the 35 things I do for longevity as a 35 year old dietitian

spoiler: boundaries might matter more than kale

You don’t need to be perfect to be healthy.

did you just let out a big exhale?

If you’re new around here, hi! I’m Emily, your favorite longevity obsessed dietitian. As health is often the missing piece in successful adult’s lives, my work exists to close that gap. And you guessed it, nutrition is the most powerful health lever.

I’m so glad you’re here!

As inspired by my 35th birthday last month, here is the list of 35 things I do daily, weekly, monthly, consciously, subconsciously, painstakingly, with varying degrees of fuss and or whining, to treat my body and mind with respect.

1. eat fruit daily

2. have protein at every meal

3. eat dark leafy greens just about every day

4. creatine

5. omega 3s (in diet - hard to do daily - and supplement form)

6. nuts & seeds every day

7. walk as much as fits

8. lift weights 1-3x/week

9. floss nightly

10. sunscreen

11. sleep 7+ hours/night, every night

12. choose books over watching tv (except Bridgerton, of course)

13. limit social media to 15 mins a day

14. take risks

15. EMOTE

16. breathe better

17. skip booze 99% of the time (local wine on vacation is my 1% 😉 )

18. prioritize variety in my diet

19. get calcium - both in diet and supplement form

20. foster community, even when its inconvenient

21. take scaled back summers

22. prioritize vacations, even when it means keeping our decade old beat up sofa and driving 9 year old used cars

23. travel to see friends (see also: maintaining 30 year friendships when we all live in different time zones)

24. take care of our guest room to host well

25. visit the dermatologist, physical therapist, or other specialist when I need them

26. find a primary care provider who listens, cares, thinks critically, and treats me with respect

27. ask questions

28. ask for help

29. pay for help

30. yearly bloodwork with proper analysis and applicable action steps

31. slow mornings with no commitments before 9am

32. crossword puzzles and card games

33. stop apologizing reflexively

34. value boredom, inconvenience, and discomfort

35. set and use BOUNDARIES even when they’re hard (they’re always hard)

These habits support my body and mind, but they are specific to me. They're part of a larger picture that includes genetics, privilege, and luck. I don’t take this for granted, and I know very well this isn’t the case for a lot of adults.

I sleep well, I have energy all day (most days), I poop every day, my stress is well managed, I don’t weigh myself, I dont over think my meals, I don’t track my food, I take zero medications, I feel at peace in my body (most of the time ;) ).

I didn’t come from a health obsessed family. In fact, the exact opposite.

I have had a lot of the same day to day struggles most adults in the US have. I’ve had weight fluctuations. I’ve fallen out of exercise habits more than I can count. I don’t eat “perfectly”. I’ve had red flags show up on my bloodwork.

Our society values convenience, ultra processed food, alcohol, burn out, and stress.

These habits are my rebellion.

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Your list should look different than mine, and if you do make one, I would LOVE to see it.

What surprised you? Where do we overlap?

What should I expand on? drop it in the comments and you know I’ll reply.

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What’s happening at HealthierSpan

😎 🍉 👙 Summer time and the livin’s easy! Which also means availability is more limited until September. If you’re interested in support this summer:

• For 1:1, schedule a consult here

• For groups: to get in the next cohort of a GLP-1 strategy group, or the hypertension solutions group, get on the wait list here.

Hear directly from my clients about what it’s like to work with me 🫶

HealthierSpan FAQs:

• all sessions are with me

• all sessions are virtual

• all work is done in packages; 3 month and 6 month packages are available for individuals and couples

• discovery calls are free ←schedule one here

• Wait time right now is about 2 weeks from discovery call to kick off

🤳 see more of the day to day and check out client wins on instagram

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Upcoming episodes here on Substack:

July 7th at 9am EST my friend Katie Crager will be on to talk about befriending your body (yes please), energy healing, and somatic self compassion. I’m excited to be her student for our hour chat. Join us if you can, or make sure your subscribed to catch the replay.

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xx

Emily