• One Month to Live?
• Hazardous Substances to Healthy Bodies
• Makeup Madness

So teach us the number of our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.

~ Psalm 90:12

A couple years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Kay Arthur face to face and hearing her speak several times over a weekend. Kay was 75 years old at the time and she had more passion and energy than many women I know in their forties and fifties. I did some quick math and realized that she is just 18 years older than I am.

As I watched her run (literally) across the stage and hear God's word flow from her mouth as part of almost every sentence (as if permanently woven into the fabric of her life), I wondered if I would have the same passion, energy and spiritual depth as Kay when I hit my 75^th birthday.

And then something occurred to me. The last twenty years had flown by...and the next twenty were bearing down at an alarming rate. The truth is, before we know it, our life on this planet is over. It gave me a sense of urgency and purpose. It spurred me to become much more intentional about my life. Like most of you, I want to know that I've made a valuable contribution before I die. When I finally reach Heaven, I hope to hear God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

But, if I'm honest, I must admit that I've frittered away many days. I've taken them for granted assuming I have lots more. So just over two years ago, I took out my calculator and figured out how many days I had left before I turned 75. At the time, it was 6,995. As of this writing, I will turn 58 in nine short days. Yippee. 790 days have flown by since I did my initial calculation. Whoosh!

Now there is no guarantee that God will allow me to live to 75. But then again, he could also choose to give me even more time. Only He knows the number of my days. In verse 10 of Psalm 91 it says: "As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years". Not all of us are blessed to live a long life. No matter how many years, verse 12 above tells us to number our days in a way that presents a heart of wisdom. To me, that means we are to take our assignment here for the years God gives us very seriously.

If you knew that you only had one healthy month of life left, how would you spend it differently than you have been? Have you said everything you want to say to the people whom you love? Does everyone in your circle of influence know Christ?

To me, Growing Young in our spiritual dimension means striving to maintain the excitement and passion of the basis of our faith - our first Love - Jesus. As our assignment winds down, do we feel confident that everyone we know and love will join us one day in Heaven? If not, then our assignment is crystal clear: Share the love of Christ in whatever way you can so that others will want you to explain "the hope that is within you".

Let's live with passion, purpose and joy during these most important "growing young" years. Together let's pray the closing verse (17) of Psalm 90:

 May the Lord our God show us His approval and make our efforts successful.

Yes, make our efforts successful!

Food Nazi?

I'm not a food killjoy or a health hypocrite. You'll see me at Starbucks ordering an occasional pump of chocolate in my latte. You may catch me with a bite of dessert in my mouth at a local restaurant. I don't eat perfectly. But, I do strive to decrease the empty calories in my diet and increase nutrient dense foods for one reason: I want to stay youthful and healthy as I grow young. And it matters more, the older we get. So with that in mind, here are some reminders of WHY we want to avoid some "hazardous substances" and only indulge in very limited quantities. Focus on the positive reasons to limit them...staying youthful and healthy!

Hazardous substance #1: Sugar

It promotes aging, decreases your immunity, promotes weight gain, and increases your incidence of diseases like diabetes.

Sugar tastes good to your taste buds, but acts very badly in your body. It simply is not good for you. Sucrose, fructose, lactose, raw, confectioners, or "natural" sugar may have some minor differences, but ultimately metabolize similarly in your body. Though your brain needs a constant supply of glucose (blood sugar) to survive, it doesn't need it in such a simple form. Our bodies are great at converting any kind of food to glucose in order to provide an ample supply to our brains. Excess sugar reacts with proteins in the body and produces a damaging effect similar to free radicals - and those age us prematurely.

While a sugar free diet would be ideal, we don't have to throw all sweet foods out of our lives forever. But we do need to cut back our weekly intake significantly from pounds of sugar (that the average American eats) to ounces. I follow a couple of personal rules that I think work very well: I rarely have anything sweet before lunch, avoid beverages with sugar or fructose and keep my desserts or other sweet selections to no more than 250 calories per day - with the exception of an occasional larger indulgence...just because I don't very often. The less sugary foods I eat, the less I really enjoy them.

Hazardous substance #2: White Flour

Have you ever mixed a little water into a big bowl of white flour? What do you get? Paste!

