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How I Started Changing Habits 12 Years Ago — and What I Learned Along the Way

· 2 min read
Jonathan Mintz
Jonathan Mintz
Biohacking Coach

About 12 years ago I began a process that didn’t look dramatic from the outside, but changed my life from the inside. It wasn’t one “moment of awakening,” but a series of small, consistent decisions that kept adding up. I realized something simple: I didn’t lack information — I lacked daily practice.

The first things that left​

Gradually, not all at once, I removed:

  • 🚭 Cigarettes
  • 🍭 Processed sugar
  • 🍔 Processed food
  • 🌿 Cannabis

Not out of struggle, but out of listening. I noticed how my body responded, how my energy shifted, how my mind cleared.

Healing that didn’t come from a pill​

Over the years I dealt with:

  • Recurring sports injuries
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Fatigue that wouldn’t go away

Instead of chasing a quick fix, I started asking: How do I sleep? How do I eat? How do I train? How do I recover?

Through smart movement, simple nutrition, reducing unnecessary load, and listening to my body — real healing began. Not magic. A process.

The current station: alcohol​

In recent years another step was added to the journey — a gradual reduction of alcohol. The deeper I learn, the clearer it becomes that even small amounts of alcohol:

  • Disrupt the gut microbiome
  • Affect white matter in the brain
  • Load the liver
  • Impact recovery, sleep, and overall balance

I’m not saying I’ll never drink wine. I do enjoy wine. But today the choice is conscious, minimal, and not automatic.

What really changed?​

The biggest thing I learned is this: Real change doesn’t start with what you stop — it starts with what you build in its place.

More presence. More connection to the body. More honesty with yourself.

And it’s a process. Even after 12 years — it’s still ongoing.