HOW I LIVE A HEALTHY LIFE

It's All About Perspective

Our ideas about health—what it is, whether we have it, what we think of it, even how we judge it in ourselves and others—come from many places.

We inherit them. Our parents and close relatives are our earliest reference points: did they live long, healthy lives, or struggle with illness and die in poor health? Did health feel stable—or fragile—to them, and to us?

Then come our lived experiences—whether we grew up healthy, faced limitations or challenges early on, or developed conditions later in life. Add to that our relationship with food, movement, stress, our relationship to ourselves and others, and the big one: mental health. Defining a healthy life is uniquely personal.

No two health stories or ideals are identical, and no single factor is responsible for good health. Health is a combination of things. It’s cumulative, and it’s relative.

That’s why I’ve come to believe two things. First, achieving good health—let alone maintaining it over decades, let alone a lifetime—is nothing short of a miracle. Second, health is as much about perspective as it is about protocol. After all, the way we think informs what we do.

I’ve been fortunate. I grew up in good health and have enjoyed it for most of my adult life. There have been bumps and scares along the way—women tend to collect these—but overall, I’ve been very lucky. I don’t take that lightly.

My parents’ experience was different. That reality profoundly shaped my relationship to health. It made me respect it. It made me attentive to it. And it made me willing to work for it—not out of fear, but because I believe we have more agency in our outcomes than we know, along with greater knowledge and better tools.

At its core, striving for good health is about self-worth. And yes—if I can extend my health span (my good-health years), not just my lifespan, all the better.

And Me

This week is about my relationship to living a healthy life—and trying to get it right.

It’s the fundamentals we outlined last week—stress, sleep, fuel, movement, and thoughtful protocols—revisited through the lens of my own life. It’s what I prioritize. What I protect. Where I slack. And what I return to, again and again.

No, No, Nannette

Stress isn’t something we power through. It’s something we learn to manage, reduce, and—when possible, remove entirely, though that’s probably not realistic. Stress is a part of everyday life. The goal is to curb it with daily tactics because, unchecked, it becomes chronic—and that’s what you want to avoid.

Chronic stress dysregulates everything from sleep, hormones, metabolism, and mood to judgment and decision-making.

Instead:

GET LIGHT

Morning sunlight regulates cortisol and sets your energy for the entire day—even a few minutes can make a big difference. Whether it’s streaming through your windows or you step outside first thing, natural light is incredibly beneficial.

N B’S ROUTINE

I open the blinds the moment I get out of bed each morning. This is the first step in allowing brightness and blue-spectrum light in. It cues my circadian clock that it’s go-time.

Realistically, it’s an hour or two before I leave for the gym or office, so bringing the sunlight to me is the next best thing. Real daylight—and a Vitamin D punch—come next. I get outside as soon as I can.

MOVE YOUR BODY

A workout—or even a short walk (1–15 minutes)—steadies your metabolism and quickly resets your mood.

N B’S METHOD

I work out once a week with a strength-training coach, then work out an additional two to three days on my own. I’ll layer in yoga or Pilates on the weekends when I can.

On days when time is tight, I double down on steps. I walk to and from my office daily, and when and where there are stairs, I try to take them—if I’m not in heels!

USE SYSTEMS

Automatic habits reduce decision fatigue and create stability when life feels demanding.

N B’S RITUALS

My wind-down is my most prized system. At 8pm, I try hard to shut down work and noise. News and social media are my biggest challenges, but I’ve become much more intentional about what I consume at night. I want to prepare for good sleep, and I want the day ahead to be productive.

I take a bath. Always. That’s followed by skincare and red light therapy.

My least prized—but highly productive—system is the gym. I literally joined a crappy one near my office because I have to pass it every day on my way to work. Since joining, it’s worked—I’ve removed all friction. I have zero excuse not to go. They also have an awesome sauna, which allows me to layer in one of my favorite protocols.

I won’t go so far as to call it a ritual (though I love my trainer)—it’s not nice—but it gets the job done. It’s the perfect foolproof system.

Make Your Bedroom a Hyper Bear-Like Chamber

Sleep is fundamental to good health. You can’t function without it. It’s where your brain, body, and nervous system reset each night. Without it, judgment is impaired, emotions become unstable, cravings spike, and reaction time and decision-making are dulled. In short, without sleep, you’re seriously compromised.

To protect your sleep, think in hibernation terms. Create a bedroom that encourages retreat—cool, dark, quiet, and consistent. When you give the body the right conditions, it does the rest.

