11 Things You Can Do for Your Health Today
- Paulina Hupka
- Mar 24
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 26
When it comes to health and well-being, the internet is filled with endless advice. Every day, new studies contradict old ones, diet trends come and go, and flashy headlines promise a magic fix. It’s overwhelming—even for me!
The reality is, most of what you see online is designed to grab attention. That means information gets exaggerated or taken out of context, making it hard to know what actually works.
But here’s the good news: improving your health doesn’t have to mean overhauling your entire life. Whether you want to feel more energized, build a better relationship with food, or support your body through illness, small changes can make a big difference.
Even though change can feel scary and big, it's often small changes that can have the biggest impact.
In this article, I’ll share 11 simple things you can do for your health today - covering physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
Physical Health
1. Stay Hydrated
Water is the foundation of life - your body is made up of about 60-70% water!
It supports nearly every function:
✅ Keeps your blood flowing and your lymphatic system moving
✅ Supports digestion and regular bowel movements
✅ Helps your brain stay sharp
✅ Hydrates your skin and lubricates your joints
Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and brain fog.
Aim for at least 8 cups to 12 cups of water per day, or more if you’re active.
Humans can't survive for more than 3 days without water!
2. Eat Balanced Meals First—Then Listen to Your Hunger
Eating a meal with fibre, protein, and high-quality fats helps:
✔️ Keep your energy stable
✔️ Support digestion and gut health
✔️ Reduce cravings and overeating
✔️ Regulate blood sugar
Nourishing your body also supports your mental & emotional well-being.
A well-fed brain is better at handling stress, making decisions, and staying focused. After eating, pause and check in with yourself—are you still physically hungry, or just reaching for a snack out of habit?
3. Move Your Body—In a Way That Feels Good
Exercise doesn’t have to mean intense gym workouts. While strength training 3-4 times a week is great for long-term health, movement can be simple:
✔️ Take a walk in nature
✔️ Dance to your favourite song
✔️ Get off the bus one stop earlier
✔️ Stretch while watching TV
The key is balance - exercise should support your well-being, not become another stressor. If working out takes over your life or leads to exhaustion, it’s time to re-evaluate.
Mental Health
4. Give Your Brain Time to Wander
Your brain isn’t designed to be focused 24/7.
In fact, mental rest is just as important as mental effort.
Activities like:
✔️ Daydreaming
✔️ Colouring or knitting
✔️ Taking a shower
✔️ Staring out the window
…put your brain in “default mode,” where it can process thoughts, make creative connections, and recharge. These activities keep you occupied enough but not too busy.
It's the sweet spot between focus and unfocus.
Give yourself permission to slow down.
"For optimal brain training, you need both Focus and Unfocus!" - Jim Kwik
5. Journal to Clear Your Mind
If your mind feels cluttered, think of journaling as closing out extra tabs on your mental browser.
For quick relief: Write down whatever is on your mind—no filter, no structure. This helps free up mental space.
For deeper self-reflection: Try these prompts:
📝 What recurring thoughts take up the most space in my mind?
📝 What does this thought mean? Use your answer to inquire in more depth and keep asking 'What does this [insert your answer from previous question] mean? Keep going with this question until you feel like you have come to the root.
📝 Is this thought factually true? What evidence do I have?
📝 If I hold onto this thought for 5, 10, or 20 years, how will it shape my life?
Over time, this practice can help shift limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging thoughts to lighter and more flexible thinking.
6. Meditate to Reset Your Brain
Meditation isn’t about “emptying your mind.”
It’s about rewiring your brain to become present.
In a world full of distractions, worries about the future or painful memories of the past, meditation helps your brain focus, reduces stress, and brings a sense of peace.
Even 5 minutes a day can make a difference.
Emotional Health
7. Practice Mindfulness with a Body Scan
Your emotions don’t just exist in your mind—they live in your body. A body scan can help you tune into your feelings:
1️⃣ Find a quiet space and close your eyes.
2️⃣ Bring awareness to different areas of your body, noticing any tension or emotions.
