Look your best-at any age

 

I am often torn about how I look. I don't remember a single time when I wasn't dissatisfied about my looks. From the time I was aware that there was more than one body style, fashion style, makeup style, etc, I have felt as if I were not doing something right. So I have decided as I prepare to turn 67 at my next birthday that I'll just try anything I want to do, wear, say, see, or feel. I've earned it.

I have a 41 year old significant other. He is a nice looking man who is more aware of the things I do than the way I look. Yep, I look old enough to be his mother. And I am old enough to be his mother. But I don't want to look old enough to be everyone's mother. So this post. I am suggesting a group of things that will be fun for me to try. And they will be useful for my self acceptance.

First. I need makeup. I have found that my skin has not weathered the vagaries of time very well. I have blotches, and splotches, brown spots and lumps and bumps. All on my face, chest, arms, legs, etc. Basically, anywhere the sun has touched. My excess weight has created folds and bulges. So now I'm back to makeup. Obviously I can't cover everything. But I think I can create a simple canvas. I've pored over the Advanced Style blog. I really envy women who have been able to extablish a style and enhance it all throughout their lives. Either my attention span is too short or I have listened to too many ugly messages. So, as an artist, I am approaching makeup as if I were a canvas. First I make myself look bland. Beige makeup to go with my pale eyes, brows, lashes, and hair. But I saw a woman on TV who has white hair with pinkish skin and she is beautiful. Once again I want to try things. But one step at a time. Beige skin. My eyes are often red and I am going to try to find a light eye pencil for the inner rim so I don't look so tired.

Makeup artists suggest pink lipsticks, pink blush, soft edges, etc for us older ladies. Well, if I look at fashionable older women, many still wear red lipstick, heavy eye makeup, etc. Tammy Faye Messner was one of my favorite women and she had a good sense of humor about her mascara fixation. I don't intend to emulate her but I have to say, her sense of comfort with herself is attractive to me. So I'll use some of the makeup tips from the makeup artists. And some things that just feel like fun to me.

I have also discovered that reminding myself of my blessings is a really good piece of makeup. The smiles of the pictured couple trump any makeup available. Happiness is the best revenge for a life of hardships. I don't think anyone can get to my age without hardships happening. Because of that I don't smile enough. I've never been a smiler. I don't know if it is inherited. Probably. But I think looking your best, at any age, has a lot to do with how hard you work to smile.

Main Move: Wall Bridge

Lie on back

 with butt againstwall, arms at sides, knees bent, feet planted 3 to four feet up wall. Exhale and peel lower and mid back off floor keeping shoulder blades down so body makes a nearly straight line from shoulder to knees. Hold for a deep inhale then exhale and roll down. To make it harder cross one foot over the other knee.

12 Easy Ways to Slash Your Cancer Risk (and Your Waistline!)

Cancer is one tricky widget. But you can decrease your risk for many forms of cancer by following these healthy tips

By David Zinczenko with Ted Spiker, Women's Health

Find more

• Boost Your Omega-3 Intake With These Foods
• The Ultimate Stress-Busting Foods
• Delicious Cocktails That Wont Bust Your Diet
  

Trim the Fat

The more fat you eat, the greater your risk of developing a highly fatal form of cancer. In a study of more than 500,000 people reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, those who ate the most fat (about 40 percent of their daily calories) were 23 percent more likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who ate the least (about 20 percent of their cals). Limit fat to 20 to 35 percent of your calories—about 40 to 70 grams total in an 1,800-calorie diet.
Go For Yolk
Research in 2009 suggests that egg yolk may be cancer-protective. The yellow stuff is rich in choline, which has been linked to lower rates of breast cancer. One yolk delivers 25 percent of your daily needs.
Do food labels lie? The truth about those serving sizes
Hail a Cabbage

Each 22-calorie cup of cabbage is loaded with sulforaphane, a chemical that increases your body's production of the enzymes that disarm cell-damaging, cancer-causing free radicals.

From Men's Health--- More to come

Humor

I truly feel this way sometimes.

And this way.

This one is self-explanatory. I am never without things to pray for. I find in my age that prayer and humor are both very good for my soul. I'm going to post a few pics that indicate my love for dogs. Or actually all animals. And I hope, if you get a laugh, your heart is better for it.

I have spinal stenosis

I sometimes go to Google to find out what the newest is on the health issues I have. I found that there is a difference between cervical and lumbar stenosis. I'm not sure what that is. I'll be exploring further. But there are some things that are recommended for the treatment of stenosis from WebMD.

• Education about the course of your condition and how to relieve symptoms.
• Medicines to relieve pain and inflammation, such as acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
• Exercise, to maintain or achieve overall good health. Aerobic exercise-especially riding a stationary bicycle (which allows you to lean forward)-can relieve symptoms.
• Weight loss, to relieve symptoms and slow progression of the stenosis.
• Physical therapy, to provide education, instruction, and support for your self-care. Physical therapy helps you learn stretching and strength exercises that may lead to a decrease in pain and other symptoms.
  