N B’S PROTOCOL

I need sleep. I work best on a solid eight hours, though I typically average closer to seven a night. I’m also a night owl—whether by natural born rhythm or a bad habit acquired over the years. It’s not ideal and something I constantly work at to keep in check.

On weeknights, I make a point to power down as early as possible. By nightfall, I’ve already dimmed the lights throughout the apartment. I light candles. After dinner, I’ll sometimes have a cup of cacao or tea.

Then, an hour or so later, I take a warm bath followed by skincare and red light therapy (as mentioned above). This theoretically puts me in bed around 10pm—though admittedly, it’s sometimes closer to 11. Ten is the goal. Once I’m in bed, it’s lights out.

My bedroom is kept cool, usually between 67–68 degrees. Shades are closed. The only light on at this time is a very dim warm, incandescent wall light above the bed. I don’t wear a sleep mask, though many people do.

I use high quality, high–thread count cotton sheets—freshly washed and ironed—and sleep under a duvet, not a top sheet. I use down pillows and keep my phone ringer off (I’m still working on keeping my phone outside the bedroom).

I also wear an Oura ring, which tracks my sleep and other biometrics. I love it.

Food, Hydration, and More

Food and hydration are essential. They directly shape how your mind and body perform. This isn’t about diets, weight, or food trends—it’s simpler than that. It’s about fueling a machine: your body. What you eat affects energy, cognition, mood, inflammation, and overall resilience.

Eating well is about nourishment, proper support, and consistency. When food works for you—providing the energy your brain and body require—everything else works better too.

N B’S ROUTINE

I love to cook. And I love eating delicious, flavorful food. As I’ve grown more conscious about my health over the last several years, I eat cleaner—but I don’t deprive myself. I eat what I want, but in moderation.

During a typical weekday at home, I keep things simple. Soups, salads, and easy fixings for tacos or a quick stir-fry are staples for me. Food is both comforting and creative, so I never compromise on flavor. Instead, I make it my mission to take the nostalgic foods I love and create healthier versions of them.

Knowing what I’m eating, choosing less processed and more whole foods, and prioritizing protein, fiber, well-balanced meals, and hydration have become primary goals for me.

Approaching food this way has changed the way I cook—and I swear the food is more full-flavored, more satisfying—and I feel better eating it. I use salt, butter, and mostly full-fat everything, and I’m naturally less hungry for it.

Regarding hydration I will say this: my protocol is not the one to follow. I really need to drink more fluids. Today’s recommendations are somewhere between 2-3 liters per day for women and closer to 3-4 liters for men. That’s a range of 75-125 ounces between the two. I don’t get there most days, but it’s a goal I’m working toward.

In the meantime, I do try to optimize my hydration levels in other ways. For instance, I own a water hydrogenator —-this infuses my water each morning with molecular hydrogen and reduces oxidative stress. I also use electrolyte powders to make sure my water intake is absorbed efficiently, especially after a workout or sauna.

You Can’t Outrun Age—But You Can Age Well

Movement is medicine. Strength preserves independence. Balance prevents injury. Consistency matters more than intensity—and it’s never too early to start and, whatever you do, never stop. Whether you like exercise or not, movement is critical to aging healthfully and well over a lifetime.

N B’S ROUTINE

I’ve tried a lot of methods around exercise and movement over the years, primarily focusing on things like yoga, Pilates, and spin classes (who didn’t go through the SoulCycle era?). But strength training has become the cornerstone of my routine over the past few years. And I don’t mean light weights—I lift to exhaustion. I train for strength and stability, building both muscle and bone density.

I used to believe the old wives’ tale that if I lifted weights, I’d bulk up and look masculine. That’s simply not true. I fight every week to gain musculature and shape—not lose it.

While my focus has shifted toward a more concentrated strength practice, I really believe balance and variety matter too. Flexibility, elasticity, and stretching keep my body fluid and injury-free. I love making it to a yoga or Pilates class on the weekends when I can—they’re great for lymphatic drainage, my head, and deep relaxation afterward.

And because I live in Manhattan, movement is conveniently built into my life. I walk whenever I can and take steps wherever possible.

LEVELING UP

Once the fundamentals are solid, added protocols can really amplify results. Modalities like sauna, red light therapy, cold plunge, and hyperbaric chambers are increasingly becoming commonplace.

These tools don’t replace the basics; they build on them. Think of this as the next layer, options that can help you look and feel your best while also increasing your health span.