Refined bread products, white-flour pastas, crackers and the like convert very quickly to sugar. In fact, if you put a piece of white bread in your mouth for a few minutes, you will notice a sweet taste. The starch is converting to glucose. Yes, your white bread is fortified with important vitamins and minerals, such as iron and folic acid, and contains a smidgen of protein and fiber. But for the most part, refined carbohydrates are sweet nothings. Think of it this way: Every slice of white bread you eat is a bit like eating three or four vitamin-fortified marshmallows. A cup of pasta equals eight marshmallows.

Have you ever mixed a little water into a big bowl of white flour? What do you get? Paste! And that is what too many crackers and other processed foods are becoming in your digestive tract. It may sound extreme, but I label French bread, white bagels, and most crackers right up there with other junk food like chips, cookies, and cakes! If you're not doing so already, read labels carefully and look for products that say whole grain and include two to four grams of fiber (or more) per serving. When you do choose to indulge in something sweet, a little fiber will actually slow the release of the sugar and help stabilize your blood sugar. Fortunately in recent years there are many good companies and markets offering healthier alternatives without sacrificing taste. You may not love every new product you try, but you'll probably discover a few that will become favorites. 

Hazardous substance #3: Bad Fat

If your blood is drawn right after a fatty meal, you sometimes actually see the fat in the tube of blood as it comes out of your vein! 

I wish that God had given us personal scopes to see what was happening microscopically inside our bodies moment to moment. I truly believe it would motivate us to stop doing some things and start doing others. The point is that most of us are eating way too much saturated and "trans" fat. All those years we were eating margarine and thinking we were doing the "right thing," we were actually deceiving ourselves. As it turns out, when vegetable oil is hydrogenated to be solid at room temperature, it produces "trans" fats that act much like saturated fats. The problem is that we are getting unhealthy fat from a multitude of sources. The obvious source is meat and dairy products. But much of the fat is hidden in our packaged foods. And as we discussed previously, getting too much of the healthy Omega 6 fat in comparison to Omega 3 can cause as much damage as too much saturated fat.  So eat lots of Omega 3 and take a daily supplement, use more healthy Omega 9 olive oil and cut down on packaged chips, crackers and other treats that are high in vegetable oil.

NEXT WEEK:  Brain Cell Funerals, Artificial Sweeteners and Healthier Alternatives

MAKEUP MADNESS:

 If you ever watch a hair and makeup makeovers on television, you know how the "before and after" can be pretty dramatic. It is amazing how something as simple (and relatively inexpensive) as makeup and a good hairstyle can transform a person's appearance. Years ago, I learned how to do my own makeup and the older I get, the more thankful I am that I can do my own "extreme makeover" right in my own bathroom each morning.

Using the right colors and products can make a huge difference. So, if you have not ever learned, go to one of the many makeup counters at your local department store and start experimenting. The clerks want to sell you their products, but first make them earn their sale by showing you how to use them. And DON'T feel pressured to buy! You may need to visit a few different counters - and perhaps different stores - before finding a woman who helps you acheive the look right for you.

Don't get overwhelmed. Learn one tip at a time if you are new to this. And, don't let someone talk you into something that does not suite your style.

Lipstick Tip:

As I've matured, I actually wear lighter lipstick. It is more youthful and creates a softer appearance. Don't get stuck with your favorite color just because you've worn it for years. Get the advice of someone a decade or so younger - but  definitely over thirty! 

  

• Pick Your Poisons Carefully
• Purify – A Fresh Start Everyday
• More Fat Burning Tips

PICK YOUR POISONS CAREFULLY

 "Many of our foods have become so processed, preserved and full of chemicals that they are hardly foods at all, but rather manufactured products that happen to be somewhat digestible."

~ Dr. Francisco Contreras

 If you could see the direct impact that some foods you eat have on the cells of your body and realize the negative potential and how they can even cause premature aging...you'd probably eat them anyway. Why? Because they taste so good. Most of us feel like we're being punished if we don't indulge our taste buds with our favorite foods. But when we do this on a daily basis, our body responds with excess weight, decreased immunity, increased disease and low energy. You'd think we'd care more. But immediate, delectable gratification is a pesky little devil.