   Web MD is a great source of overall info. I'm now taking an anti-inflammatory to help with the pain and it does seem to be working. As for weight loss and exercise, I seem to have a huge mental block against both. I did go to physical therapy but it was focused on my knee due to the surgery I'd had. And it did work for the knee. I am sorry to say that I was appalled at the cost of the therapy. Even though the Medicare and additional insurance paid, I am not going back unless it's necessary. My treatment was about 300 dollars, 3 times a week. I am just appalled. And glad I have insurance.
  
  
  
  

I have high Cholesterol

At one time my blood cholesterol was 347. I am told that under 180 is much better. Not there yet. I'm taking meds but there are some more things I'm doing. Here is an article explaining some of them.

Cholesterol: Top 5 foods to lower your numbers

Diet can play an important role in lowering your cholesterol. Here are five foods that can lower your cholesterol and protect your heart.

By Mayo Clinic staff Can a bowl of oatmeal help lower your cholesterol? How about a handful of walnuts or even a baked potato topped with some heart-healthy margarine? A few simple tweaks to your diet — like these — may be enough to lower your cholesterol to a healthy level and help you stay off medications.

1. Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.
Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.

2. Fish and omega-3 fatty acids

Eating fatty fish can be heart-healthy because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your blood pressure and risk of developing blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in:

• Mackerel
• Lake trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna
• Salmon
• Halibut

You should bake or grill the fish to avoid adding unhealthy fats. If you don't like fish, you can also get small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.
You can take an omega-3 or fish oil supplement to get some of the benefits, but you won't get other nutrients in fish, like selenium. If you decide to take a supplement, just remember to watch your diet and eat lean meat or vegetables in place of fish.

3. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts

Walnuts, almonds and other nuts can reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, eating about a handful (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) a day of most nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Just make sure the nuts you eat aren't salted or coated with sugar.
All nuts are high in calories, so a handful will do. To avoid eating too many nuts and gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.

4. Olive oil

Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.
The Food and Drug Administration recommends using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can saute vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat or as a dip for bread. Olive oil is high in calories, so don't eat more than the recommended amount.
The cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil, meaning the oil is less processed and contains more heart-healthy antioxidants. But keep in mind that "light" olive oils are usually more processed than extra-virgin or virgin olive oils and are lighter in color, not fat or calories.

5. Foods with added plant sterols or stanols

Foods are now available that have been fortified with sterols or stanols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks with added plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce (237-milliliter) servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day.
Plant sterols or stanols in fortified foods don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.

I have tried to get to the under 180 mark with a combination of meds and diet. Next is added movement. I only wish it was under 90 degrees here so I could move outside. Way under 90.

Maybe I need to review

Raise Metabolism

1. Build muscle. Since fat is burned in your muscle, you want to activate as many muscle fibers as possible. Weight training increases lean muscle mass, which raises the amount of calories your body uses, even when you're at rest. What's more, since there's less fat in your body (and your muscles), blood moves better so you have more energy -- without eating more food. So if you haven't been incorporating strength training into your fitness routine, now is the time to start!

2. Start eating! "Your body is a 'refuel as it goes machine,' which simply means it needs to be consistently fed to provide energy to live," explains Mark MacDonald, author of the bestselling book Body Confidence. "This type of consistent feeding stabilizes your blood sugar levels and creates internal hormonal balance" -- and that keeps you from packing on the pounds. His advice: Eat within an hour of waking to kick-start your metabolism. Then keep eating every three to four hours ending an hour before bedtime.

3. Nosh on protein at every meal and snack. Protein has a greater metabolic boost than fat or carbohydrates. Biting, chewing, swallowing and digesting food takes energy -- it's known as the thermic effect of food and it can burn up to 30 percent of the calories on your plate. The more complex the food (think steak, legumes and fibrous vegetables), the more calories you burn as it travels through the digestive tract. Protein also contains leucine, an amino acid that prevents muscle loss when you're dieting. A simple strategy: For a quick and easy snack, keep peanuts in your pocketbook, trail mix in your desk drawer and hard-boiled eggs in the fridge.

4. Get moving. Interval training with bursts of high intensity cardio will stoke your metabolic rate and keep it humming for hours. So instead of logging in your regular half-hour on the treadmill at a steady 4.5 mph pace, try the interval option or hit the road and take advantage of changes in the terrain. Run in the sand or up hills and use landmarks to signify a change of pace. And squeeze in extra calorie burning whenever you get the chance, advises Gerbstadt.

5. Drink water. Studies show that people who drink 8-ounce glasses of water eight to 12 times a day have higher metabolic rates than those who drink four. Want to lose an extra 6.6 pounds a year? Drink half a liter of water before breakfast. According to researchers at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., people who downed water before their first meal of the day consumed an average of 75 fewer calories at breakfast than those who didn't drink up first.

The above is from a source found on MSN and I have totally forgotten where. But there are a few comments I need to make. I saw on the news the other day that a researcher in Britain said drinking a lot of water isn't good for you and could make you stop losing weight. I can't find out anything more about it so far. If anyone knows more, please let me know. 

I also have been hearing more and more about tuna, salmon, and sardines being really good for healthy hearts. Any more info on this is welcome.

There has been some buzz that interval training is not good for those with heart problems. A Doctor can speak to that issue. 

I'm still trying to find the best things for me. Any good ideas that I find I'll share.