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Health Shifts
Health is shaped by countless small habits that interact over time. Nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, mindset, relationships, our environment—each plays a role, and together they influence how we feel, function and age.
Health Shifts is a curated collection of evidence-based articles exploring these many foundations of health. My goal is not only to share what the science tells us, but also why it matters and how you can translate that knowledge into meaningful, sustainable changes in everyday life.
All Posts
Health Shift Experiment #10: Check In Before Your Phone
Pause Before You Pick Up Your Phone Reaching for your phone often happens automatically. This week, use that moment as a reminder to check in with yourself first. Why this experiment? Many of our habits happen before we're consciously aware of them. Sometimes we reach for our phone because we're bored, stressed, lonely or mentally tired rather than because we actually need it. Learning to pause helps reconnect behaviour with bodily awareness. The experiment Whenever you notic
Dr. Saartje Jooris
2 days ago1 min read
Health Shift Experiment #9: Walk Without Distraction
Take a Walk With Nothing in Your Ears Walking is something many of us do every day, yet we often fill the experience with music, podcasts or scrolling. This week, try walking without any distractions. Why this experiment? Walking naturally stimulates the brain and body together. Paying attention to your breathing, movement and surroundings activates the systems involved in body awareness and can reduce mental overload. Even a short walk becomes different when you are fully pr
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Aug 111 min read
Healthy Habits – Build an Automatic Pilot that Works for You
Healthy habits are easier to maintain when they fit your real life. Learn how to design an automatic pilot that makes healthy choices easier to repeat, adjust and return to after interruptions.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Aug 89 min read
Build a Salad That Actually Keeps You Full
A colourful, filling salad packed with vegetables, legumes, protein, nuts, seeds and fermented foods. Learn how to build a satisfying base and vary the ingredients without reinventing your lunch every day.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Aug 75 min read
Health Shift Experiment #8: The 5-Minute Body Scan
Spend Five Minutes Listening to Your Body Most of us spend our days paying attention to screens, conversations and our thoughts. Much less often do we notice what is happening inside our own body. This week, spend five minutes each day simply paying attention to physical sensations. Why this experiment? Your brain constantly receives information from your body: your breathing, heartbeat, muscles, joints and internal organs. This ability is called interoception. The better you
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Aug 42 min read
How to Make Milk Kefir at Home
Making milk kefir at home is simple once you know the basics. Learn what you need, how to ferment and strain it, how to care for the grains, and what to do when something looks or smells unusual.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jul 314 min read
You Don't Just Have a Body - You Live Through It
Sometimes we understand perfectly well that we are safe, yet the body seems unconvinced. The heart continues to race, the shoulders remain tense and the breath stays high in the chest. The stomach has not received the reassuring explanation we have given ourselves. At other times, the body notices something before conscious thought catches up. We enter a room and contract slightly. We hear good news and suddenly breathe more freely. We keep working because we believe we are m
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jul 287 min read
Health Shift Experiment #7: Rediscover Something You Loved as a Child
What did you love doing before life became so busy? In this Health Shift Experiment, you'll reconnect with a childhood hobby or interest—not to become better at it, but simply to experience the joy of doing it again.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jul 211 min read
How to Make Kombucha at Home
Learn how to make kombucha at home with this practical beginner’s guide, from preparing the sweet tea and adding the SCOBY to fermentation, bottling and recognising signs of mould.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jul 178 min read
Health Shift Experiment #6: Do Something Without Trying to Be Productive
Not everything you do has to improve your health, build a skill or achieve a goal. In this Health Shift Experiment, you'll set aside time to simply play, create or relax—without trying to be productive—and rediscover the value of doing something just because you enjoy it.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jul 141 min read
Health Shift Experiment #5: Make Time for Yourself
Illustrated banner for Health Shift Experiment 5 showing a young man relaxing in a comfortable chair while reading a book and holding a mug in a bright, peaceful room. The image represents making time for yourself through quiet, restorative moments without the pressure to be productive. The title "Make Time for Yourself" appears alongside the branding thehealthshift.org in the bottom-right corner.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jul 72 min read
Why Self-Care Is Not Selfish
People rarely come into my consultation saying they have forgotten to care for themselves. They come because they are tired, irritable, sleeping badly, having headaches or digestive problems, or feeling unable to cope with things they would normally manage. Somewhere in the conversation, it often becomes clear that they are carrying a great deal. Children, an ageing parent, a partner who is ill, a demanding job, colleagues who rely on them, household tasks that seem to be not
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jun 308 min read
Health Shift Experiment #4: One Hour Without Bright Light Before Bed
Light is one of the strongest signals your brain uses to regulate sleep. In this Health Shift Experiment, you'll reduce bright light during the hour before bed and discover how a calmer evening environment may help you fall asleep more easily and support your natural body clock.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jun 232 min read
Health Shift Experiment #3: Eat Your Meals at Roughly the Same Time
Illustrated banner for Health Shift Experiment 3 showing a woman wearing a traditional Mexican embroidered blouse enjoying a healthy meal at a bright kitchen table. A clock and simple meal-time reminders emphasize the importance of eating at regular times to support the body's natural daily rhythm. The title "Eating at Regular Times" appears alongside the branding thehealthshift.org.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jun 162 min read
Health Shift Experiment #2: Wake Up at the Same Time for 21 Days
A consistent wake-up time is one of the simplest ways to support your body's internal clock. In this Health Shift Experiment, you'll challenge yourself to wake up at the same time every day and discover how a regular rhythm can improve your sleep, energy and overall wellbeing.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Jun 22 min read
Health Shift Experiment #1: Why Morning Light Matters
Morning light helps set your circadian rhythm, supports alertness during the day and influences when you feel sleepy in the evening. Discover how indoor light compares with outdoor daylight, what to do during dark winter mornings and how to test this habit for yourself over the coming week.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
May 265 min read
How The Body Loves Rhythm
Your body is built around rhythm. Every day, thousands of biological processes follow internal clocks that influence when you feel alert, hungry, energetic or sleepy. Modern life often disrupts these natural patterns, affecting everything from mood and metabolism to long-term health. In this article, you'll discover why rhythm is a fundamental principle of health and how small, consistent daily habits can help your body function the way it was designed to.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
May 194 min read
What Does Your Body Need for Fuel?
Your body needs more than calories to function well. Learn how food, water and air influence everyday health.
Dr. Saartje Jooris
May 127 min read
Why Health Advice Feels So Confusing
If you have ever tried to become healthier, you have probably experienced it. You decide to make a few changes, start reading and, half an hour later, feel less certain than when you began. One person recommends more protein, while another warns that most people already eat too much. Running is excellent for the heart, unless you are listening to someone concerned about injuries. One expert recommends fasting; another insists that breakfast matters. Coffee protects your healt
Dr. Saartje Jooris
May 57 min read
Foundations of Health: Why Your Health Is More Than Diet and Exercise
When I ask people what comes to mind when they think about “being healthy”, the answers are remarkably similar: eating well, exercising, perhaps getting enough sleep. Those things are important, of course. But I’ve always found it interesting that we instinctively reduce health to a handful of habits, while at the same time knowing that our lives—and our bodies—are much more complicated than that. A consultation rarely begins with someone telling me they feel unwell because t
Dr. Saartje Jooris
Apr 285 min read
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