Perrie Meno-Pudge's Musings

We think your health, and everyone else’s too, is a matter of laughing....more.

2011-08-04T14:57:00.000-04:00

By Perrie Meno-Pudge

While the reason is not always clear, people who laugh more, generally have a better sense of well-being and control in their lives. The power of humor has been recognized and recommended for centuries. Today, modern medicine offers a multitude of clinical studies showing that humor and laughter have a positive effect on our immune system, our heart, liver, internal organs, stress levels and even pain management all appear to benefit from laughter and a positive outlook. A shared laugh is often the best kind of remedy for what's got you down!

"GROW A SENSE OF HUMOR" sunflower seed packet.

When you get the sense of humor knocked out of you,

we recommend you find a sunny spot and grow one back...FAST!!!

Both traditional and alternative medicine use many forms of humor therapy. Scores of physicians, nurses, and other health care practitioners recognize the value of humor and laughter by mixing them in with medication and treatment.

And there’s more good news. Humor has a positive effect on how we function intellectually and emotionally. It can help us put life’s hard knocks into a healthy perspective. It helps us to overcome fear. Humor allows us to take ourselves less seriously. It even kindles our creativity.

So how can you add a large dose of humor into your daily routine? We’re glad you asked!

• Brown bag it! Bring a few kids toys to work with you and keep them handy. Then, when you’re stressed out by a difficult phone call, reach for a toy and play. That caller will have no idea that you’re keeping yourself from losing your marbles literally by playing with some.

• Keep funny pictures of friends and family around your office, especially ones that remind you of a fun outing or vacation you enjoyed with them

• Fill your office with funny cartoons, sayings and jokes. (we recommend you include lots of PERRIE MENO-PUDGE® cartoons and some of our Signature Products that are designed to put a smile on your face!) ( Yes, we’re shameless) When things are looking particularly grim, look at them again. You’ll get a good laugh and in no time, be better able to put things back into perspective.

• Exaggerate! Take a look at your situation and imagine it even bigger than it is. Go for the extreme. Blowing the problem out of proportion in this way will allow you to see the absurdity of it, and studies show that a good laugh may make the worries disappear

• Share our cartoons, and hopefully a laugh, with your friends and family. Tell them you are thinking of them and that you’ve been there, done that, too! It always makes us feel good to spread the smiles.

Ultimately, we all have a choice. We can continue to let all of the frustrations and disappointments in life weigh us down, or we can find ways to introduce levity into even the toughest circumstances. Take life’s lemons and make lemonade. If we can do that, we are more likely to enjoy each day to its fullest and perhaps spend less time at the doctor’s office in the long run. We think your health, and everyone else’s too, is a matter of laughing....more.

Please tell us what you do to keep your funny bone strong & healthy. Tell us about a situation in which you used humor to make lemonade from life’s lemons. We might even turn it into a cartoon!!!

"Like" us on Facebook, "Follow" us on Twitter, Sign up for Perrie cartoons and updates to be delivered to your inbox. Midlife is the New Beautiful® We’ve never seen a smiling face that wasn’t beautiful at any age.

Longevity: The 10 Tips!

2010-09-13T17:56:00.002-04:00

by Mary Marino

How we age is about 30% genetics. The rest is in our hands. It’s never too late to start to reverse the main things that cause aging– overeating, over stressing, and under-activity. We put together the 10 best tips we could find for taking control of the physical aspects of creating a longer healthier life.

- Laugh. Laughter lowers levels of stress hormones, and boosts activity of the body’s natural defensive antibodies. Studies show that people with a sense of humor have a 31% longer survival rate.

- Sleep enough but not too much. Both too much and too little sleep can have a negative impact on longevity. Six-to-8 hours is optimal. People who get more than 8 hours or less than 4 have a significantly higher death rate. See: Smart Snoozers

- Cancer-proof your diet. The American Institute for Cancer Research findings show that about 40% of cancers are diet related. See: Live Long Eat Super Foods

- Exercise. Fit women have a 40% less chance of developing heart disease. The Cooper Institute of Aerobic Research’s studies show that people in the lower 20% of fitness were 3 times more likely to die prematurely than the fittest group.

- Floss. People with gum disease have an increased risk of heart disease and a higher mortality rate.

- Take vitamins. Even the best diet needs some supplements. Dr. Michael Roizen, co-author of YOU: Staying Young, says the minimum should include a multi-vitamin, 600 milligrams of DHA/omega 3, 1000 IU Vitamin D, 600 Milligrams Calcium, and 200 milligrams magnesium. (NOTE: Look for whole food vitamins, not synthetic. It should say ‘whole food based’ right on the label.)

- Work toward your ideal weight. Overeating is one of the main causes of aging and increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. Every 10% increase in weight raises blood pressure, one of the major factors affecting aging. Studies show that reducing daily caloric intake by 10-to-20% is linked to longevity.

- Get regular check-ups. Have a PAP smear. Examine your breasts. Nine-out-of-ten breast lumps are benign, and most are found by women who regularly examine themselves. Most breast cancers are curable if they’re caught early enough.

- Eat dark chocolate. It contains phenols, chemicals thought to protect against heart disease and cancer. Studies show that people who eat a moderate amount of chocolate live longer than those who never touch sweets.

- Drink tea. Both green and black teas contain powerful antioxidants. A Harvard study found that one cup a day cuts heart attack risk dramatically. Other tests have found that drinking tea boosts the survival rate following a heart attack by 28%.

__________________________________

Hot Flashes and Fashion Are NOT Mutually Exclusive! Style is ageless.

Mary Marino is a fashion journalist, clothing designer and style lover. For 25 years she has been identifying trends and giving them commercially viability for the fashion industry. In her 40s’ her love of fashions evolved into a pursuit of a life of style and substance.

Mary is the co-creator of Flashionista (http://flashionista.com/) , a voice for interpreting popular culture as it relates to modern boomer women staying healthy, fit, fabulous, and relevant. A Flashionista is a woman over 45 who loves style and fashion.

For more information about Flashionista.com, to sign-up, and to see what’s important to women over 45, visit http://flashionista.com/ Topics include Lifestyle, Fashion, Health, Connect, Reinvent, Be Happy, every modern boomer woman needs a strong combination of all of the above to stay current in a changing world.

The Power & Purpose of Your ‘Natural No’

2010-09-06T15:45:00.000-04:00

by Lissa Boles

What’s one of the first words kids learn to say and use (often!)?

It’s ‘NO,’ right?

Doesn’t matter what country we live in or what language we first learn, every child everywhere begins exploring their world able to tap into their natural, inner sense of NO.

In fact, most kids delight in saying NO, don’t they?

That’s because our ‘Natural No’ is there as one of our inner compass points. It’s a primary source of our power and voice, guiding us away from what’s not best for us.

Saying it often when we’re young is how we begin to learn to hear ourselves, not to mention learning to exercise our voice and our power.

Sadly, we learn - often and early - that saying ‘NO’ isn’t allowed, and loose touch with ourselves.

We learn to get along.

Be polite. Nice.

How to do the right thing…

All this is done with the very best of intentions, mind you. Can you imagine a child who never learns limits or boundaries?

Thing is we’re only now coming to realize that in teaching ourselves how to get along with others we’re never really known how to show ourselves the way to stay in touch with our true selves in the process.

But there’s good news! To reclaim your inner sense of your right direction, all you have to begin is plug yourself back into your Natural NO and practice using it, much like you did when you were a kid.

Now, here’s a minor caveat: plugging back in after all this time may feel a little odd at first.

A little counterintuitive - even a little risky.

Remember that you don’t have to act on what your Natural NO says unless you want to: all you have to do is practice tapping in and learning how to hear what is has to tell you and go from there.

Uncomfortable though it may feel at times, your voice, personal power and clarity of purpose – not to mention the ability to stay on course - is on the other side of that discomfort, so give it a shot.

How To Plug Back In

Here’s the Top 10 Questions that’ll go a long way toward helping you plug back in and feel out the shades and nuances of guidance inside your Natural NO.

Answering them one by one will help you learn how it feels as your Natural NO talks to you.

They’ll also help you feel out the layers of meaning and information inside your NO, so you know why, how much and in what ways something or someone is a NO for you.

When you first start plugging back it, practicing’s with the past is much easier than diving into a high-emotion, in-the-moment experience first: there’s just less pressure.

So begin by reviewing situations that were unhappy, hurtful or really dissatisfying to you.

When the details of the situation you’re working with are clear to you, let yourself feel again all the feelings you felt then (sucks, I know, but there’s purpose it in – inside those feelings are the answers and direction you’re looking for).

One by one, answer the questions below in writing, letting your inner kid – the unadulterated you you were before being socialized and the keeper of your Natural No – answer them.

Just two rules: no censoring your answers. And judging yourself for how you naturally feel.

Just let the raw, natural response come through.

You’ll likely hear or feel simple, very clear and very direct answers.

Your answers might even be snippy, bratty or smartass.

(I myself am particularly fond of smartass – they make feeling crappy oddly enjoyable).

If that’s the case, just know it’s totally okay.

The objective here isn’t politeness but simple honesty. This inner part of you knows exactly how you feel about things - and why. And she’s far less concerned with being polite than with you being who you really are in the company of people who respect, appreciate and want you to be the best you you can be – happy, fulfilled and fully alive.

She also knows that your ‘NO’ can go through the ‘polite’ filter later: what she wants first is for you to know what’s most true for you so you can make the best decision possible for you.

More than anything, she wants you to be in the right place, living the right life, with the right people because she knows that that’s what will make you the most happy, fulfilled and fully alive.

And who doesn’t want more of that, right?

Ready…?

The Top 10 Questions To Plug Back Into Your Natural NO

I hate these people because they can’t see that I…

I’d be so much more comfortable around people who don’t…

It’s so frustrating that these people expect me to be…

Compared to everyone here, I’m much more…

I don’t fit in this situation, in this place, with these people, because I am not…

If I were in my right environment, with people like me, everyone would realize that I’m…

This situation is way, way too…

I can’t wait to get away from people who…

I want to scream in this situation because…

I’m so angry because no one here wants to let me…

________________________________________

Lissa Boles, is a Master Life-Purpose Coach and former broadcast talk-radio host on CKDO in Toronto. Our mid-life sista practices a kooky-cool next-evolution of astrology called Soul Mapping. To learn more about Lissa or about Soul Mapping, you can visit www.TheSoulMap.com, or become part of the Soul Map community by becoming 'a fan'
at www.Facebook.com/TheSoulMap.

Summer Detox to Feel and Look Fabulous

2010-08-30T20:55:00.002-04:00

by Irina Wardas

Summer is the best time for an easy detox and natural weight loss because of its abundance of fruits and vegetables.

Detox is a relative term, because anything that supports elimination helps us detoxify. If the body is working well with good immune and eliminative system, we can handle the basic every day exposure to toxins. But sometimes we need to change our dietary (healthier food choices) habits to reduce intake of toxins and improve elimination which can be also a great weight loss technique.

Simply drinking more water (filtered) helps us eliminate more toxins. Hot weather increases sweating and reduces urination which might lead to dehydration. Headaches, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps, tingling of the limbs are the symptoms of dehydration, so we need to drink extra 2-3 glasses of water to feel and look fabulous in Summer.

All fruits (apples, berries, pears, apricots plums, melons, grapes, peaches, mangos, papaya) as well as all citrus are both cooling and laxative which can help our cleansing/natural detox process.

We also should try to eat more refreshing and cooling salads with slightly bitter-tasting, cleansing greens, such as dandelion greens, watercress and endive.

In summer we can eat more local fruits and vegetables, so don't forget to incorporate a lot of cooling vegetables, such as potato, tomato, summer squash, zucchini, cucumber, celery, mushrooms, bean sprouts, artichoke, bell peppers, asparagus, sweet potatoes, beets root and yam into your diet. You can cook them, eat them raw or make delicious juices. And have in mind that all vegetables from cabbage family increase alkalinity and reduce acid condition such as bad breath, excess hunger and even anger.

Humid weather demands additional cleansing, so enjoy your fruits and vegetables as a natural detox all day long. And speaking about easy detox, a dash of lemon will be a great addition to any salad or drink.

If you live in a climate with high humidity, try to eat more watermelons - they can make a delicious breakfast or snack. As a natural diuretic food, watermelon increases urination and detox the system by flushing toxins from the body which is very beneficial for weight loss, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalance symptoms, such as bloating and water retention. Watermelons are also rich in lycopen needed for preventing heart disease, sun skin damage and cancer.

In Summer, we are supposed to eat more cooling foods that are easily digested, so mung beans, barley, rice, couscous, as well as sea vegetables can be added to salads if you want to avoid hot dishes. They are rich in fiber and will help you improve elimination, lose weight, reduce heart attack risk, lower high blood pressure.

Let us drink more water, juices and smoothies, eat more detox and cooling vegetables and fruits to feel better, get slimmer and look fabulous, shall we?

________________________________

Irina Wardas is a founder of NaturalCounselor.com – Holistic Health and Wellness Programs, Retreats and Radio Show for Women. As a certified holistic health and nutrition counselor, Irina helps her clients get healthier and happier with her unique approach of combining natural detox, weight loss and stress relief techniques and tools.

