Back to School, Back to You. How to Reset Your Health after a Fun (if a little chaotic) Summer!

Back to school

This week at work and on client calls, the theme has been getting back on track; a desire to get back on structure and routine and finally getting the kids back to school and on to their routine as well! Summer is my favorite season. I personally do not want it to end. I of course come from a tropical country, so I do not mind the heat.

Back to school signifies the end of summer and the return to (perceived) normalcy for a lot of households. For ours, it is a different story. In a few days we're moving our only son to Colorado for college. And so, for the coming months we are navigating a transition to our empty nest period. I might write another blogpost just to unpack that!

My summer travels have brought me to Spain and Scotland. Spain and their laid back, siesta and late nights made it difficult to adhere to my reliable meal timing. And afternoon tea with sandwiches and delicious sconces and desserts in Edinburgh with friends was a precious experience. There's a phrase that I wrote from the last blog post: your well-being isn’t measured by how “perfect” your choices are, but by how fully you show up for the life you want to live.

Living with intention is what I try to practice everyday. Mind you, I'm not "perfect" and rather, far from it. But I keep trying everyday. And as everyone ease into some kind of familiar routine or a new stage of life in the coming weeks, I invite you to do it with intention.

How do we do that?

How to Reset with Intention

A lot of you would be returning or have returned to work mode - like our teachers, professors, counselors; some are recovering from jet lag; some are returning to juggling school drop-offs and pick-ups; wasn't it nice to not have school traffic in the mornings? I love summer for that reason, too! Or—like me—adjusting to a brand new life stage, now is a great time to reflect and realign. And no, that doesn’t mean jumping into a strict diet or rigid routine.

Here’s how you can reset your health with intention, compassion, and sustainability:

1. Anchor to One or Two Habits

Forget trying to change everything at once. Start by identifying 1–2 foundational habits that help you feel grounded.

• A morning walk

• Packing lunch the night before

• A consistent wake-up time

These little things add up, especially when life feels in transition.

2. Simplify Your Meals

Summer often brings spontaneity and irregular meal timing. Some patients would ask me about a cleanse or restrictive diets; I gently recommend planning simple meals that stabilize your energy and blood sugar. Rather than punishing yourself with a reset cleanse or restrictive eating.

Reintroduce meal timing if it helps you

• Focus on protein + fiber + healthy fat combos

• Use what you already have on hand — no need for elaborate meal prep. Although, you're welcome to, if you have the bandwidth for it. I for one certainly don't! Easy (and simple) does it, too!

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3. Protect Your Sleep

This one is so me. I am called the sleep police in my household! With long days and late sunsets, sleep may have taken a hit. But sleep is your metabolic foundation.

• Aim for a consistent bedtime

• Cut screen time 30 minutes before bed

• Try a wind-down routine to signal your brain it’s safe to rest

Bonus tip: Morning light exposure can help reset your circadian rhythm after summer disruption. Also, another bonus tip when travelling through different time zones. The Timeshifter app has been a game changer for me! Hardly no jet lags!

4. Name Your Season

Maybe you’re launching into the school year chaos. Or maybe, like me, you’re entering a quieter, unfamiliar stage of parenting. Wherever you are, name it, honor it, and decide what matters now.

Ask yourself:

• What do I want to feel more of this month?

• What support do I need?

• What needs to go so I can protect my peace?

If it is not a resounding "Hell, yes!" Then maybe it can drop off your calendar.

5. Remember: Progress, Not Perfection

Coming back to structure doesn’t mean aiming for perfection. It means moving with intention — even when things aren’t ideal. When we aim for perfection, we delay doing things until, "the timing is right", "when things settle down",

As I wrote in my last post:

“Your well-being isn’t measured by how ‘perfect’ your choices are, but by how fully you show up for the life you want to live.”

Let that guide your choices this season.

Final Thoughts

This August might look different for all of us — you might be waving goodbye at a kindergarten classroom -- I swear for us, that felt just like yesterday; leaving work early enough to make the soccer games or practices, or packing for college drop-off and worrying what this chapter would look like for them and for you.

Let this be an invitation to return to yourself. Not in a rigid way, but with care, clarity, and a lot of grace.

Let’s stop chasing a “perfect” routine and instead build one that supports us right where we are.

DISCLAIMER: Lea Famularcano, MD is a medical doctor, but she is not your doctor. Topics discussed are purely informational only. She is not offering medical advice on this website.  If you are in need of professional advice or medical care, you must seek out the services of your doctor or health care professional.