I’ve been very fortunate, as a designer, to both design for and personally experiment with all of the following and I’ve found value in each of them. As my clients have become more interested in advancing their health, my team and I have increasingly been designing more residential gyms and spas.

While health technologies for the home are also becoming more common, many still originate in commercial and clinical settings. Translating them for residential use requires a lot of research and development, and fast education. We have to understand what delivers true benefit, what adapts well to the home, and what can be integrated in a way that’s practical and effective.

At the margin, for typical home use, this step is really about sustainability—what you can realistically build into your life and maintain over time. There are plenty of effective options, some at home and some outside of it, depending on what’s accessible to you.

N B’S PROTOCOLS

COLD PLUNGE

You could have never told me I’d try cold plunging—let alone do it voluntarily. I was always more of a toe-in kind of girl, the one standing at the pool’s edge forever debating whether to jump. And yet, here we are.

I tend to go through cycles with cold plunging. This isn’t a strict daily protocol for me, but rather something I do periodically—especially during winter months, when New York water is already extremely cold and I can do it at home.

I have a deep tub and I’m able to get my water temperature down to about 45 degrees. Anything below 60 has benefits, though experienced plungers tend to prefer temperatures in the mid-40s to mid-50s.

One important note: women don’t require temperatures as cold as men to activate cold shock proteins. I don’t worry too much about hitting an exact number. For me, it’s about being within range.

When I plunge, I stay in for three minutes, then get out and let my body dry naturally. This is important as it allows your body to naturally acclimate. The most resounding benefit for me is mental. My acuity is off the charts after a plunge. I’m sharp, focused, and noticeably more switched on for the entire day when I plunge in the morning.

One last note on cold plunging: since incorporating it a few years ago, my physiological response to cold has changed. I don’t get as cold as I used to, and I can sustain warmth longer in cold environments. I had read that cold plunging resets the body’s natural temperature regulation over time. I’m not sure if that’s exactly what’s happened—but I swear I don’t get as cold anymore, which I find fascinating.

RED LIGHT THERAPY

Red light therapy isn’t new. It’s been used for decades in medical recovery settings and sports clinics, particularly in Europe, where the focus has historically been repair, healing, and recovery for athletes.

Today, it’s used much more broadly—not just for therapeutic work but for its aesthetic benefits. It’s popular because it’s non-invasive, cumulative, and it works—both at a cellular and surface level. Benefits range from improved skin appearance and hair health to general anti-aging.

I’m very fortunate because I own a Joov panel, which allows me to do red light therapy regularly at home. I typically spend 10–20 minutes in front of the panel each evening after my bath, before bed. I find it really relaxes me prior to sleep. On weekends, I’ll often add a short session in the morning as well.

The greatest benefit for me has been my skin. It looks and feels healthier. I also believe my face has more luminosity to it when I’m consistent about using red light therapy. Pigmentation appears more balanced too. Generally, there’s just a deeper vitality to it.

The effect of red light therapy is subtle, but noticeable, especially over time. So, for me, it’s absolutely worth it.

SAUNA

This is my favorite protocol.

Saunas have been around a very long time and they are truly a rarity in wellness studies and science as the data that backs their benefits is as enormous as the extraordinary claims that come with long-term use.

Dry sauna, in particular, has been shown to reduce all-cause mortality by upwards of 40% when used four to five times per week for about twenty minutes. Even fewer sessions per week, for shorter durations, have been shown to improve health ranging from increased circulation and blood pressure regulation to mood.

Sauna activates heat shock proteins, which help lower stress hormones while increasing relaxation. It also supports detoxification, reduces inflammation, and improves metabolic health, including glucose control. What doesn’t sauna do? This, in my opinion, is the single most important protocol.

I use it as often as possible, averaging three to four sessions a week, at twenty minute intervals.

HEALTHY-ISH AND HAPPY

You’ve Got to Live

So this is where I land when it comes to health. My approach to life and health is well, healthy—and healthy-ish too.

Don’t get me wrong, health matters deeply to me—but so do flexibility and moderation, as I always strive to live fully. My life isn’t rigid. I don’t think about health that way. My approach to health has room for pleasure, spontaneity and indulgence too. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s consistency—and what’s sustainable.

I just make sure I keep my eye on the ball with strong fundamentals. Because when those are solid, there’s plenty of space to live well.

That’s the point. And yes—it’s Life Architecture, of course.