3️⃣ Name what you’re feeling:
“I feel sadness in my chest, my arms, my heart” or “I feel stress in my stomach.”
4️⃣ Meet the feeling with compassion: “I see you, sadness. You are welcome here.”
This practice helps you process emotions instead of suppressing them.
I encourage you to work with a trusted therapist or counsellor if deep emotions feel overwhelming. Being flushed with suppressed emotions can feel scary, and painful and leave you feeling lonely.
8. Develop Emotional Regulation Skills
Emotional regulation helps you manage difficult feelings without being controlled by them.
Your Mindfulness Practice is a great start to meet your emotions. Be judgement-free and accept them as they are - not good, not bad, they just are.
For example, if you feel guilt after binge eating, try this approach:
1️⃣ Seek self-forgiveness – Say to yourself: “I made a choice that didn’t align with my values, but I’m human. I forgive myself.”
2️⃣ Learn from the experience – Instead of shame, focus on curiosity: “What led to this moment? How can I support myself better next time?”
3️⃣ Accept the consequences with grace – “I don’t love this feeling, but I accept it. Growth takes time”
4️⃣ Commit to change – Build self-trust by making small, supportive choices moving forward.
Shame keeps you stuck. Self-compassion helps you move forward.
Find links to more resources below.
9. Set Boundaries and Honor Your Needs
Healthy boundaries protect your energy and well-being.
Start by scheduling time for yourself - whether for rest, hobbies, or self-care. Treat it like an appointment with someone else: show up for yourself.
It’s okay to say no.
It’s okay to stay in.
Your well-being matters.
Spiritual Health
10. Explore Your Own Definition of Spirituality
Spirituality doesn’t have to mean religion - or vice versa.
It can be about meaning, awe, and connection.
Spend some time on the reflection questions to discover if you are in alignment with your spirituality.
Feeling connected to "something greater" can unearth deep, meaningful values and beliefs that unconsciously guide your life - in a helpful or unhelpful way.
Reflect on these questions:
💫 What inspires. you to seek something beyond the visible world? Is it longing, curiosity, beauty or something else?
💫 When have you felt a sense of awe so profound that it silenced your thoughts? What did that moment reveal to you?
💫 What small choices help you feel most in tune with yourself?
Your spirituality is yours to define.
11. Prioritize Sleep
Your body heals, detoxifies, and regenerates during sleep.
At night, your brain’s waste disposal system (microglia cells) becomes highly active, clearing out toxins. This is why good sleep leaves you feeling mentally refreshed.
Aim for 7-9 hours per night. More on sleep next week!
Things You Can Do for Your Health - A Final Thought
While these 11 points are more or less intensive, go more or less in-depth
- just reading them can also feel overwhelming.
To begin your transformation from binging, stress and burnout to balance, resilience and confidence just choose one thing that seems to be least scary for you.
It doesn't have to be complicated.
Small, intentional choices - drinking more water, eating balanced meals, practicing setting boundaries or taking 5 minutes to breathe - can have a powerful impact over time.
Are you looking for more support?
Find guidance in my freebies here (follow me on social media to never miss out on any freebies, I keep posting more).
I wrote a sugar guide as well. There you find so much information on sugar, how to make better choices and new sugar alternatives that soothe your sweet tooth while nourishing you at the same time.
Linehan, M. M. (2015) DBT Skills Training. Handouts and Worksheets. The Guilford Press, New York. p. 88.
Popkin, B. M., D'Anci, K. E., & Rosenberg, I. H. (2010). Water, hydration, and health. Nutrition reviews, 68(8), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x
Sohal, M., Singh, P., Dhillon, B. S., & Gill, H. S. (2022). Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Family medicine and
community health, 10(1), e001154. https://doi.org/10.1136/fmch-2021-001154
Wüthrich-Grossenbacher U. (2024). The Need to Widen the Concept of Health and to Include the Spiritual Dimension. International journal of public health, 69, 1606648.
Stoewen D. L. (2017). Dimensions of wellness: Change your habits, change your life. The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne, 58(8), 861–862.
