Rosemary?

You know about cortisol, don't you? It's a hormone whose level rises when you're stressed - and it's blamed for the deposit of fat around your middle. (Yes, that's why "mommy" years create a rise in big bellies!) Well, there's a new study out of Japan that suggests that pinching a bit of rosemary (dried or fresh) between your fingers and breathing in the scent lowers your cortisol level - reducing stress. I know that I love running my fingers over a rosemary plant and releasing its scent . . . maybe that's why!

So, lavendar has a run for its money - try rosemary and see how you react!

Your attitude counts!

Sometimes it feels as if you are "stuck" with what you have. But this is never true. Whether it's your health, your body, your spirit, or your life, you can always change what you do or are. It may take some effort and time, but there will be an effect. Even (seemingly) small changes, through time, make a difference. You simply have to keep at it - keep going, keep doing. Change your environment, change your exercise routine, change your diet, change your mindset. Whatever it is, try a change.

Change, itself, can work wonders! It's only when you try nothing that nothing happens.

Keeping the calories in control

A few years ago, I read that menopausal women could only metabolize 575 calories per meal. Anything over that would go to fat. I can't find that information anymore, but current thinking is that 4 - 5 small meals a day (with total caloric intake between 1600 and 1900 per day) is the best for keeping your weight where you want it.

I've been doing that (four 400 calorie meals per day) and I'm seeing my weight drop to a normal range. Several small meals a day do make a difference in me. In addition, I've been building muscle mass (I do this with yoga three times a week but weight lifting will work as well). As we age, we lose muscle mass, slowing our metabolism further. And between the two, I've never felt better. Basically, I'm a size 6 right now but, in time, I want to stabilize at a size 4.

So, eat small meals and work out - it's what we're always told and it's what works. You don't have to starve - just be smart about what and how you eat!

Gettin' with "the times"

So, if you're a woman of "a certain age," you may not know what a bikini or brazilian wax is (Oprah didn't). And you probably haven't had one. You may also clean your hair brushes and combs in a sink with some ammonia (which is what you mother told you to do). But there is an easier and better smelling way to clean your brushes - put a little of your hair shampoo in a sink full of water. It breaks down the hair and oils on your brushes and combs (as well as old product) and it only takes a few minutes.

Want to stay young in attitude/mind? Find new ways of doing things - even the small things!

Beautiful air

You may know that silk (faux) plants are dust collectors - and people with allergies shouldn't have them in their houses. (I'd say that no one should have the "fake" stuff!) Real plants, however (such as philodendrons, spider plants, and ivy) can actually "scrub" the air in your house, getting rid of indoor pollutants. So add several to your decorating scheme - they'll soothe your soul, beautify your surroundings, and help your lungs!

Dove Promises - a "good" addiction

Those of you who know me know that I eat dark chocolate Dove Promises every day. I love them! And I've always said that they're good for you - that they're my "health food." Well, here's my proof, courtesy of Prevention magazine:

"Dove Dark . . . contains cocoapro cocoa, a proprietary, specially processed cocoa with superhigh levels of flavenols - so high that Dove Dark is used in medical research." High levels of flavonoids are associated with a lower risk of heart disease, lung cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes, according to the same article. They may also lower your blood pressure and protect against plaque buildup in your blood vessels.

So now we all have a medical excuse to eat 1oz of Dove Promise dark chocolate a day. Now that's a reason to celebrate! (And yes, 1oz is small enough that you don't have to get fat eating it!)

Eat your "superfoods"!

One of the "superfoods" is blueberries. Just half a cup to a cup a day can protect against dementia, enhance brain function, reduce cell damage that leads to some cancers, help maintain good vision, give you a better complexion, and more.

Such a small amount of a good tasting food - with such great benefits! The better your body functions and feels, the better you can use your power in the world. Superfoods make you a super Being!

Breathe!

Okay, everyone has to breathe. But most of us breathe shallowly and without awareness. Focusing on your breath and inhaling and exhaling deeply (without making yourself dizzy!) has multiple benefits: you connect with the world around you, increasing your spiritual power; you oxygenate your brain, increasing mental sharpness; you oxygenate your cells, speeding your metabolism and increasing weight loss; and you create a sense of emotional peace and harmony.

It doesn't take a lot of effort to breathe deeply several times a day and the benefits are enormous. So . . . breathe!

Stay healthy!

In people with a history of squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common form of skin cancer, a diet high in leafy greens was associated with a reduced risk of another round of the disease. Read more about this at: http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/9027

Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin' . . .

into the past! Did you know that baking soda has more uses than the "usual"? A pinch of baking soda, added to your normal shampoo when you wash your hair, does the same job as "clarifying" shampoo. Use it once a week - it will make your hair shinier and won't interfere with hair color.

Also, try brushing your teeth a couple of times a month with baking soda (made into a paste with a little water). It will whiten your teeth without harming the enamel - cheaper than whitening strips!

Some "old" things are still just as good as they were!

Did you know . . .

That laughter is good for your mental, spiritual, and physical health? Laughing often oxygenates your blood making you look younger, making your skin brighter and clearer, and helping all of your organs to function better. It also links you to others in a positive way.

Laugh loud, laugh often!