As March brings the first whispers of spring, our bodies are quietly adjusting to more than just warmer temperatures. The changing season affects everything from our sleep patterns to our immune systems, yet these shifts often go unnoticed until they manifest as unexpected fatigue, mood changes, or seasonal allergies.
Research shows that our bodies maintain internal seasonal rhythms that evolved over thousands of years. When daylight hours extend and temperatures rise, our bodies begin producing different hormones, altering our metabolism, and even changing how we process certain nutrients.
For many people, this transition period can be challenging. The body's natural clock is recalibrating, and this adjustment requires energy – energy that might otherwise fuel your workday productivity or evening family time.
For me, there are a handful of simple strategies that can help ease this transition:
Morning sunlight exposure can reset your circadian rhythm, improving sleep quality and energy levels. Even 10-15 minutes of natural light upon waking makes a difference.
Gradually shifting your sleep schedule by 15-minute increments helps your body adapt to changing daylight hours without the shock of sudden time changes.
Seasonal eating by incorporating emerging spring produce like asparagus, peas, and leafy greens – provides the specific nutrients your body needs during this transition.
Pay attention to your water intake, as many people experience dehydration during seasonal shifts without realizing it, mistaking thirst for fatigue or hunger.
Understanding these natural rhythms isn't just about avoiding discomfort – it's about working with your body's innate wisdom rather than against it. By acknowledging and supporting these seasonal shifts, you can experience more energy, better mood stability, and stronger immunity during this time of renewal.
While many teams aren't focused on seasonal shifts, Healthtek is cognizant of how our own team needs adjustments each season. We also recognize that our technology should consider this adjustment in the user interface and through wellness challenges.
Let me know if seasonal shifts are impacting your health?
Talk soon, Yon Hardisty
In this issue:
The Genomic Revolution:
Precision Medicine in 2025
A Closer Look Into:
Neurodiversity
Don't Miss!
Wellbeing Wednesdays
Spotlight on:
MindWell Balance5: Five Actions to Fostering Mental Health Within
Organizations
Upcoming Webinar
Building Resilient Youth: Equipping Teens and Adults with Lifesaving Mental Health Skills
Join us for an impactful webinar as Tammy Diehn, Founder & Executive Director, leads a critical conversation about building resilient youth by equipping teens and adults with lifesaving mental health skills. 2B CONTINUED's mission is to increase awareness of suicide prevention, mental health & wellness through advocacy, education, and outreach.
Imagine a world where your doctor no longer guesses which medicine might work for you, but knows it with certainty. In many healthcare institutions, this is now a reality. DNA sequencing that once cost billions now costs less than a nice dinner out. What's happened? Since 2003, the price dropped from $3 billion to under $200 today. This isn't just a scientific curiosity - it's changing lives. When someone gets cancer now, about 38% of them receive treatments specifically designed for their genetic makeup, up from just 11% five years ago. These aren't minor improvements either - people are living 27% longer with cancers that were practically death sentences before, like pancreatic cancer. Your genes now guide your medications too, with 65 million people getting better results and 42% fewer side effects because their doctors know which drugs will actually work for their bodies.
Improvements to CRISPR
Remember when we first heard about CRISPR? It sounded like science fiction - editing genes like text in a document. Now it's just... medicine. There are 17 approved treatments using this technology, including ones that actually cure sickle cell disease. Twelve thousand people who once faced a lifetime of pain and early death are now healthy. And we're not stopping with rare diseases anymore. Early trials for conditions that affect millions - like certain inherited high cholesterol disorders that strike 1 in 250 people - are showing amazing results, with 78% of patients responding positively. The technology itself has gotten remarkably precise too. Those early concerns about accidentally changing the wrong genes? That problem is essentially solved, with unwanted effects reduced by 99.7%.
Genetic Body Interaction
We're not just looking at genes anymore, but at how they interact with everything else in your body. Your proteins, your metabolism, even the bacteria living inside you - all of it matters. Scientists are connecting these dots using AI to see patterns that humans alone could never spot. Already, 14 million people have contributed their data to this effort, creating a treasure map of human health. The result? Hospitals are seeing 31% fewer admissions among people who were once considered high-risk, because we can intervene before they get sick. This matters most for illnesses that used to be maddeningly difficult to diagnose, like autoimmune disorders. Problems that once took nearly five years to properly identify now can be spotted and addressed in months, often before they've caused serious damage.
If you'd like to learn more about innovative technology that supports breakthroughs in healthcare, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Every March, Neurodiversity Celebration Week shines a light on the incredible strengths and talents of neurodivergent individuals. It’s a time to celebrate different ways of thinking and to encourage more inclusive communities—whether in schools, workplaces, or everyday life. This week reminds us that conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia aren’t deficits – they are just different ways of experiencing the world.
Join us at 9:00 A.M. PT for Wellbeing Wednesday, where we help individuals cultivate mindfulness, relaxation, and focus. It's free to join, and we encourage everyone to offer this opportunity to your clients.
Kaitlin Daeges is a mental health professional in the Minneapolis Minnesota region focused on helping organizations recognize early signs of employee burnout and crisis. Kaitlin has suffered great loss in her life and has been inspired to help others in a similar circumstance. Early prevention is key.
Kaitlin noticed that most HR teams aren't equipped with the necessary tools and training to do this on their own because most EAP solutions fall well short in the training and tools necessary to make a real difference. She visits businesses that have a commitment to building a better mental health program in their organization but often times don't know where to start.
Prevention, early recognition, and crisis intervention—these critical components of mental health support are missing from today's standard EAP offerings. MindWell Balance5 fills this gap with a comprehensive Circle of Mental Health approach.
Kaitlin stated that, "this solution empowers your employees to identify trigger points before they cascade into serious issues. By building an internal support network, we transform your organization's culture and provide practical tools that make a difference."
MindWell Balance5 creates a dedicated task force within your company that actively shapes behavioral health outcomes through expert training and timely intervention strategies. The innovative program doesn't just respond to crises—it works to prevent them.
It's important that all companies invest in your most valuable asset—their people—with a mental health solution that truly works.
To learn more about the MindWell Balance5 program contact Kaitlin Daeges directly at kaitlin@livinfoundation.org
Yon Hardisty April 2025 Issue #12: America's Stress Epidemic: How To Push Back View on the web → In the quiet moments between notifications, beneath the hum of fluorescent lights and the soft tapping of keyboards, a silent epidemic thrives. Like water slowly eroding stone, chronic stress has become the invisible architect of America's workplace challenges—reshaping our bodies, minds, and productivity in ways both subtle and profound. As our devices blur the boundaries between professional and...
Yon Hardisty February 2025 Issue #10: How Government Changes Will Impact Healthcare View on the web → If you've been following the news lately, the President and his Department of Governmental Efficiency (or D.O.G.E) are currently taking a hatchet to government programs to reduce federal debt. No matter if you're for these changes or are against them, one thing is for certain; the government is about to dramatically reshape how Americans receive and administer their healthcare. Many programs,...
Yon Hardisty January 2025 Issue #9: Reimagining Care Through Inclusive Design View on the web → Healthcare isn't just about healing—it's about creating environments where every mind can thrive. In recent studies, tremendous progress is being made to better understand the brain. The human mind is extremely complex and to a certain extent, mysterious in many ways. More focus as of late has been placed on neurohealth and neurodiversity. At Healthtek, we're pioneering a more neurocentric approach...