Routines Over Resolutions: 12 Healthy Habits for Your Microbiome

Written by Megan Falk: Experienced health and wellness journalist and editor. Megan is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Magazine Journalism and a minor in Food Studies. She’s also a certified personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise.
Reviewed by Jennie O’Grady: Senior SciComms Specialist at Seed Health

“New year, new me” may be a popular phrase come January 1, but instead, we’d propose heading into 2025 with a “New year, same microbes” mindset.

The microbiomes of your body are habitats of habit, and their ecosystems thrive on moderation and balance. This means that gradual changes tend to be less destabilizing to your resident microbial communities—and more effective in the long run. 

Here are 12 routines that can support three of your body’s microbiomes this year: the gut, the skin, and the vagina. 

For the Gut Microbiome:

1. Quit fad dieting for good and adopt a mentality of more.

In 2025, don’t fall for the next “latest and greatest” diet plan to pop up on your TikTok feed. Extreme diets can be problematic for many reasons—not least of which is their impact on the gut microbiome. 

When you suddenly cut out entire food groups or drastically increase your intake of certain nutrients, you risk “shocking” the microbiome, resulting in a decline in beneficial bacteria that depend on those nutrients.¹ This can manifest in gas and bloating, fatigue and low energy, and low mood—all of which can derail your goals faster than you can say “juice cleanse.”^2,3,4

For example, a low-carb or low-calorie diet might reduce levels of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are crucial for gut and overall health.⁵ Extreme diets can also lack the nutrient diversity necessary to support a diverse microbiome—a key indicator of GI health that’s linked with better digestion, gut barrier integrity, immune function, and mental health.^6,7,8

2. Craft meals your microbiome can’t wait to dig into.

At a fundamental level, food is fuel—for your muscles, your brain, and definitely your gut microbes.⁹ In order to best support your gut microbiome, aim to eat a wide array of soluble and insoluble fiber, prebiotics, monounsaturated fats, and fermented foods.

Instead of eating less of this or that, try gradually filling your plate with more of these nourishing ingredients and see how it makes you feel.

EXPLORE FURTHER: Microbiome-Friendly Recipes for Your Next Dinner Party

3. Schedule a regular 1:1 with your poop. 

As your poop snakes its way through the digestive highway, it encounters highly acidic stomach juices and trillions (yes, with a “t”) of bacterial cells in the gut. All of these roadside attractions affect your number twos’ shape, color, size, consistency, and smell. 

Taking a peek in your toilet bowl before you flush can, in turn, clue you in on the state of your digestive health. Not bad for a habit that takes less than 10 seconds a day. Here’s a comprehensive guide to decoding your poop at home—and how to get your stool back on track when you notice something is off.

4. Ease into a gentle movement routine.

Exercise as a whole can do your gut a lot of good. It’s been shown to increase microbial diversity, stimulate the growth of bacteria that support mucosal immunity (the immune system housed in the gut lining), and encourage bacteria and functional pathways that can create SCFAs and other protective substances.^10,11

However, high-intensity training (especially without proper rest) may actually increase gut wall permeability, potentially enabling pathogens to enter the bloodstream. This, in turn, could contribute to an uptick in inflammation.¹²

Low- to moderate-intensity movements tend to be more beneficial to the gut microbiome.^13,14 Activities like walking can increase the presence of certain health-promoting bacteria like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, one of the main producers of the important SCFA butyrate.¹⁵ 

One social media trend that we can actually get behind for 2025 is the “fart walk”—a quick, feel-good stroll after meals that may help reduce belching, gas, and bloating, too.¹⁶ Try to get in the habit of going on one after breakfast, lunch, or dinner for a week and see if it’s a routine you enjoy and want to stick with. 

5. Feel the difference with DS-01^® 

Taking a (research-backed) probiotic is an easy, validated way to ensure you’re regularly supporting your gut microbiome. Sometimes, diet and lifestyle only get you so far. Adding probiotics to your routine can ladder up to better digestive health and gut function—365 days a year.

That’s where Seed’s DS-01^® Daily Synbiotic comes in. The two-in-one probiotic and prebiotic formula delivers 24 clinically and scientifically studied probiotic strains to the gut. Taking it consistently is a simple daily habit that’s associated with gut (and whole-body) benefits. Read all about ‘em here.*

6. Be a little stricter about mealtimes.

You get hangry when dinner is running 30 minutes late, and so do your gut microbes. Eating meals at certain times each day creates a pattern, and this regularity helps our gut bacteria know when to expect food.¹⁷ (For example, if you eat breakfast at 8 a.m. every day, your gut bacteria will adjust to be ready for food at that time.)

