1.  Control Stress

Stress can devour a large amount of our energy on a daily basis.  Talking with someone, like a trusted friend or family member, or maybe even joining a support group (virtual or in-person) can help you deal with what is stressing you.  There are also plenty of types of relaxation therapy, such as yoga and meditation, that can help reduce stress.  

2.  Lighten your Load

One of the main reasons that we become fatigued is the demands in our daily life.  We tend to “overwork” ourselves, whether it be due to professional, family, or social obligations, we seem to think that we need to “do it all”.  We need to try to streamline our “must-do” lists and focus on the most important tasks in our lives.  

3.  Exercise

Exercise helps by giving our cells more energy to burn and circulates oxygen, which in turn will help us sleep more soundly at night.  Exercising can even help our mood by elevating our brain’s dopamine levels, which additionally helps control our stress and anxiety levels. 

4.  Use caffeine wisely

This may seem like an obvious choice when talking about fatigue and boosting our energy, but it should be used wisely.  Caffeine may cause us to lose sleep or have insomnia, especially if large amounts are consumed too close to bedtime.  

5.  Drink water

Water is very important to our bodies for many reasons, including reducing fatigue.  A lack of water can cause our bodies to experience fatigue or low energy, as it tries to function without enough water.  

Don’t let fatigue win.  Get out there and use the suggestions above to get the most out of the energy you have and enjoy your “golden years” like a youth.  

“Stop slouching!” or “Sit up straight!”  We heard that all the time growing up from our grandmothers and our mothers. They would warn us that as we aged, if we continued to sit like that, we would have a hump like the hunchback of Notre Dame. They weren’t entirely wrong, but they weren't entirely right either and here’s why.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or a combination of both.  This results in our bones becoming weaker as we age, causing them to sometimes break following a fall or even a minor bump.

The hump that they were referring to is often called a “Dowager’s Hump.” This occurs when the vertebrae become wedge-shaped, which in turn creates the pronounced curve in the upper back.  Osteoporosis helps to weaken the vertebrae, allowing them to make this change in shape.  Here are ways that Dowager’s Hump can be prevented:

1.      Increasing our calcium intake

Pre- and post-menopausal women should increase their daily intake to 1,800 milligrams per day. This can be done by increasing calcium rich foods, like dairy products and salmon.  Check out this post for more information. 

2.     Exercise

Dr. Wilson suggests doing 3 sets of the following exercises: Chin tucks, Scapular squeezes, and push-ups into a corner of a room or through a doorway. This will help strengthen the upper back muscles.

3.     Healthy diet

Making sure that our diets are filled with fruits and veggies can help. It’s also wise to steer clear of soda, as the phosphoric acid in some sodas can have a negative effect on bone density.  Be sure to check out my previous post about Nutrition for Women after 50. 

Our grandmothers and mothers were also right.  Correcting our posture will also help to prevent Dowager’s Hump.  So,

Sit up straight!  Your back and neck will thank you for it!

This can be pretty controversial, even for people who love using essential oils every day.  And for good reason!  We don't want to put things in our body (or in our kids) that are not safe.  Unfortunately, every oil that I've seen in the pharmacy, health food store, and big box stores contains a label that says “for topical / aromatic use only – do not ingest”.

So why do I take my essential oils internally?  Why is my essential oil safe?  Read on!

In order for an essential oil bottle to be labeled for internal use, it has to meet rigorous standards set by the Food and Drug Administration.  When they do, they can be considered GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) for use as a food additive.  They can safely be put in food and drink, at reasonable doses.

5 things the FDA looks at to determine whether or not an essential oil is safe for internal use

This is great for me, because the reason I started using essential oils 7 years ago was to support my digestive system.  I have a couple of favorite oils and blends that work great to keep my digestive system doing it's thing.

Your brain.  Now that you have made it to 50, your brain has never been better!  How can that be, you ask?  Here are a few reasons why this is true.    

First, your reasoning skills are still going strong. Due to Crystallized intelligence, which refers to your ability to use learned knowledge and experiences, you are able to solve problems better than when you were younger.  So thanks to all those crazy adventures you had in your 20’s and 30’s, your brain learned how to process solutions to situations that occur in your life now.  Research shows that we continue to stay strong in this form of thinking as we age. 

Second, your memory center is also holding steady.  As we age, it’s a known fact that our brain loses 5% of its volume per decade starting in our 40’s.  But on a happier note, our hippocampus, a key memory center in the brain, holds firm in its size, as does your brain’s white matter, which houses the crucial nerve bundles that carry signals throughout our brain.  Research has even shown that women ages 45-55 years old outperformed men of the same age group in a series of memory tests.  Researchers believe this is due to our level of hormones prior to menopause.  Unfortunately, after menopause, when women’s estrogen levels decrease, our memory starts to decline as well.  

Third, embrace your dreams again.  Our brains need sleep to be able to rebuild and repair what has happened to it during our awake time.  By the time we hit 50, our night’s sleep gets an overhaul of what happens while we sleep. Generally, we have less deep sleep and memory-consolidating REM sleep and more time spent in light stages of sleep. Making sure that we get good sleep is very important when it comes to brain health.