Irina is also a producer/host of “Feel and Look Fabulous with Irina”, the talk radio show dedicated to helping women feel and look fabulous naturally. http://www.naturalcounselor.com

Pursuing Trivia

2010-07-19T18:23:00.000-04:00

by Lorraine C. Brooks, MPH, CEAP

I recently read an article about Alzheimer’s Disease. The article stated that research is being done which supports a theory that some forms of memory loss may be lessened if we begin to stimulate our brains when we are in our 40s and 50s, rather than waiting until the memory loss is more likely to be irreversible. Apparently there is reason to believe that if you fuel your brain and keep it active, it will remain healthy longer. Sort of like regular exercise. I called my friend Liz to tell her this great news. Or was it Toni? No, it was Liz.

“Liz, I have an idea. You know how we’re always saying that we can’t remember anything? Well, I just read this article that says we have to give our brains regular exercise, you know, like with muscles, so they won’t atrophy.”

“Who is this?”

“Liz, it’s me. Lorraine. Remember, we went to college together?”

“Oh yes…of course. But what’s all this about our brains and our muscles? Didn’t I get a bicycle when you were into biking? Didn’t I buy a catcher’s mitt when you decided that we should compete in the softball toss at the school reunion? I still have that mark on my chin from the stitches. Remember when we went to that Richard Simmons ‘Sweatin’ With the Oldies’ convention? Little did we know that the ‘oldies’ he was referring to was US, not the music. Remember that we couldn’t sit down for a week? I have a closet full of fitness tapes, and I still weigh 200 pounds. Now you are actually suggesting that we need to exercise our brains? I think I’ll pass.”

“No, no, listen. I read this article that said we need to use our brains more while we’re still young enough to remember things.”

“Have you looked at a calendar lately? I think it’s too late.”

“Come on, Liz, let’s at least try this. Maybe we should start to stimulate our brains NOW, so that we can postpone anything. I was thinking about a game of Trivial Pursuit this Friday.”

“OK. I guess I’ll try it. I have nothing else to do anyway. At least nothing I can remember.”

On Friday night, myself, Liz, and four other friends gathered at my house for a game of Trivial Pursuit. In order to make it somewhat competitive, I chose the “Baby Boomer” edition, figuring that we had a chance to get some of the answers right without too much trouble. This would bolster our egos, and also exercise our brains at the same time. Simply brilliant, I thought!

We formed 3 teams of 2. My partner was Eugenia. Eugenia was smart (she is a social worker), so I figured this was a good coup. My team had a pretty good chance of winning. After all I was the host, so I didn’t want to look bad. Liz’s partner was Mattie, and Toni and Cheryl were the third team.

Toni and Cheryl went first, and landed on “Television”.

“Who was the first star of the show ‘Larry’s World’?”

“OK, I know this”, says Cheryl. “Give me a second. I know he was married to that woman who starred in that show about the husband with the 3 disabled kids...you know who I mean. She did that commercial for that shampoo that made you sing in the shower…”

“Yeah, I do. He was also in that movie with the guy who broke his arm in that accident on the set, and they had to replace him with that other guy who had that game show where people had to do all these crazy stunts with people they didn’t know…”

“Riiiight...he was diagnosed with cancer and then he made a miraculous recovery after going to Mexico for some alternative treatments with coffee grounds and yucca seeds. His son is a basketball player...”

“Oh yeah, that’s right. And he is married to the girl who sings with that country and western group that recently sang at the White House…”

“No, that was that other group. She plays the guitar, but she sings more pop stuff. That song about platform shoes…”

“That’s who I meant! Now what is his name?”

“I know the name of the show, does that count?”

“No. They told you the name of the show. The question asks who HE is, not the name of the show.”

“I think I’m getting a charley horse in my cerebellum.”

“Me too. Maybe we need to warm up first.”

“How do you warm up your brain?”

“Maybe pour hot coffee into your ears?”

“Come on now, let’s be serious. Could we just focus?”

“OK, OK…back to the question. What was the question again?”

“How many times did Babe Ruth strike out?”

“Oh, that’s easy. 1330.”

“Wait a minute. You know how many times Babe Ruth struck out, but you can’t answer the question, ‘who was the first star of Larry’s World’?”

“My son is a baseball stat freak.”

“Is he still seeing that girl you didn’t like? The one with the tattoo on her nose?”

“No, my husband finally convinced him that she was a little flaky. Now he’s seeing some chick who drives one of those little “green” things, you know, the ones that run on cow dung or something?”

“They don’t run on cow dung. Don’t they use kitty litter?”

“Cows, cats…what’s the difference? The point is, she’s green.”

“Must be the make up she uses. I notice a little green tinge when I use that off-brand stuff.”

I sit back in my chair and wonder where it all went wrong. I guess the important thing is that we were having fun. After all is said and done, these are the women I will probably be sitting with in our rocking chairs on the porch of the nursing home. Hopefully we will still be having fun and looking back on the night we played Trivial Pursuit. Or was it Yahtzee?

_______________________________

Lorraine C. Brooks, MPH, CEAP is a native New Yorker who is, among other things, an actor, writer, and producer of documentary films and videos. Her works in progress include "Passion: Inside the Hearts of Women", and the documentary film "Affectionately for Adelita: The Life and Work of Adele Geraghty". She recently published her first book of poetry, Riding the Wave, BTS Books, 2010. She is actively involved with Safe Horizons, and the Purple Ribbon Council, both of which assist victims and survivors of domestic violence.

How to Enjoy the Sun and Protect your Skin!

2010-07-12T17:02:00.003-04:00

by Candy Dye

Apriori Representative

Ever wonder how those beautiful, warm rays of the sun can have such long lasting and damaging effects on your skin?

Like a straightened rainbow, you can picture the spectrum of sunlight with the red, orange and yellow wavelengths being the longest and making up infrared light. As wavelengths shorten, green and blue light speeds up into indigo blue and violet colors, which are visible and contain Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays. These are the rays that cause sun damage to our skin.

UVA rays are the ones that cause tanning and premature skin aging – I like to think of the A in UVA for Aging. UVB rays, cause sunburn and skin damage, which I like to think of the B standing for Burn. Both types of radiation can lead to photoaging (wrinkles and leathery skin) and skin cancer.

Repeated sunburning speeds up the aging appearance of your skin, caused by loosening of your collagen and elastin which are like your own skin’s natural girdle or support, skin thinning with underlying blood vessels more visible, leathery and rough skin texture, and the appearance of freckles and age spots.

When I asked my dermatologist what he would say to you about preventing sun damage, he told me how surprised he was that so many people are more concerned with finding treatments for their wrinkles than preventing them. He recommended staying out of sun during peak hours of 10 am – 4 pm, regular use of sunscreen, reapplying every couple of hours, and keeping hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. Wearing a hat and lightweight clothing is great if you are very fair skinned.

When you are looking for a good SPF lotion, make sure you find one that provides protection for UVA AND UVB rays. In a recent article in The Orange County Register (June 16, 2010), “Shedding Light On Sunscreen Debate”, author Landon Hall says in discussing the right amount of SPF to use, “the level of protection climbs only a little the higher you go. SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays, the short-wave radiation that causes sunburn: SPF 30 blocks 97%; and SPF 50 blocks 98%. There’s no sunscreen that blocks 100% of the rays. SPF doesn’t apply to UVA rays, which penetrate more deeply into the skin and can cause wrinkles, freckles and other signs of premature aging over time. Shop for sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.”

Then there is the need for your daily dose of Vitamin D, which you can easily achieve with 15 minutes of sun exposure every day. Vitamin D is an important topic for another time, as it has great implications for our immune systems, and bones. Suffice it here to say that a little sun is good, and too much can be harmful.

Enjoy being outdoors during the warm months using preventative measures to protect your beautiful skin from long lasting damage and keep drinking water all day long!

Thanks for stopping by and “Making My Life Beautiful”!

______________________

Candy Dye loves everything about wellness and beauty which has brought her to Apriori Beauty!

Because the condition of your skin is a result of what is going on inside of your body, the science of Nutrigenomics - the effects of specific nutrients on your cells and genes, which can prevent degenerative diseases - is being embraced by both the scientific research world and skin care products industry.

This is the science upon which Apriori Beauty products are founded. "Apriori Beauty's mission is to help women look and feel beautiful with the purest, most-natural and most-innovative products and opportunity. When you look beautiful, you feel good. When you feel beautiful, you look good. And, when you can share this beauty with others, you can feel good inside and out. Beauty from personal success will also be key to success."

A Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, she also currently teaches in University of California Irvine's Nursing Program. Candy also shares health, wellness and beauty tips on her blog (http://www.candydye.com ) and on twitter (@candydye). This week she was listed as one of the Top 25 Nurse Practitioners on Twitter. WAY TO GO CANDY!!

When Will Society Stop Slamming Cougar Love?

2010-07-05T18:55:00.000-04:00

Linda Franklin

After appearing on the Joy Behar Sho w recently, I got a flood of emails asking - who was that guy on television with you? He most definitely raised the hackles on the backs of lots of women, but I guess he feels that's his job. His name is Steve Ward and he is a self-proclaimed “dating pathologist” who appears on VH''s Tough Love .

I got the impression that Mr. Ward doesn't like women very much and particularly women over 40. The Behar segment focused on cougar relationships and Steve doesn't approve of them. He thinks the guys are only there for sex and/or money, but who cares what he thinks?

I want to share with you just one of the hundreds of emails I received extolling the many virtues of cougar relationships. These fabulous females are sharing their lives with men who love and adore them. They have stopped listening to the advice of other people and started to listen to their own hearts. The results have been outstanding. What follows illustrates what I am saying.

"Linda, I haven't written to you in quite a while, but the catalyst for this note was your appearance on the Joy Behar Show the other night. As usual, you were well-spoken, fabulous and gorgeous, but that idiot who shared the space with you was so insulting and off base (I can't even remember his name), I just had to write and tell you that I couldn't believe it.)

"My husband is 48 and I will be 66 in March. We just celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary and have been together now for almost 22 years. Both of us are very active and enjoy life and enjoy each other. We are a loving, supportive couple. My husband is still advancing in his career and I am happily retired from mine. We adore my two daughters and four grandchildren. The age difference never bothers us, and he is definitely more mature than I am and always has been. Our marriage is better than most and I so resent that man's attitude."

That's what I keep hearing from women all over the world. Can they all be smoking funny stuff? Cougar relationships, like all other relationships, flourish when you put in the time and effort to make them work. So Mr. Ward before you go around making ridiculous statements about who should love whom, maybe you had better take a closer look at what love really is.

______________________________

Linda Franklin is the author of
Don't Ever Call Me Ma’am: The Real Cougar Woman Handbook
http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Ever-Call-Me-Maam/dp/1599321610/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255663331&sr=1-1>
and the founder of TheRealCougarWoman.c <http://www.therealcougarwoman.com/>
<http://www.more.com/7846/13653-defending-cougar-couples#>

Perrie’s Planetarium – Summer Solstice 2010

2010-06-21T16:00:00.001-04:00

Midlife Sky Hints with Astrologer Joyce Mason

Welcome to Perrie’s Planetarium! We meet quarterly in this feature to stargaze at the changes of seasons. It’s a great chance to see how we’re interconnected with everything and everyone under the stars. The view is awesome!

For more on how Perrie’s Planetarium works, visit the original Planetarium post from Winter Solstice 2009, especially if this is your first visit. For a sense of continuity from the last season (after all, each one morphs gradually into the next), check out Spring Equinox 2010, especially the outlook for your sign.

Summer. It’s the Growing Season in the Northern Hemisphere. Summer starts on June 21 with the Sun’s move into the water sign of Cancer. No wonder we head for the beaches, lakes and pools this time of year!

If you planted seeds of intention at Spring Equinox in your mind or jotted them down in some way as a reflection, it’s time to see which ones are taking off. Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year—time to “expose to thelight” all you want to grow and thrive for the next few months. Want some rituals to celebrate summer? Read Astrologize! Jump Over the Summer Solstice Flame in a Spirited Dance of Life!

General Sky: Summer Solstice - 2010

To seize the opportunities each season presents, we need to identify them. Here are summer’s most significant messages in the sky:

Aspect Pattern of the Year and Beyond: The Cardinal T-Square. This configuration was introduced to you late last year in the Winter Outlook and expanded in Spring. I won’t repeat what I’ve said so far on the subject (those curious can click back). However, I’m still giving it a lot of attention, as we seldom have anything this big going on in the sky. It’s important to understand what it means individually and collectively.

Now that Jupiter has joined the party, four planets are part of the Cardinal T-Square, an astrological pattern of great power: Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus. All these planets are positioned in or approaching the first degrees of the Cardinal signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. We’ll be influenced all year by the tension of these planets “squaring off,” but the energy reaches its peak in July. I call the current sky pattern The Big Change Transits. To add to the excitement, on June 26, there is a lunar eclipse right on the Grand Cross. It aligns with Pluto, and I expect fireworks of some kind to be a result. Do your best to participate in the show—to roll with it. As Terra Wolfe, another astrologer I admire says, “We are all restructuring. We are creating a new normal.” The most important thing you can do is whatever helps you personally avoid being pulled into fear and negative emotions. (For me, it’s yoga, walking, gardening and inspirational reading.)

The influence of an eclipse can last for months and often brings big news. Lunar eclipses speak to relationship wants and needs. Because the eclipse occurs while the Full Moon is in Capricorn, the polarity of home and career is where it will be most felt—finding that balance between home and public life. Those with personal planets in early Cardinal signs will notice the effects. (This is a great time for anyone to have their chart done to know their personal influences under these big change announcements in the sky.)