If someone told you that there was arsenic in the plate of brownies on the table, you'd definitely avoid them. But, if it was just a teeny little bit that wouldn't make you feel sick or die (and we changed the name from arsenic to aspartane) - and if these brownies were the only chocolate dessert on the planet - you might just consider a bite!  In essence, we are slowly poisoning ourselves by constantly indulging in empty calorie foods that are robbing our health and vitality. Don't get me wrong. I'm far from a purist. I do enjoy a small ration of empty calories, but I have learned the value of consistent moderation (most days) and feel blessed that I look and feel relatively young as my 58th birthday approaches this very month!

Enjoying a food just because it tastes good is fine on occasion if we don't over rationalize what moderation really is. Each year that I research and teach about this topic, I have a harder time indulging with joy. I simply cannot eat some things with reckless abandon anymore. Not because they are simply fattening, but because they are unhealthy. All the facts just keep ricocheting off the walls of my brain and tormenting me if I start to go overboard. That may seem like a foreign concept to some of you; but it is a great freedom to move from craving foods that have no value to having little or no interest in them. It took me a long time to get to this point - but it was worth the effort.

 

True Confession 

I actually ate a donut the other day - my first in years. It is my personal rule to save any empty "fun food" choices until after lunch if I'm going to allow myself to indulge. The donut tasted great. But all morning long (as my energy hit the floor), I kept thinking, "It didn't taste good enough to feel this tired an hour later".  It was a good reminder of why I don't make that choice very often. Because I know that I can have anything I want anytime I want it, I rarely crave it. I crave a healthy, high energy body more.

 

I share all this to illustrate how seeing each bite you take for what it really is can change your attraction to it if you force yourself to acknowledge truth each time you are eating it. By deciding to think differently about the foods that can do you harm, you don't feel so compelled to eat them.

Next week, I'll share a little negative motivation about several hazardous ingredients found in many of our favorite indulgences.

In the meantime, if you need to practice renewing your mind so you see food for what it really is (or isn't), I have a new 3-CD package of Biblical Self-Talk CD's available. Instead of trying to change your habits by pure will power, try changing your thinking as well!

PURIFIED - A FRESH START EVERYDAY

 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

 

Pure fresh water flushes toxins out of our body and purifies it so that all of our organs can perform optimally the way they were intended to function. If the water we drink is polluted, it can do just the opposite. "Growing Young" in our spiritual dimension means that we must never forget our "first love" and the joy of our salvation. It means that we need to not only look at what pollutes our body - but what polutes our souls as well. Sin pollutes our soul.

 

Confessing our sins to a holy God also purifies us. As believers, Jesus died for all of our sins: past, present and future. If we are justified by His blood, forgiven and going to heaven, why should we concern ourselves with confessing our sins? We need to confess and be purified "in time" - that is right now - because our sin disrupts our fellowship with God and keeps us stuck. Yes, Jesus paid the ultimate price to cancel our debt of sin and justify us for eternal life. But our sinful behavior that occurs despite our salvation, takes the confidence and power out of our walk with God. It also grieves the Holy Spirit who is in us. (Ephesians 4:30)

 

When young couples get married, they are usually idealistic and cannot imagine some of the challenges that lie ahead. They promise to love honor and cherish each other in good times and in bad. If they are serious about their covenant of marriage, they do not let disagreements, dishonesty or even more grievous actions become grounds for divorce. But, no matter how unbreakable their commitment, they still need to work through their issues and restore the relationship to wholeness. Without confession (admitting one has wronged another through their actions) and repentance (turning from those actions and back to those which build up the marriage) the marriage is not fully alive.

 

In 1John chapter one, the apostle of the same name recounts to believers all the wonderful truths about Jesus. He reminds us about the fellowship we have with God through Christ, so our joy will be complete. And then, he shifts gears at the end of the chapter and starts to talk about sin. He tells us that if we say we have no sin, we are liars. But in the midst of that condemning blow, he gives us hope by telling us what to do with our day to day sins - confess them to a loving God. By doing so, we can know that we are purified from all unrighteousness and can walk once again in confident fellowship with the Lord.

 

Such a simple "formula" could be easily abused. If our God is so forgiving, then perhaps we can do whatever we want as long as we pray for forgiveness. If you look back to the marriage illustration - is that the kind of marriage you would want? Of course it isn't - and we don't want that kind of relationship with God either. His laws are perfect. They are designed to protect us and draw us close to Him. Both in marriage and our fellowship with God, we want a relationship based on a covenant of love that always builds up. That is why our loving Father stands ready to forgive and restore us again and again. Shouldn't we do the same for each other?

