Why I Feel Healthier in My 30s Than I Did in My 20s (10 Habits That Changed Everything)

 My biological age is 20.8 years old, according to Function Health! That's 11.5 years younger than my ripe age of 32. I strongly believe that age is just a number after all, but I'd love to share some of the health and wellness tips that have kept me vibrant, healthy and full of life. Of course, I am not a doctor and I highly encourage you to seek a medical professional before starting anything new. Some of these will seem very obvious to everyone across the board, and some might seem idiosyncratic. Always use your best judgement.

Before I get into all these, I just want to share how helpful Function Health has been in my health journey this year. They are a subscription-based healthcare service that provides lab testing and urinalysis for over 100 biomarkers and then gives holistic feedback. This is so helpful here in America, as lab testing and doctor appointments become financially catastrophic very quickly.

I've had my fair share of health concerns over the years, ranging from injuries that required surgery (my wrist, a titanium plate in my right hand, and rotator cuff repair), endometriosis, concussions, and thyroid issues. All of these have been expansive lessons for me in one way or another, and I've always done my best to resolve these with lifestyle changes alone.

Something I've been very public about has been my struggle with hypothyroidism over the last couple of years. I've managed that really well and no longer experience symptoms, nor do I even relate to having a "thyroid issue" now. But if you've had this, you know how annoying it can be. Doctors only seem interested in medicating you, you get labs every few months and they're slightly confusing at best, and they oftentimes don't even order a full thyroid panel. So you'll ask something like, "Why is my TSH high?" and the response you'll get is, "We aren't sure. Medication could be good."

My eyes couldn't roll any further into the back of my head.

So earlier this year, I signed up with Function Health so I could test everything. And it was easy. Two different appointments, one while I was on my period, another when I wasn't. This is crucial for women's testing as it gives more of a snapshot of hormone health since we change so much with our cycles. The results came back within a couple weeks and it was so unbelievably comprehensive, I only wish I would've done it sooner.

Basically the findings were revolutionary. My TSH was a little high, ferritin was low, and my LDL cholesterol was a little scattered. Otherwise, I have picture perfect health. What I found out is that since my ferritin is low, that creates a sluggish thyroid, which then affects my cholesterol. So with that, I've been able to make the necessary lifestyle changes, like adding iron bysglycinate with vitamin C, focusing on recovery, stress management, etc. I feel a massive difference after a few months of this, and I'm so excited to get another round of testing done soon.

All that to say, I'm incredibly impressed. But let's get into some of the healthy habits I've created for myself that allow me to life such a vibrant life.

1. I rarely drink alcohol. I mean hardly ever. I'll drink some champagne at a wedding or have a cocktail maybe once every 4-6 months, but it's not by any means a part of my lifestyle. I used to drink a lot more in my early and mid 20s, but eventually realized that I never felt good after and have learned how to be more present and enjoy my time without it. In LA, it's super easy to get a mocktail at a restaurant when out with friends. We all know the many negative effects of alcohol. But it's not to say that you couldn't still be healthy even if you had one or two drinks per week, depending on who you are. But I'm more interested in "fun drinks" like Olipop (apple crisp is my favorite) or Bloom Pop (Shirley Temple).

2. I focus on whole foods. That is 90% of my diet. It took a long time for me to figure this one out, but everything has improved as a result. My energy, sleep, workouts, digestion, moods, etc. This isn't to say that I don't ever eat anything processed. I get oatmilk lattes from coffee shops sometimes, and they probably use oatly or some other sketchy brand with seed oils. I love a little bowl of Three Wishes cereal on occasion. I guess it's that the processed foods that I do eat on occasion are not "highly processed." And if I'm craving a donut, I'll make myself one. There are so many fun recipes where you can create healthier versions of your favorites. This is how I fell in love with cooking. Some staples in my diet are lots of veggies (basically any kind), rice, fish (salmon, cod, trout, tuna are my faves), eggs and egg whites, tofu, oatmeal, alllllll of the fruits, and dark chocolate.

3. I count my macros. This is more of a recent thing for me, as I realized that I was almost never eating enough protein, especially for the athlete I've been. Getting enough of that has been a massive game changer for my body composition and recovery. Without tracking, it's easy for me to under or overeat, depending on the day. I understand that tracking isn't for everyone, and in the past this could've easily brought me into a disordered relationship with food. But now I don't view food as "good" or "bad." just because of how many calories are there. I see it all as fuel. And I also go through phases of being more intuitive with what my body needs. Everyone is different, so please take this one with a grain of salt.

