Health Beyond the Plate: The Six S’s of Sustainable Wellness
- Dr. Gio Feliciano
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
We spend a lot of time talking about what goes on your plate, and for good reason! Getting a balance of complex carbohydrates with fiber, adequate protein from quality sources, and healthy fats matters tremendously. These macronutrients, along with micronutrients (your vitamins and minerals), are essential building blocks for everything your body does.
But here’s a hard truth many of our clients discover when trying a new diet: you can eat perfectly and still not feel your best.
Why? Because building solid health means going much deeper than nutrition alone. You need to start from a firm foundation.
Think about it: you’re juggling work deadlines, social schedules, maybe a career and parenthood simultaneously. You’re running on six hours of sleep, haven’t seen sunlight in days except through your car window, and your idea of “me time” is scrolling your phone at 11 PM. Sound familiar?
That’s why we’re launching our new series: Health Beyond the Plate.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore what we call the Six S’s of Sustainable Wellness — Serenity, Sleep, Sweat, Sunlight, Support, and Systems.
Each one strengthens the others, creating the structure that helps your healthy habits actually hold up. Today, let’s lay them out and see where we can start reinforcing!
1. Serenity: The Foundation of Calm
Let’s be honest: this year feels stressful! The holidays are around the corner, work is demanding, and somehow you’re supposed to have it all together. A little stress can motivate us, but when it tips into distress, it becomes harmful.
Serenity isn’t the absence of stress; it’s the skill of returning to calm. Life won’t stop being busy, but you can train your body and mind to recover faster when pressure builds.
The science is clear. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which can disrupt everything—your sleep, your immune system, even your metabolism. Learning to recognize your triggers is the first step. Then it’s about building a toolkit that helps you return to serenity when stress shows up. Deep breathing, short breaks, reflection, gratitude, and asking yourself, “What can I actually control here?” can all help you reset.
Sometimes the most powerful tool for finding serenity is simply choosing how you respond when you can’t change the circumstances.
Think about the stresses in your life right now. How different would things be with a dose of serenity?
2. Sleep: The Foundation of Recovery
While you sleep, your body is anything but inactive. This is when deep healing and restoration happen.
During deep sleep stages, your body produces growth hormone, clears metabolic waste from your brain, and strengthens your immune system. Skimp on sleep, and you’ll notice it everywhere: your energy, your mood, your ability to make good food choices, even your ability to workout effectively.
Research consistently shows that adults need 7–8 hours per night, and consistent timing is just as important as duration.
Unfortunately, parents often have extra challenges with busy schedules, night wakings, and kid unpredictability. We’re experiencing this right now with our two little toddlers! But there is always a chance to get better and create routines that will benefit both you and your whole family.
Let’s think about it. How can you prioritize sleep and build systems to protect it?
3. Sweat: The Foundation of Strength
When you move enough to break a sweat, your body shows you it’s doing its job. Your heart pumps more efficiently, delivering oxygen to your tissues. At the cellular level, respiration kicks in: oxygen flows into your cells, carbon dioxide flows out, and waste gets cleared. It’s like taking out the trash at a microscopic level, and it happens best when you’re moving.
But here’s what matters most: choose movement you actually enjoy. Love biking? Bike! Prefer walking in nature? Perfect! Swimming, dancing, hiking—it all counts! Mix in some cardio for your heart, some strength training (yes, even lifting a bottle of water or rice sack is a start!), stretching, and balance work. The key is finding what makes you want to come back tomorrow.
Every drop of sweat is a reminder that your body is alive, capable, and working for you.
What type of movement do you enjoy and can make part of your everyday routine?
4. Sunlight: The Foundation of Renewal
When you step outside, something shifts. The sunlight hits your skin, the air fills your lungs, and suddenly your body remembers how it’s meant to feel. Light, fresh air, and nature work together to renew your energy in ways indoor life never can.
Sunlight itself does remarkable things. Morning light helps set your circadian rhythm so sleep comes easier at night. Midday rays (brief and mindful of your skin type) help your skin synthesize vitamin D, which supports your immune system, bone health, and mood regulation. But the sun is only part of the story.
Time in nature lowers blood pressure, improves focus, and reduces stress hormones. Even a few minutes outdoors can calm your nervous system and lift your mood. Breathing fresh air delivers more oxygen to your tissues, and if you’re moving while you’re out there, you multiply the benefits!
Even 10–15 minutes of morning light and open air can help regulate your sleep cycle and restore your sense of balance. Sunlight is our symbol for renewal, but it’s the whole outdoor experience—light, air, movement, and space—that brings your body back to life.
Are you getting your daily dose of sunshine and nature?
5. Support: The Foundation of Belonging
Here’s something that doesn’t always make it into health conversations but absolutely should: your relationships are one of your greatest health assets.
Strong social connection is one of the most reliable predictors of longevity. People who feel supported—whether by friends, family, faith communities, or even a workout buddy—tend to have lower inflammation, better immune function, and more resilient hearts. Support doesn’t just make life easier; it actually changes how your body responds to stress!
And support matters most when it’s shared. It could be a friend you text after a tough day, a spouse who joins you for an evening walk, or a group that keeps you motivated to stay consistent. When you have someone in your corner, healthy habits feel lighter and more sustainable.
In a world that celebrates independence, remember that health was never meant to be a solo project. We heal better together!
Who do you have in your support corner cheering you on your wellness journey?
6. Systems: The Foundation of Sustainability
This is where everything comes together. You can know all the right things to do, but if your environment doesn’t support them, you’re fighting an uphill battle.
Our motto at MediChem is “building healthy habits,” and habits don’t happen in a vacuum. They happen within systems. This means setting up your bedroom for good sleep. Keeping your workout equipment where you’ll actually use it (or finding a walking route you love). Meal-prepping on Sundays so healthy eating isn’t a daily scramble. Building a morning routine that sets the tone for your day.
As James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, puts it: “You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.”
That’s what we mean by systems: designing your environment so that the right choices become the easy choices.
Take a moment to think about your environment. Have you set it up to make it easier to take care of yourself?
What’s Next
Over the coming weeks, we’ll expand on each of these Six S’s with individual deep-dive blogs. We’ll share the latest research, practical strategies you can implement right away, and real-world examples of how to make these changes stick, even with a busy schedule.
Because here’s what we believe: you deserve to feel energized, strong, and vibrant in your body.
Not someday when life calms down (spoiler: it won’t), but now, in the middle of everything you’re juggling.
Ready to Go Deeper?
If you’re reading this and thinking, “Yes, but where do I even start?” We hear you!
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Or, apply for a one-on-one consultation where we’ll assess where you are within these Six S’s and create a personalized roadmap for your health goals.
We go through the hard science so you don’t have to, and then help you build the systems that make lasting change possible.
Let's build those healthy habits together. You've got this, and we've got you!
Giomarell Feliciano, M.D., MPH, NBC-HWC
is a medical doctor and board-certified health coach who helps busy professionals reclaim their wellness through plant-based nutrition, emotional resilience, and sustainable lifestyle changes.
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