Three More Fat Burning Tips

TIP #3:           Increase Your Energy

The higher your energy, the less likely you will be to overeat. There are several important factors that will energize you to the max:

Eat to stabilize your blood sugar:  Include a good source of protein and fiber with every meal or snack, especially at breakfast and lunch. Shoot for at least 30 grams of fiber everyday. Try to avoid highly processed or sugary foods until after lunch (and then only in small, pre-planned amounts). This will help you maintain a more stable blood sugar and that will significantly diminish cravings.

De-stress your life:  Stress releases hormones and sugar into your blood stream creating a vicious cycle of fat storage and adrenaline rushes. When the excess sugar released during stress goes unused, (because most of us aren't being chased by a wild animal) it ends up getting stored as fat. The answer: Decrease your stress. (What Happened to My Life? includes a 40-day journey that will help you  distress and rediscover your passion, purpose and joy.)

 

Sleep until you are rested: Well-rested people have higher mental, emotional and physical reserves. The body regenerates at the cellular level only during deep, quality sleep. Most people need a minimum of 71/2 hours per night. Try it. You'll be amazed at how well you'll perform in many areas of your life, including your lifestyle.

 

Exercise for maximum energy: Don't wait to start exercising until you have enough energy. Get moving purposely every day and you will have more energy. You'll feel better, more focused and have better self-control. Get at least 10 minutes of purposeful activity every morning before you jump in the shower. In seven days, you will feel a difference which will motivate you to work toward at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

 

TIP #4            Burn More Calories

The bottom line to all fat loss is simply: Calories In versus Calories Out. But, most people severely underestimate how many calories they eat and over estimate how many they burn. If you only eat ten calories more than you burn each day, you'll gain an extra pound of fat every year. It's the small stuff that adds up over time. Take action and reverse that equation by burning more calories every day.

 

The average woman eats over 2,000 calories per day, but she only burns about 1,700. That's the perfect formula to gain about 30 pounds in a year. If you eat 250 calories less and burn 250 calories more each day, you will lose one pound of fat per week with going on a diet or extreme exercise program. Now that's what I mean by a lifestyle change!           

 

Learn Your Burn with Caltrac

For me (and many of my clients), the Caltrac Activity Monitor has been a valuable tool to give me a reality check and motivate me to move more. Even though I've maintained a size 6 to 8 for over 20 years, menopause left me with a bit less of a waist than I once had. Just recently, I put my Caltrac on and streamlined my waist measurement by committing to burn at least 700 activity calories per day.     

 

TIP #5           Creative Ways to Eat Fewer Calories

 

Practice portion control: Eat one-third to one-half your normal food portions whenever possible. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to use this simple technique. Consider this: If you've been eating an average of 2,400 calories per day, a reduction of only 10% would result in a daily caloric savings of 240 calories. That's about 24 pounds in one short year. One caution: Never decrease your fruit or vegetable servings.

 

Become a daytime eater: Try eating half as much food as usual after 6:00 p.m. Most Americans would be much leaner if we simply ate less food in the evenings.  Think about it...we burn most of our calories in the early part of our day and eat most of our calories just before going to bed. Go figure...no wonder we're getting fatter.

 

Go to "Calorie College":  Buy a good quality "nutritional counts" book and take one month to determine exactly what you are eating most days (not just when you are dieting). Simply knowing what you eat is essential to making wise choices. We wouldn't think of neglecting to balance our checkbooks, but most of us don't have a clue how much we are eating or burning.

 

Practice the ten-minute delay strategy:  Whenever you have a craving for something and you're not the least bit hungry, don't tell yourself you can't have it. Simply drink a tall glass of water and wait ten minutes. If you still want it, then have half the amount you usually would. This technique works most of the time...try it!

• /storeThe Brain-Beauty Connection
• This is the Day – A Devotion for Young Hearts
• Fat Burning Tips – Part One

 IF YOU KNEW there was a powerful nutrient that would stimulate your brain, revitalize your skin, slow down aging, improve fat metabolism, lubricate your joints, decrease inflammation and protect your heart ...wouldn't you make sure your body got plenty of it? But, what if this nutrient was found in only a handful of foods that you rarely ate on a daily basis? And, what if the foods you were eating regularly were throwing off a your nutritional balance causing you more damage because you lacked this key nutrient? If you don't address this almost universal nutritional gap, your body, skin and brain will be short-changed.