The human fear of change is remarkably strong and often unwarranted. Our craving for excitement and variety is a desire for change. On the other hand, our dread of getting rid of what’s already dead in our lives defies logic. If “the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know,” by midlife, it’s time to let such thinking go back to the devil! In the case of the current sky, the changes on tap involve not just getting rid of structures (banking system, health care) that don’t work. With Pluto in the mix, they are likely to die off for something that works powerfully better. Even though the process may be difficult at times, the result is worth it.

Not just people but countries and leaders have horoscopes. (The USA is a Cancer Sun country, for example, “born” with the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.)* Anyone and everything with planets in the aforementioned Cardinal Signs or even late Mutable Signs (last degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces) will be most affected by this rock ‘n’ roll show. Mother Earth is morphing, and we have the option of trusting our nurturing mom to get us on track to where we need to go next—or living in fear. The last time Uranus and Pluto, in particular, were in close alignment brought us the Sixties. They were conjunct in the “unassuming” sign of Virgo, and you saw what happened then. Imagine this pairing as part of the Cardinal T-Square in go-for-it, impatient Aries. As the Beatles tune goes, we’re being invited to an Evolution Revolution.

After all that, the other cycles may seem like small potatoes, but here are two you’ll want to know about:

Total Solar Eclipse: This occurs July 11 at 19 degrees Cancer, affecting mid-Cancers and the mid-Cardinal signs (also Libra, Capricorn, and Aries). Cancer rules family, personal property, women’s issues, our roots and heritage, as well as emotions. The eclipse brings new beginnings in these matters, and that new opening can often be felt for up to six months or more. Our deepest needs and the support of family—and our family of friends—will be up for examining, including how we value their help.

Mercury Retrograde. Mercury remains direct till August 20 when the next Mercury Retro cycle begins and continues until September 12. Communications and the equipment that carries them tend to go haywire. The best thing you can bring to this temporary condition is a sense of humor. (See Gear Down and Jest Humor Mercury Retrograde.) Avoid signing contracts or starting new ventures (marriage, business) and be careful on short trips. (Exceptions noted in the Gear Down article.) Car repairs often come up (be proactive with a routine vehicle service), and you may be minor traffic accident-prone. Mercury also rules the mind as well as the tongue. Be sure you get regular summer pedicures so “foot in mouth” disease is less distasteful.

Your Spring Outlook

Here’s what’s Up for your sign this season:

Cancer, the Crab or Moon Child (June 21 – July 21). Happy Birthday, Midlife Moonies! Hang onto your socks. With that Lunar Eclipse of June 26 opposing your Sun along with Pluto, your relationship needs will be up for reckoning, especially if they conflict with career or your work in the world. Permission to vent granted. For the first week of summer, Mars can help you channel your anger to request the exact behavior changes needed from others, even in the heat of discussion. Thanks to help from Jupiter and Uranus, there is a touch of genius to tap and blessings available in your extreme makeover. Don’t forget to play in the water this summer. It’s your medium and your tranquilizer! You’ll need it to cool down from the sparks of change.

Mid-sign will feel the Solar Eclipse on your Sun, especially those with birthdays on or within a couple of days of the July 11 event. You’ll find yourself focused on

new beginnings in matters of home, hearth, and people and things that support you. See the General Sky, above, for more details on what this showy sky signature may bring you. As we get toward Autumn Equinox, you’ll have friendly aspects from Mercury, Mars and Venus to look forward to. Preview: You’ll be on a roll with communications, sex appeal, and romance early next season. Get in shape for it this summer!

Late Cancers: You remain under the influence of Chiron and Neptune, inviting you to make adjustments that involve healing, the arts, addictions, psychological states, intuition, and vocation. If you’re open to it, you can receive vital information for a tune-up in your life through your dreams. It would be a great time to check out my dream primer on my website. Saturn gives folks with birthdays in the last week—and especially the last days of the sign—an opportunity to restructure the way you are perceived by others. You can command more respect and take your position as a sage. You may find yourself ready to embrace the crone stage of life, knowing you don’t have to do it in your grandmother’s way, but in your own inimitable style.

Summer-y for Cancers: Happy Birthday! It’s your season, and time to come out of your shell and greet whatever growth awaits you, balanced with fun in the sun and play in the water.

Leo (July 22 – August 21). Early Leos luck out twice in a row with a pleasant planetary influence to kick off the season. You’re influenced by Venus, the relationship sign, so don’t be surprised if romance is in the air! Venus also rules money, so things may be looking up in your corner of the economy. Jupiter and Uranus trine your Sun, which can bring unexpected blessings, travel, or learning opportunities. It’s also a combo that can expand you right out of a stable relationship into something more exciting. Let your midlife smarts co-navigate with your heart.

Mid-Leos also get a love potion from Venus, but during the week of June 26-July 3. Mercury is in good aspect as the summer season opens; just seize opportunities to make your ideas heard, including your suggestions for summer fun. During the first week of July, Mercury crosses over your Sun, which could mean short trips, especially to visit siblings.

Late Leos continue a relatively long influence from Neptune and Chiron that carries over from winter and spring. How are you doing on those boundary issues? In taking off your rose colored glasses? You might see the parts of yourself that beg to be healed or parts that aren’t working well. Those antiquated parts of self are dissolving. It feels strange, at first, but it’s really you—the new you you’re becoming.

Summer-y for Leo: Happy Birthday, Lions! Most of you will enjoy a playful and light summer. Even those who are reviewing their qualities of a too-open heart can enjoy the drama of resolving it. Leos love “the stage!”

Virgo (August 22 – September 21). Early Virgos: As summer opens, you’re peaking on a transit of Mars over your Sun. This can be very energizing and provide the juice to accomplish even more than your normal overdo. Since Mars can also pique in another form—spark hurt, resentment, or wounded pride—try not to read the negative into encounters. You’re temporarily more defensive than usual. Promise yourself an early seasonal rest, a word I know you barely can hear. What if I called it your homework? Chiron opposing your Sun gives old pain an opportunity to bubble up for work on yourself. Virgos are born healers. Healer, heal thyself! At summer’s end, a Mars/Venus conjunction in friendly aspect will make you very desirable. If you’re looking for love, work it!

Mid-sign: You’ll feel Mars over your Sun for the first week of July, so the Mars portion of Early Virgo will apply to you next (above paragraph). Plan ahead for Mercury Retrograde! When Mercury shifts into reverse on August 20, it will be backing over the territory in Gemini that squares your Sun. You might find yourself more affected than most by Murky’s tricks like computer and communications glitches. The more major action you can avoid in Mercury’s mental, short trips and communications territory—the better off you’ll be. Also, take a page from Early Virgo’s outlook. Play as homework!

Late Virgos: You’ve been a lightning rod for the part of the Cardinal T-Square that pits Uranus and Jupiter opposite Saturn on your Sun. As a late Virgo myself, I can tell you I feel the pull between expressing my creativity and being brought down to earth by obligations and the need to create more solid structures in my life. The Anything Can Happen and erratic behavior aspects of Uranus are still in play. One thing I didn’t mention. You might be wired! Transits of Uranus can leave us feeling as if we’ve had too many double cappuccinos. However, Virgo is lucky as an Earth Sign. We have the capacity to ground the high voltage energy Uranus brings. Lastly, Chiron and Neptune ask for readjustments to those with birthdays on the last few days of Virgo.** Examine if habits have become compulsions and how you can transform an area of your life where you’ve overcome pain into a gift you give back to the world.

Summer-y for Virgos: Happy Birthday to the last of the cake and candles trio! Play is Virgo’s work this summer, in-between self-reflection and learning how to deal with changes in energy flow.

Libra, The Scales (September 22 – October 22). Early Libras are really feeling the effects of the Big Change Transits. The eclipse at the Summer Solstice is likely to bring relationship issues to the breaking point. I know that’s the last thing a Libra wants to hear, but don’t assume this is a bad thing. At the same time, you’ll have a nice sextile from Venus that could help you spin conflict into some great make-up action if you take advantage of it—a counterbalancing influence that could actually help you resolve conflicts in the positive. The Spring advice holds. Be concerned about grounding during these times you’re being tossed on the winds of personal growth. “Being in your body” through sports and summer activities is an ideal prescription.

Mid-sign: Like all the mid-signs this season, your Sun isn’t as affected by the Big Change transits, but no telling about the rest of your chart unless you know it. Even if you lack other Cardinal planets, you can’t help but feel the change in the air all around you. After all, Libra is both an air sign and the sign of The Other. Use Mercury Retrograde (August 20 - September 15) for one of its most potent applications—review, reconsider, and reflect on how you might take on others’ desires and suffering needlessly. This Mercury Retro is in the air sign of Gemini, which complements your Libra make-up. It can clear the cobwebs out of your head for greater self-awareness, particularly the knowledge of your own needs.

Later Libras: As the Moon crosses your Sun at Summer Solstice, you’ll feel the shift in season like a gust of warm wind. You retain your positive connection with Neptune and Chiron, now for a third season. With that lunar opening for your sector of the sign, it’s time for me to remind you again—your intuition is hotter than ever! Last season we talked about Uranus as your cosmic chiropractor, helping you see where you need to make adjustments in your life. Now that Uranus has joined up with Jupiter, there are chances for big adjustments. Some areas of life include philosophy, higher education, and spiritual seeking. Uranus itself will encourage sudden breakthroughs and changes, the need for freedom, and breaking out of convention on all levels. There will rarely be a better time for you to expand your thinking—to believe in and act on your insights and personal revelations.

Summer-y for Libras: Be in your body (play and exercise) but be willing to change your mind, the first step toward changing your life.

Scorpio, the Scorpion (October 23 – November 21). Early Scorps: Have you taken advantage yet of Pluto’s call to transformation? The long transit of Pluto sextile your Sun continues, offering opportunities for deep, organic change. But you have to take the pill or have the therapy. Don’t sit this out. It won’t happen again in your lifetime. On the lighter side, you start the season with a friendly Mars transit. Seize it! Mars is action, conflict, and sexuality—quite a package of plusses and sometimes minuses. Before Pluto was discovered, Mars was considered Scorpio’s ruler. It’s one of the signs that has dual rulership, an “ancient” and modern one. Google “astrology Mars” and “astrology Pluto.” Find out more about your sign’s co-rulers in this exercise of self-discovery. With Jupiter and Uranus nudging your for improvements, it’s a great time to learn new things that bring those cosmic aha’s.

Mid-Scorps: You’re one of the Sun-sign sectors that can get a gift from Mercury Retrograde (August 20 - September 12). If you’re willing, you can achieve self-mastery in certain aspects of your life. Mercury Retrograde is meant to be introspective. Consider how you think and communicate. Does the Scorpio sensor for the dark side in others overtake your mental processes? How ‘bout that stinger? Does it really serve you to stun or almost annihilate your listeners just to make a point? Where does personal power fit into your life? Have you morphed from abusing it to using it to its optimal potential? When you’re not working on that project, head for the beach. As another water sign, you’ll be in your element—and possibly “click” on the answers to some of the questions above in the soothing waters.

Late sign: You have a golden opportunity for tackling issues of discipline, structure, time-management, matters of practicality and realizing your own wisdom. This is Saturn’s influence, often recognized by the public in his Father Time persona. There’s nothing more effective than a midlife wise woman paired with Saturn’s energy. While many people find Saturn a tough taskmaster, by our age, we know him to lay the foundation for a life that really ticks. Spring’s report on Neptune and Chiron’s nudge to change still applies. Time to cut through any protective mechanisms and explore psycho-spiritual issues for healing and insight. Don’t wait! Jupiter and Uranus offer luck and breakthroughs in the process.

Summer-y for Scorpio: The time is ripe to go for change. Working on yourself is where the Scorpio quality of tenaciousness excels to your advantage! You, too, need time in or near water as you “process.”

Sagittarius, the Archer (November 22 – December 20). Lucky early Sag! Like Leo, you’ve got a love aspect going into summer with Venus trine your Sun. Mars, on the other hand, squares it—so don’t try to get physical too soon or risk tripping up your summer romance. (We talked about the Sag propensity for tripping last time.) Your relationship to the Big Change Transits is mostly positive. As Saturn inches back from its retro position in Virgo to the Cardinal point at 1 Aries the third week in July, your have an opportunity to get down to business about business itself or any number of responsibilities and structures in your life. While play is your natural wiring, all play and no work makes Jill a broke girl—in more ways than one! Now that Uranus has been joined by your Sun’s ruler, Jupiter, in early Aries, you have other nearly unstoppable opportunities—for learning, growth, travel, and sudden change. Since every Sag loves a good journey, you’ll come out bigger and better than ever before. That’s another thing you Archers love. Doing things up BIG! But watch your diet. That bigger part can also apply to your hips if there’s too much eating and drinking on this expedition in self-development.

Mid-sign: Venus will be trining your Sun in mid-July, bringing romantic and moneymaking opportunities. Pay special attention this Mercury Retrograde (August 20 – September 15). Mercury will reverse over territory in Gemini that opposes your Sun. You might get more than your share of the Murky Retro Glitches. More importantly, it’s a chance to re-examination how you communicate. If the shoe fits, rethink some the interactive styles Sag is famous for—being a know-it-all and a “blowhard” (overly boastful and talkative). How ‘bout tendencies toward excess and exSaggeration? You might find toning it down will improve your relationships more than you’d imagined.