While your microbiota are flexible and adaptable, there is some research to suggest that this consistency is helpful for digestion, so try to be a little more of a stickler about meal times in the new year when you can and see if you notice any changes.¹⁷

7. Do what you can to drop unnecessary stress.

Between altering gut motility, increasing intestinal permeability, and reducing levels of beneficial bacteria (e.g., Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) while promoting the growth of harmful bacteria, stress can put your gut through the wringer.^18,19,20,21 

Compounding the problem: Due to the communication line between the gut and the immune system, these changes may also alter immunity, potentially increasing your odds of illness.²²

Sound stressful? Take a deep breath and build mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and exercise into your routine as best you can in the new year.²³ When done regularly, these practices may also support the production of beneficial compounds like SCFAs and feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA by regulating the gut-brain axis. 

8. Nip bedtime procrastination in the bud.

Here’s a fun fact for the group chat: The gut microbiome operates on its own circadian rhythm, with certain species of bacteria becoming more active during the day and others at night.²⁴ 

This rhythmicity partially explains why when your sleep-wake cycle is thrown off, it may trigger GI issues.^24,25 In fact, not getting enough quality sleep is tied to reduced microbial diversity, fewer beneficial bacteria, and greater levels of inflammation-related bacterial strains.^26,27

There’s a harmful reciprocal relationship at play in the bedroom, too. Disrupted sleep patterns may disturb the gut microbiota, leading to dysbiosis (microbial imbalance). On the other hand, dysbiosis of the microbiome can also exacerbate sleep issues.²⁷ 

Again, our advice comes down to consistency. Try your best to stick to a sleep schedule and go to bed and wake up around the same time every day (even on weekends!). 

For the Vaginal Microbiome:

9. Try VS-01™ Vaginal Synbiotic

An estimated 10 billion bacteria, fungi, and other microscopic organisms compose the incredible vaginal microbiome (VMB). There isn’t nearly as much research on the VMB as there is on other microbiomes like the gut, but it seems to play a role in fertility, infection risk, and even sexual pleasure.^28,29

Many common occurrences—from menstruation to sex—alter the composition of the vaginal ecosystem and deplete its most protective bacteria: Lactobacillus (L.) crispatus. Seed’s first vaginal care product, VS-01™ Vaginal Synbiotic, is designed to restore L. crispatus and defend the vaginal microbiome from disruptions and imbalances.*

Born from 15+ years of research in the lab of renowned microbiome scientist Dr. Jacques Ravel, it’s the first vaginal suppository formulated with three bacterial strains that have been clinically validated to restore a healthy vaginal microbiome.*

Learn more about what leading care providers are calling a “paradigm shift in how we think about and care for vaginal health” here.

10. Swap out your “feminine hygiene” products.

While VS-01™ populates your vagina with protective lactobacilli, using certain “feminine care” products (ironically) does the opposite.

Just like you wouldn’t wash a cast iron pan in hot, soapy water (since this strips the top coat of its non-stick seasoning), you shouldn’t wash your vagina with harsh products like douches either. In doing so, you can accidentally disrupt vaginal flora, which leads to irritation.^30,31 

Instead, get in the habit of washing your vulva with warm water or a gentle, fragrance-free soap. 

EXPLORE FURTHER: The Main Disruptors of the Vaginal Microbiome: A Research Analysis

For the Skin Microbiome:

11. Prioritize time outdoors. 

The ecosystem surrounding you influences the ecosystem within you. Researchers speculate that the microbiomes throughout your body (including on your skin) “pick up” some of the beneficial microbes you encounter in the great outdoors—and that these interactions are essential for shaping the immune system and inflammatory response.³²

Think of ways you can add small doses of outdoor time into your day in the new year; maybe you take a Zoom meeting while on a walk, sip your coffee while sitting on your porch, or take your lunch to a grassy knoll at the park. 

EXPLORE FURTHER: What Spending Time Outside Does to Your Microbiome

12. Phase harsh products out of your home cleaning routine.

In 2025, let’s listen to microbiologists and stop overusing antibacterial cleaners and bleaches at home. These products kill off harmful bacteria that can cause illness (think: norovirus, salmonella), but they also wipe out the “good” bacteria from your environment. And their compounds have been shown to disrupt the skin’s protective epithelial barrier.³³ 

Of course, strong cleaners are sometimes necessary to kill pathogens, such as in food prep areas exposed to raw meat or eggs. But they’re generally not required for everyday cleaning. Instead, opt for gentler options like vinegar, baking soda, and water for routine scrubbing. 

The Key Insight

Think of your body’s microbiomes as wise grandparents. They don’t adapt well to sudden change and prefer to take the tried-and-true route over more “disruptive” alternatives. In 2025, let’s do these microbial elders a solid and establish stable, consistent routines for lasting whole-body health.