2025 is right around the corner! I’m encouraging you to enjoy your holiday next week (and hopefully some down time), take time for gratitude, and reflect on how you can show up for your health in a bigger way in the new year. 

I live in possibility. That is always my personal focus, to see past barriers, doubts and limiting beliefs as much as possible and to coach my clients to do the same. 

What would it look like for you to live in a world of more possibility? How would it feel to end 2025 no longer struggling with cravings, weight gain, lack of confidence, inflammation, bloating and fatigue? Or improving your hormone balance so much that you aren’t experiencing symptoms? Or improving your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels? Or finally getting consistent with making nutrient-dense meals for you and your family every week without feeling overwhelmed? All of these are possible! 

As a Functional Medicine Dietitian that has helped thousands of people improve their health and lower inflammation, here are my top recommendations for how to 10x your health in 2025. 

1-Have an Unwaivering Belief That You Can Achieve Your Goals

When it comes to achieving health goals, there are so many excuses that come up for people that keep them stuck and in a constant state of self-sabotage. Thoughts like: I’m too busy to prioritize my health, I have bad genes, feeling worse is a part of aging, I have no willpower, I am a sugar addict, I’m too tired. 

It’s your job to learn how to see past these excuses and develop that unwavering belief. Identify which excuses are keeping you stuck so that you can replace limiting beliefs with empowering thoughts like going from “I don’t have time,” to “I can make time for things that matter and my health matters.” 

The moment you stop giving into your excuses or self-perceived limitations is the moment that you start taking ownership of your life. Refuse to give up on yourself. As Tony Robbins said: “If you give up you will never get what you want.” 

2-Limit Added Sugar 

A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that a diet high in added sugar accelerated biological aging, emphasizing that a low added sugar intake may slow cellular aging. Overall they found that a nutritious diet low in added sugar was associated with reduced epigenetic aging. 

Here’s what is very fascinating: even in those who ate a generally healthy diet, every gram of added sugar consumed was associated with an increase in epigenetic age. The authors noted that while we’ve known that eating too much added sugar is one of the biggest drivers of poor metabolic health and early onset of chronic disease, this study makes it more clear that accelerated epigenetic aging plays a role in this relationship. 

3-Add More Phytonutrients to Your Diet 

This same study highlighted the benefits of eating a whole, real food diet rich in bioactive nutrients, phytonutrients and polyphenols that help protect against low-grade chronic inflammation (inflammaging), oxidative stress and disrupted intracellular signaling. This is likely effective in preventing and reversing the epigenetic changes and pathogenic processes associated with aging, disease and overall decline. 

Essentially, when you consume an abundance of polyphenols and phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables, your body digests, absorbs and metabolizes them in a way that can improve blood sugar through multiple mechanisms, with lowering chronic inflammation being one of those mechanisms. Get consistent with adding colorful plants to your meals daily.  

4-Eat At Least 25g of Protein Per Meal 

Protein is the most satiating macronutrient but it does so much more than just keep you full. It promotes steady energy by driving every single chemical reaction in your body and supports muscle and skeletal health by driving muscle synthesis. It is directly involved in supporting bone health. It is the foundation for your neurotransmitter production which impacts mood. It supports blood sugar levels by keeping food in your stomach for longer, helping glucose drip slowly into your bloodstream rather than all at once, which is what causes energy spikes and crashes. It also supports hair growth and healthy aging. 

5-Eat At Least 30g of Fiber Per Day 

Fiber is essential for overall health, specifically the health of your gut, which impacts everything else. Research has demonstrated that your gut microbiota impacts metabolism, insulin sensitivity and blood sugar balance. Your gut extracts energy from food that is otherwise indigestible and produces metabolites and cytokines that affect your metabolism, blood sugar, chronic inflammation and metabolic health.

These microbes eat the foods you eat and if you are eating optimally, they create beneficial chemicals like short chain fatty acids. Short chain fatty acids are the primary fuel source for your colon cells, making them very important! 

When you eat optimal foods–their population grows and these beneficial microbes compete with more harmful bacteria. The chemicals that they release impact your metabolic flexibility, inflammation and blood sugar. They also impact your mood regulation, sleep, energy, immune system and so much more. Specifically, they love fiber rich foods. We recommend eating a minimum of 30g of fiber per day for this exact reason! 

6-Stop Eating Ultra-Processed Foods 

There have been countless studies published in the last several years demonstrating the wide range of harms from a diet that regularly includes ultra-processed foods. A paper published in The American Journal of Medicine highlighted that ultra processed foods contribute to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and even mental health disorders.

The synergistic effect of high calorie, nutrient-void, poor quality ingredients filled with preservatives, added sugars, refined grains and synthetic food dyes leads to metabolic dysfunction and increases the risk of heart disease. Not to mention, chronic inflammation and a host of symptoms that occur as a result. 

The most important thing you can do every day to improve your biology, reduce your risk of chronic disease, decrease symptoms and improve your energy is eat whole, real foods. Lowering chronic inflammation is critically important for improving the way that your body functions, decreasing symptoms like joint pain and GI issues, improving your metabolic health and living longer. 

7-Drink Filtered Water + Electrolytes 

Drinking enough water is so important for overall health. Getting a reverse osmosis filter can be that much more beneficial for health given that it decreases exposure to potentially harmful substances that have been linked to long-term health risks. Tap water is filled with chemical contaminants like heavy metals, pesticides, chlorine, PFAS and more. Adding electrolytes to your filtered water is even better because it helps the water enter and actually hydrate your cells.

8-Stop Holding Yourself to Unrealistic Standards of Perfection 

Focus on consistency, not perfection. Consistency with your nutrition and lifestyle is the only way to create long lasting health. Taking small imperfect steps is better than staying stuck. You can’t heal if you hate your body, obsess over your diet and feel shame every time you aren’t perfect. Let go of shame and guilt and embrace acceptance of where you are today. 

You will never regret investing more time, energy or money into your health because there is truly nothing more valuable. As the famous quote says: “Everything is important until you are sick. Then you realize there was only ever one thing that was important. Your health.” 

You can change your habits. You can change how you feel daily. You can stop the dieting cycle. You can find true health and embrace it from a place of love, abundance, grace and possibility.