A few years ago, I had the pleasure of turning a virtual friend into a "real" friend when fellow writer Ruth Pennebaker moved from her native Texas to New York City with her husband for a year. I found Ruth to be as brilliant and witty in person as she was on the page and after spending time with her, I always felt enriched and somehow smarter. When Ruth told me she was working on another book called Pucker Up! I knew it would be as entertaining as all her other reflective and insightful works. I just got a sneak peak (it's great to have friends in high places), and was right. Pucker Up! is available { Read More }
What Wake-Up Calls Teach Us
Not to be all depressing and morose, but this past week has been kind of sad. I've heard one bad story after another. A friend's 17-year-old daughter diagnosed with ovarian cancer; a cousin's 28-year old son's thyroid cancer diagnosis; a co-worker of my husbands with a blood disease so rare I've never heard of it nor can I pronounce it or understand just how the body can turn on itself that way. I've had my personal share of cancer-at-an-early-age, and with that, there's always that jolt, otherwise known as a wake-up call: it spurs you into action to do something, change something, make promises to { Read More }
Menopause and Anxiety
Why do some women going through menopause feel like they're out of control, irritable, short- fused and just plain crazy? And why do others pass through seamlessly with nary a hot flash or mood swing? Back in 2005, when blogging was still fairly new, I created the blog, Midlife Matters. As a health writer, I was excited about sharing accurate and timely health information in an intimate setting which fostered a dialog with other like-minded midlife women, something that’s not possible via standard print magazines and websites. To date, my most popular post was about Menopause and Anxiety { Read More }
Why Second Opinions Count
Actress Rita Wilson, who recently announced her breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent double mastectomy, did the right thing when she sought out a second opinion. And doing so might have saved her life. But too many of us are hesitant to question a medical diagnosis: a 2005 Gallup Poll that surveyed 5,000 Americans found that about half reported "never" seeking a second opinion and a paltry three percent always sought out a second opinion on a diagnosis, treatment, drug or operation. Pretty frightening statistics, don't you think? Years ago, when my own breast cancer diagnosis was still fresh, a { Read More }
Fitness Expert Joel Harper: How To Train for a Half-Marathon
One of the most exciting and fulfilling things I recently did was complete my very first half-marathon. I never like to use this so-called midlife as an excuse not to do or try something new, but I must admit that I was a just bit wary that I might not be able to do it. But... I did it! And what a feeling of accomplishment that was. So now I'm anxious to spread the message that you can do it, too. Training to complete a half-marathon takes patience, perseverance and persistence. I recently reached out to Dr. Oz's personal trainer, Joel Harper, to get his take on training for a half-marathon. And you { Read More }
Natural Remedies for Pain Management
When you experience pain, do you: Become anxious and depressed Pop a painkiller Lose sleep Call in sick Book a massage Do nothing, live with it, and suffer in silence All of the above There's really no simple answer to this question, since there are many dynamics - like the type of pain, your background and personality and family and social environments - that can determine what your treatment plan will be, says the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care and Education. After all, chronic pain is a tenacious problem that will not go away anytime soon, and has { Read More }
When Nothing is Sure…Everything is Possible
Yesterday, I eavesdropped on Dame Judy Dench and Maggie Smith. “How many new lives can we have?” asked Ms. Dench. She answered her own question with the best five words I’ve heard in a long time: “As many as we’d like.” Lest you think I hang out in such royal company, I don’t. That question comes from the movie, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Have you seen it yet? I haven’t – my efforts yesterday were thwarted by some circumstances beyond my control – but I can’t wait. In preparation for sequel, Alan and I watched the original, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, on Netflix last Friday night. I { Read More }
With Each Passing Year, More Wisdom is Won
This year has zoomed by, and it’s tough to sit with the fact that 2015 feels and sounds like its way in the future, rather than mere moments away. Time, which becomes such a precious commodity with each passing year, has a way of surprising me with its swiftness. Wasn’t it just July? Didn’t I just turn 50? But alas, it is the end of December and I just turned 60, and both facts startle me equally into a frenzied state of near-disbelief. I feel the need to do a double-take, but know that my eyes will return to the same place…so why bother? I’d say that professionally, this was a good year. I { Read More }
Defining Moments
We all have defining moments. Do you think they chart the course of our lives? Yesterday, like on most other days, I startled when my alarm went off at 7:00 AM. And like on most other days, I routinely made my way to the bathroom, shuffled into the kitchen, pressed the button on my coffeemaker to brew myself my usual dose of caffeine. Stirred in the half and half. Waddled into my office. Carefully set the steaming hot cup down on my desk, where I checked my emails and scanned the news headlines. But then, just as suddenly as I’d jumped when my alarm went off, I paused, and my morning’s { Read More }