Being healthy does not have to be confusing. Five simple habits make a huge difference in how you feel, how your body works, and how well you age. These five habits are drinking enough water, getting good sleep, getting enough vitamin D3, eating more fiber, and getting enough omega-3 fatty acids.
Most people today do not meet these five needs, and it shows in their energy, weight, mood, and overall health. When you improve even one of these areas, your body becomes stronger. When you improve all five, your health can change significantly.
What makes these five habits so powerful is that they work together to reduce inflammation and help your cells function as they are supposed to. Hydration supports your metabolism and keeps your organs working properly. Quality sleep repairs the brain and body. Vitamin D3 supports immune function, mood, and hormone balance. Fiber feeds the gut microbiome, helping your body produce serotonin, GLP-1, and other compounds that influence appetite, digestion, and inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids keep your cell membranes fluid, allowing nutrients and oxygen to enter cells while helping waste and toxins move out. These habits are not fads, and they are not complicated. They are basic human needs that most people simply aren’t getting enough of. When you bring them back into balance, everything from your metabolism to your mindset begins to improve, and your long-term health becomes much easier to protect.
1. Drink Enough Water
Water helps your body function properly. It affects your energy, brain, digestion, skin, and more.
About 75 percent of Americans may be dehydrated (4), which means they don’t drink enough water each day.
What happens when you don’t drink enough water:
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- You feel tired
- You get headaches
- You may feel dizzy
- You have trouble going to the bathroom
- You can’t think as clearly
- Your mouth and skin get dry
- You may feel hungry even when you’re not
- Exercise feels harder
2. Get 7–8 Hours of Sleep
Sleep is one of the best things you can do for your health. Adults need at least 7 hours each night (1).
About one in three adults does not get enough sleep (1), which can lead to significant problems over time.
What happens when you don’t get enough sleep:
-
- You gain weight more easily
- Your appetite goes up
- Your blood sugar rises
- You feel stressed or moody
- You get sick more often
- You can’t focus well
- Your memory gets worse
3. Get Enough Vitamin D3
Vitamin D helps your immune system, bones, muscles, hormones, and mood. Nearly two-thirds of adults in the U.S. have low vitamin D levels (2).
What happens when vitamin D is too low:
-
- You get sick more often
- You feel tired
- Your muscles feel weak or sore
- Your bones may become weaker
- You notice more hair loss
- Your mood may drop
- Inflammation in your body goes up
Many people need vitamin D3 from food or supplements because they do not get enough from the sun.
4. Eat More Fiber, Especially Prebiotics
Fiber helps your digestion, gut health, blood sugar, weight, and heart. Prebiotic fiber feeds the “good” bacteria in your gut.
But most people do not get enough. Only 5–9 percent of Americans reach the recommended daily amount (6).
What happens when you don’t get enough fiber:
-
- Constipation or irregular bowel movements
- Gas and bloating
- More cravings for sugar
- Higher cholesterol
- Higher blood sugar
- Feeling hungry soon after eating
- A weaker gut microbiome
- Higher risk for obesity and diabetes
Eating more fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains is an easy way to increase fiber intake.
5. Get Enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3s help your brain, heart, metabolism, and cell health. They also reduce inflammation. But more than two-thirds of adults do not get enough omega-3s from food (5).
What happens when omega-3 levels are low:
-
- More inflammation in the body
- Joint pain or stiffness
- Dry skin, brittle nails, or hair thinning
- Higher triglycerides
- Trouble focusing or remembering
- More stress, sadness, or anxiety
- Slower recovery after exercise
- Hormone imbalances
- Poor cell membrane fluidity makes it harder for nutrients to enter cells
Omega-3s are found in fish, but many people need a supplement to reach healthy levels.
Takeaway
These five habits are simple, but they are powerful:
-
- Drink enough water (3, 4).
- Sleep 7–8 hours (1).
- Get enough vitamin D3 (2).
- Eat more fiber (6).
- Get enough omega-3s (5).
When you do these consistently, your energy improves, your mood gets better, inflammation goes down, and your whole body works better.
References
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- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Adults and sleep: Facts and stats. https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data-research/facts-stats/adults-sleep-facts-and-stats.html
- (2023). Millions of Americans are vitamin D deficient: Who is most at risk? https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/millions-of-americans-are-vitamin-d-deficient-who-is-most-at-risk/
- Mayo Clinic. (2022). Water: How much should you drink every day? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- National Council on Aging. (2023). 10 reasons why hydration is important. https://www.ncoa.org/article/10-reasons-why-hydration-is-important/
- Nature Made. (2023). Daily vitamins and omega-3 consumption statistics. https://www.naturemade.com/collections/dailyvitamins
- org. (2021). Most Americans are not getting enough fiber. https://nutrition.org/most-americans-are-not-getting-enough-fiber-in-our-diets/
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2004). Dietary reference intakes for water, potassium, sodium, chloride, and sulfate. The National Academies Press.
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Robert Ferguson is a California- and Florida-based single father of two daughters, clinical nutritionist, Omega Balancing Coach™, researcher, best-selling author, speaker, podcast and television host, health advisor, NAACP Image Award Nominee, creator of the Diet Free Life methodology, and Chief Nutrition Officer for iCoura Health. He also serves on the Presidential Task Force on Obesity for the National Medical Association and the Health and Product Advisory Board for Zinzino, Inc.
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