5 Tips For Graceful Aging

Photos 1 and 2 Shutterstock, Photo 3 Dreamtime

Every so often I read a magazine called "Natural Awakenings," free at health food stores. The November 2024 issue has a good advice article I'll paraphrase ... 

5 Tips for Graceful Aging (By Dr. Jillian Finker - Finker Wellness) are:

1) Stay Active - Find an exercise you enjoy and do it regularly. Keeping active reduces the risk of needing a nursing home later in life.

2) Prioritize Nutrition - A balanced diet and proper hydration prevent strokes and overall aging. Eat real unprocessed food: whole grains and a variety of vegetables and lean meats and fish.

3) Take Supplements - Consult your doctor. Supplementing with vitamins, herbs, and minerals can help with deficiencies as we age. My note: My mother takes 5,000 iu daily of Vitamin D and my doctor said I should take 2,000 iu daily of Vitamin D. With our doctors' knowledge we also began taking a One A Day multi-vitamin again. Doesn't hurt, no proof we need it either. That's why we prefer an inexpensive over-the-counter multivitamin. No need to overdose or overspend.

4)  Get Outside And Connect - Social interaction extends life expectancy. "Soak up the sun" and spend time with family and friends.

5) Release Your Fears - Make peace with your mortality and seek guidance from therapists and pastors to ease end-of-life fears.

My two cents:

It's inevitable that as we age, our lives get smaller, but it doesn't have to mean meaningless. Many people must slow down after the age of 85. It's a perfect time for hobbies to replace work and to be grateful for family and friends. 

Tree of Life - Carla Bank

My German immigrant mom was always a businesswoman, and daily I see how much more difficult her life is without hobbies. What's more, she no longer has the dexterity in her fingers to resume skills she learned as a girl like knitting, sewing, and crocheting. Once I'm her age, I hope my intellectual curiosity and a healthy pair of eyes keep me stimulated to save me from hours of boredom. Life can indeed throw us a cure. Worsening eyesight makes reading more difficult for some seniors. 

Still, let's commit to doing as much as we can for as long as we can!

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b. fresh Deodorant Smells Great

Scents - Grapefruity Good, Roses All Day, Coconutty Vanilla, Lush Lavender

If you've been following THE SAVVY SHOPPER for a length of time, you may remember our discussion about underarm personal care products. Sweating is the body's natural way of cooling itself, and as it turns out, eliminating this necessary function with antiperspirants may not be desirable according to some recent medical studies.

Let's review why: Antiperspirants stop wetness by clogging sweat glands, while underarm deodorants prevent odor (not wetness) with bacteria-fighting ingredients. But what antiperspirants also do is make you sweat more so you may be better off using deodorants. Going 1 - 4 weeks (because everybody's body chemistry is different) without using antiperspirants lets your body rebalance itself, and surprisingly you should end up sweating less. What's more, the ingredients in traditional antiperspirants are also raising enough concern to pay attention.

B. Fresh deodorant is a T.J. Maxx find that smells fantastic! Aluminum-free, it is made with a blend of natural plant and mineral odor-eliminating ingredients including rose flower extract, bergamot leaf oil, zinc ricinoleate, lavender oil, orange peel oil, and lysmeral. 

I bought the Roses All Day scent to pamper my senior mother after her bath. She does smell like roses all day! It's a good, clean scent ... strong, yet not artificial or overwhelming.

I also like the shea butter and hyaluronic acid in the product for a smooth application, especially restorative after a shave.

Photo: Getty

IMHO, once you pay for a product and walk out of a store, ain't nobody's business how you use it! In our family, we may end up using it as a perfume on our arms, neck, behind our ears, etc, etc. to smell awesome like roses all day long!🌹

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Happiness Hormones And How To Get Them

This chart came to me by way of Facebook. One of my savvy classmates uploaded it. The graph is a reminder of the importance of friendships to your well-being. You'll be in good mental health, your most productive self, and have the energy to give of yourself to other people. In fact, healthy relationships with family, friends, and neighbors give you an abundance of happy hormones, namely dopamine, oxytocin, endorphin, and serotonin to keep you mentally balanced and active. Decades of studies show that people who have "social ties" live longer lives.

Several things might also put a bounce in your step like reading a good book, wearing the clothes in your closet that make you feel like a million bucks, or filling a vase with pretty flowers. Eat a treat too, whether you're in the mood for an ice cream cone, a bowl of guacamole, or a glass of wine. Your choice is ____?

Enjoy your 3-day weekend by spending time with the folks and things you value! See you on the other side.

