After turning 55 last week, I can no longer check off the 45 – 54 box when I’m asked my age. And I’m no longer part of the standard 28 -54 female advertising target. Yep, I’m inching up the ladder of my life after 50. I’m smack in the middle with a growing middle-age middle.
There are some benefits. For example, at 55, my local theater ranks me as a senior so I can get a discount at the movies. My boyfriend L and I usually go to the early bird shows. We cannot stay up for any late shows.
I did watch Jodie Foster celebrate her five decades of film and shout out “I’m 50, I’m 50” at the Golden Globes this past Sunday. I’m glad she is proud to say she is 50, but I think she is too young to be recognized for a lifetime achievement award. She’s not done yet, even if she claims to be hanging up the towel. Doesn’t she know that the best part of her life is yet to come? (BTW, Jodie did look fabulous in her sleeveless Armani gown. No batwings for her.)
I made a promise to myself this year that I am going to love myself more. If you read my previous post “Plunging Into The New Year,” you know that if you love yourself more, you can love others even more.
So how am I going to take better care of myself in 2013? For starters, I’m going to listen to the tips that Dr. Oz offers up in the January issue of The Oprah Magazine. Dr. Oz says that in my 50s I should “take a few preventive measures to ensure my well-being for another half-century.” I like his tips. In fact, I already practice his advice:
- Give It Your Om: Dr. Oz is a huge fan of yoga at any age. (So am moi. So am moi.) He reports that “a 2012 study in the journal Menopause found that it’s particularly beneficial for postmenopausal women coping with insomnia. (Moi. Moi.) If you are not sleeping well, Dr. Oz suggests trying the Child’s Pose and Bridge Pose. (Since I am a practicing yogi, I am going to try these two poses tonight before I go to sleep…or try to go to sleep. Ooh, ooh, ooh, according to an article in The New York Times – A Moment of Zen, on the Go – a study released by Yoga Journal – which moi is a subscriber – “the number of Americans practicing yoga jumped 29 percent to 20.4 million – or 8.7 percent of American adults – since the previous study in 2008, when 15.8 million practiced. Ooh, ooh, ooh, I keep up with the trends. Yes I do.)
- Bulk Up On B’s: Dr. Oz says that “the same vitamins that keep your energy up also lower your body’s levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that may be linked to hardening of the arteries. He says to get your daily allowance of B6 (1.5 milligrams), B12 (2.4 micrograms), and folate (400 micrograms) from your diet. Let’s see, I can get B6 from sweet potatoes (yum, yum, yum) and B12 from the low-fat mozzarella cheese that I add to my pizza. Plus, I get folate from spinach and beets. (I especially like roasted beets. They are a very trendy vegetable and look very pretty as a sidedish or in a salad. In fact, even better are sauteed beet greens. Have you ever tried them?) I also eat fortified cereal for breakfast which is full of B vitamins.
- Avoid Overdoing The Booze: I’m not a big drinker, but I do enjoy a glass of wine with dinner most evenings. Ooh, Dr. Oz says that while “a drink a day may keep the doctor away by reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke, excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of developing various cancers.
- Get Screened For Colon Cancer: Dr. Oz says “more than 90 percent of all colon cancer cases are diagnosed in people age 50 and over. He says that he “had a precancerous polyp just after his 50th birthday. (I hear you Dr. Oz. With a history of IBS – Irritable Bowl Syndrome – I definitely need to be screened. I’m already on the case with a scheduled appointment for February. Ooh, ooh, ooh, that prep is the worst. Maybe one day the prep will include chocolate ice cream instead of Gatorade and Miralax.)
Dr. Oz provided tips for “Your 60s and Beyond.” However, I have another five years to go before I reach that age. I think I’ll just work on these four areas first.
How are you loving yourself more this year? Do share a tip or two.
Judi
Judy, Oh, boy! Your post was not only fabulous, but it really made my day. I got my colonoscopy at 50 and will be due for another one next year. I have about 1 glass of wine a week. I LOVE my gentle yoga class – absolutely adore everything about it. I have to figure out about the B vitamins. I love sweet potatoes but stay away from cheese whenever possible (watching my fat and cholesterol). I am sure you have it as often as I do – we make homemade pizza every other week, so I cherish those moments when the mozzarella hits my lips. Thanks for a great post. Cathy
Cathy, your comment made my day! I’m so glad you are taking care of yourself. Keep up the great work.
I joined a gym about 9 months ago for the first time in my 56 years. I walked 3.5 miles almost daily for 15 years prior. I have never been so buff! I’m simply doing it to avoid diabetes and other aging issues but having so much fun learning Yoga, High Intensity Training, Step Aerobics and other new experiences. I’m so much stronger than when I was younger! Thanks, Judi!
Janet, you sound like you are really in shape. Congrats on your fitness accomplishments. They are very impressive!
I’ve started to take a daily multivitamin and have cut waaayyy back on the booze. I also joined the YMCA that is three blocks from my house and enjoy lap swimming, even though my form leaves much to be desired. In the last 6 years I’ve lost 100 lbs., and I think that in itself has bought me many more good years!
Tara, Congrats on your accomplishments. Wow-o-wow – to lose 100 lbs. Kudos to you. I take vitamins too and also try to get to the gym. Still working on my middle-age-middle.