Late sign: Uranus and Jupiter are squaring off with your Sun, pressuring you for big breakthroughs and new points of view. As a Sag, you know how important an integrated philosophy is to you, whether religious, spiritual, or ethical. What needs to change in this regard? As summer fades into fall, the Moon will join Jupiter and Uranus to bring a big wave of feeling you must “get it,” if you haven’t during summer. Pluto isn’t far off from your Sun position, reminding you that if you ignore the call to major self-renewal, life will bring you situations that demand it. Saturn is in the wings, ready to lay a new foundation for your personal reorganization.

Summer-y for Sagittarius: Change calls. How will you answer? It’s a journey, so bring your cell phone.

Capricorn, the Goat (December 21 – January 18). Dear early Goats: I’d love to tell you things have let up as far as the impact of the Big Change Transits on you, but with Jupiter added to the mix and all the planets being in the early Cardinal signs, you’re still playing ball with no seventh inning stretch in sight. Still, there are peanuts, Cracker Jack, fun and friends at the old ball game. Take heed of last season’s discussion about personal power. By midlife, most of us are learning that being powerful means being completely ourselves in a grounded way with no holds barred except for common courtesy to others. The Solstice Lunar Eclipse right on your Sun may bring big life events and the final juice you need to make the leap into hyperspace with this transformation you’re undergoing. Be brave, and remember, your sign is the mountain goat that sees the world from a higher perspective. You’re simply being asked at this time to own that in its wise and wonderful entirety.

Mid-sign: Enjoy the flow of ambitious Mars in relationship to your Sun during the first week or so of July. You’ll feel sexy and full of energy to “go for it,” whatever “it” is for you. It’s also a perfect time for an athletic event or getting back to the gym. Think that old song, I want to get physical! The last two weeks of July, you get another set of good vibrations from Venus. July’s your month for playing with these energies. Caps, along with Virgos, are one of the signs that tend to be workaholics. If you recognize yourself in this description, a vacation and time off during July is ideal. Come August 20 through the first few days of September, Mercury Retrograde will be calling you to make readjustments. Here’s your chance to learn the value of having a Plan B—maybe even a Plan C.

Late Caps: Saturn’s on your side, helping you restructure anything that needs fixing in your persona and approach toward life. As your Sun ruler, this is a perfect time for making gains without pain. There’s help from Jupiter and Uranus, too, on the side of insights, spirituality, and adopting points of view that are more progressive. You’ll feel this most acutely toward the end of summer, especially just as the Moon joins Jupiter and Uranus at the Autumn Equinox. Ponder these things, be willing to change, and as summer ends, you’re likely to have the process punctuated with some intuitions and insights that tie it all together for you in a package of grand take-aways.

Summer-y for Capricorns: You’re all straddling the work/play axis in your own way. Take play breaks and ride the waves of change, whether choppy or smooth.

Aquarius, the Water Bearer (January 19 – February 17). The recent hook-up of Jupiter and Uranus brings you opportunities for sudden expansion. If most Perrie readers weren’t of a certain age, I’d tell you to watch your birth control; instead, I’ll suggest watching your diet for waist expansion. Now that those concerns are out of the way, this is a chance for unique personal insights and flexing your own brilliance. Uranus is the ruler of Aquarius. It’s like having your cosmic coach recommend you for the all-star team. You’ve made the tryouts. Now, if you apply yourself, and seize the unexpected and new awakenings, the sky’s the limit. There will be a lot of luck, benevolence, and blessings in this process, but you have to step up to the plate.

Mid-sign: Yours is one of the zodiac sectors that will benefit from introspection this Mercury Retrograde (August 20 – September 12). When Mercury reverses in Gemini, it trines your Sun, a positive energy flow. But Mercury asks us to do “re” things in return for reaping its rewards—rethink, renegotiate, reconsider—and so on. You might even find that some of Mercury Retro’s typical snafus benefit you in some way. For example, your cell phone goes out just when you’re being tele-stalked by someone you’re trying to avoid. Or a package you sent to Aunt Tillie gets misdelivered a block away to an old high school friend who recognizes your name and a much welcome reunion results. You’ll enjoy telling the stories, too.

Late sign: Neptune has retrograded back into the late degrees of Aquarius and will be affecting most people born during the last week of the sign. Chiron will follow suit, not far behind. They both go direct again in November, so here’s your opportunity for healing more of those inner hurts that keep you from moving forward. It’s also perfect for looking at whether you’re kidding yourself about yourself on any level. Who are you really? Are there issues on the polarity of addiction to spirituality that need tending? This introspection usually results in expansion that will require new boundaries to contain your expanding. Saturn is in a pattern to provide you with the roots you need to make it safe to spread your new wings.

Summer-y for Aquarians: You have many opportunities now that involve the need for both inner work (reflection) and stepping up to the plate (both in the real world and in the psycho-spiritual work force). Seize the season!

Pisces, the Fish (February 18 – March 19) Early Pisces: How has Chiron’s initial visit to your sign been since it arrived on April 20? If old hurtful situations have come up for healing, don’t be surprised. The beauty is that Chiron can also lead you to discovering your true vocation. Whatever territory of life you’ve been assigned to have a “sore” in, learning to make lemonade out of those lemons can often lead to your life’s work. One of my favorite soldiers on the Lemonade Trail is Michael J. Fox, who has taken on fundraising for Parkinson’s as his job and fun-raising for anyone challenged, telling us, I’m still me! His books are humorous and inspiring. Chiron is about the overcoming spirit and sharing it with your community for group learning. Early Fish still have a nice aspect from Pluto, inviting organic change from the inside out. This combo is awesome for your personal evolution and empowers you to shake past pain for future power. You’ll feel that Solstice Lunar Eclipse, too, but it will bring opportunities. With your strong, natural intuition, go with your first “hit” on what to do with them.

Mid-sign: Mercury Retro alert! Your sign’s one that’s squared by Mercury as it retros in mid-Gemini. My recommendation is always to take seriously, in those cases, the introspection this cycle asks for. From August 20 to September 12, make time to look at what’s going on in your life, especially in the areas of communication, thinking, and siblings. Are you on the “outs” with a brother or sister? Are you communicating your needs clearly to others? Has a generalized negative attitude started to seep in? Preview: Come early fall, you’ll have a lovely Mars and Venus aspect that will play out even better if you’ve done this review in Mercury’s area of influence, finding out how you can relate better to others and to yourself by harboring the most positive and life-affirming thoughts.

Late Pisces: Even though they have moved onto Aries, you’re still likely to feel the pull of Jupiter and Uranus as they hover near your Sun. This will be truer as summer moves on and they both retrograde back into late Pisces and are back to influencing you more directly. This pair of energies has many adjectives: unusual, dynamic, disruptive, expansive, and unpredictable. As I mentioned in the General Sky, Jupiter/Uranus has a history of radical and unruly social and political shifts. “Shift happens” could be your personal motto. You may find yourself a different breed of Fish these days, as I mentioned in Spring—an electric eel. Take good care of your physical vehicle during this process. Use your considerable Piscean intuition to know that you’re going to make it to the other end of this process renewed and refined.

Summer-y for Pisces: You’re in many ways a Fish out of water, exploring inner depths and new ways of being. Don’t make that literal. As another Water Sign, water is your salvation in this process and brings you back to feeling in the flow. Go swimming to stay in the swim.

Aries, the Ram (March 20 – April 18). Early Aries: There’s no let-up so far in your rebirth process, but as I mentioned last time, you’re not a change-resistant sign. I’ve seen the Aries I know take on every kind of challenge with a gumption that would make a Taurus or Capricorn envious. With Jupiter now added to the Cardinal T-Square, you’re even finding the blessings in the sudden readjustments life has demanded. For example, one Aries friend lost her job and sees it as an opportunity to reorganize her side business, which may increase its chances of supporting her full-time. Another Aries had break-ins to her home, very disturbing, but leveraged the crisis into a new and better home in short order—and to a serious review of her personal issues with security. The Lunar Eclipse at the Solstice will bring more news and growth opportunities. Venus trine your Sun in at the Summer Solstice adds a short window of good news in areas of love and money. Every Aries has the potential to be Rambunctious in an impressive way during the Big Changes. Do what you do best. Go for it!

Mid-sign Rams get an opportunity for mental readjustment during this summer’s Mercury Retrograde, especially during the last week of the August 20 – September 12 cycle. How can you communicate better? Is your thinking positive, upbeat, and life affirming? As Mercury appears to be going in reverse in the sky, it’s time for Aries to become acquainted with that particular gear. Most of you live on overdrive! Reconsider how downshifting a few times a year can actually benefit your overall performance. Of all the signs, Aries fits most the metaphor that your body and being are your “personal vehicle.” You may require an occasional shift into lower gears or you’ll end up spending time in the shop.

Later-sign Rams: You remain under the influence of Neptune and Chiron. You have an opportunity to let dissolve those parts of you that no longer work in the positive and to heal longstanding pains from your past. It’s a time for working with spiritual and intuitive tools and to discover your own gifts in these areas. Saturn asks for readjustment from the latest birthdays in the sign, offering you a new structure for holding you during these sensitive times of self-discovery—and the extra protection you need while opening yourself up to psychic information, dreams, and healing.

Summer-y for Aries: Go for it—or rest from it—in your usual fiery style! Spend time in the summer sun to recharge your batteries.

Taurus, the Bull (April 19 – May 19). Bulls are getting Pluto’s call to personal transformation in a kinder, gentler way, which fits your sign to a T. While you’ll feel the Lunar Eclipse at the Solstice, it’s likely to bring opportunities that enhance your brand of slower but certain personal evolution. You are probably also sensing a chance for healing and sensitizing from the Chiron/Neptune pairing in positive aspect to your Sun. There’s a synergy to these patterns that allow for a kind of growth spurt that has been building slow but suddenly blooms. Mars trine your Sun in early summer energizes you, so get out there and enjoy some summer exercise. Even if you move slowly—walking, yoga, t’ai chi—it’s a great time to keep moving, both inner and outer.

Mid-sign Tauruses are likely to have supportive opportunities, because of the July 11 Solar Eclipse. Hold family and friends close, and read more about the Total Solar Eclipse under General Sky near the top of the Planetarium report.

Late-sign Bulls are still feeling the square from Chiron and Neptune, who are by now insistent on the topics of healing and spirituality as well as questioning your right vocation and artistic contributions. Saturn is supportive with a flowing aspect to hold you while you rebirth yourself.

Summer-y for Tauruses: Most of you love to garden, and you’re the garden this summer! Let friendship, family, and supportive astrological energies form a firm flowerbed as you expand and bloom.

Gemini, the Twins (May 20-June 20). Early Gems: You’re probably all fired up by the changes on tap offered by Uranus and Jupiter in aspect to your Sun. You like variety and change, and there’s nothing more changeable than Uranus and Jupiter together! Try to keep some grounding—always a Gemini challenge—as you ping off the walls of your mind with new opportunities and ideas. Enjoy a nice Venus aspect to your Sun, making you even more attractive than usual, around the Summer Solstice, but don’t forget to answer Chiron and Neptune’s call. For all this fun you’re having with the other planets, these guys want you to pay attention to your interior—to what needs to be healed and what has to go in your psyche to support your next leg of your personal journey in the most positive way. They’re willing to make it easy with a flowing trine to your Sun.

Mid-Gems: Pay attention to Mercury Retrograde August 20 – September 12. Mercury “backs up” right over your Sun, and if you don’t want to feel like you’ve been run over by a truck, do what it asks. Reconsider, review, revamp—relax and use this inner time for a personal tune-up. I often find errors during this cycle that prevent big problems later on, like a math mistake in my checkbook. That’s the purpose of Mercury Retrograde—to slow down and hopefully avoid slipping up.

Late Gemini: You retain that Neptune/Chiron square Sun aspect that can have the very amping up effect on your energy that I mentioned last time from the side of Uranus. I know you’re unstoppable with creativity right now, but it’s very important to ground this energy. Unlike some of the other signs, Gemini does not feel its feet on the ground easily. You are an air sign. You like to fly! With Chiron presenting opportunities to heal lingering past hurts, you can either slow down and look for what needs to be done in this regard—or the universe will make you face it in more unpleasant ways, like recreating a scenario similar to one in the past that brought you a lot of grief. Chiron is a teacher, and you get to choose whether you want to learn the hard way. Saturn may already be slowing you down as it tries to reel you in from your current trip to the stratosphere. You don’t have to go as high as you can, just because you can. It’s crucial to add some gear shifting to your current flight to the creative realms. If you do, you will have not just mastered these transits; you’ll have learned a crucial lesson for all Geminis. Regardless of our astrological elemental make-up (in your case, Air) we live on the ground. We cannot fly without frequent trips back to earth for refueling.

Summer-y for Gemini: Grounding is a bigger issue than ever for you this summer. Play in dirt. It’s the element you need! Garden a little this summer to appreciate how lovely it can be to come down to earth.