❤️📘🌹🌻📚❤️👗🌹🌻📚💎❤️

Protein Cookies For Breakfast

Today I'll share two recipes, one for a senior and another for everyone else. First up: For breakfast some mornings I make a hot bowl of cereal for my senior mother. In her cereal, she gets 1/4 cup of 1-minute oatmeal, an overflowing tablespoon of crunchy peanut butter, about 1/4 cup of milk, and sometimes 1/2 banana. Microwave it for 2 minutes and after it cools but is still warm, I dice a Pure Protein Chocolate Chip bar and mix it in. She gets protein vitamins, and fiber but is none the wiser that she's eating a healthy breakfast as it tastes and smells like a cookie! According to her, she doesn't eat breakfast.🙂

Here's how you can turn it into a real protein cookie to eat for breakfast, or anytime you need a cookie. If you're not a senior who's a picky eater, you don't need the Pure Protein bar 😉 --

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies (a complete protein)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups oatmeal flakes

1 cup of crunchy peanut butter

1 large ripe banana, mashed

1 teaspoon vanilla

a pinch of salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

a sprinkle of nutmeg

1/4 cup honey

2/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Options: (1) 1/4 cup of raisins - I add raisins to keep the cookies moist longer. You could puree them before adding. (2) Although we're not dried fruit in cookie fans, you could use other dried fruit if you like. (3) If you wish to chop 1/2 cup of nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds, feel free to toss them into the batter. (4) A couple teaspoons of flax seeds is another healthy choice.

Directions:

1) In a mixing bowl, mix all your ingredients, one by one, together.

(2) Refrigerate the batter for 1/2 hour or more.

3) Drop a tablespoon size of batter onto a buttered foil-lined cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Flatten the top if you wish.

4) Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 - 14 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown.

5) Remove and let cool before serving.

Protein cookies are for people who don't eat breakfast.🙂

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The Health Benefits Of Mushooms

Photo: Getty

Today I will paraphrase an interesting health article I read in Life Extention - The Science of a Healthier Life - July/August 2024 ...

Mushrooms have an amino acid known as L-ergothioneine. Our bodies can't make it yet the compound is so essential to human health that our cell membranes have special transporters to deliver it into our cells.

In a 2021 population study, scientists noticed some interesting findings in people who ate mushrooms. Consumers who regularly ate one serving of mushrooms (a fungus) had a 16% lower risk of death. People who refrained from red meat and ate a serving of mushrooms daily had an astonishing 35% decrease in all-cause mortality. The scientists attribute the health benefits to one compound, namely this L-ergothioneine amino acid.

What's more, in observational studies, scientists connected L-ergothioneine to specific health benefits: L-ergothioneine may promote healthy aging by fighting oxidative stress and decreasing the rate of telomere shortening that inherently occurs as we age. Our eyes, brain, and red blood cells suffer the most from oxidation stress. These tissues have high concentrations of L-ergothioneine transporters which points to the important role the compound plays in protecting them. Telomeres are the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes, and unfortunately, they naturally shorten as we age.

L-ergothioneine also appears to act as a sunscreen for DNA, protecting against skin cancer and boosting DNA repair.

As it happens, L-ergothioneine and its transporter are present throughout the brain. Several studies have linked L-ergothioneine to preserving brain function in the areas of learning and memory. In a trial of adults, 5 mg of L-ergothioneine daily significantly improved brain function enough to make scientists take notice.

In the observational study, L-ergothioneine levels in the body were associated with better heart health lowering cardiovascular mortality by 21%. 

So in summary: Mushrooms contain a potent amino acid called L-ergothioneine. Scientists think it is responsible for many key health benefits: (1) combating oxidative stress, (2) slowing the rate of telomere shortening, (3) preserving cardiovascular health, as well as, (4) cognitive function, and (5) supporting DNA repair. In a population study, people who ate mushrooms bore these 5 benefits and lived longer than those who didn't eat mushrooms.

Mushrooms are rich in vitamin D and good sources of vitamins A, B6, and C. They also contain iron, phosphorus, copper, potassium, selenium, and fiber.

Finally here's my recipe for Salisbury Steak, a favorite, it has plenty of onions and those mega-healthy mushrooms. After writing today's blog, I'll be shopping for mushrooms. What about you?

🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄🍄

Extra recipe: A simple way to sautè mushrooms as a side dish:

Ingredients: 

8 ounces mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons wine

Photo: foodandwine

1 sprinkle of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1) Toss all the ingredients into a skillet and simmer on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until all the liquid is gone.

I won't waste a bottle of wine just to remove 1 tablespoon. If I have no open wine, I flavor the mushrooms with soy sauce, dried rosemary, Cajun spice (instead of salt and pepper), and organic cider vinegar.  Feel free to spice as you like.

