Are you majoring in the minors?

I was listening to a talk with another fitness professional recently and she said that her neighbor asked her about this new mitochondrial supplement and wondered if he should start taking it. Her response was priceless: “How many vegetables have you eaten today?” her neighbor said, “None.” To which she responded, “Then don’t even think about a mitochondrial supplement, you’re not doing the bare minimum.” (shout out to Juliet Starett for getting my wheels turning on this one.)

It got me to thinking about the messages that the wellness industry puts out and how confusing it can be for all of us - even for those of us in the industry!  I think it’s worth noting that the global wellness market was valued at an estimated $6.8 trillion in 2024. From supplements to fitness trends, we’re being pulled (and pushed) in many different directions so before jumping into the next trend, give your life a quick audit: are you trying to major in the minors?

1. Sleep.

2. Water.

3. General Daily Movement (ideal 7500 steps minimum).

4. Protein. Veggies. Fiber.

5. Human Connection.

   
   

Those are the majors. They’re the non-negotiable things we need as a base for our overall health. Read that again, as a base for our overall health, the literal foundation of our well-being. There’s nothing trendy or even exciting about that list but if you’re not already doing them regularly, once you begin making these 5 things a priority you’ll start feeling a shift in your health right away.  With these as your building blocks, you may then find that you have the space to add to your wellness practices and if so, add

1. Regular Strength Training and mobility work (choose your form of training, yoga to Pilates to picking up heavy weights or just keeping up with little kids who you can’t

2. Addressing vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Instead of guessing (or falling for fancy marketing and supplementing with something you may or may not need), get your vitamin and mineral levels tested by your doctor or functional practitioner. Now, you may be thinking, “if I’m deficient in X it should be part of the majors”. Yes, and no. Remember, you may be deficient in that thing because you’re not doing the bare minimum – protein, veggies, fiber, sleep, water and movement may be what you needed to dig yourself out of a certain deficiency. And obviously, if your doctor notices a deficiency on routine testing... follow their guidelines while working on your foundation.

From there, you may find other fitness and wellness trends that really do make you feel good – if so, have at it! Fasting, red light therapy, cold plunges, and even mitochondrial supplements can be incredible. Tack those things on later … if you still need them!

Start with the majors – they are your foundation.  You wouldn’t try to decorate a house that didn’t have a foundation.  Don’t get lost in the flashy trends before you build a solid base of most essential needs.