See you at Autumn Equinox for our next show at the Planetarium!

~~~

Joyce Mason has been an astrologer for 22 years and a writer ever since she could hold a pencil. Learn more about Joyce, her two blogs, and her library of articles on topics from A to Zzz (astrology to dreamwork) on her Joyce Mason website. Check out Personal Consultations on Joyce’s website for information about her “astrology plus” practice, Inner Growth Work. She welcomes hearing from you: joyce@joycemason.com.

Notes:

* The “correct” chart of the USA and when to consider its “birth” is hotly contested among astrologers. Most use the July 4, 1776 chart with Sagittarius Rising, known as the Sibley chart after Ebenezer Sibley, the 18^th century astrologer and freemason who first proposed it.

** The dates given for each sign in parenthesis next to each sign are not exact every year because the Sun varies in when it shifts signs. Those born on the first or last day of a Sun sign need to have a chart run for their exact birth time to know for sure which sign they were born under. The time of shift can vary from a few hours to a full day. For example, my birthday is September 22. My Sun is in Virgo and the Sun did not shift into Libra at year until eight hours after I was born.

Menopause and Heart Disease

2010-06-07T18:13:00.000-04:00

by Staness Jonekos

Heart disease is the number one killer of women today. Dr. Chrisandra Shufelt, assistant director of the Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, shares valuable information about heart disease during menopause.

Interview with Chrisandra Shufelt, M.D.

Assistant Director of the Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute.

1. Question: How can women approaching or experiencing menopause protect themselves from heart disease?

Chrisandra Shufelt, M.D.: The best protection is in knowing your heart health numbers. By that I mean you should know your blood pressure, LDL and HDL cholesterol, weight, body mass index (BMI) and fasting blood sugar level. If your numbers are out of whack, see your doctor, start exercising, change your eating habits, lose weight if you need to and stop smoking. You also need to be aware of your family medical history. Women who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with heart disease at an early age are at an increased risk of developing heart disease themselves. Heart disease is the number one killer of women so the first step in preventing it is to know your numbers.

2. Question: Does a woman’s heart disease risk increase during menopause?

Dr. Shufelt: One in seven premenopausal women die of heart disease compared to one in three postmenopausal women. We know that blood cholesterol levels can often change for the worse within six months to a year from the onset of menopause, which on average is the age of 51. The risk of high blood pressure triples with menopause; after the age of 55, more women have high blood pressure.

3. Question: Does hormone therapy increase a woman’s risk of developing heart disease?

Dr. Shufelt: Hormone therapy may be an effective way of controlling the moderate to severe night sweats, hot flashes and other menopause symptoms that can wreak havoc in a woman’s life. Start by seeking a certified menopause specialist who can weigh the risks and benefits for each patient. If your doctor considers hormone therapy safe for you, be sure to reevaluate annually. Starting hormone therapy many years after a woman has gone through menopause does increase the risk of heart disease. Women who are not good candidates for hormone therapy do not need to suffer in silence. There are many nonhormonal options to treat menopause symptoms.

4. Question: Are women who take oral contraceptives at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease?

Dr. Shufelt: Oral contraceptives are the most commonly prescribe hormones with approximately 80 percent of women in the U.S. using them at some point. In healthy younger women – young than 35 and nonsmokers – oral contraceptives do not increase a woman’s risk for heart disease. And we know that birth control pills can be helpful in controlling symptoms around perimenopause. That’s why you should re-read my answer to the first question and get to know your heart health numbers!

5. Question: Is it possible to treat menopause symptoms while simultaneously preventing heart disease?

Dr. Shufelt: Yes. That is exactly what we do at the Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. And it’s why menopause transition is such an important time for all women. I want women to know that when they reach menopause, it’s time to take stock of their health and their individual risk factors. Because when we know a patient’s numbers, we can help her assess the side effects and risks that come with all treatments and also help ensure that the second act of her life can be just as vibrant and active as the first.

6. Question: Does estrogen provide heart protection?

Dr. Shufelt: No, estrogen is not prescribed to prevent heart disease.

7. Question: What else should women know about heart disease?

Dr. Shufelt: When it comes to heart disease, women need to recognize that often, our symptoms are different from men’s heart disease symptoms. In addition to chest pain, women are more likely to have shortness of breath as a first sign of heart disease. Women more commonly experience extreme fatigue and persistent chest pain. Unlike men, women generally have major arteries that are clear of plaque, but the smaller coronary blood vessels cease to constrict and dilate properly, creating the lack of blood flow and oxygen to the heart.
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Staness Jonekos is the co-author of The Menopause Makeover, speaker, advocate for women's health. For more information about Staness Jonekos visit www.MenopauseMakeover.com. You can also follow her on twitter.com/staness.

Five ways yoga helped me lose weight

2010-05-24T20:29:00.000-04:00

by Denise Canellos, M.S., C.N.S.

I am not a runner, or a swimmer, or a dancer, or anything remotely related to those -ers. Yet, I am fit and it is because of yoga (although I am still waiting for my regular butt to be transformed into a fabulous yoga butt.) Here are the five ways yoga helped me lose weight and keeps me strong:

Yoga turns off the “flight or fight” state of my brain, where nutrients and calories are stored for future use; and turns on the “rest and repair” signals, which use those stored nutrients to heal my body, make new necessary cells, and keep things running smoothly. I can’t be pumping fight-or-flight cortisol into your body and do yoga at the same time because I will fall down. So will you.

2. Yoga keeps me in the present moment. Most emotional eating (the main reason many of us gain weight) is the result of worry, or a story I am telling myself about the future or the past. When I stay in the present moment, I realize that everything is actually fine, right now in this moment. And then the anxiety, which was all in my mind anyway, vanishes and I no longer feel the need to numb my anxiety with food. And if I am anywhere other than the present moment when practicing yoga, I will fall down. And so will you.

3. Yoga makes me strong and flexible. The yoga poses, and linking them in a vinyasa sequence (also called Power Yoga) uses my body weight to make me stronger. Yoga also makes me flexible. When I am strong and flexible I move a lot more and ache a lot less. This keeps me busy, burns calories, and distracts me from eating out of boredom, then having to take a nap.

4. When I practice yoga I feel like an athlete. And when I feel like an athlete I act like an athlete. Eating healthy food, getting enough rest, taking my vitamins and fish oil are all things athletes do for themselves. And all of them keep me at a healthy weight.

5. The first lesson of yoga is non-violence, which is pretty much always a good policy. I have not studied much of the spiritual aspects of yoga, but I know this one. And it starts with no violence against myself, physical or mental. The way to become our best selves is through gentle self-talk, kindness to ourselves, and taking small steps each day to get us where we want to go. Those of you who have worked with me personally know that there is no place for violence against the self in my programs.

As I sit here with my computer, writing for this blog, and glowing with post-yoga peace (oh, lets face it, I am glowing with sweat), I hope that the good I have gotten from yoga will inspire you to give it a try.

There are good beginner videos available from Yoga Journal.com and Gaiam.com.

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Denise Canellos is a nutritionist who develops personalized eating plans that are easy, delicious and help people feel better. There is no perfect diet, and each person’s health history, family history, and lifestyle factor in to their plan. She provides reliable updates about nutrition and empower you to achieve your health goals.

Denise believes eating healthfully and well can be easy, affordable, quick, and most importantly, delicious. Joyf ul. Soul-satisfying.

Using food to help people feel better during cancer treatment, and ultimately make their cancer treatment more successful, was Denise’s initial inspiration to become a nutritionist. Keeping the cancer from returning, and reducing risk of cancer in the first place, have become a natural extensions of that focus.

Denise has a Masters Degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport, and am a Certified Nutrition Specialist, through the American College of Nutrition. She lives in Southern California with her family, cook, and work with my wonderful clients.

Aging: What Are We So Afraid Of?

2010-04-26T18:50:00.000-04:00

by Staness Jonekos

I live in the land of angels, but in Los Angeles these guardians are nipped and tucked with crooked smiles and lopsided eyes frozen on a static expression.

At 52 I am really pissed off that aging -- a thing that happens as soon as we take our first breath -- is such a big deal! Why does a large part of our population struggle with aging?

Considering that the average lifespan in the early 1900s was 49, and now it's 77, perhaps old age is a more recent phenomenon. Thanks to modern technology and medical advances, we have an easier life compared to our ancestors. A hundred years ago when the average person was dying by age 50, wrinkles were a badge of honor displaying wisdom and earning respect for a life long-lived.

My first signs of aging appeared as a growing colony of spider veins and brown spots that surfaced after years of sun damage. Witnessing these skin tone imperfections sent me running to the nearest celebrity dermatologist for a quick fix. Six months and $1,200.00 later, those spider veins and brown spots reappeared. Don't they know I paid good money to banish them forever?

I revisited that famous dermatologist insisting the procedures did not work. She said, "Staness don't you know? You have begun your journey chasing youth." What? I have no intention of chasing youth, just fix it so I can move on with my life as I was -- young with perfectly clear, tight skin.

A few martinis later, I decided to cover up those spider veins and brown spots with a spray on tan. Living in Los Angeles this is a perfectly acceptable treatment. Ahhhh, with just one spray tan session for $36.00 I felt much better with those brown spots and spider veins artificially covered. But, this trick only lasted a few months. Self-tanning is a time consuming job with sketchy results. This last ditch effort to conceal brown spots and spider veins, left orange evidence around my elbows, fingers, and ankles. Now what?

When the elasticity of my skin started to relax, the anti-aging battle seemed hopeless. I was now wearing a permanent suit styled with a draping midsection, accessorized with paisley spider veins, and finished off with a set of droopy boobs and a deflated tush to match. It wasn't pretty! An aging alien was trying to squeeze into my body and take over.

Keeping up with aging was a full time job without any benefits. My self-esteem was being tested daily. No one prepares us for this transition of fading youth.

Thou shalt not lose your youth and beauty in Los Angeles. Breaking this unwritten commandment can contribute to job-related age discrimination, result in a divorce or secure a spot in the never-married line.

Men and women in Los Angeles have an unusual attraction to altering their looks, and demanding flawless skin. They are willing to give up their human right to have natural expressions by electively going "under the knife." We have many versions of Angelina Jolie living in Los Angeles with perfectly plump lips, high check bones, full breasts and tight butts. People in their 20s, 30s and 40s casually chat about who did their implants, and where to get the best price for Botox injections.

Don't get me wrong, having surgical and non-surgical cosmetic options available can change someone's life for the better. A nose job can promise better self esteem, removing a scar can boost confidence, and reconstructive procedures can give hope after devastation.

Botox, fillers, and plastic surgery can relax, plump or pull a wrinkle out of existence - temporarily. These technologies can be helpful, but don't depend on them to deliver everlasting youth.

Personally, I refuse to rely on cosmetic procedures to cling onto my youth. It was time to investigate how the beneficiary of youth -- beauty -- was defined in my life.

Growing up an Air Force brat, we moved almost every year. I learned at an early age that if I was the helpful girl, not the pretty girl, I had friends. My worth was not defined by my looks. That changed when I moved to Los Angeles where beauty was a cloak of power. When that cloak wears out after years of use, people will do anything to keep it looking youthful.

Do I miss my youth? Yes, a little now, probably even more later. I miss having joints that don't ache when I exercise. I miss the ease of not working hard to be healthy. I miss the days my purse was not full of reading glasses. I miss the cheaper health insurance. But, those inconveniences are nothing compared to knowing who I am.

I feel some sadness as my youth leaves center stage and a more wrinkled version of myself claims the spotlight. In another decade I become an official cast member of "Cocoon." Fortunately with good nutrition, exercise, and a few beauty products my aging process will hopefully be a graceful one.

The good news -- I am not alone. According to the 2005 U.S. Census report, by 2030 there will be 72 million Americans aged 65 or older. That is more than double the 35 million in 2000. Our population is getting older.

If the youth of America sees a generation of baby boomers ashamed to age, what message does that send? Twenty year olds are having Botox parties, plumping their lips and changing their body shape. Is this obsession with body altering the result of our fear of aging?

We see our local newscasters come back from vacation "refreshed" with tighter skin, and that wide-eyed surprised look. Networks pressure newscasters to stop aging after 40, studios hire the 20 and 30 year-old actors for the lead parts, and magazines completely retouch their covers and editorial spreads.

Why are we not obsessing about being older and wiser? I applaud Kaiser Permanente for having the right attitude in their commercial campaign "When I grow up I want to be an old woman."

Mother Teresa spent her life dedicated to helping the poor and helpless. Do people look at her and say, "Check out those wrinkles, that girl needs some Botox?"

As I try to make peace with my own signs of aging, it was challenged when I visited a dermatologist for an irritating skin condition and at the end of the appointment the doc said, " I can make you look 10 to 15 years younger with some Botox and fillers." Ouch, I thought I looked OK. After the blood from my face started flowing back to the rest of my body, I proudly said, "I love my wrinkles, dammit!"

After our 40s and 50s aging isn't necessarily pretty. Can there be beauty in age? Most definitely. Those permanent crinkles between my eyebrows are the result of fun times in the sun riding horses and sailing boats. The lines that cradle my eyes are a reminder that I have had a life full of smiles. I invite those surprise lines in my forehead to stay forever. They remind me of the unexpected moments I learned great lessons.

