Why I quit stretching?
Plus Three Things That Significantly Improved My Health This Year
In mainstream fitness and rehab spaces it’s become completely normal to only prescribe stretching as the fix for tightness.
You’ve probably been told to stretch your hip flexors, hamstrings, or some other “tight” area to feel better.
And maybe you do feel a temporary release, but by the next day, the tightness is back.
For years
I felt extremely tight in my hamstrings
I did the foam rolling, the stretching, the occasional massage
But the tightness never left
In the back of my mind, I’d always say
“If only I had more time to stretch, this would go away”
It took me years to learn this:
Your body doesn’t get tight just to get tight
It gets tight to protect you
And it’s no surprise
We live in a system that constantly tells us to bulldoze through the body’s signals
To ignore the why
And just fix the symptom
Stretching often only treats the symptom
It overlooks the deeper reason your body is holding on in the first place
Tightness can come from stress, lifestyle patterns, or a lack of stability in your posture.
Your body holds tension when it doesn’t feel safe.
In this video, I share why stretching alone hasn’t been working and how a lack of stability might be the missing piece.
And keep reading because I’m also sharing three things I’ve done this year that have significantly improved my health.
Three Things That Significantly Improved My Health This Year
Please do your own research before trying anything new. I am simply sharing what worked for me.
1. Finally found a way to sustainably increase my ferritin & iron level
I have struggled with low iron and ferritin for years. I was plant based for over a decade, also went through hormonal issues that led to a year long period of heavy bleeding. Even after supplementing with iron consistently (this one was the only one that ever made a dent), my ferritin levels stayed stubbornly low.
This year, I learned something that changed everything:
Iron needs copper to be properly metabolized and transported in the body. Without enough copper, iron can build up in tissues without making it into the blood in a usable form.
Around the same time, I was reading Super Gut by Dr. William Davis and was reminded of how common iodine deficiency has become in modern diets, especially in industrialized food systems.
So I decided to try this thyroid support supplement that included both copper and iodine, along with selenium, zinc, and other supportive minerals. Within a week, I felt a massive shift in my energy and mental clarity.
Only three months later, while in Iran, I got a full blood panel done and for the first time ever, my ferritin levels were in a healthy range. I had never seen that before. The energy change made perfect sense.
I rarely talk about supplements because I believe they are highly individual and context dependent. But the impact of this one was so clear, I felt it was worth sharing. Again, do your own research, check your labs, and work with a practitioner if needed.
2. Eating first thing in the morning
I used to start eating later in the day. Not because I was fasting. I had learned many years ago that with my history of PCOS, adding another layer of stress was not a good idea. But often, I ate later in the morning simply because I wanted to get on with my day.
The truth is, many of us are already running on adrenaline and cortisol from the moment we wake up. For me, delaying food meant staying in a stress response for longer. I felt more agitated, scattered, and eventually burned out.
This year, I shifted that. I started eating something grounding as soon as I wake up, usually with protein, fat, and some slow carbs. It has been a game changer for regulating my mood, energy, and overall sense of nervous system safety.
If you are in a season of healing your stress response, this is worth exploring. Food is information, and eating early sends the body a signal: you are safe. You do not have to run.
3. Increasing my vitamin D intake
After immigrating 14 years ago, first to Vancouver, now to the UK, vitamin D became a lifelong supplement. But for years, I only took the standard 1000 IU dose.
This year, I learned that many of us may need significantly more than that, especially those of us with darker skin, low sun exposure, or autoimmune tendencies. Vitamin D plays a critical role in immune regulation, mood stability, hormone balance, and calcium metabolism.
I slowly increased my dosage first to 5000 IU, then to 10000 IU daily. One important thing I learned is that vitamin D does not work like a quick fix. It is fat soluble, which means it is stored in the body and accumulates gradually over time. Raising your levels requires consistency, not megadosing for a few days, but steady support over weeks and months. If your levels are low, it may take time to feel the shift, but once your system replenishes, the difference can be profound. Track your levels if you are adjusting your intake.
If you feel called to explore working with me to repattern their body, regulate their nervous system, and restore their power, book an alignment call here: https://calendly.com/hedishah/initial-consultation
⚖️Join me live for a monthly reset
< Wednesday, May 28 at 13:15 GMT >
These sessions are designed to release the stress you have been carrying, reconnect with your body’s wisdom, and step into the new month with clarity and intention. In the final week of each month, we will come together for:
Nonlinear movement to shake off tension and emotional residue
Guided reflection to integrate what the month brought
Intentional planning to meet the next cycle grounded and resourced
This is about returning to your center, unconditioning yourself from systems built to keep you small, and living a sovereign life.
Come as you are. Leave lighter, clearer, and more connected. Prepration:
{ Wear comfy clothes . Have plenty of space to move around . Bring a pen and paper }
👁️ In case you missed it
A few highlights from last week
Embracing the Trickster Energy
On disruption, sacred mischief, and letting chaos initiate clarity → Read
Affirmations to Return to Your Whole Self
Words that anchor you back into sovereignty, breath, and trust → Watch
Little Joys We All Need Reminders Of
A gentle nudge to hold reverence for the life you once dreamed of → ReadYour Nervous System Is Your Business Plan
A featured blog for entrepreneurs and creatives → ReadWhy I Stopped Using the Word “Overwhelmed” in 2025
Here is why this shift mattered → Read
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Bodyworker & Mindfulness Teacher
🌊 Teaching change makers to uncondition their bodies, nervous systems, and voices from systems built to keep them small so they can move, speak, and live with sovereign power.
📲 Website | Youtube | LinkedIn | Insight Timer