10 Holistic Habits to Help You Get Back to the Basics + Reconnect With Nature

In many facets of life, health is finally gaining the spotlight it deserves. 

With technological advances, there’s a lot of buzz about how we can use technology to optimize our health. (Our founder, Bethany, is a big fan of this concept, called biohacking.) There are a lot of incredible + innovative tech-driven health hacks, but too much focus on these practices can also make health feel complicated. (Not to mention expensive!)

To simplify health, it's essential to get back to the basics and start with foundational, holistic habits rooted in nature. By design, these health hacks are incredibly impactful AND easy to implement – without breaking the bank. ;)

We can return to the basics of supporting our bodies and their innate healing intelligence – at any moment. Health flourishes when we reconnect to nature and ground ourselves in what’s tried and true through these holistic habits. 

Here are our top 10 healthy lifestyle habits to bolster your health in an affordable, accessible, (and, of course) holistic manner. 

Holistic Habit #1: Limit Blue Light Exposure 

Inundated with technology and screen time, we can all benefit from this holistic habit. Most of us experience unhealthy/unnatural levels of blue light exposure daily. But to be clear, blue light isn’t inherently harmful. 

The constant exposure to unbalanced ratios (usually via synthetic lights) creates a cascade of issues over time. Excessive blue light exposure can disrupt circadian rhythms, hormones, sleep, and more. Here are some practical ways to implement this holistic habit:

→ Reduce exposure to blue light from devices.

• Limit your screen time outside of work and other necessary tasks.  
• At night, wind down by reading instead of watching TV.
• Wear blue light-blocking glasses during the day if you work on a screen. (We love these from Bon Charge!)

→ Replace synthetic lights high in blue light. 

Most LED bulbs contain high levels of artificial blue light waves – without the balancing effects of red light waves.

• Avoid LED or energy-efficient bulbs that use alternating currents. They create a flicker effect that’s invisible to the naked eye but causes strain and dysregulation.

• Choose a lightbulb that uses direct currents and/or full-spectrum wavelengths (we love this customizable full-spectrum bulb or the flicker-free low blue light bulb from Bon Charge). 

• Swap lightbulbs for your favorite non-toxic candles + soak up the calming ambiance!

→ Combat excessive blue light exposure with natural red light therapy. 

For a completely natural + free version of balancing red light, go outside at sunrise and/or sunset. Higher levels of natural red light wavelengths are present at these times, making this an accessible and free holistic habit.

→ Use apps + presets that eliminate or minimize blue light in your devices. 

Though we still recommend minimizing devices at night, having less blue light exposure means you can still use your devices when needed. 

• Create a preset on your phone to switch to “red mode” after sunset (here’s a helpful guide).

• Use an app/software like F.lux, Apple’s Night Shift mode, Windows’ Night Light mode, or Iris Tech. These help your devices match the sun’s lightwave patterns and create more balanced light.

Next, let’s take a look at how a diet upgrade can make a significant difference in your health.

Holistic Habit #2: Upgrade Your Diet

From a holistic health perspective, your diet may seem obvious. But trust us – this holistic habit is one of the best ways to return to the basics. Let’s get specific on how to level up your nutrition to support longevity.

→ Reduce or eliminate refined sugars, gluten, and alcohol.

Over time, these foods stimulate a long list of issues within your body, including: 

• Dysregulation + imbalance in the gut
• Inflammation
• Metabolic dysfunction
• Blood sugar spikes

→ Choose ethical and pasture-raised meats whenever you can.

High-quality meat is an excellent source of nutrient-dense protein. It’s much more effective at fueling your body, stabilizing blood sugar, and building muscle (a key marker for aging gracefully). 

 → Focus on unprocessed whole foods.

• The fewer ingredients, the better!

• Buy organic when you can. Regenerative is even better if that’s in your budget (even just occasionally!).

• Try farmer's market/CSA shares. You may be able to visit the farms and/or talk to the farmers directly about their practices.

• Cook at home more so you have control over the quality of your ingredients. Make it fun – pull out old recipe books!

• Incorporate superfoods for body + skin for an added boost. 

→ Swap seed oils for healthy fats. 

Seed oils in foods almost always come from crop byproducts that have been highly processed with chemicals and extreme heat. The result is damaged fats and unstable oils that are unsuitable for consumption. 

Our cells are primarily made from fat, so instead of supplying our bodies with broken building blocks, we can choose healthy saturated fats like: 

• Tallow from grass-fed cows or other animal fats like ghee
• Unrefined Coconut oil 
• Avocado oil 
• Olive oil or grass-fed butter (*cook at low-medium temperatures) 

→ Upgrade your water with minerals and filtration. 