When I was 10, anyone over the age of 30 was ancient. When I was 30, anyone over the age of 50 was a dinosaur. Now that I am in my 50s, being 60 isn't looking so bad.

These days I am committing my life to things more important than wrinkles. Maybe the only one who cares about my wrinkles is moi. Maybe the only one who cares about your wrinkles is you. Maybe it is time to get on with things that really matter.

Do I love my wrinkles? I am trying to, dammit!

References

Speroff, L. and M.A. Fritz. Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2005.
Jonekos, S. and W. Klein. The Menopause Makeover. Ontario, Canada: Harlequin Enterprises; 2009.

Staness Jonekos is the co-author of The Menopause Makeover, speaker, advocate for women's health. For more information about Staness Jonekos visit www.MenopauseMakeover.com. You can also follow her on twitter.com/staness.

Midlife Rocks

2010-04-19T19:19:00.000-04:00

by Lissa Boles

I remember the first time I read ‘Midlife Is The New Beautiful!’ in my tweet stream.

My first reaction was ‘Ya baby!’ As a (prematurely) silver-headed, late-in-life reinvention artist, the sentiment rang loud and true to me, and the faces of my three favourite women in the world flashed through my mind.

First, there was Sheryl, my oldest girlfriend.

A bootlegger’s daughter who would’ve found it odd if the town cops hadn’t been at her door a least once a month while growing up, her beginnings could easily have set her on a life-track that would have meant nothing more than more of the same. But it didn’t because she wouldn’t let it.

The first and only one in her family to go to college, my girl Sheryl’s an inspiration to all who know her – and the epitome of a self-made woman.

Determined to create the home and family life her much loved but rascally parents just couldn’t give her, she’s been the top sales producer in her field for over 12 years. Together with her husband and son, they bought – and restored – a glorious old home in a tony Toronto neighbourhood, living the exact lifestyle she’d dreamed of as a girl.

When mid-life middle threatened to decide for her what size she’d wear, she wouldn’t let that decide her destiny either. She started running – and running and running.

Sheryl now has 4 half-marathons and 1 full marathon under her still-svelte belt, and and she’s having a blast booting around in her never-been-better midlife bod.

Then I saw Maureen.

A child of ‘The Blitz’, and one of the thousands of kids parcelled off to ‘safe’ strangers in the countryside, she returned to London to find everything round her – including her parent’s marriage – in ruins.

She could’ve let that perfect storm of tragic early-life circumstances decide who she’d become and what her life would be about, but she didn’t. Instead, this vibrant 73-year old woman is one of my life’s heroes, mentors and major ticklers of my (sometimes hair-trigger) funny-bone.

When diagnosed with leukemia out of the blue 5 years ago, the prospect of death jarred her into admitting that her marriage wasn’t working and hadn’t been for a long time.

Within 4 months, she’d begun a year-long protocol of well-researched alternative medicine, left her marriage and struck out on her own – moving clear across the country to become what she’d always wanted to be: a non-denominational minister. Today she’s a much respected leader in a renowned spiritual retreat centre in the pacific north-west – and she’s kicked leukemia’s butt to the curb.

And then there was Shadi.

Born in 1959 to one of South Africa’s very few educated, native physicians, Shadi lived a somewhat privileged life till Apartheid started ripping her beloved country apart. Terrified by what was happening to neighbours and friends, her family fled the country, taking only what they could of their belongings and wealth with them.

They did the refugee-shuffled for more than 7 years, using up all their resources. Unable to find a stable place to land, and often not permitted to work as a doctor, her father became a broken man, and her mother lost without his strong lead.

When the family finally settled in Canada, Shadi was 13. Determined that the only source of stability in life was herself, she proceeded to cut a path to a life that made it possible to do work she loved while staying in touch with her roots: she become one of the countries leading fund-raising and marketing consultants to the arts, with a focus on native and ethnic expressions.

Never one to do anything half-way, a few years ago she up and sold (or gave away) almost everything she owned after feeling a restless urge to explore the deeper aspects of life. She moved to Diamond Mountain University to study Buddhism, throwing herself into a life that obviously agrees with her: she positively beams. I talked to her just the other day, and she told me what my heart’s suspected for a while know: she’ll be taking her vows to become a nun later this year.

You know the old saying, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder?’ Well all these woman are beautiful to me, but not because of what they look like, what they have or what they’ve done.

They’re beautiful because when they behold themselves they see something more than where they came from or what’s happened to them - without denying, hiding, shrinking from or apologizing for any of it.

When they look at themselves they see opportunity, and they decide – again and again – to rise and meet it with the very best of who they are, creating a life that’s beautiful to them.

Midlife (whenever THAT is) never looked so good.

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Wise & deeply skilled at making the mysterious magically make sense, Lissa Boles breaths fresh new life into the ancient art of astrology. Her contemporary take on it – Soul Mapping – allows anyone to see what we’re up to and WHY, as we’re living it – both as individuals and as a collective.

As a speaker, teacher, master life coach and Soul Mapper, Lissa has been working with astrological charts for nearly a decade. She’s helped hundreds finally make sense of their lives so they can step forward and live with greater purpose, intention and personal empowerment. To learn more visit www.TheSoulMapper.com

Irregular Periods During Perimenopause

2010-04-12T14:37:00.000-04:00

by Staness Jonekos

One of the first symptoms you may notice during perimenopause is irregular periods.

I was on birth control pills so I did not experience irregular periods. But for those of you not on birth control pills, noticing a change in your period may be an indication you are perimenopausal.

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Interview with Dr. Wendy Klein, leading menopause expert and co-author of The Menopause Makeover

Staness: What is one of the first symptoms of perimenopause?

Dr. Klein: The hallmark of perimenopause, which is the phase prior to menopause, is irregularity. We all grow up thinking that when you enter the change of life and become menopausal, your periods just stop. That is not the case.

What happens is your periods start to become irregular. You can have too many periods, you can have too few, you may skip a period and then get regular again, and you may skip a few periods. You may think, “oh my, I am in menopause,” and suddenly your period comes back again.

Staness: Why does this happen?

Dr. Klein: Prior to menopause your periods are usually very regular. The amount of hormone that you are producing is very regular and predictable. However, as you approach menopause, entering the perimenopausal phase, the ovaries are unpredictable. You will have months when you don’t ovulate, and that causes irregular bleeding.

Staness: How long does period irregularity last?

Dr. Klein: How long that lasts is highly individual. Could be a year, could be two years, could be three years and that is all normal variation. I like to say that the ovaries are stuttering. You don’t always ovulate and your previous hormonal milieu begins to change.

Eventually you will experience fewer periods and finally your periods will stop. You are not officially in menopause until you have skipped 12 consecutive periods.

Staness: How does a woman know her periods are irregular?

Dr. Klein: You may get too many periods. You may get too few. You may skip them. The bleeding may become heavier, or it can become lighter.

Staness: What should a perimenopausal woman with irregular periods do?

Dr. Klein: Well the easiest thing to do is keep track of your periods. Write them down in the your calendar and track them. Keep a record of when you are having your periods and what your symptoms are, so when you visit your clinician you can discuss the changes using actual dates.

If you are troubled by irregular periods, you can discuss the option of low dose birth control pills. This can help with regulation, with excessive flow, and also with contraception.

One of the issues of which you should be aware is that even in perimenopause you can still become pregnant and since your periods are not regular you have an increased risk of unintended pregnancy. Birth control is still necessary as long as you continue to ovulate, even if you are irregular.

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Menopause is a normal and natural part of a woman’s life. Arm yourself with knowledge, build a strong relationship with your clinician and manage your menopause empowered.

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Staness Jonekos is an advocate for women's health, wellness and empowerment. An award-winning television writer, producer and director, she was one of the original executive producers who launched the television network Oxygen Media, cofounded by Oprah Winfrey. Following her commitment to health, Staness co-executive produced the premiere season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, and post produced Lifetime's Speaking of Women's Health. Recently, Staness launched into the publishing world sharing her 8-step 12-week Menopause Makeover program in her first book The Menopause Makeover, co-authored with menopause expert Dr. Wendy Klein. Visit Staness at http://menopausemakeover.com/

The Ultimate 10 Minute Face Lift!

2010-04-05T20:25:00.001-04:00

by Candy Dye
Apriori Beauty Specialist

So called “beauty gadgets” are earning a popular place in the cosmetics industry. Why? Because they work! Here we breakdown the benefits of four different technologies on the market – ultrasound wave, vibration, FIR, and galvanic ion technology – to help you understand what they do!

Ultrasound Wave Therapy | Ultrasound wave technology uses sound waves that are greater than the upper limit of human hearing. These waves generate approximately 5 million vibrations per second and generate heat that raises the skin temperature by 0.5 – 1.0°C, benefiting skin in the following ways:

Pores are opened, allowing for the removal of impurities
Vibrations activate skin healing mechanisms and push nutrients deep into the skin
Elastin and collagen production increase, reducing the appearance of lines/wrinkles
Blood and lymph circulation increase
Skin cell turnover increases as ultrasonic waves aid in dead cell removal
Cell metabolism increases, resulting in a reduction of facial fat

Vibration Therapy | Vibration technology functions to both relax facial muscles and activate your skin cells’ natural healing properties to promote skin recovery. Elasticity increases, rendering the skin more youthful and luminous. Vibration technology also functions to push the Nutrient Reservoir™ into the deepest layer of the skin where it can help repair and protect the life of every skin cell. Benefits include

Skin and facial muscles are relaxed and rejuvenated
Elastin & Collagen are strengthened
Nutrients are transported deep into the skin

Far Infrared (FIR) Therapy | Infrared light is a type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun whose wavelength falls out of the visible range. Despite the fact that we cannot see far infrared radiation, it is perceived by thermoreceptors in the skin as heat. FIR has the following benefits:

Skin is warmed, unclogging pores and expanding capillaries
Blood flow increases, helping eliminate toxins associated with aging and fatigue
Mitochondrial stimulation results in increased enzyme activity and metabolism
Promotes the breakdown of cellulite, fat, trapped water, and wastes
Promotes the regeneration of skin tissue
Increases oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells resulting in increased skin vitality

Galvanic Ion Therapy | When accompanied by an appropriate conducting agent (such as the Celloxylin™ Precision Skin Rejuvenator), galvanic ion therapy works by supplying a current of positive and negative ions through the skin. Positive ions cleanse pores by clinging to dirt, oils, and makeup and extracting these impurities. Negative ions increase the skin’s ability to absorb nutrients from treatment products by pushing them into deeper layers of the skin. The results:

Energy from galvanic ion exchange attacks bacteria and promotes skin cell regeneration
Impurities are extracted resulting in cleaner pores
Beneficial nutrients are transported deep into the skin
Skin is more hydrated, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles is reduced

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Candy Dye is a Nurse Practitioner who focuses on helping people look beautiful as they age. Her new company, Apriori Beauty, offers skin care and an in-home beauty device called the Derma Firm Illuminator™, whose combination of technologies makes it unmatched in the industry today. Together with the Celloxylin™ Precision Skin Rejuvenator, the Derma Firm Illuminator™ helps to visibly reduce wrinkle length and depth while improving the tone, texture, and brightness of surface skin cells. The best part – 10 minutes daily will give you results for a fraction of the cost demanded by professional spas, salons, or combinations of single function beauty devices! The Derma Firm Illuminator™ . . . why not make your skin healthier and more beautiful?

When you purchase a 30-Day Celloxylin Set on Autoship at 20% discount, you can purchase the Derma Firm Illuminator Treatment Set for $250 – (a $109 Savings! ) http://www.aprioribeauty.com/FIC/candace/products/specials/derma_firm_illuminator_treatment_system
Please let me assist you by answering all of your questions about Apriori Beauty’s Fabulous Products, and Incredible Consultant Opportunity- I would love to have you join my team! www.aprioricandy@gmail.com

Thank you so much for stopping by and Making My Life Beautiful! Hugs, Candy

Think & Feel your way to a Better Body...(No Age Requirements to master this one!)

2010-03-29T20:23:00.000-04:00

by Maria Lesetz of Lovin’ Life, Law of Attraction Health Coach

If you have arrived at this Perrie Meno-Pudge website, you are most likely a woman in mid-life who is drawn to the humor this lively character shares with all of us about the trials and tribulations that we as women experience as we get older and wiser! Key in on that word “wiser” .. because it is so true!

The older we get, the better we get. I embrace that belief … do you?

I loved the pun in the name “Perri Meno-Pudge” where “pudge” tends to tap into that body change that can occur as we age.

However, I am here to share with you that you don’t have to buy into any belief about aging and how that negatively impacts our bodies. That’s just a belief that you can choose to embrace or throw in the proverbial garbage can!

What you think and feel about your body, physical fitness level and the foods you eat correlates 100% with the results you get. You get what you think about … each and every time! So, if you are focused on your “out of shape” & “Perri Meno Pudge” body and looking in the mirror saying “ugh … my thighs are fat” .. well, what do you think you are going to get more of? Yes, more thunder thighs for you (whether you work out or not)!

You mean “I can just choose a different thought and I will become thin & fit?” Well, YES! (And the feeling behind your thoughts is what determines your success!)