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Kenkoh Sandals For Happy Feet

Kenkoh is a shoe company that makes Japanese massage footwear. The footbeds are designed to use acupressure to renew and stimulate the nerve endings in your feet.

Wearing Kenkohs daily helps to increase circulation while easing pain in your feet, ankles, knees, legs, hips, and back.

Reportedly wearing the sandals for a few hours a day reduces stress and fatigue. Over 1,000 rubber nodules on the footbed relax your feet while you walk. A fully contoured footbed supports your arches by letting pressure spread evenly over the foot. The company claims you'll feel a difference in 14 days.

There are styles for men and women and periodically they go on sale. If you wish to try a cheap knockoff before spending more money try these from Amazon - they won't last as long or give you the arch support, but for a fraction of the price, you can get a feel for wearing sandals with acupressure nodules.

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Farmer's Defense Sun Protection

One of the best anti-aging practices for your skin is to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Although I have never been a sun worshipper and try to walk on the shady side of the street, I've only recently started wearing visors while out and about in New York City ... and honestly, I should bump it up to hats! 

I won't lie to you readers, I want to avoid looking ridiculous like an alarmist beekeeper running errands in Manhattan. Still, we all know how harmful the cumulative effects of exposing our skin to the sun are so I'm adapting and getting over my reticence. It helps when sun protective gear is also attractive!

Farmers Defense makes hats and protective sleeves for gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts that provide style, comfort, and superior sun protection for your skin. They cover what my visors do not -- every part of your head that needs protection -- the scalp, face, ears, and neck, plus your arms. 

The Farmers Defense Protective hats and sleeves offer a UPF 50+ rating, blocking 98% of anti-aging UVA rays and 99% of cancer-causing UVB rays. Made with sturdy REPREVE® polyester, they have sweat-wicking and cooling properties. The hats have a 4-inch brim that is perfect for working or playing in the blazing sun.

So cute that I don't mind wearing them while pounding Manhattan's pavements, and if you garden or are active outdoors in the suburbs, they are anti-cancer and anti-aging essentials. Very affordably too!

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Liquid Bandage For Lacerations

Up and Up is Target's house brand and it's a full one ounce.

Aren't the cuts you get on your fingertips the worst? Even a tiny paper cut is painful because you use your hands and fingers to touch everything getting necessary tasks done. Cutting up and seasoning your food in cooking reminds you of your wound. Peeling an orange or squeezing a lemon hurts. A finger cut takes all the joy out of eating salty potato chips. And, using alcohol-based hand sanitizer... ouch!

So for our medicine cabinet, I purchase the solution liquid bandage to brush on small wounds, especially for what we'll call busy high-traffic body parts like fingertips.

The active ingredients in liquid bandage are benzethonium, chloride, a first aid antiseptic and dyclonine hydrochloride, a topical analgesic. It causes a slight burning when brushed on the cut, but it seals the wound and there is less of a chance for infection since the laceration is sealed shut.

Liquid bandage is a waterproof adhesive so your injured fingers are not as sensitive when you wash your hands or your raw vegetables for dinner.

The seal is reported to last for 5 to 10 days even with handwashing and showering, but I haven't found this to be true on fingers. I have to reapply the liquid adhesive until the gash heals. I do think sealing the injury helps it to heal.

According to MedlinePlus, using liquid bandage may also reduce the size of scars. It is safe to apply it on small cuts to stop bleeding too. Of course, large cuts need prompt medical attention and perhaps stitches.

A worthy and inexpensive product to have in a medicine cabinet.

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Poison Ivy Is My Enemy

One of the many things I love about living in Manhattan is I'm never exposed to poison ivy. Not so in the suburbs. I've read that birds eat it and then spread it throughout a neighborhood. Do these 3-leaf plants, so vibrantly green, look evil to you?

Over the weekend I helped my mother weed her yard. I put on garden gloves and after working in her yard, I came into the house to wash my hands and arms up to my elbows with soap and water. I also dabbed on 70% alcohol and still got poison ivy. I was very careful and don't remember any plants touching my legs. Well, they got me!

The poison ivy rash is caused by an allergic reaction to urushiol oil, which is found in the leaves, stems, and roots of poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. It only takes a small amount, the size of a grain of table salt to cause an allergic reaction in 85% - 90% of people. 10% - 15% of people are not allergic to urushiol oil.

Urushiol oil can remain potent on clothes and any objects it comes in contact with for as long as five years. Experts say wash contaminated clothes with regular detergent or bleach separately from other laundry in hot water and clean surfaces with disinfecting cloths. Don't touch the side of the cloth you have used to wipe a surface. Also, give your dog a bath wearing gloves if he's out in poison ivy. He'll be spared, but you'll get poison ivy if you touch the urushiol resin on his fur.

