Insights on women’s healthcare from Dr. Jennifer Habashy of Strata Med
Let’s be real: women are often so busy taking care of everyone else, their own health ends up on the back burner. That’s why Dr. Jennifer Habashy – one of our top female doctors here at Strata Med—put together this guide. It’s packed with practical tips, reminders, and mindset shifts to help you put yourself back on the priority list (without the guilt).
Your wellbeing matters—and this guide is here to support that.
10 Ways Women can Prioritize their Health and Wellbeing
by Dr. Jennifer Habashy, Assistant Medical Director & Naturopathic Medical Doctor
1. Come back to the basics. Before chasing the latest wellness trend, make sure the foundations are in place: sleep, whole food nutrition, movement, stress regulation, and meaningful connection. These simple habits are powerful medicine.
2. Listen to your body, not social media. Every woman is different. What works for someone else might not work for you. If something feels off, trust that – your symptoms are signals.
3. Focus on nourishment, not restriction. Instead of cutting things out constantly, ask what your body needs more of. Nutrient density matters more than diet labels.
4. Support your gut. A healthy gut is foundational to hormone balance, immunity, mood, and metabolism. Prioritize fiber, fermented foods, and hydration. Don’t ignore digestive symptoms as they’re often the first clue something deeper is going on.
5. Test, don’t guess. Instead of guessing what supplement to try next or which food to eliminate, work with a provider to run labs that look at hormones, nutrients, inflammation, and gut health. It’s faster, more effective, and often less overwhelming.
6. Understand the connection between stress and symptoms. Chronic stress isn’t just mental – it impacts thyroid function, blood sugar, immune response, and even your cycle. Learning to regulate stress through breath work, boundaries, or nature time can be just as therapeutic as any supplement.
7. Prioritize sleep like it’s your job. Poor sleep affects everything – your mood, hormones, weight, cravings, and immune function. Aim for 7–9 hours of consistent, high-quality sleep and give your nervous system time to wind down at night.
8. Track your cycle. Your menstrual cycle is a vital sign. Changes in flow, length, symptoms, or PMS can give early clues about hormone imbalances, thyroid issues, or nutrient deficiencies.
9. Reframe movement. Exercise should energize you, not deplete you. Choose forms of movement that support your current life season – sometimes that’s strength training, other times it’s walking and rest.
10. Think root-cause, not just symptom relief. This is where a functional medicine approach shines – especially for autoimmune disorders, which disproportionately affect women. Instead of just managing flares, we look for what’s triggering immune dysfunction in the first place: gut imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, chronic infections, toxins, or unresolved trauma.
What does Self Care mean to you? Consider these 3 Simple Concepts
“Self-care” has become a popular term in recent years, but what does it truly mean to you? While it’s deeply personal and unique to every woman, here are three helpful ways to define and shape your own self-care plan.
Commit to consistency without rigidity. Sometimes we make things harder than they need to be. We all know that eating right, exercise, and sleep are important to physical and mental health, but it’s easy to get caught up in the right way of doing things. Instead of striving for perfection, accept that sometimes good enough really is good enough! Try consistency with these 5 daily basics:
- Drink 64 ounces of water.
- Eat 5-9 whole fruits and vegetables.
- Move your body at least 30 minutes.
- Aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night.
- Breathe. Take a few slow, deep breaths when you feel yourself getting worked up about something. Dial back that stress response before it spins out of control.
Say Yes! to saying No! An essential part of self-care is setting limits. If you find yourself quick to say Yes! to another work project, volunteer opportunity or other activity, you will likely find yourself overscheduled and short-changing your health. There are only 24 hours in the day. Make sure you are at the top of your priority list so that you can bring your best to the rest.
Re-consider how you reward yourself. Have you ever felt sick and exhausted after a night out or weekend away that was supposed to be relaxing and fun? In an effort to treat yo’self, do you actually self-sabotage? When planning your next celebration, think about what you really want. Excitement and fun? Peace and calm? Entertainment or activity? Plan something with friends (or by yourself!) that won’t give you a hangover the next day. There are many ways to find enjoyment that don’t involve overindulging in decadent food, drink, and sleep deprivation. Because the next day, that doesn’t feel like much of a reward.
Going beyond these steps, Strata’s Women’s Lifestyle Membership and a la carte services offer a personalized path to wellness, perfectly tailored to meet your unique needs, align with your body, and fulfill your goals.
Conclusion
Schedule a Complimentary Discovery Session with a Wellness Coordinator, or call 719-748-6949 to schedule an appointment with any of our providers.
About the AuthorS
Jennifer Habashy
NMD, MS, Assistant Medical Director
Specialties Include: General Health and Wellness, Hormone Optimization, Weight Management, Thyroid and Metabolic Health, and Anti-aging Medicine.