Water is a critical component for hydration. Your body depends on proper hydration to function optimally – even extending to your skin health.

• Eat your water with gel water foods like chia seeds, melons, cucumbers, or lettuce.

• Add a pinch of salt and lemon to your water in the morning. (Try Celtic Sea Salt,  Baja Gold Salt, Jacobson’s Sea Salt, or Redmond Real Salt. These contain trace minerals in abundance.)

• If a full-house filtration system isn’t in the cards for you, don’t stress. Start with your drinking water (Dr. Burkart, PhD Toxicologist from our Expert Panel, recommends this filtered pitcher).

Beyond what we put in our body, let’s consider a less tangible (but crucial) holistic habit – your purpose and passions.  

Holistic Habit #3: Feed Your Passions + Find Your Purpose

Holistic habits are about honoring your body as a system with interconnected needs. Your mental health is tied to physical health – supporting both is critical. This holistic habit is about nourishing your passions – finding what you love and what makes you YOU. 

→ Reconnect to your vision. 

Without vision, we perish. Vision provides the inspiration and motivation to keep going – even through challenging seasons of life. 

• Slow down to reflect on your personal and/or professional journey.

• Consider how you hope to evolve in the future. 

• Reconnect to your core values, dreams, and hopes for yourself or your family.

→ Find clarity on what you want.

• Consider what matters to you. Take steps to realign with your career, friends, or family. 

• Understand your priorities deeply so you can make a bigger impact with your time + money.

• Let go of others’ expectations and listen to your inner voice, so stress and burnout become less prevalent.

→ Take more time to lean into your passions + interests.

• Play without an end goal – do things you enjoy just because! 

• Read a novel to engage your imagination and immerse yourself in the power of storytelling.

• Spend more time around kids – their unhindered passion for the things they love is truly inspiring.

Our next holistic habit centers on slowing down and using mindfulness similarly. 

Holistic Habit #4: Intentional Stillness

Gratitude and stillness are an essential part of embracing the human experience. These holistic habits are accessible at any time within yourself. They’re deeply grounding and promote feelings of peace and contentment. 

→ Make more time for prayer/meditation.

This practice is easy to do at any time and comes with a multitude of proven benefits for many of the biggest health biomarkers (like heart rate and blood pressure).

→ Hold gratitude in your heart.

Soak in the brevity of life. Remember how fleeting our time on earth is. This inspires you to live each day with intention and gratitude. Science shows that gratitude physically benefits your health, making this an excellent addition to your holistic habit favorites.¹ (Psst: It even extends to skin – so it might add to your glow, too. ;))

Let’s not forget the importance of rest in a different form: sleep. This holistic habit impacts every aspect of health.

Holistic Habit #5: Support Your Best Sleep

Sleep is when your body rests and does critical repair work. Without high-quality sleep, your body can’t fully heal to help you feel your best. A good night's sleep, on the other hand, has wide-reaching benefits. Here are our affordable + accessible tips for making optimized sleep a holistic habit: 

→ Eat your last meal 2-3hrs before sleeping. 

Eating too close to bed can hinder restorative sleep. Digestion is an energy-expensive task, so eating earlier meals can help boost the reparative quality of your sleep. 

→ Drink Magnesium before bed – or apply topically.

Consuming a magnesium drink before bed can help stimulate melatonin production and calm anxious/running thoughts. Or you can absorb the benefits topically with a magnesium spray on the bottoms of your feet or forearms before bed. 

→ Sleep in pitch black. 

Ancestral wisdom tells us that our bodies crave darkness – it’s how we sleep most deeply. Research shows that even small amounts of light can disrupt circadian rhythms and bodily functions.²

• Sleep with a face mask on or blackout curtains.

• If you or your kids need a light, try a red light night light instead. 

→ Sleep in cold temperatures.

Your body naturally begins to drop in temperature at night, which signals the production of sleep-related hormones + processes in your body.² You can further support this by setting the thermostat lower.

• Most sources say 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit is the best range.

Speaking of temperatures, let’s explore how you can use oscillating temperatures to boost your overall health. 

Holistic Habit #6: Oscillating Temperatures 

In today’s culture, we live in temperature-controlled environments. As a result, our bodies are not often exposed to the oscillating temperatures our ancestors experienced. This is not normal for our biology. 

The good news is we can use extreme temperatures as hormetic stress (aka beneficial stress) to build resiliency, reduce inflammation, and more. Here are the easiest ways to incorporate this holistic habit into your routine: 

→ Try Cold therapy through cold showers/baths, cold plunge tanks, or polar plunges in nature.

