Engaging in Healthy Aging: Five Ways to Reinforce Lifelong Wellness

Thrive • September 22, 2022
By Thrive Sacramento Registered Dietitian Moriah Martin, RDN

Caring for mental and physical health during one’s early years can promote mind-body wellness that endures as a person ages. When consistently implemented throughout one’s life, habits and behaviors such as practicing mindfulness, having good sleep hygiene, eating according to one’s nourishment needs, engaging in joyful movement, and seeking clinical or therapeutic support as needed can have lasting impacts on well-being.

FIVE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHY AGING

Because physical and mental health are closely connected, caring for the body promotes the health of the mind and vice versa. Ways to enhance mind-body wellness throughout one’s lifespan include:

  1. Integrating mindfulness practices : Mindfulness practices such as meditation and methodical breathing can be helpful ways to arrive in the present moment, gain clarity over one’s situation, and face obstacles with full awareness. Often, we as humans attempt to distract ourselves from distressing circumstances. Mindfulness, however, can encourage us to experience and process our thoughts and emotions as well as tune into our bodies, which can guide us to respond rather than react to different situations. By maintaining a consistent mindfulness practice throughout one’s life, a person can mitigate the anxiety and depression that can arise from not residing in the present moment. 
  2. Practicing good sleep hygiene : While sleeping, the body removes toxic waste, repairs damaged cells, and releases health-promoting hormones. Regularly obtaining adequate, quality sleep can help protect against cognitive decline and other health ailments. 
  3. Prioritizing personalized nourishment: How one nourishes their body can immensely influence one’s emotional state. For instance, gut bacteria , which are found in the large intestine, create 95% of the body’s serotonin. By eating adequately, consistently, and including a wide variety of foods in one’s diet, a person can promote optimal lifelong functioning of their body and brain. Additionally, when eating mindfully and intuitively , a person can enjoy eating experiences while personalizing their nutrition without the stress of restrictive food rules.
  4. Engaging in joyful movement . Physical activity can help keep the mind and body healthy as one ages. Sometimes, however, finding one’s favorite ways to move may require some trial and error. By listening to one’s body, adjusting the movement as necessary, and ignoring any harmful internal or external expectations, a person can find exhilaration, empowerment, and enjoyment as they explore the many ways to move. 
  5. Attending therapy: A therapist can provide professional, unbiased guidance to help one develop healthy perspectives for circumstances ranging from trying to joyful. Therapy also can also help individuals build resilience which can promote mental well-being throughout life.

NURTURING MIND-BODY HEALTH AT THRIVE WELLNESS

With interdisciplinary clinicians dedicated to identifying and tending to any upsets to the mind-body balance and providing tools to encourage holistic health, Thrive Wellness is committed to comprehensive care that promotes life-long wellness for the entire person. Reach out to learn more about our mental, behavioral, and physical health care services.

While all Thrive Wellness locations offer interdisciplinary clinical teams who collaborate to treat eating disorders, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), and additional mental and behavioral health conditions, programs and services may vary by location.

About the Author
By Thrive Sacramento Registered Dietitian Moriah Martin, RD

Moriah Martin boasts bachelor’s degrees in nutrition education from San Jose State University and dietetics from the University of Alabama and recently became a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) in California. With several years of experience in corporate wellness and nutrition counseling combined, her passion for promoting well-being is undeniable. As an RDN at Thrive Sacramento, Moriah guides and encourages clients through eating disorder treatment. She takes great pride in walking alongside clients on their path to recovering their relationships with food and their bodies.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Moriah has donated her time and talents to a local LGBTQ center where she provides nutrition counseling and performs cooking demonstrations to community members.

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Discover the power of small, sustainable changes with "How to Thrive: 10 Simple Habits for Healthy Living." This guide offers practical, easy-to-follow habits that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