4. Movement is a massive part of my life. I'm moving every single day. As I've mentioned before, I've been an athlete pretty much my entire life. And working out is quite honestly one of my favorite things. But these days, it's actually not as much as you'd think. I weight-lift twice per week, do martial arts training of some kind once or twice per week, parkour once, maybe one run. I walk lots, especially after meals (fun fact: it's really good for digestion), I stretch everyday. And I also take my rest days seriously and do no more than walking and stretching.

5. I have a strong relationship with myself. This can mean lots of things. I don't over-extend myself to others and say "no" when I need to recharge. I like to be alone and I'll take the time to do things by myself like going to coffee shops just to read, sitting at the park, or going for a solo hike. I'll go to the spa, get massages, or nourish myself in whatever way I need. I also journal frequently. Most of the time, it's just free flow writing where whatever comes up, comes up. Sometimes, I follow a prompt if I'm looking for a deeper reflection on something specific. But journaling has been one of those things I keep coming back to as that's how I really get to know myself and what I'm feeling.

6. I lean on others for support when I feel I need it. My husband and I go for walks together and I can truly tell him anything, which is so special. I also have this relationship with certain women too, and I think it's so important to be able to have others to talk to when things get rough. It's all part of the human experience to go through struggles and feel like there's no way out. But being able to speak with others and have them be a helpful listener is one way to transcend any anxieties rather than having them live rent-free in your head. I also hire coaches. Especially when I'm working through something specific, it's nice to have an experienced person be able to listen and uncover blindspots and alternate perspectives.

7. I meditate. I aim to do this every day, but I'm not a perfectionist about it. I usually do 10-15 minutes upon waking. I just set a timer in the OPEN app, close my eyes and focus on my breathing. Some days, I feel so much spaciousness, like I don't know where "I" end and the air around me begins. I feel like I'm floating. And other days, I forget I'm mediating and spend the 15 minutes thinking about what I'm going to do that day while batting away my cat whose trying to bite my neck. Mediation has so many benefits, but the one I notice the most for me is distance between me and my "problems." I can face life with more patience, calm, and ease.

8. I give myself grace. This one took some time for me. At the end of the day, I realize that I'm doing so many things for the first time. I have never been this exact age, doing this exact thing. I'm not perfect, I am a human. Everyday I'm trying my best. And all of that is good enough. I stopped constantly trying to always "get it right" and treat everything as feedback or lessons. If I fall, I get back up again and don't shame myself. Basically a practice I've gotten good at is acceptance. Letting things be the way they are without having to change anything for me to be happy. And if I struggle with that, I give myself grace for that too.

9. I focus on my sleep. I try and get somewhere between 7.5 and 9 hours of sleep every single night. My bed time is between 9 and 10pm. I do my best to stay off my phone within the hour before bed. In fact, after dinner, when it's dark out, I turn all the lights off and only use salt lamps, candles, and low light. My husband and I go to bed at different times, so I let my cat cuddle with me until he comes to bed, and he takes the cat out of our room so that Jackson (my cat) can't disturb my sleep. It's crazy to think about how I used to under-sleep and not take it seriously, but it's a missing piece to so many health benefits. Not only do I feel more rested throughout the day, but it's good for muscle recovery, mood, choice-making. Whenever I am sleep deprived, I end up craving sugar, make poor choices, and am so cranky! So now I do my best with it, though I'm not perfect.

10. I spend a lot of time following my excitement. Whatever that means any given day. If something lights me up, I follow that rather than question it. That's how I made a career out of parkour and stunts, and is ultimately what has lead me down the path to inspire others and step into my role as a mindset coach as well. It can be purpose driven like that, but also I take vacations. I go to Japan, China, Australia, or wherever I'm being called to go. I'll go to Universal Studios on a weekday, or surprise my dad with skydiving. I make so much time for joy, as I strongly believe that life is meant to be fun.

    
    

    So those are some basic tips that have been constants for me. I don't do any of this perfectly. After all, we are human and we aren't going to get it all right. But even with that, my health is pretty damn good and I'm very happy with the life I've created for myself.

    
    

    I hope there's something in there that resonates with you and if you feel called to work with me, we go deep into a lot of these pillars and how you can best support your overall health.

    
    

    Also! If you're interested in trying out Function Health, feel free to use my discount code! SOLSON21