Gisele Bündchen Says She Feels 'So Much Better at 43 than 23': 'My 40s Are Amazing'

Gisele Bündchen is feeling herself in her 40s.

“I’m feeling so much better at 43 than at 23,” the author, entrepreneur and supermodel said during an intimate panel discussion in New York City on Friday, announcing her new partnership with supplement brand Gaia Herbs, which just named Bündchen its first wellness ambassador. “It’s amazing. I feel so much better — 40s are amazing.” 

Bündchen’s new gig is rooted in her inherited love for plants and nature passed down to her by generations of women in her family. As she got more involved in her work with Gaia Herbs, a brand she has loved for two decades, that passion — and her excitement towards the company’s mission — was only amplified. 

“When I went to visit Gaia Herbs’ farm, it was incredible because I felt really good about the choices I’ve been making. I was like, ‘Good! I haven’t been intoxicating myself for the last 20 years, I feel better about myself.’ Imagine if I wasn’t, it would’ve been a problem. I would’ve noticed when I’m like 50 or 60,’“ the global multi-hyphenate said. 

Bündchen added that she’s “excited” to be working with the brand because it’s rooted in servicing a larger, global community.

Also during the panel, Bündchen opened up about how “intense” she is when it comes to her wellness routine, which is a stark contrast from her younger years in the industry.

“I meditate everyday, I exercise every day,” she said. “I’m just so grateful I have this body, I truly am. Now I’ve learned — because I wasn’t so good in my 20s or my teens — I realized my body is my temple and I really want to enjoy it. So for me, moving my body is huge.”

“This is why I wake up at 5 a.m. This is why I’ve meditated for over 20 years. And when I don’t, I feel a huge difference,” she said, noting, “I haven’t drank alcohol in over two years and it’s amazing how much more clear [I feel].”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Bündchen’s healthy lifestyle and holistic approach to wellness has helped her feel super confident as she marked her return to the modeling earlier this year.

And over the last month she's been everywhere: she made her return to Victoria’s Secret, starring in a new campaign with a megawatt cast, made a surprise — and sexy — return at New York Fashion Week in nothing but a denim jacket and mules, and announced her new cookbook, Nourish. 

On top of that, she celebrated her 43rd birthday alongside twin sister Patricia in Brazil.

Bündchen received plenty of birthday love from her Instagram followers — and she shared words of gratitude to her fans, writing, “I wanted to thank everyone who took the time to congratulate and send good vibes on our birthday. I am so lucky I got to spend it with my twin sister and our girly girls. I feel blessed to be surrounded by so much love. #twins #girlstrip ❤️.”