t look around and wonder why I didn’t take care of my health and body sooner! I hope I am proud of past Lia, and all the efforts she made to set me up for the future, and I hope the same for you! If you have read this far, I truly wish that this post contributes to making your life better, even if it’s just in a super small way!

Please comment below on your favorite advice, or if you would like any specific recommendations on things I purchased.

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P.S I could make a whole part two of this if anyone is interested!

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My New Year’s resolution for 2024, approximately 2 months after I made the life-altering move from Miami to Lisbon, was to finally start taking my health seriously. As a nurse, I saw every day what patterns of unhealthy eating and sedentary lifestyles could lead to. I had spent so much of my life taking care of others, but it was time to start truly taking care of myself!

The Lisbon Class Pass Era

Thus began my health journey. As I considered my options, going to the gym seemed difficult, boring, and just not for me. Instead, I chose the workout class route. I thought that the commitment of signing up and paying for a specific class at a specific time would keep me from skipping my workout- and this was true, for some time! I started by trying out different studious, which here in Lisbon, you can do through a program called “Class Pass”, and I enjoyed the variety. I did yoga, pilates, HIIT classes, spinning, bootcamp, barre, you name it- I probably did it!

Plateauingggg…. And the research era

Anyways, this was great at first. It did keep me committed and got me used to working out regularly. I saw changes in my body, my energy, and my overall health. However, over the course of the year, I eventually reached a plateau in my progress, and my motivation to go to classes began to significantly decrease. So I started to do more of my own research and listen to podcast interviews with people such as Stacy Sims and Rhonda Patrick. I read books, research articles, and asked chatgpt a lot of questions! Slowly but surely, I started learning more about exercise. Through this progress, I had some very significant realizations. Here is the short version:

• I wasn’t doing enough strength training! Now, I’ve never much cared for muscles; I just want to look good in a bikini, have energy, and live a long and healthy life. However, through this process, I learned how important it is to build muscles as women for the protection of our bones and for our longevity ( I could write a whole separate post on this!). Sure, in boot camp, we would use weights, but the class did not allow us to truly do adequate sets; it was too fast-paced and generic. The weights offered were also quite low, and over time, they got to be too easy for me.

• I was feeling the burn but not seeing any more progress. (Longevity Debate: SHOCKING Weight Loss Truth! They’ve Been Hiding This For YEARS!) I linked this podcast because it is such a good summary of a lot of the things that I’ve learned, and they do a superb job at explaining how feeling “the burn” does not equate to actual muscle growth or strengthening.

• I was doing a lot of ‘medium-hard’ workouts that felt intense, but weren’t structured enough to build real strength or measurably improve cardio. Again, this is because I learned that to really make a difference in your body and in your health, you need to lift heavy and do intentional cardio. I was going to a Booty Pilates class, for example, where we would do a bunch of squats and some jumps, and it felt intense! But it wasn’t doing anything because I wasn’t using enough weight resistance to build muscle, and simultaneously, I wasn’t improving my cardio health because I wasn’t sufficiently raising my heart rate for a sustained period of time.

As I learned this research, I realized that some part of me had already subconsciously felt off about classes, but this helped me to understand the “why” behind my gut feeling.

The Scary Gym transition

So I decided to embark on the very scary journey of stepping into the gym. On my first day in the gym, trying to exercise felt like a newborn learning to walk. I did not understand how to use half of the machines. I had to actually ask a trainer to explain to me how to properly use the cable machine, and the Smith machine initially looked way too intimidating to even approach. I watched a lot of ‘how to’ youtube videos in those first few weeks. I had some definite stumbles, but as I continued to learn, research, and experiment, I have persevered, and I can now officially call myself a gym girlie!

Here's the proof :

Gym Advice I learned a long the way

Here are some lessons I learned along the way, and I don’t mean your basic “don’t compare yourself to others” lessons; I mean some really specific ones to me, that hopefully can help you.

• On the topic of don’t compare yourself to others, it’s true, don’t do that. Compare yourself to yourself instead. I have a working note on my notes app for each of my 3 strength training day workouts. When I start a strength workout, say it’s “Upper Body day”, I add notes to each workout circuit as I complete it.

For example: Single Arm Dumbbell Rows- 3 sets on each side of 10 reps with 14 kilo db

But that’s not all I do, I also add something like “felt less challenging, attempting 16 kilo db next week”. This helps me keep track of my progress in an easy-to-manage way and sets me up for next week’s workout. The following week, I already know which exercises I can push harder. Additionally, I can look back and see the progress I have made over the weeks.

Here’s an example, straight from my notes app!

• Rest between each set using heart rate instead of time. In the gym, I am all about efficiency, and I see a lot of people taking these long breaks on their phone in between sets that frankly, I don’t think is necessary. Sure, if you are doing incredibly heavy RDLs, a long break is required, but I don’t need to time 5 minutes break between each abductor machine set. Instead, I use my heart rate! Usually, after I complete a set, my heart rate is over 100, so I take deep breaths and wait until it falls to around 80 to start back up (Please note that this does vary based on the intensity of the workout, as some muscles need more rest in between sets). Overall, this keeps me from getting distracted by my phone and helps me to be more aware of how my body is feeling at the gym.

• Speaking about efficiency, another thing I do is bundle my exercises into complex sets. What I mean by this is that I don’t do 3 sets of a dumbbell row and then start another set. That wouldn’t allow me to get nearly as much done as I do in the gym. Instead, all my sets consist of 2-3 workouts. To elaborate, let me use the previous dumbbell rows example. I do 1 set each arm, and then before I rest, I do 1 minute of dead bug, thus making it a complex cycle. See image above

  This is a complete cycle, and allows me to get two exercises done in each set. The trick is not to work out the same muscle twice in a complex set. So if you are doing squats, you can add planks into your complex set, for example.

• Hand gloves: ok maybe this one is basic, but seriously, it makes all the difference. Not only do they keep my skin soft, but they also help me with my grip. And bonus points, they look cute!

• I give myself something to look forward to during my workout. I have become obsessed with podcasts lately, and some days it is the literal reason I go to the gym. For me, it feels like such a treat to have an hour of uninterrupted podcast time that it truly does motivate me on days when I don’t feel like going to the gym. Additionally, it has helped to make the gym a “me time” experience, where I put my phone on DND and just get into the zone with my podcast and my workout. Maybe for you it’s an audiobook, or the coffee shop next to the gym, but having something to look forward to, something that feels like a treat, really helps to keep you going on even the hard days.

• Finally, the sauna! I really try to look at the gym as a treat rather than a torture house, and this mindset shift has been possible thanks to the little things. There is no better feeling than sitting in the sauna for 10-15 minutes right after my workout. Additionally, it has so many benefits (especially right after a workout) such as increasing blood flow, reducing muscle soreness, and supporting the body’s natural detoxification process.

And this, in addition to all the other reasons, is another reason I’ve really prioritized a gym over workout classes, as most gyms typically have a sauna. I like to take that time to just take deep breaths and really let my mind have a moment of silence.

Happier & Healthier

Find more of my outfits on Pinterest!

As someone who is a creative, curating my gym experience in the way that I have has actually opened my creative flow. I often times get great ideas or think of amazing things to write about while I’m at the gym. Additionally, on a day with bigger emotions, I like to take them out on my weights, and truly, I always leave the gym feeling mentally better than when I entered it.

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