The nutrient I am talking about is an essential fatty acid called omega 3. It is one of only two fats that are considered essential for life, the other being omega 6. Our body cannot produce these fats independent! ly and must have them to function properly. In addition to the list of great benefits above, I've listed some other compelling facts later in this article. I've been notching up my omegas for almost ten years and I there is a visible difference in my skin. In fact, most people guess my age in my mid-forties - but I'm really turning 58 next month!  And, except for my occasional hormonal "menopause brain freezes"; my ability to concentrate and recall information has improved as well. Talk about a great nutrient for GROWING YOUNG!

 The product that I personally take (in a daily double dose) is Coromega. I just recently found a source and just added it to my website store at a great discount. You can find it in my webstore under Webstore.

To learn more about the phenomenal growing young benefits of Omega 3 nutrition and the foods you should add and delete from your diet for maximum benefits, CLICK HERE and Scroll Down to the "Brain-Beauty Connection" article on my website.

...Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual  act of worship. Romans 12:1

For many years, I ate enough food to feed a third world village as I battled with emotional eating and bulimia. I know how difficult it can be to put good health first when chocolate and doughnuts seem to be calling your name. But, God created us with a body that is our one and only vehicle for life and it is our responsibility to care for it and offer it back to Him as a living sacrifice - an act of worship. So, let me ask you: How is your body worshipping its Creator?

 
The tips that follow are from my SCALE DOWN book and small group curriculum and can help give you a jumpstart to a healthier and leaner body. It's easier than you think, if you make consistent lifestyle changes. A lifestyle change is something that you can do most days of your life without too much effort or deprivation.  Everything else is just another diet.

 

TIP #1:  Change Your Thinking

Do you really believe you can get and stay lean for life? If you don't...you won't! Get in tune with your self-talk. Romans 12: 2 tells us to be "transformed by the renewing of our mind". We do that by filling it with truth. In the human brain, the most dominant thought wins. If you tell yourself a new truth long enough, you will start to believe it and your behavior will follow.  Memorize a few healthy statements that will erase and replace your old negative ones. You can also try my biblical Healthy Self-Talk CDs if you don't know where to start. Listen or tell yourself these messages two or more times each day. Within a few months, your new self-talk will reset your "automatic pilot" and lead you down a leaner lifestyle path. This was exactly how I changed my mind, habits and life over twent! y-five years ago and have found total victory over my bondage to food.

 

TIP #2:  Change Your Attitude

 

     Get rid of your old diet mentality and legalize all foods. If you can have any food you want, any time you want it...then you don't need to have it all right now. Give yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods without feeling guilty. Chances are your cravings will diminish and your will power will increase. Just don't keep them under your nose in your home until your mind is renewed! For now, selectively plan a controlled treat - ideally with an accountablitly partner nearby. While you are enjoying a small portion, tell yourself: "I am easily satisfied and can only enjoy small amounts fun foods such as this."

 

     It's also time to get rid of your "all or nothing" attitude as well. It's not either a "diet day" or a "blow out day". Every time you think you've gone a little too far off the path, start fresh right then and there. Don't wait until the first day of the week, the first day of the month or the first day of the year. Restart again right now, even if it is Wednesday afternoon. If most women simply learned how to cut their losses and start fresh in the middle of the day, they would not feel their lifestyle spiraling out of control. Which brings me to one last important statement you should remind yourself daily: "I am in control of my food choices and I can easily say no to any food and stop eating before I eat too much." You can, you know? I've never seen a cookie or chocolate jump into someone's mouth. You are in control - Believe it!

 

Three more Fat Burning Tips Next Week!

 

Tip #3:  Increase your energy

Tip #4:  Burning more calories

Tip #5:  Simple Ways to cut calories

• Your Body, Your Only Vehicle for Life
• Hot Flash Relief
• Throw Out Your Mom Jeans

Your Body is Your ONLY Vehicle for Life…So, How's It Running for You?

 Human beings naturally avoid negative experiences. It's our nature to at least try to change the situation. However, there is one situation we can never escape this side of death...and that is living 24/7 within our own body. We are trapped for life and our health and well-being constantly impact the quality of each waking moment. Your body is indeed your ONLY vehicle for life! You can't trade it in...until Heaven.