Finally, we don’t freak out about the things like we once did.  The brain of older adults processes emotions in a healthier way.  As the prefrontal cortex and amygdala work together, they help us respond less strongly to negative situations and more energetically to positive ones, allowing us to be more relaxed.  Thanks prefrontal cortex and amygdala!  

So as you can see, getting older is not so bad after all.  At least not for our brain, as long as we take care of it and give it what it needs, such as rest and relaxation.

One way to make sure that you are getting the nutrients that you need is to improve your intake of calcium and Vitamin D.  Vitamin D actually helps your body to regulate and absorb calcium.  Eating such foods as low fat yogurt, cheese, milk, and ice cream 3 to 4 times daily will help you get the nutrients that you need.  If you are lactose-intolerant, you can get these nutrients from hard cheeses, yogurt, canned salmon, and broccoli.  Another option would be food or drinks that state that the nutrients have been added in by the manufacturer, such as orange juice that’s been fortified.  

Another way to get the nutrients that you need is to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes or beans. This can be easy to do.  Simply add a wide variety of fruits and veggies into your morning smoothie or switch your pasta or cereal to one made with whole grains. Eating these foods also provides an added bonus, as these will also give you disease-fighting antioxidants that are known to play a role in helping to prevent diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s.   

You can also help your body by cutting down on salt in your diet.  Too much salt leads to high blood pressure.  If high blood pressure is left uncontrolled, it can lead to heart conditions, such as a heart attack or stroke.  High blood pressure causes the arteries and blood vessels to become clogged, known as Myocardial ischemia, preventing adequate blood flow to the heart muscle causing less oxygen to get the cells and tissues in your heart.  High cholesterol is also another cause of Myocardial ischemia.  Making sure that you are choosing your fats wisely can help to keep your cholesterol down.  Fats to avoid include trans and saturated fats, which can be hidden in butter, stick margarine, processed foods, and doughnuts.  Fats that you should choose are known as “good fats”, which can be found in foods, such as nuts and seeds, avocado, and fresh salmon and tuna.  

Making sure that you are taking advantage of all the “ingredients” that you are putting in your daily diet can make up the simple “recipe” to fight aging.

When we say that essential oils can be enjoyed by the whole family, that includes Bingo and Whiskers. There are just a few things that you need to keep in mind to make sure your fur (or scale, or wool, or feather, or hairless) babies stay safe and enjoy all the benefits that essential oils have to offer.

The most important decision is where to get your essential oils!  DO NOT grab a bottle from the grocery store, pharmacy, or health food store!  While those cute little bottles look safe, you only have to read the label to see that they are not pure enough to be taken internally.  What is so dangerous about lemon or peppermint that you can't put a drop or two in your water?   The problem with most essential oils that are sold like that is that they are manufactured only to provide a nice smell.  In contrast, the essential oils I use are grown, harvested, and distilled to provide wellness support, in the same way that the plants they came from can do. 

So you’ve hit your 50’s, what now? How can you make the best of these years and enjoy the activities you always have?  

One way to make the best of these years is to stay fit.  How, you might  ask?  Keep reading and you’ll see. 

"Exercise is really important as you get older," says Tom Iannetta, a senior athletic trainer, who’s also a certified strength and conditioning specialist.  One thing to keep in mind when you start exercising, is that you may have to tweak your exercise routine to avoid injuries, as it can be easier to get hurt as we age.  So you might not be able to do the latest exercise craze, but staying active is still very important.  

This also doesn’t mean that you can’t do the exercises that you know and love just because you’re older, you just have to be more cautious, like don’t push yourself like you did when you were in your 20’s.  As we age, our muscles don’t work quite how they used to.  They tend to be tighter and not have the same range of motion they once did.  This is why it’s very important to know your limits and listen to what your body is telling you and proceed with caution.  

Good ways to prevent injury when you’re older are just the same as when you were in your 20’s.  Things like making sure that you do warm-ups and stretches before you exercise will help your muscles respond better and hopefully help prevent injuries.  This doesn’t have to take long.  You can do stretches for about 5 to 10 minutes prior to starting your exercise or physical activity and you’ll be ready to go.  Also, remember to stay hydrated while exercising.  This is very important in helping to prevent cramps in your muscles as you participate in your exercise routine.  

Some great activities to try as you age, include walking, swimming, water aerobic exercises, stationary bikes or elliptical machines and any low-impact exercises, such as yoga.  Be sure to get clearance from your family physician before starting any exercising routine, as they can also give you advice on what exercise routine might be safe for you.  

And remember, “More isn’t always better,” says Iannetta.  “There’s no shame in adapting your routine as you get older.  It’s the movement, not the method, that matters.”  

Did you know that you could be making health mistakes daily without knowing it?  Now that you are over the age of 50, this decade brings new special health challenges.  Here is one of the most common health mistakes that women do.  