A poison ivy rash takes 3 - 4 weeks to heal. The itching is intense. New blisters can appear for up to 2 weeks, first in areas with the most exposure and later in areas with the least exposure [see Prevention]. Frankly, nothing takes away the itch of poison ivy, though you can ease it some by keeping the affected area moist. I use body moisturizers and body oils. I apply Noxema, Cetaphil, CeraVe, and baby oil. I haven't found any special products that do anymore to promote healing or relief from the itching. The secret ingredient is t-i-m-e!

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Tools To Remove Dental Plaque At Home

Lately, I'm seeing portable electric dental plaque removers for sale to use at home. They catch my attention since taking care of my teeth is a priority. I'd sell all my worldly possessions to save my teeth!

As it turns out, using an electric dental plaque remover at home is a bad idea for several reasons that cause harm. If plaque removers claim to be safe, they likely are doing a poor job of removing plaque. A buildup of plaque can harden into dental tartar. If left untreated, this can lead to gum disease and tooth decay. Here's how it happens: Plaque produces acids that feed on sugar and break down tooth enamel resulting in tooth decay. Enzymes in bacteria also damage connective gum tissue and bone leading to periodontal disease.

For good oral health, it's vital to remove plaque between teeth. The tools used to remove the buildup of plaque are metal and ultrasonic scrapers that have dangerously sharp points. Dentists and dental hygienists have been trained in dental scraping to remove every bit of plaque and tartar from your tooth surface and under your gums safely. Without proper training in using these dental tools, we could damage our delicate gum tissue. (In the image above, the black electric plaque remover doesn't have a point, it uses thread, but how does the electric device help? In fact, the greater power in moving the thread might hurt your gums.) Gum tissue trauma can cause gum recession, pain from exposing a tooth's root, and scratching tooth enamel to cause tooth sensitivity. Without dental training, you might also "push tartar under your gumline causing gum abscesses."

I don't know about you, but I'm not going near those electric $39.99+ at-home dental plaque removers! They're either inadequate or unsafe as we're not trained to use them.

While we'll still need to visit our dentist twice a year for professional teeth cleanings, we can use 4 tools at home to help remove plaque safely before it hardens into tartar:

1) A soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride. Brush twice a day to clean teeth and remove plaque.

2) Interdental Cleaners such as dental floss, dental tape, or interdental brushes. Floss once a day.

3) An electric water flosser (uses water not a sharp point). Again floss once a day.

4) Antibacterial Plaque-Reducing Mouthwash. Rinse daily.

Flossing with thread dental floss (the string type you place between your fingers) is the most thorough method of removing plaque, but many of us hate doing it, so instead I use the 2nd best method, a water flosser every morning. It's better to floss every day with a water flosser than not to floss every day because you hate the most effective method. Nobody's perfect! :)

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Skinny Bread Pudding For One

Photo: Arabe Datsh - another good recipe for bread pudding.

Remember when 80s model Kate Moss was criticized for saying "Nothing Tastes As Good As Skinny Feels?" Well, I happen to agree with her and think it's good to practice the sentiment 90% of the time, then eat whatever we wish 10% of the time ... and I'm not anorexic or bulimic. I eat healthy, balanced meals most of the time. Nobody said anything about starving!

10% of the time perhaps you can enjoy my Creole Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce, but 90% of the time, you might consider a low-fat recipe with a fair amount of nutrition: 

Skinny Bread Pudding For One

Ingredients:

1 piece of whole-grain bread

1 egg

1/2 cup skim milk

A pinch of Stevia or a teaspoon of honey, sugar, or your sweetener of choice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

a sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:

1) Cut your bread into cubes.

2) In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, sweetener,
vanilla extract, and cinnamon.

3) Toss the bread cubes into the egg and milk mixture and let the bread absorb the liquid.

4) I use either a pad of butter to grease a small baking dish or cooking spray before pouring the mixture into it. (Line the baking pan with aluminum foil and you can avoid washing a pan.)

5) Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 20 - 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.

6) Wait at least 10 minutes before you eat it. You can also sprinkle the top with a bit more sugar or syrup. A sprinkle of more sugar or a little syrup adds only a trace more calories. 

We develop a liking for whatever food we eat over and over including low-fat desserts. I love skim milk and whole grains. The recipe works especially well with low-fat milk because of the whole-grain bread. Delicious! Moreover, when you eat unprocessed food that is low in fat or sugar soon your palate develops a taste for it. 

We can savor rich, high-calorie treats once in a while and likely enjoy them more if we eat them as treats instead of all the time!

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