Cold therapy lowers your core body temperature, causing a cascade of physiological responses. The benefits of this holistic habit include:

• Cardiovascular health⁴  
• Improved circulation
• Mental clarity
• Improved mood
• Decreased inflammation
• Decreased depression and anxiety^5,6  
• Reduced muscle soreness⁷
• Better immune response^8,4  
• Increased metabolism⁹  
• Activated “brown” fat tissue that burns energy¹⁰  
• Reduced insulin resistance¹¹  

*Tip: If you’re hesitant to go all-in with cold therapy, work your way up! Try icepacks on your neck or wrists – or just turn the water cold in your shower for a quick 20-second blast at the end!  

→ Try heat therapy through a hot bath or sauna at your local gym (or outside when it’s hot).

This holistic habit raises your core body temperature and dilates blood vessels. Benefits of this holistic habit include: 

• Cardiovascular health¹²
• Detoxing (through sweat)
• Released tension
• Emotionally calming/parasympathetic activation
• Improved circulation, blood pressure, and blood flow¹³
• Blood sugar/glucose regulation
• Burning calories¹⁴  

*Tip: Add Epsom bath salts to your hot bath for added benefits.

Up next is the importance of physically reconnecting with the earth. 

Holistic Habit #7: Grounding/Earthing 

It should go without saying, but when the goal is reconnecting to nature, we need to physically connect our bodies, too! The earth is equipped with an abundance of negative energy, which counteracts the overload of positive energy our bodies are bombarded with from technology. This holistic habit is as simple as it gets!

→ Make time to ground for at least 30 minutes every day. 

Grounding has a long list of health benefits, the biggest being reduced inflammation. Clearing/lowering inflammation from your body allows your body to return to optimal function and focus on other priorities. It’s a positive domino effect extending to: 

• Wound healing¹⁵
• Improved sleep¹⁶
• Activation of the parasympathetic system¹⁶
• Reduced stress hormones¹⁶
• Boosted mood¹⁷  
• Treating + preventing chronic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases¹⁵  

*With kids, grounding can be as simple as spending time outside barefoot on natural surfaces (grass, a natural body of water, sand, mud, unsealed concrete) instead of indoors.

→ Habit stack forest bathing on top of grounding.

When we intentionally slow down and mindfully absorb nature’s healing powers, we experience a lot more than just the benefits of grounding!

→ Get creative – do more things outside! 

• Sip your morning coffee (or beverage of choice) outdoors.
• Meet up with friends at a park barefoot.
• Read a book with your feet on the ground. 
• Eat dinner outside with your feet touching the earth.
• Take a dip in a local creek. 
• Tend to your garden barefoot. 

We also require movement to support various functions within our bodies. Let’s look at this more deeply in the next holistic habit. 

Holistic Habit #8: Movement 

As a species, we’re far too sedentary. 80% of jobs in the U.S. require little to no movement.¹⁸ Returning to nature and ancestral wisdom, we’re reminded that movement is meant to be a regular part of our lives. 

This concept even extends to how we care for our skin. With a long list of benefits and no negative side effects, movement is another extremely easy holistic habit to start building into your routine. 

Movement is critical for our bodies to:

• Boost the flow of lymphatic fluid
• Detox
• Digest food
• Build muscle
• Burn fat 
• Maintain blood pressure/flow and circulation

Here are our best tips to move more: 

→ Make fitness/movement fun! 

You don’t need to buy a whole gym set, but sometimes, even one new fitness accessory can motivate you to move more.

→ Take daily walks. 

They’re easy to do – so much so that they may seem trivial. But stick with it, and you’ll feel a huge difference – oh, and pop on your favorite podcast while you walk. ;)

→ Move as often as you can throughout the day. 

Little stretches/movements every hour can go a long way in supporting the health of your body + mind.

→ Try somatic movements. 

Our bodies harbor stress and unprocessed emotions within our muscles. Thankfully, movement can help release stress and process different emotions. Somatic movements specifically target trapped emotions to help you thrive mentally + physically. 

Up next: fasting. But don’t fret – this holistic habit can be done with far less effort than you probably imagine. ;)

Holistic Habit #9: Intermittent Fasting

Fasting is a free holistic habit with plenty of science to back up the benefits for your health. When done with attention to your menstrual cycle and in alignment with the earth’s rhythms, you reconnect with more than just nature. You deeply reconnect to yourself. Here are the top things to know about this holistic habit to make the most of it. 

→ Align your fasting with your menstrual cycle.

As a woman, fasting can feel scary since some adamantly say it isn’t safe for women. But based on conversations we’ve had with experts along with anecdotal experience, we believe it can be incredibly impactful during the follicular and ovulatory phases of your cycle.