 

Think back to the last time you felt poorly. Maybe you had a cold, headache or perhaps just didn't get enough sleep. For some, you cannot remember when you last felt healthy and full of energy. Whether it is an occasional illness or constant lethargy, how you feel moment to moment profoundly influences every aspect of your life. 

<The bad news:

About 30% of your health and wellness is out of your control. Call it genetics. Some of you are more prone to certain diseases or tendencies.

The really good news:

About 70% of your wellness is IN your control. That 70%is called your LIFESTYLE. How you eat, move, sleep, deal with stress and even think plays a bigger role in your wellness than the 30% out of your control.

You can greatly diminish the impact of your genetic programming by living a consistently healthy lifestyle. Sure, you may come from a family of overweight people - but that does not mean you are destined to be obese! You may never be a stick-thin super model (and who wants to be?) - but you can be reasonably lean and definitely healthy and full of energy.

So, what is holding you back from maximizing the 70% control you have over your health? By paying closer attention to the details, you can begin "growing younger" day by day. Try to eat a little more nutritiously. Go to bed a little earlier. Learn how to let go of stress. Celebrate the body God gave you by taking good care of yourself.

God put us in physical bodies to experience our short assignment on earth. Yet, no matter how well we take care of these vehicles, they will break down and eventually die. And then finally, we can trade them in for new and absolutely glorified bodies. Until then let's worship Him by "presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing - as a spiritual form of worship". (Romans 12:1)

GROWING YOUNG SCRIPTURE OF THE WEEK:

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.               ~1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20

For those of you who have a personal relationship with Jesus, the scripture above reminds us that our body is a gift from God. For me, that is added motivation to worship God by taking good care of myself so I can fully live out HIS purpose for my life! I love what Ron Hutchcraft says about this very topic:

 If you know Jesus, that body of yours - whatever you or other people may think of it - is a temple where God Himself lives! I saw a teenager once with a shirt that simply said, "Property of God." That's the truth! Imagine how it might change things if every believer had that indelibly stamped on their forehead "property of God." Some couples wouldn't be messing around with each other the way they are if they remembered they were messing around with God's property. We'd think twice about some of the garbage we put in our body; some of the junk we allow ourselves to watch or listen to if we realized that we were dragging trash into the "property of God."

GROWING YOUNG HEALTH TIP:

Hot Flash Relief

 

If you haven't experienced your own personal summer in the middle of winter, you won't relate to this next tip. But, read on anyway...chances are you will need this information sooner or later! In my book, THE HEAT IS ON, I wrote extensively about this topic for "Holy Hotties". One of the principles I shared was that it is best to try the most inexpensive and natural remedy for hot flashes first and work up only as necessary. If your menopausal symptoms get so severe that your sleep and sense of well being are disturbed for a prolonged period, then it may be time to consider bio-identical hormone replacement. But, BEFORE you do...I've found a new product that is working as well as the bio-identical hormones worked for me. It is called FEMMENESSENCE MACAPAUSE. There are different formulations for pre and post menopausal women. The 50+ is working great for me...most days! You can get more info or order at: www.naturalhi.com

GROWING YOUNG BEAUTY TIP:

Throw Out Your "Mom" Jeans 

Jeans...they're like comfort food for the body. We've been wearing them since we were young and when we've got a pair that looks and feels great...it helps us feel young again. But, the wrong pair of jeans...well...let's not go there.

Go to your closet and if you have any jeans more than five or six years old...chances are, it's time to give them away!

No matter what your body type, there is a pair of jeans that will boost your "growing young" attitude. When a mature woman wears a classy pair of stylish jeans that are suited specifically to her body type and partners it with a "now" top - she defies age. And...on a really positive note: The old look of high waist jeans is OUT. And the really, really low jeans...they're just too low for everyone! So, if you can only budget one clothing item this month...make it something you can wear a lot – a pair of fantastic jeans!

Serving Him with joy,

Danna 

 

Welcome to my new blog!

• Growing Young is a Choice
• Getting Back to Basics – Health Tips
• Growing Young Attitude

It takes no time at all to grow “up”. By the time we hit our late teens or early twenties, that project is done. In our twenties and thirties we’re a bit oblivious to the insidious downward pull of gravity. But, one day we wake up in horror and exclaim, “I’ve become my mother!” (I love you, Mom and want to be just like you in many ways. But, looking 25 years older is not one of them!)

