Our lifestyle expert’s best practices for better well-being

Time and again, science shows how a healthy lifestyle weighs heavily in leading a long, healthy, and happy life. Not like in the fairy tales with all’s well that ends well, but simply in your human way; through trial and error. Our lifestyle-trained doctors and dieticians also work from the philosophy that prevention is better than cure. They are often asked what they do for their well-being. So here we are, five lifestyle experts share their healthy habits.

Research suggests that even small improvements in habits, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and managing stress, can have strong health benefits and reduce the risk of all kinds of diseases. We asked five lifestyle experts about the habits and daily rituals that work for them.

Daniël Schotborgh is a lifestyle doctor at OpenUp. His expertise is in lifestyle and preventive medicine, biohacks, mindset, mind-body medicine, and mindfulness.

“Meditating. That is without a doubt the most powerful habit in my life. Meditation is one of the strongest, safest, and easiest ways to improve the hardware and software of your brain. It has so many benefits on both physical and mental levels and helps you break free from obstructive, repetitive thoughts and autopilot. It changes the way you look and how you interact with yourself and the world, literally and figuratively.”

“Besides meditation, I recommend trying out intermittent fasting. It’s not for everyone, but it’s definitely worth discovering what it can do for you.”

“I start my day with drinking water, a gratitude exercise, and a cold shower. Then I do my 10-20-10 routine: ten minutes of exercise, twenty minutes of meditation, and ten minutes of growth; reading a book, listening to a podcast, writing, or taking a course.”

“I’m trying to cut out sugar, which is a challenge because I’m a real sweet tooth. This started an interesting internal dialogue. For instance, I’ve discovered that I often link food and sugary foods to rewards and social events. Now that I eat less sugar, I have fewer cravings for it too. And I no longer experience brain fog.”

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Nadia Mennes is a lifestyle doctor at OpenUp. Being aware of your body and needs is the most powerful thing For her, well-being is all about finding and maintaining vitality, energy, and connection, despite life’s challenges. She specialises in mind-body medicine, lifestyle medicine and is trained as a certified coach.

“You are what you eat, so I make sure I eat food that gives me energy and is good for my body. I eat a lot of vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits, drink enough water, and I don’t use much processed food. In addition, I really take the time to enjoy what I eat.”

“Walking in nature. There are so many studies showing that nature and our well-being are connected. Walking in the forest reduces physical stress but also strengthens your immune system. It’s good for your physical as well as mental well-being.”

“Since awareness is the first step towards action, being aware of your needs is the most powerful thing you can do for your well-being. Every morning, I check in with myself: how do I feel? What does my body need today? How do I want to experience this day? It helps me keep the balance between the things that need to be done and the things I like to do, or that do me good (like writing, reading, being in nature, meditating, being with the kids, being creative, dancing, etc.). By checking in with myself, I increase the chances of actually making space for these things. Even if it’s just for a little while.”

“I try to do strength training once a week now. I could be more disciplined when it comes to sports. I like yoga, dancing, and walking but now that I turned 40, it becomes more important to train my muscles. A shoulder injury made me start this, but I want to keep on going. It’s good for my hormonal balance and for maintaining strong muscles and bones. Now that I train weekly, I feel more confident and happier.”

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Rianne Toenhake is a lifestyle doctor at OpenUp. For her, vitality is all about feeling good in your body and being in control of your health. She specialises in lifestyle and integrative medicine and the female body.

“A quiet start and end of the day, to consciously check in with yourself. Even if it’s only for two minutes: make this moment a sacred one!“

“Physiological sighing. That means taking one deep breath in, immediately followed by another sharp inhalation and a slow, sighing exhalation. It’s simple and you can do it anywhere. Even if you do it for just five minutes, it can already improve your mood, reduce feelings of anxiety, and help calm your breathing. Try it yourself.”

“My routine changes depending on my menstrual cycle and the season. For instance, winter requires different habits than summer. But if there’s one thing that’s important to me all year round and has a huge impact on how I feel, it’s connecting with the people who are important to me.“

“I’m trying to pay more attention to moments of wandering off. Just looking out the window, consciously cutting vegetables, or cycling without music; it’s about being completely in the moment. Those are the moments that really give your mind a break. As crazy as it sounds, it feels like a mini holiday for your brain.”

Aäron Spapens is a lifestyle doctor and lead academy at OpenUp. He believes in positive health and looks at opportunities rather than limitations. There’s so much potential in healthy food, more and better exercise, connection with others, conscious breathing, and regular relaxation.

“I exercise at least one hour a day to ‘compensate’ for any sedentary behaviour, as far as I can. At the same time, exercise helps me feel good physically and mentally and stay healthy.”

“Breathing calmly. Your breath is the reflection of your state of being, so it makes a lot of sense to consciously breathe slower from time to time. Conscious breathing also improves your unconscious breath. And a calm breath makes for a calm mind.”

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“I exercise and do breathing exercises every day. I also integrate breathing exercises with cycling when I go from home to work and back again.”

“I’m trying to do more mobility exercises. Both to promote exercise and to minimise its negative effects. At the same time, mobility training makes you more aware of your posture, allowing you to adjust it. And good posture, in turn, gives a certain sense of freedom in your body. I already apply this, but my hips and shoulders in particular are not as mobile as I would like. When I do mobility exercises during sports as well as everyday actions, I do notice real improvements.”

Nana Rots van Toningen is a lifestyle doctor and team lead at OpenUp. She believes in a holistic approach to health since everything is connected. She specialises in occupational and lifestyle medicine and has a big interest in the mind-body connection and the stress system.

“I start my day with a 30 minute run or walk in nature with my dog. This really helps me to calm my mind and start my day in a good way.”

“Take care of your gut. Feed the good bacteria in the gut with lots of vegetables and fiber. A healthy gut is essential for good health, both physically and mentally.”

“I try to eat healthy, exercise every other day, and take 10,000 steps a day. Although it always remains a challenge as a working mom, I try to have a good balance between work and private life. Meditation helps me with this. Also, I take small breaks during the day and go for another walk at lunch.”

“For a couple of months, I’ve been exercising more often and started doing different kinds of sports. This gives me more energy and improves my sleep a lot.”