What you think & feel about your body and the foods you eat is all energy. You are sending a message out into the Universe, typically giving attention to the exact thing you don’t want. The Law of Attraction states:

“The essence of that which is like unto itself, is drawn.” ~ Abraham-Hicks.

So, if are you feeling disappointed with the current shape of your body, more disappointment is on its way (and that may be in other areas of your life too!). Think of an Olympic athlete: What do you think they focus on more: the ultimate outcome they desire or the times they haven’t been at their best? If they have that Olympic medal, you know that they focus on the desired outcome and FEEL it to the very core of their being. They couldn’t get caught up in the times when they didn’t do their very best and were not in their prime shape. If they did that, it would change how they feel, shift their energy and ultimately attract “losing” as opposed to “winning”.

Understanding the way the Law of Attraction works is quite empowering! Once you get it, you are well on your way to that healthy & fit body you desire, no matter what age you are! Matter of fact … it’s a “Done Deal”! That’s the decision you must make in order to achieve your fitness goal.

This is one of my favorite quotes that I share with clients of my coaching practice

“Being Healthy doesn’t make you Happy –

being Happy makes you Healthy!”

Think about it, if you are choosing to focus on the body you currently have and are making judgments about it (not liking it very much), are you really happy? No. You are focused on what you don’t want which makes you feel emotions that are more towards the negative end of the emotional scale. You can’t be truly happy if you are focused on the negatives! So, I teach my coaching clients how to choose happiness first and as a result, great health & wellness will follow.

A client of my weight loss coaching service s came to me with the intention to lose weight and become more fit. However, she was judging herself so much when she “slipped up” and ate something that she was told by her Naturopath that she shouldn’t eat, that her feelings of guilt, disappointment, frustration were actually the things that were hindering her success. It wasn’t about her age or what she was eating or whether she was exercising or not, it was about how she felt during this whole process and how aligned she was with her natural well-being. Once she learned how to relax about it all (including the foods she was eating) and be kinder to herself, she started making choices that were aligned with wellness and felt better to her. She was happier on a more regular basis, so as a result, she was making healthier choices for her body!

Beating up on yourself is a great way to put a barrier between you and what you want.

It’s a negative vibration that conflicts with who you really are.

Here are some Health Coaching tips to help you to Think & Feel your way to a better body:

1) Pay more attention to “what you are thinking and feeling” than “what you are eating or how you are exercising”. If you are buying into that “pudge” mentality at mid-life, you will create that exact experience. And I know you don’t want that! Always guide your emotions to a better feeling place and you will make the right choice for your overall health.

2) Focus on the progress you are making not the gap between where you are and where you want to go. If you lost 2 lbs, jump for joy! Don’t feel “oh, I have 48 more to go”. Can you feel where the focus is? It doesn’t feel so good, does it? It’s about being OK with where you are at, feeling appreciative for what is working & eagerly anticipating the manifestation of your ultimate goal. Even if you gained some weight over the years, be OK with it. Accept yourself for who you are right now. Making peace with were you are at is so critical to opening up the doors to achieving your goals and desires. Remember … what you resist, persists!

3) Don’t weigh yourself if you know it’s potentially going to set your mood for the day (in the negative). I tell my coaching clients all the time that if “taking score of where you are at” makes you feel bad … then don’t do it! Shift your focus to something that makes you feel better. Most people don’t step on the scale waiting with eager anticipation for the scale to reveal a number that will thrill them. They have more of a “doubt”, “concern”, “hoping”, type of feeling. I know … I used to be 70 lbs heavier and let the scale rule my day. If the number was pleasing to me, I was happy; if the number was something I didn’t want, it set my mood for the day. I finally learned that reaching for a better feeling all the time and focusing only on what was working & making a decision that this was a done deal, were the keys to my success. You can read more about my journey here: http://www.lovinlifenow.com/weight-loss-coaching.html

4) DECIDE.... yes, this tip sounds very simple -- but it works. If you truly decide that you will have that fit body- it’s yours … you WILL have it! Now, here's the key --- you REALLY have to DECIDE -- which means, there are no other options; you will not be thrown off your game. It's a "Hell, Yes! This is happening!" kind of decision. Nothing will stop you from achieving this goal because you are eagerly EXPECTING the manifestation of it!

5) Always remember that feeling “stressed” is a choice. Stress will negatively impact your overall health & well-being. Feeling stressed is a negative feeling that resonates with every cell of your body. If you feel blessed & appreciate where you are at, you can’t feel stressed. So appreciate more & choose to be Lovin’ Life Now and you will be well on your way to a happy & healthy body!!!

And remember ladies that these tips do not only apply to your weight and physical fitness level. If there are some “symptoms” or health “issues” that have presented themselves at this time of your life, don’t buy into the belief that you have to experience those symptoms because you are “at that age” (like many doctors may tell you). That’s simply baloney! You can manifest great health simply by shifting your mindset. To listen to my Top 7 Tips to Attracting Great Health using the Laws of Attraction, visit www.RoadTriptoWellness and sign up (free of charge) to receive the link to the recording of this popular Law of Attraction and Health Teleclass!

_______________________

Maria Lesetz is The Law of Attraction Health Coach and founder of Lovin’ Life – a coaching company that specializes in facilitating powerful, personal transformations in physical and emotional well-being. She publishes a bi-weekly Lovin' Life ezine jam-packed with tips to help you reduce stress, lose weight, overcome challenges with a chronic health condition, experience more joy each day, and make conscious choices in your life that will help you to manifest all your desires and dreams! Visit LovinLifeNow.com for your free subscription, and as a special bonus you'll receive The Top 5 tips to Worrying Less, plus you'll get exclusive access to an audio interview with Maria on The Happy-Healthy Connection: The Law of Attraction Way to create your ideal body!

Perrie’s Planetarium – Spring Equinox 2010

2010-03-22T18:52:00.000-04:00

Midlife Sky Hints with

Astrologer Joyce Mason

Welcome to Perrie’s Planetarium! We meet here quarterly at the changes of seasons with our virtual telescopes to stargaze! This helps remind us learn how we interconnect with everything and everyone under the stars.

For more on how Perrie’s Planetarium works, visit the original Planetarium post from Winter Solstice 2009, especially if this is your first visit.

The Planetarium Outlook for the season provides a bigger picture than reading your horoscope on a daily, weekly, or even a monthly basis. Consider this stop a step back for a broader perspective. At our mid-stage of life’s journey, that broader vantage point compensates for the inconveniences of growing older. Instead of aging, a bigger viewpoint makes it “cool saging!”

Spring. It’s the Natural New Year in the Northern Hemisphere where spring arrived on March 20. Ever wonder why New Year’s Resolutions often fail? Starting them in winter is off-cycle with natural rhythms. Think of planting in snowy hard ground. How difficult would it be for a seed to survive much less bloom? Same goes for the seeds of our creations.

By contrast, in spring seeds are bursting with growth energy. It’s the same with us. The natural year begins at Spring Equinox. Revisit and re-do your resolutions and intentions now. Plant them for blooming in summer and harvesting in autumn. Light increases from now till Summer Solstice—the longest day of the year—and our next Perrie Planetarium update. Bring to light what you want out of life!

General Sky: Spring Equinox - 2010

Sky patterns help us recognize we’re in this world together under the same stars. We can support ourselves and each other through yet another cycle of life with its ups-and-downs and opportunities. But to seize those opportunities, we need to identify them.

Here are the most notable patterns in the spring sky:

Mars Direct. After a long Retrograde (apparent backward motion in the sky), Mars finally went forward on March 10. If things just wouldn’t move for you, seemed stuck, and you couldn’t get projects off the ground, that spell is over. See Mercury Retrograde, below, for short-term exceptions. Consider waiting to start a business, a major marketing campaign, a marriage or a divorce until mid-May—or sneak it in before Mercury goes retrograde on April 17.

Mercury Retrograde. Mercury goes retrograde 3-4 times a year for three-plus weeks at a crack. This Mercury Retro lasts from April 17 till May 11. Communications and the equipment that carries them tend to go haywire. The best thing you can bring to this temporary condition is a sense of humor. (See Gear Down and Jest Humor Mercury Retrograde.) It’s advisable to avoid signing contracts or starting brand-new ventures and to be careful on short trips. (Exceptions noted in my Mercury Retrograde article.) Car repairs often crop up (good time for a vehicle check-up), and you may be minor accident-prone. Mercury also rules the mind as well as the tongue, so “foot in mouth” disease runs rampant with all its consequences.

Cardinal T-Square. This configuration was introduced to you in the Winter Outlook. A quick recap:

Pluto in Capricorn reflects the economic downturn. Saturn and Uranus in opposition ask for carefully considered progress. Another way it can play out: sudden and dramatic activities (Uranus) can change our structures (Saturn), causing us to have to rebuild. Often we are building on firmer ground. Some of the earthquake activity in Chile and Haiti and other places around the globe are literally part of this process, as well as shake-ups in many other societal structures from marriage to medical care. For those of you who are open to channeled material, I like what Steve Rother says in this Beacons of Light video: The Earth is having labor pains. We are in a process of rebirth on Planet Earth, and how it plays out is largely up to us—how we react and contribute to changes and how we respond when they are thrust upon us unexpectedly.

Knowing that we humans don’t always change easily, astrologers have joined forces to create an informational blog event, starting March 19. It’s part of the 1^st International Astrology Day. The blog round up includes a permanent collection of articles to help people navigate these fast-changing times. I recommend that you save this link and learn from the treasure trove of material that will be housed on it. These articles from astrologers around the world will help us all deal with rapid evolution: The Cardinal T-Square of 2010.

Your Spring Outlook

Here’s what’s Up for your sign this season:

Aries, the Ram (March 20 – April 18). Early Rams will continue to undergo a process of rebirth for the next several years. Aries is the sign that loves to dash forward, so this may be easier for you than some of the more change-resistant signs. Relationship issues are still up for review, but other aspects of life move on. Mars Direct is in extra-friendly aspect toward getting more minor projects going while you rethink the bigger ones during Mercury Retro (Apr.17 – May 11).

Mid-sign Rams get a nice visit from Venus to their sector of Aries during the first week of spring. Love, money, and partnerships are primary topics. You’ll exude warmth to others, and with your charm astrologically enhanced, the good things in life more easily come your way. Leverage this short turn for longer-lasting benefits.

Later-sign Rams: You’re under the influence of Neptune and Chiron whose topics are dreams, spirituality, soulful creativity, and healing. You can take advantage of a window this season to pull creative ideas and solutions out of thin air. Those breakthroughs may bring surprising keys to unlock long-standing stuck energy or hurts that you couldn’t resolve. Now’s your chance!

Watchwords for all Aries this Spring: Spring is your season! Happy Birthday!

Taurus, the Bull (April 19 – May 19). Early Bulls are likely to be most affected by the upcoming Mercury Retrograde as Mercury “Moonwalks” through your segment of the zodiac. Mercury Retro wants you to do lots of re- things: rethink, reconsider, relax. The Taurus-born are often slow moving, so do what you do best and take it easy from April 17 - May 11. Avoid raucous birthday celebrations for more laid-back or luxurious ones, like a spa day. If your birthday is April 19-25, Saturn may be slowing you down, too, asking for adjustments especially in the area of relationships.

Mid-sign Taureans start spring with a kiss from Jupiter and the opportunity for good luck or “happystance.” Be on the lookout for blessings through late April that may be disguised. Put in the effort to open the gift.

Late-sign Bulls continue an influence from both Chiron and Neptune that could leave you feeling both confused and remembering pains from the past. Good news: Uranus in friendly aspect offers lightning bolts of insights that clear away the confusion and show you where you can work on your own healing. Focus on facing any past traumas that need to be released for your greater growth. By midlife, most of us are onto this truth: Pain swept under the rug just piles up and is worse to clean up, the longer it’s neglected.

Watch Words for Tauruses this Spring: Happy Birthday, Bulls—let birthday blessings in and propose a toast to wholeness and happiness.

Gemini, the Twins (May 20-June 20). Early Gems continue to enjoy a positive influence from Saturn. If there’s anything you need “out of” in favor of a new relationship, job, or any other life structure that’s sounder, this spring is the easiest time to make your move. However, avoid April 17 – May 11 and the Mercury Retro window for changes of major significance. (A good rule of thumb: if it’s high on the Stress Scale, wait till Mercury goes forward. Some of these life events aren’t under your control. This applies to those that are, such as marriage, separation, divorce or retirement.) The spring season itself, the forward movement of Mars, and Saturn’s hug for encouragement—all combine for a smooth move.

Mid-Gems: You have a pleasant Venus aspect during the first week of spring, the kind that says apply yourself and you’ll get the goodies! Venus rules relationships, money, and matters of justice, art, and peace. However, at the same time, Jupiter squares your Sun—so, be careful when it comes to anything too risky. The big picture takes in all astrological conditions, and I’d avoid anything speculative till mid-April, including new investments or gambling, unless you like to throw away money.

Late Gemini: Uranus is squaring your Sun, an energy that’s highly hype-ing. Your nature is mentally excitable, and the sheer intensity of this energy may keep you up at night and reaching for sleep aids. Careful! It’s too easy to get hooked on zzz assistance. Look for gentler, herbal or homeopathic alternatives, if this cycle affects you that way. This is also an aspect of intense creativity. You are channeling genius right now. Be sure you get enough rest, meditation, and times of being off-line mentally, or you’ll burn out your circuits. Chiron and Neptune’s friendly aspect can help tone down the worst of feeling as if you’re drinking triple cappuccinos. Instead, it may bring out more insights and personal fulfillment. Issues of freedom and feeling your own uniqueness are part of the package. Out of this highly charged time, you might even discover your truest vocation and begin giving your greatest gifts.