→ Autophagy is one of the main reasons this holistic habit is so incredible. 

Autophagy is a process that happens when your body gets a “break” from digesting food. When you press pause, your body can direct energy to less critical (but important) processes. This includes repair work like replacing old/damaged cells, removing waste, repairing signs of aging, or addressing chronic inflammation.

→ Circadian fasting is a great place to start.

Circadian fasting is impactful but super easy to implement. You only eat when the sun is up. So once it’s dark, you don’t eat. This ensures you’re giving your body plenty of time to digest food before you sleep so your night’s rest is deeply restorative. 

It’s also important to not overlook another critical, holistic habit for thriving health: your relationships and connection with others.

Holistic Habit #10: Strong + Positive Social Connections

As humans, we’re relational beings. We thrive in community – mentally, physically, and emotionally. When we view our bodies as a whole system working together, it’s easy to see how social connections are a critical link to vibrant health, which is often overlooked.¹⁹  

Here are a few reasons we love this holistic habit to reconnect with our innate needs + get back to the basics of a life well-lived. 

→ You develop resiliency and confidence. 

Being vulnerable in relationships makes us more resilient and confident in whatever life throws our way. Speaking your truth in trusted circles helps you regain your power and know your worth. It gives you the resiliency to better handle mental health issues like stress, anxiety, or imposter syndrome when they arise.

→ You find belonging + encouragement to be better. 

Belonging is foundational for human flourishing. Kind words spoken over your strengths (or weaknesses) from those who know you well make you feel seen. It sparks a desire to be a better version of yourself. This impact on mental health extends to your physical health, too.

→ You can be more positive + embrace the ups and downs. 

When you have meaningful relationships, there’s joy in asking for help. Trusted relationships show us we’re not alone, and the burden is not only yours to carry. Suddenly, you’re able to flip negative narratives, and those mountains don’t feel as big as they once were. 

Rooted in Nature: The Ultimate Health Hack

At Primally Pure, we want to help simplify health, not overcomplicate it. Supporting your body to do its best work is an intentional commitment, but it doesn’t always have to take tons of time or expensive supplements.

There’s so much beauty in simple holistic habits rooted in ancestral wisdom – and confirmed by anecdotal evidence and modern-day science. 

Let’s get back to the basics and reconnect to our health – the way nature intended. 

XO

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Sources: 

1. National Library of Medicine | Examining the Pathways Between Gratitude and Self-Rated Physical Health Across Adulthood
2. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America | Light Exposure During Sleep Impairs Cardiometabolic Function
3. Sleepopolis | Thermoregulation During Sleep: How Room and Body Temperature Affects Your Rest Quality
4. National Library of Medicine | The Effect of Cold Showering on Health and Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial
5. Science Direct | Adapted Cold Shower as a Potential Treatment for Depression
6. BMJ Journals | Open Water Swimming as a Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder
7. National Library of Medicine | Effects of Cold Water Immersion on Muscle Oxygenation During Repeated Bouts of Fatiguing Exercise
8. National Library of Medicine | Voluntary Activation of the Sympathetic Nervous System and Attenuation of the Innate Immune Response in Humans
9. BMJ Journals | What Is the Biochemical and Physiological Rationale for Using Cold-Water Immersion in Sports Recovery? A Systematic Review
10. National Library of Medicine | Altered Brown Fat Thermoregulation and Enhanced Cold-Induced Thermogenesis in Young, Healthy, Winter-Swimming Men
11. National Library of Medicine | Health Effects of Voluntary Exposure to Cold Water – A Continuing Subject of Debate
12. Harvard Health Publishing: Harvard Medical School | Can Hot Baths Protect Your Heart?
13. The Journal of Physiology | Passive Heat Therapy Improves Endothelial Function, Arterial Stiffness and Blood Pressure in Sedentary Humans
14. The Journal of Applied Physiology | The Health Benefits of Passive Heating and Aerobic Exercise: To What Extent Do the Mechanisms Overlap?
15. National Library of Medicine | The Effects of Grounding (Earthing) on Inflammation, the Immune Response, Wound Healing, and Prevention and Treatment of Chronic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases
16. National Library of Medicine | The Biologic Effects of Grounding the Human Body During Sleep as Measured by Cortisol Levels and Subjective Reporting of Sleep, Pain, and Stress
17. National Library of Medicine | The Effects of Grounding (Earthing) on Bodyworkers’ Pain and Overall Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial
18. Journal of the American Heart Association | Gamifying Accelerometer Use Increases Physical Activity Levels of Sedentary Office Workers
19. National Library of Medicine | Why Social Relationships Are Important for Physical Health: A Systems Approach to Understanding and Modifying Risk and Protection  

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