My husband Jun looks eternally youthful. He - no joke - gets carded at bars, and people ask him occasionally if he’s home visiting from college.

Sure, he has good genes. My in-laws look and act much younger than they are, and longevity runs in his family.

But there’s something about Jun that takes it a step further. Let’s investigate how he lives his life.

1. He eats a lot of plants.

I feed Jun a lot of plants. Most of our meals are centered around vegetables, so much so that he wanted to call my book “Vegetables with a Side of Meat” which made my editor laugh out loud. When I’m in charge of dinner, there are a lot of vegetables. But what I’ve noticed over time is that Jun also chooses vegetables when he’s cooking or out for a meal. He chooses sides of salad (and occasional french fries, of course. After all, he’s human!) and gets roasted vegetables for appetizers. He also eats his meal, and then moves onto something else so he’s getting post-meal exercise which keeps his blood sugar more stable. Blood sugar stabilization is one of the best ways for us to decrease inflammation.

2. He prioritizes sleep.

Jun has always been a champion sleeper, but he hasn’t always had good sleep hygiene. I’ve noticed in the last several years that he doesn’t stay up late to watch TV like he used to. He goes to bed on the early side, and he gets up on the early side with the sun, often having quiet time before other members of the household are awake. If he’s tired on the weekend, he takes a nap. Sleep is one of the best ways to allow our DNA to repair.

3. He strength trains, takes daily walks, and sits on the floor.

Jun has always been an active guy, but he’s been much more consistent with a 20 minute walk each day and strength training two days per week. I enjoy seeing him get stronger. And he sits on the floor often while he watches TV. Being able to get up and down from the floor directly ties to lessened risk of fracture due to increased mobility. Try it for yourself: can you get off the floor unassisted without using your knees or hands? It’s not as easy at it looks!

4. Most importantly, he has a sense of purpose.

Jun has been a volunteer with the Darien Fire Department for more than 10 years. He loves it. He loves the camaraderie, the intense training, and the ability to help our community. Jun is also an involved dad and works a full time job. He sees projects around the house and he gets them done. When our friends run into trouble, they call Jun. His sense of purpose across all facets of his life combined with deep relationships with community members may be his greatest asset.

So, if you follow these tips, will you look 35 forever? Maybe not.

But you might feel 35 in your soul, and that’s what matters most.

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