I’m 42. Here Are 3 Health Mistakes I Wish I’d Caught In My 30s

One of my clients, who is in his late 40s, got his blood panel done.

His uric acid was out of range. He was also deficient in Vitamin D, besides a few other minor issues.

The intervention for uric acid? Stop the morning fruit platter. That is it. Simple. Immediate. Within weeks, his uric acid started coming down.

The intervention for Vitamin D? Fifteen minutes of morning sun exposure. I asked him to download the D-Minder app. It is free. It tells you exactly when the sun is at the right angle for Vitamin D synthesis in your city.

Fifteen minutes. That was the entire intervention.

Now, imagine we never got the blood test done.

My client would still be eating that fruit platter every morning because his doctor once told him:

“Fruits are amazing for your health.”

And here is the thing: fruits are neither good nor bad.

For one person, they may be beneficial. For another person  with high uric acid, with blood sugar issues they may not be the right choice in the same quantity or context.

The answer is always: it depends on your specific biology.

Which brings me to a very important question: Why do most people avoid getting their blood work done?

The first reason is fear.

What if they find something?

What if the result changes everything?

I understand that fear.

But here is the honest truth:

You cannot avoid the inevitable. You can only choose when to face it.

God forbid, if there is a disease process setting in, face it now  when it is in its early stage and potentially more manageable  or face it later when it has taken hold and your options may be more limited.

Many serious diseases can develop with few or no obvious symptoms in the early stages. Everything can be happening inside silently.

Cancer, for example, may not cause obvious symptoms until it has progressed significantly. And cardiovascular disease can develop silently for years before a major event occurs.

Your blood test does not create the problem. It reveals it.

And revealing potential problems early gives you an opportunity to investigate them and take appropriate action.

To Conclude Mistake No. 1

After you turn 35, consider getting a comprehensive blood panel at least once a year, based on your individual health situation and your healthcare professional’s advice.

Get tested. Face the numbers with courage.

Now look at what you eat has a direct impact on your health.

You are what you eat.

Although that is not entirely true.

You are not what you eat. You are what you absorb.

But the food you eat is still the starting point.

Now, here is the thing.

When it comes to achieving optimal health, you need to work on 11 core health pillars.

Diet is just one of them.

Exercise is another.

That is two out of eleven.

The other nine are equally important:

• Sleep
• Sun exposure
• Fasting protocols
• Mindset
• Faith
• Community
• Environment
• And several others

These are not soft extras.

These are pillars.

Remove one and the structure weakens.

I have discussed all these 11 Core Health Pillars in the Green Zone Living Guide, comment the words “Green Zone” below and I will send it to you for free.

Once again, the second mistake is that most people obsess about food and nutrition more than they should.

• They obsess over supplements.
• They obsess over protein grams.
• They obsess over calorie counting.
• These things matter but beyond a certain point, the effort stops paying off.

Your Diet Obsession May Be Costing You

You see, when you zoom in that hard on food, you think less about everything else.

Every other pillar takes a hit because your mental energy is consumed by macros.

You worry about not hitting 150 grams of protein when your sleep is only five hours.

You stress about including superfoods when your Vitamin D is dangerously low.

You are measuring your meals while your nervous system is running on emergency power.

See the problem?

You are optimising one or two pillars while the remaining ones are quietly failing.

Diet matters. Absolutely. But it is one pillar out of eleven.

Everyone knows sleep is important.

But there is a difference between knowing something and truly understanding its consequences.

Most people know they should sleep more.

Most still do not.

Once again, two reasons.

Reason No. 1 – The Hustle Culture Mindset

Sleeping less has become a badge of honour.

Working late.

Waking early.

Grinding while others rest.

More sleep is seen as a weakness. As laziness. As falling behind.

This mindset is not just wrong. It is dangerous.

Reason No. 2 – Genuine Ignorance About Sleep Deprivation

The second reason is genuine ignorance about what sleep deprivation actually does to your biology.

Most people who sleep five to six hours think they are fine because they function.

They get through the day.

They perform.

But functioning is not thriving.

And there is a profound difference.

When you consistently sleep less than seven hours, your sleep-dependent recovery processes can suffer. Sleep also plays an important role in hormonal regulation, metabolic health, immune function, and recovery.

My daily sleep averages 7–8 hours per day, including naps. It’s the sweet spot.

And as a result, my testosterone is above 1000, which is exceptional for a 42-year-old man.

And yes, sleep has a direct impact on your testosterone levels.

Check out Video 3 if you still haven’t watched it.

Your growth hormone which supports tissue repair, muscle development, and recovery is closely linked to sleep, particularly deep sleep.

Sleep deprivation can also negatively affect insulin sensitivity and inflammatory processes.

You are not getting away with five hours of sleep.

You are borrowing from your biology.

And like all borrowed things  there is an interest rate. And it compounds.

Sleep is one of the most powerful biological recovery tools available to you.

• It is free.
• It requires no equipment and no supplements.

It requires only one thing:

The decision to prioritise it.

Make that decision.

Everything else gets easier when you do.

So, What Should You Do?

To conclude, fix even one of these mistakes this week.

Starting with sleep is the fastest lever.

And if you want the complete Green Zone Living Guide  all 11 pillars, in sequence, with specific actions for each, comment the words “Green Zone” below.

I will send it to you directly.

No cost.

I am Akash.Namaste.

1. Why should you consider getting blood work after age 35?

Blood work can provide information about biomarkers that may not produce obvious symptoms early on. It can help identify areas that may need further investigation, lifestyle changes, or professional guidance.

2. How often should you get a comprehensive blood panel?

The article recommends considering a comprehensive blood panel at least once a year after turning 35, although the appropriate testing frequency depends on your individual health, risk factors, existing conditions, and healthcare professional’s advice.

3. Are fruits always healthy?

Not necessarily in the same amount or context for everyone. Individual factors such as uric acid, blood sugar regulation, overall diet, and personal health status can influence whether a particular food is appropriate for you.

4. Is diet the most important part of health?

Diet is important, but the article’s 11 Core Health Pillars framework emphasizes that nutrition is only one part of overall health. Sleep, exercise, sun exposure, mindset, community, environment, and other factors also matter.

5. Why is obsessing over protein and calories potentially counterproductive?

Tracking protein, calories, and other aspects of nutrition can be useful, but excessive focus can consume mental energy while other important areas especially sleep, recovery, stress management, and overall lifestyle are neglected.

6. How much sleep should you get?

The article emphasizes at least seven hours of good-quality sleep and notes Akash’s personal average of 7–8 hours per day, including naps.

7. Can lack of sleep affect testosterone?

Sleep is closely connected with hormonal regulation, and inadequate sleep can negatively affect testosterone production and other aspects of metabolic and hormonal health.

8. Why is rest important if I already exercise regularly?

Exercise creates a stimulus, but recovery allows the body to adapt. Without adequate rest and sleep, continually increasing training can place additional stress on the body rather than improving overall health.

9. What are the 11 Core Health Pillars?

The framework referenced in the article includes areas such as diet, exercise, sleep, sun exposure, fasting protocols, mindset, faith, community, and environment, along with additional pillars that make up the complete Green Zone Living framework.

10. What is the Green Zone Living Guide?

The Green Zone Living Guide is a free resource covering the 11 Core Health Pillars, presented in sequence with specific actions for each pillar. Readers can comment on “Green Zone” to request it.