Many women in their 50’s make a big mistake by ignoring their heart health.  We all know that we are expected to be tested or screened for some conditions as we age, and we know the importance of a healthy diet.  But did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women and the risk only rises with age?  Unfortunately, it’s not necessarily something that you are doing right now that is causing cardiovascular disease (CVD).  Remember when you were in your 20’s and you thought smoking was cool?  Or that you didn’t have to work out due to your high metabolism level allowing you to eat that cheeseburger with onion rings without gaining an ounce?  These choices all start to take a toll on your heart health after turning 50.    

On September 25, 2015, the CDC released an announcement that CVD, including heart disease and stroke, were the leading cause of death in the world.  Shocked?  Don’t be.  CVD can be attributed to the sedentary lifestyle that most Americans live, but we can fix that.  We can reduce our risk for heart disease by making environmental and lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, increasing physical activity, and eating healthy, low-fat and low-sodium foods, such as fruits, veggies, and lean meats.  

The report also went on to say that 3 out of 4 U.S. adults have a heart “age” that is older than their chronological age. For example, this means on average women showed having hearts that are five years older than their chronological age.  And if you have high blood pressure, your heart’s “age” is 18 years older than your chronological age!  If you wish to learn your heart’s “age”, you can access a heart “age” calculator at: http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/cardiovasculardisease/heartage.html.  

The good news is that the CDC and the American Heart Association are working diligently on ways to treat heart disease daily.  And even though some damage may already be done, it’s never too late to start getting more exercise, eating healthier, losing weight or to quit smoking.  Your body and heart will thank you.  

2. Toxicity – too much bad stuff

Every day we are exposed to air, food, water, and other environmental factors that are not as pure as they used to be. Thyroid, metabolism, circulation, immune function, and digestion can all be affected by environmental pollutants.  But it's not  just the bad stuff OUTSIDE our homes that can cause trouble. 

Have you ever had to open doors and windows to clear the air of toxic fumes after you have cleaned the bathroom or kitchen?   Have you noticed that many of those cleaners contain labels warning about inhaling the fumes or getting it on your skin, or accidental ingestion?  They suggest that you call poison control!  

According to the American Lung Association, the ingredients in most cleaners, sprays, and scrubs can:

• Be air pollutants
• Contain harmful chemicals
• Be flammable or corrosive
• Irritate eyes or throat
• Cause headaches
• Contribute to health problems like chronic respiratory problems and allergic reactions

The worst part is - brace yourself—manufacturers aren’t even legally required to list all ingredients! It sounds crazy, but toxic ingredients could be lingering in your laundry detergents and floor cleaners without you even knowing about it!

What you need is a safe cleaner that can reduce the toxins, without compromising your health. Lucky for you, I can help with that!

I only use one cleaner for everything in my house - floors, counters, stove top, mirrors, bathroom, etc. It has a delicious, spicy smell that doesn't give me any trouble breathing. Can you open your bottle of cleaner and take a deep breath without having an asthma attack?  I can!  In fact, my cleaner actually improves my wellness, rather than attacking it!

Not only does my cleaner reduce the harmful toxins in my house, it also gives me the good stuff to support my wellness. It's really affordable, and there is no need to include the number for Poison Control on the bottle - it's safe for kids and pets!

I've been using it for the past few years, and I can tell you that the wellness level of my family has definitely improved!  I attribute that change to eating fresh, healthy foods, replacing toxic products with safe ones, and adding some natural remedies that keep me from visiting the pharmacy on a regular basis.

If you'd like to learn more about what I use, CONTACT ME so we can chat about how you can improve the wellness level in your home, without spending a lot of money.  

Your heart.  You love it.  You also worry about it.  You know that your risk for heart disease increases with age, but are you able to protect yourself, even with a family history of heart disease?  You most certainly can!

One way to reduce your risk for heart disease is starting with a healthy diet.  Studies show that high consumption of red meat is associated with increased levels of TMAO, a chemical marker that has been linked to heart disease.  TMAO is produced by your gut bacteria.  Just limiting your red meat intake will show a decrease in elevated levels of TMAO within a month.  An easy way to reduce your red meat intake is going meatless one day a week or getting more protein from other sources, such as white meat, fish, and beans.  

Another way to reduce your risk for heart disease is to schedule regular yearly follow-ups with your family physician. They are able to track things like your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels, so that they can work with you to keep them in a normal range.  A normal blood pressure range is less than 120 for systolic (the top number) and less than 80 for the diastolic (the bottom number).  If your numbers are not within this range, your family physician may talk to you about starting medication or dietary changes to help keep your blood pressure within this range.  

Another way to reduce your risk for heart disease is to stay active.  That doesn’t mean that you need to run marathons or walk miles a day.  Begin slowly by adding a brisk, leisurely walk around your neighborhood for about 20-30 minutes a day.  Gradually increase your rate to help increase the health benefits. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week for adults, which means only 30 minutes of exercise per day, for 5 days a week.  

Continuing to make healthy choices for your body, no matter your age, increases the chances of staying healthy as you age.  It’s never too late to start living a healthy lifestyle!