Brrring! Buzzzz! Beeeeep! Ugh. It’s time to wake up. If you’re lucky enough to be the type to pop right out of bed (I never could understand how some people wake up with a smile, raring to go), you might not want to bother reading any further. But, if you’re like me – and I suspect millions of others – who have trouble summoning their inner early bird, or someone for whom pulling the covers over your head feels like a natural reflex - you might want to invest a few minutes in learning some ways to help make the process easier. Turn in 15 minutes earlier every three or four { Read More }
Menopause and Anxiety (Revisited)
DOES THIS SOUND VAGUELY FAMILIAR? …“Crippling anxiety, sleep issues, panic attacks, lack of energy, weight gain, intense sweating, no sex drive, dry hair and brittle nails.” – Just a few of the 219 comments expressed by women from around the globe in response to a 2011 blog I wrote titled, “Menopause and Anxiety” for HealthyWomen.org. It turns out anxiety is not the only thing about menopause plaguing the 6,000 U.S. women who reach menopause each day. “I’M NOT BOTHERED BY MENOPAUSE” …Says hardly anyone. THE STORY I’ve been blogging since 2009 (that’s a long time, in blogging years). { Read More }
Five Easy Ways to Take Good Care of Yourself
In just a few days, hubby and I are taking off for Italy (so excited!), our first big vacation together in many years (did I mention that I'm so excited?) Although I've been fortunate enough to travel to some great places recently, he has not. That's what happens when you are too busy to get away. And did I mention that not getting away is making someone very, very cranky and stressed? Don't tell him I told you that. And if you're reading this, honey? I love you anyway. But getting away doesn't have to involve a long vacation, nor does it have to mean spending money. Everyone needs to take a break from { Read More }
C’mon, Brain: Help Me Remember
Up until about the age of six, I never went anywhere without my beloved bedraggled stuffed teddy bear; my stand-in for a security blanket. It didn’t matter that its once-white coat turned to a pallid shade of gray, nor that its once-robust shapely body became a sagging hint of what once was. I still clung fiercely. Sometimes I feel like that old teddy bear; my skin no longer glowing nor my body as shapely as it once was. But I cling fiercely to the fact that despite inevitable signs of aging, I can be proactive in fighting against them. Yes. Skin, hair, body, and more. Those are the things for which { Read More }
Saying Goodbye to All That
There are two different schools of thought regarding so-called aging. Those who say they hate it... they're also fond of saying things like: Aging is not for sissies Aging out-and-out sucks Aging is tough Aging is a @^*!% struggle. And then there are those who: Embrace Aging Celebrate Aging Recite a prayer of thanks each morning they wake up Show off Aging Say Aging beats the alternative Me? I fall somewhere in between. I can't actually decide. One day I embrace it...then, poof! It hits me right in the gut. Sometimes, I can get a bit grumpy about it. My knee aches (is that osteoarthritis or { Read More }
How Moving Keeps You Young
It's been ten whole days since we moved from our house to our new apartment. We're making progress - we're down from 175 cartons to about 20. I call that getting closer to finally exhaling. But I still can't find my: Can Opener Favorite Blue Shirt Phone Headset Garlic Press All in time, I suppose. Each time I unpack a carton, it's like a great mystery is unveiled. Yesterday, hubby found the little tin box of ashes from my dearly departed Bichon, Chloe. The house now feels like home. Moving has been invigorating and exhausting all at once. Although I'm utterly spent at the end of each day - { Read More }
Midlife Minute: How Not to Get Sick
Or how I want everyone around me, who is sneezing, coughing, wheezing and just plain miserable to take care of themselves. There you have it. Everywhere I look, people are miserable, fighting the flu or other nasty bugs. Maybe you've already gotten the flu vaccine, but that doesn't mean you're fully protected (sorry!). Some people develop a higher immunity than others; but sadly, the success rate hovers at about 60 percent. News Flash: If you exercise before or after you get the shot, you can boost its effectiveness - honest. Exercise activates part of your immune system. Here's some info about that { Read More }