It seems like overnight we suddenly become obsessed with growing old. We look in the mirror and wonder, “What happened to my youth?” It doesn’t need to be that way. With some attention to detail – we can not only slow the process, but “grow younger” in many ways that matter, to include our attitude, energy and even our appearance.

About ten years ago, I was getting my nails done and overheard a woman at a nearby station talking about going to her thirtieth high school reunion. I’m not usually a nosey person, but my thirtieth reunion was also coming up and I wanted to see who was this gal was who graduated in 1970, just like me. I looked around the room and could not see anyone who appeared my age. There were several gals in their 20’s or 30’s and one much older woman who appeared to be in her 60’s. The older woman began to speak and I realized sadly that she was the 1970 graduate.

Please, please don’t judge me for being shocked. Not everyone ages at the same rate. But this woman’s style of hair and clothing aged her far more than her body size or skin tone. Just because our driver’s license says we are over forty, does not mean that we must dress like our grandmothers! And a word of caution here: It also does not mean that we should overcompensate and dress like our 20-something daughters, either!

As author Florence Littauer once said, “It takes very little to be above average.” With a little attention to our health, style and attitude – we can feel and appear much younger than our birth certificate may proclaim. With that thought in mind, I’ve decided to begin a weekly blog dedicated to all women who think they are “growing old”. Instead, we will focus on “growing young” in body, soul and spirit. We don’t need to settle for just being “young at heart”. Let’s become the best we can be – with the vitality and energy of 30-somethings.

Each week I will give you practical health, beauty and attitude tips to move you from frumpy to fabulous! I hope you will join me on the journey and share some of your own tips and stories along the way.

Growing Young Health Tip #1: Get Back to Basics

For the past two decades, I’ve taught a very basic principal related to health and wellness that I’d like to repeat: Master the basics before getting distracted by the details. For example, many people spend too much time trying to fine tune their nutrition with the latest, greatest new supplements – but still aren’t consistently eating sufficient fruits and vegetables. Or, they spend a fortune on skin care products and treatments, but are never sufficiently hydrating their bodies with enough water. Most people know the basics, but in case you’ve forgotten, here are my top five basics that will help you grow younger and more energetic. I’ll expand on these topics in future weeks.

1. Drink at least 4-6 ounces of purified water every waking hour and more if the weather is hot or you are exercising. (It makes your skin cells look like grapes instead of raisins).
2. Eat 7-10 fruits and vegetables of varying color every single day.
3. Eat protein and fiber with every meal or snack to stabilize your blood sugar, keep energy high, and cravings low.
4. Take an Omega 3 Fat supplement every day. (More about this fabulous food that is my number one beauty tip in next week’s blog.)
5. Limit fun food (empty calories) to no more than 10-15% of your total diet (about 300 calories maximum).

Growing Young Beauty Tip #1: Sleep…Sleep…Sleep

Many people pride themselves on being able to “get by” on six or less hours of sleep each night. While that may work for the short-term, it will bite you in the rear eventually.  Sleep is the only time when the body can truly regenerate at the cellular level. If you want to grow young and have an energetic second half of life – you need at least seven to eight hours of sleep most nights.  Someone once said, “You pay now or you pay later…but you will always pay”. Pay yourself forward by getting starting the healthful habit of adequate sleep. It will show on your face.

Growing Young Attitude Tip #1: You Are Only as Young as You Feel …Really!

The cliché, “You’re only as old as you feel” is quite true. Our attitude about life in general greatly impacts how we embrace our own journey of midlife and beyond. If you want to feel like a younger version of yourself – start by thinking young. Comments such as, “I’m too old” or “If only I were younger”, set you up for failure. Don’t let your age stop you from doing the things you once loved to do. At eighty-four, my father is still snow skiing on double black diamond runs. He may ski a bit slower – but he enjoys himself like a teenager.

Every time you catch yourself thinking or talking about feeling “old” – squash those thoughts and do something youthful. Surround yourself with younger people who have a zest for life and join them buy doing the things they do. My 33 year old daughter is my ski buddy. She snow boards and tries her best to keep up with her 58 year old mom. That is NEVER gonna happen – at least in my mind!

Until next week…think young,

Danna