By Erin McGinty Fort, MS, MHA, CPC, LPC-S, CEDS-C December 18, 2025
Sometimes, people need more support, structure, and monitoring than the typical outpatient setting can provide. When this happens, the treatment team will usually recommend that someone be "stepped up" to a different level of care, or program, that can better meet their needs. I like to think of it as being similar to medication dosages; people need different strengths of medications, or dosages, to get better when they're sick. Stepping someone up to a higher level of care is like increasing the dosage of a medication to match the severity of their symptoms. How Are Higher Levels of Care Different from Standard Outpatient Care? At the core of differentiating higher levels of care from standard outpatient care is the intensity and structure of the treatment. Higher level of care programs tend to offer more days of treatment each week and more hours of treatment per day than in the outpatient setting. Those in higher level of care programs may also meet with their treatment team members more frequently each week. There are more staff present to support someone at or after meals and snacks, or to help those who are having urges to engage in compulsions or other harmful behaviors. Clients in our HLOC programs get access to an assortment of treatment modalities tailored to their individual needs, including personalized therapy sessions, group support, medication management, medical nutrition therapy with a dietitian, and check-ins with our primary care providers. We support clients with personalized treatment plans and regular assessments to monitor and tweak interventions as needed. Higher levels of care also offer increased peer interaction and support. Intensive programs incorporate additional group therapy sessions, which can help those in treatment feel less alone as well as create a greater sense of community. For some people, it can be difficult to devote the time and energy needed to recover while also balancing other responsibilities like school or work. Stepping up to more intensive levels of care allows people to fully dedicate themselves to recovery. As they get better and make progress, a person may be stepped back down to a less intensive level of care to start practicing their recovery in their usual home, school, or work settings while also receiving professional support from their treatment team. What Levels of Care are Available? At Thrive Wellness, we offer four different levels of care to help clients step up (or down) in their treatment when needed: -  Outpatient Treatment - weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meetings with a therapist, psychiatrist, primary care provider, and/or dietitian. - Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) - A minimum of three hours per day, three days per week. - Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) - A minimum of six hours per day, five days per week. - Residential Treatment - Coming soon in 2026, The Greenhouse at Thrive will offer residential treatment for eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This level of care offers 24-hour support for those aged 12-24 living in our residential treatment center. How To Decide Which Level of Care is Right for You If you're unsure which option is right for you or your loved one, we offer a free assessment that can be completed with our admissions team. In this initial assessment, we'll gather information from you about what you're struggling with, speak with our team of providers, and then make a recommendation for what level of care we feel is the best fit for you and your needs. If you’re experiencing symptoms of an eating disorder, anxiety disorder, or other behavioral or mental health challenges, don’t hesitate to reach out. To get started with our intake process, give us a call at 775-525-8103 or fill out this form . We can’t wait to help you Thrive.
December 2, 2025
Like the fir tree, a symbol of endurance rooted in hope, our Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR) approach reflects the strength that grows when families face challenges together. At our new residential center “The Greenhouse”, FIR is more than a treatment model, it’s a philosophy of healing that places families at the heart of recovery for adolescents and young adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We believe lasting healing doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s built with the support of families through perseverance, hope, and compassionate care. What Is Family Inclusive Recovery (FIR)? Family Intensive Recovery (FIR) is a specialized and immersive approach that actively engages caregivers as central agents in their child’s healing process. Rather than seeing families as contributors to a problem, we view them as essential partners in recovery. Drawing from two evidence-based frameworks, Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) and Family-Based Treatment (FBT), FIR helps families cultivate resilience, confidence, and connection throughout the journey to recovery. Grounded in SPACE and FBT Through the SPACE model, parents learn how to recognize and reduce well-intentioned but unhelpful behaviors known as accommodations that can reinforce anxiety and OCD symptoms. By shifting from rescuing to supporting and challenging, parents develop the confidence to guide their child through discomfort, helping them build distress tolerance and self-trust. Simultaneously, Family-Based Treatment (FBT) empowers families to take an active, compassionate role in their child’s nutritional and emotional recovery. Parents learn how to support weight and nutritional restoration, disrupt the eating disorder’s patterns, and reestablish boundaries that promote health and growing autonomy. Together, these approaches strengthen both the individual and family system, allowing recovery to take root within an environment of empathy and optimism. From Blame to Collaboration A cornerstone of the FIR model is removing blame. At Thrive, parents are not viewed as the cause of their child’s struggles, but rather as key partners in recovery. Treatment focuses on joining forces to create a safe, supportive environment where: Families learn to sit with their child's discomfort alongside them without rushing to fix or control it. Parents practice compassionate firmness, setting boundaries grounded in care and safety. Teens and caregivers rebuild trust through open, honest communication. This collaborative framework helps families reestablish a sense of connection and confidence, fostering long-term resilience and open communication that extends beyond the treatment setting. Why Family Matters in Recovery Recovery from eating disorders, OCD, or anxiety isn’t a one-person job, it requires integrated care including the family. When families learn to navigate challenges together, they can model emotional regulation, reinforce healthy boundaries, and create conditions for sustained recovery. Through FIR, we aim to strengthen attachment bonds, reshape family interactions, and empower every member of the family to grow. The result is not only symptom reduction but also a deeper sense of unity, hope, and shared endurance, just like the steadfast fir tree that stands resilient through every season. Moving Toward Hope Family Inclusive Recovery invites caregivers and loved ones to become active participants in change. It’s a journey of learning, letting go, and leaning into love and acceptance. Together, families and clinicians can cultivate the courage in clients to face uncertainty, and in doing so, help them discover that recovery is not just possible, but enduring. If you’d like to learn more about Family Intensive Recovery at The Greenhouse or how we support families in eating disorder and OCD treatment, reach out to our team today.
November 14, 2025
The Greenhouse at Thrive Wellness A New Chapter of Hope and Healing in Nevada On Friday, November 14 , we gathered with our partners at Molina Healthcare to share an important moment for our community. Together, we celebrated Molina’s generous $50,000 grant , an investment that is helping bring The Greenhouse to life. Their support is not only a financial contribution—it’s a statement of belief in the young people and families of Nevada who deserve access to compassionate, evidence-based mental healthcare close to home. This gathering marked the beginning of something we’ve dreamed about for years: a place designed specifically for adolescents and emerging adults to receive the care, connection, and support they need during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. Something New Is Growing In early 2026 , Thrive Wellness will open The Greenhouse , Nevada’s first residential treatment center devoted to adolescents and emerging adults navigating eating disorders, anxiety, and OCD . For too long, families have faced a heartbreaking dilemma—send their child far from home for treatment or go without the specialized care they need. The Greenhouse is our answer to that gap. It will be a place where young people can settle into an environment built for healing, where they are understood, supported, and surrounded by a team that believes in their capacity to recover. The Greenhouse represents a natural extension of our mission. It’s a living expression of our belief that recovery is possible—and that with the right support, families can find their footing again. 
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