Watchwords for Geminis this Spring: Change is in the air. Ground yourself for a good ride! Blessings and Happy to the final sign in the trio of spring birthdays.

Cancer, the Crab or Moon Child (June 21 – July 21). Early Cancers continue the influences of Saturn and Pluto, detailed in the Winter 2009 Forecast. While both these planets are retrograde, you’re likely to get a breather from challenges in relationship and constant changes outside your control. Take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned so far—to ponder and surrender to how higher forces are asking you to evolve. Plan plenty of fun! Early Cancers are in a rapid growth curriculum. To manage it well requires a sense of humor and an oasis of play. The outcome is rebirth—and birth is a specialty of the nurturing, creative Cancer.

Mid-sign may experience some relationship blips around Spring Equinox. They’re temporary. You have a lovely Jupiter aspect to counterbalance any hiccups, bringing a sense of optimism—possibly long-distance travel, as well as higher learning, expansion, and good fortune.

Later Cancers continue to experience the lighting bolts, jolts, and breakthrough insights of Uranus. Your friendly aspect with this progressive planet has you not just thinking out of the box; you’re probably shocking those you love and seem “not yourself” for your new way of seeing things. You’re growing. Be sensitive to their concern you might outgrow them. Chiron and Neptune influence those whose birthdays June 17-21, asking you to make adjustments that involve intuition, the arts, healing, and vocation. Watch your dreams for instructions on where you need to tweak your course to find fulfillment.

Spring watchwords for Cancer: “To everything there is a season.” Planting seeds eventually leads to full bloom!

Leo (July 22 – August 21 ). Lucky early Leos: At Spring Equinox, newly direct Mars touches your Sun with a flurry of activity, go-getter spirit, and probably makes you seem even sexier than usual. Remember to downshift during the Mercury Retrograde period so you don’t collide with something or someone in your rush forward. Birthdays from July 22-25 are getting a nudge from Pluto to make some changes in how you “come on.” If you’re one of those King or Queen of the Jungle Leos who tend to throw their royal weight around, it’s a good time to restructure how you reign. Most people aren’t fond of being subjects, and this might be your chance to try out being a benevolent president in a democracy. Use your Leo generosity of spirit to make the transition.

Mid-Leos get a kiss from Venus right around the Equinox, a little boost in your love life and time where partnerships of all kinds run smoothly. Jupiter may bring unexpected changes or inconveniences around the same time—possibly lots of overdo and overwhelm. Things just don’t seem like they’re in sync or working for you. It’s very temporary and won’t last but a week or two. These are just annoyances compared to the boost in your relationship life.

Late Leos continue an influence from Neptune and Chiron that carries over from winter. Boundaries and healing issues continue to pull at your psyche. Known for your generous nature, it may be time to ask yourself, Do I give too much? If the answer is maybe or yes, time to look at where this tendency comes from, what you get out of it, and why you might want to put it in better balance.

Watchwords for Leos this spring: How do I shine? How do I give to, influence, and relate to others?

Virgo (August 22 – September 21). Early Virgos continue to advance willingly toward deep changes with Pluto in friendly aspect. Late spring will be your turn to get energized by Mars! You’ll want to get physical in terms of increased activities of all kinds. You’ll be sprinkled with the astro-equivalent of irresistible pheromones. Since both Pluto and Mars are connected with sexuality, be careful out there! With Pluto retrograde, the wolves may not be easily identifiable. Use your Virgo discrimination skills.

Mid-sign: You’re moving into a holding pattern where you can coast a little. Around Spring Equinox, avoid major risks. It’s a short spell of a couple weeks. No need to hide under the covers and refuse to get out of bed, but it’s not the perfect time for expanding into new things. I know how hard it is for you, but back to coasting—here’s your chance to learn to be, not do. This is a skill few Virgos have mastered but need to learn in a big way.

For late Virgos, Uranus opposes your Sun—a time when anything can happen and probably will. (Boomers: Remember the Mousketeer’s Anything Can Happen Day? That’s every day for the time being.) “A caution: People can tend to be more accident-prone during this transit, so take extra care when using equipment, driving, and so on. I call our sign Worrygo. (Yes, I’m one of you!). The worse thing you can do is whip up that Worrygo energy and make it worse. Negative thinking draws negative experience. Be aware that you may act more erratically. More care, less angst. Also, this transit can rejuvenate, reveal, and give you explosions of insights and breakthroughs. You will be acutely aware of your need for independence and confining things in your life from which you want to break free.

Spring watchwords for Virgos: Change can be exciting—exhilarating!

Libra, The Scales (September 22 – October 22). Saturn and Pluto continue to reorganize, refine, and renew first-week Libras, as described in the Winter Outlook. Grounding is a big issue. As an Air Sign, Libra can be tossed by the winds of change, and you’re living in gusty times. Your Libran Scales may feel like they have more ups and downs than a teeter-totter. Do earthy things—garden, work out, or make out! Get a massage. Physicality of all kinds will help you deal with reorienting your relationships to make them more solid. A cycle of personal evolution leads to rebirth—right in season during spring! The week following the Equinox, a burst of energy from Mars will give you the juice to make some of those changes that are nagging to go from thought to action.

Mid-sign: A short spurt of Venus opposite your Sun around the Equinox may cause some relationship ruffles. It’s temporary—over by the end of March. Postpone long-distance travel and riskier ventures till April 4 or later when Jupiter is more benevolent. Mercury Retrograde (April 17-May 11) affects short trips, rather than long ones, but you still may experience the communications and booking snafus that make Mercury Retrograde infamous. Double and triple check reservations and directions. In late spring, just before Summer Solstice, you’ll be mentally energized and ready for trips to the beach and other short jaunts.

Later Libras: You remain under the positive influence of Neptune and Chiron, a continuing trend from your Winter Outlook. This is your opportunity to look for signs. It’s no “coincidence” when a topic, issue, or situation appears three times in a row. What is the universe trying to tell you? Your intuition is hot, and it will lead you to healing wholeness. Turn up the volume on those inner voices! The potential for breakthrough insights is even hotter for those born in the last five days of Libra, as Uranus is bringing lightning bolts of wisdom down to earth for you to see where you need to make adjustments in your life. Think of Uranus as a cosmic chiropractor.

Spring watchwords for Libras: Be a willow to the winds of change, and listen to the cosmic whispers on the wind!

Scorpio, the Scorpion (October 23 – November 21). Early Scorpios remain under the wing of sign ruler Pluto. You have continued opportunities to transform yourself from the inside out. It takes your active participation, but the results are worth it!

Mid-Scorps: From mid-April through mid-May, you’ll experience Mars square your Sun, possibly making you more snarky and combative than usual. Be watchful that your Scorpion stinger doesn’t fatally wound someone you really love. It can also enhance poor relationship choices based solely on sexual attraction. This aspect, though temporary, also can make you more prone to accidents with sharp objects besides your own tongue! Take care in the kitchen. Out in the world, put safety first, too. Jupiter can bring good fortune and blessings to you for most of spring; however, this planet’s tendency to exaggerate everything can make those blow-ups bigger and the consequences worse if you’re not proactive in your temper control. Remember the old “count to 10.”

Later sign: Your sector of Scorpio is being nudged by the planets Neptune and Chiron. They’re nagging you to deal with ancient emotional injuries and to cut through the crust of protection you have created to armor your sensitive spots. This would be a great time to seek counseling, the advice of an astrologer, or to use any tool that helps you explore your psyche and spirit. You’ll be glad you did. Saturn’s retrograde dip in late March through Summer Solstice gives you the opportunity to put the finishing touches on areas of your life where you want to take more responsibility or make changes. You review, you mull it over, and by summer, you’re ready to move ahead.

Words for Scorpio this spring: Whether you’re smarting from past hurts or working to minimize inflicting them on others, it’s time to reflect on your Scorpion stinger. It’s a sword to protect you, and you don’t have to use it if you tackle your own healing and shoring up your underlying vulnerabilities.

Sagittarius, the Archer (November 22 – December 20). Most Sagges have great senses of humor, being ruled by Jupiter and its association with fun and laughter. Usually, you are even willing to poke fun at your coordination issues. The most Sagittarian moment of this ilk ever caught on celluloid is Dick Van Dyke tripping over the ottoman on his old TV show. (Yes, Dick is actually a Sag!) Combine this with your love of athleticism, and you need the occasional body armor, especially when Mars is in such a nice flow with your sign all spring. Even though it’s an overall wonderful aspect, it has you more physical than ever, so stay alert and keep the first aid kit handy, just in case. This aspect also arouses passion and your go-getter spirit. Don’t stub your toe while on the run.

Mid-sign: Jupiter, your sign ruler, is temporarily bringing good fortune to some of the other signs. This lasts till the third week of April and suggests that anything risky be postponed. With Mercury Retrograde from mid-April to May, avoid chances. Especially avoid going forward in higher education, long-distance travel, publishing, or religious/spiritual matters. Late May will be the merrier month!

Late sign: In June, just before spring turns summer, you’ll get a kiss from Jupiter with all his blessings. But I get ahead of myself. Meanwhile, Uranus squares your Sun. You have this in common with late Gemini. (Read their outlook, above.) Buzzy, inspired, hyper, erratic, originality, brainstorms, the unexpected, and tolerance are among your potpourri of key words. The universe is stirring the pot of your persona for rapid change.

Spring words for Sagittarius: Be cautiously optimistic with the emphasis on cautious. All sectors of the sign have the yellow caution light in one area or another—just a reminder to slow down and look before you cross the street to the next adventure.

Capricorn, the Goat (December 21 – January 18). You’re getting many opportunities to understand why astrologers roll their eyes over the demotion of Pluto from planetary status by astronomers. Pluto remains the strongest force for change in an astrology chart, especially in yours now, as it continues to inform Capricorns about issues of power, sexuality, and the life-death-rebirth process. When it comes to power, abuse it and lose it. Share it and wear it. In the next several years, you’ll know you’ve passed your Pluto test if you can sit squarely in your own authority while encouraging others to do the same. Imagine that mighty vortex of empowered people and the mountains you could move with that kind of combined energy! With Saturn also asking you to readjust how you relate, this can be an extreme makeover that morphs you into an awe-inspiring leader.

Mid-sign: Don’t take early spring relationship blips too seriously. They’ll go out with March, and you can focus on a peck on the cheek from Jupiter instead. Blessings and good luck won’t occur, though, unless you lean into that tepid kiss and heat things up a bit! You have to buy a lotto ticket to win, ask someone out to start a relationship, and use your inner rudder to be at the right place at the right time. You get the idea. The Millionaire is an old TV show. No one will show up at your doorstep with a check for a cool “K.” Do your part and you’ll enjoy an exciting spring!

Late Caps: Insights and restless urges abound, and you should take advantage of their positive allure. Re-invent yourself. Take the time and tinker with self-help tools. Whatever part of you and your place in the Sun needs a booster shot of cosmic inspiration or a jump-start, look for opportunities to make it so this spring.

Spring words for Capricorns: Good thing you’re a sign that loves work, because this season calls for some spring-cleaning in your lives that won’t just get rid of the cobwebs; you’ll get good energy flow on your larger journey through life for your efforts.

Aquarius, the Water Bearer (January 19 – February 17). As the sap rises in the trees in early spring, early Aquarians are champing at the bit to take off in all directions—but hold your horses. Mars opposite your Sun challenges you to a duel about get up ‘n’ go. Mars rules sharp objects, altercations, and tempers. Doesn’t sound like a great aspect for rushing forth into spring. You’d be better off to wind up slowly into the planting season and leave major start-ups to mid-May, after Mars has past its opposition and Mercury goes direct. Let your impulses warm up for what’s next. Think of it as shifting gears. Late March is 1^stgear, April is 2^nd, and by mid-May, you can hit 3^rd gear and your stride, ultimately shifting into a comfy overdrive if you need to fly high.

Mid-sign: Spring arrives with romance in the air for your sector of the “Aquarium.” Seize a short window to take a chance on love. This week of Venus smiling is also good for financial blessings and partnerships in general. It’s short and sweet. Use it well!

Later sign: You’re energized by Neptune and Chiron in your Sun sign. Chiron leaves Aquarius on April 20. It’s your last chance to access healing in a way that won’t be available again in this lifetime if you’re a typical mid-life reader. If you’ve got any core issues that need healing attention, seize the final weeks of Chiron in Aquarius. Special to late Aquarii who are 50 or thereabouts—you’re having your Chiron Return and the internal blockages that trip you up are begging to be resolved. The Chiron Return is a major midlife transit that has you examining what’s missing in your life—and filing the holes. Often, what you’ve never been able to manifest before is now accessible, whether the right relationship or your true vocation. Neptune brings the addiction-to-spirituality continuum to the healing fest, especially if you’re having trouble with finding your connection to All That Is. Jolts of healing are yours, if you don’t mind a little shock for a lot of rock into a new era of your life. Saturn calls you to readjust and realign for a new Aquari-design.

Spring words for Aquarians: Stop and take stock to go forward in a whole new way.

Pisces, the Fish (February 18 – March 19) The most notable news for Early Fish is Chiron’s movement into your sign on April 20. This happens just after Mercury goes retrograde, a good time to slow down and consider where the great healer Chiron can help make you whole. What aspects of your life need band-aids or maybe even major surgery? If you happened to see Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lighting Thief, I hope you enjoyed Pierce Brosnan’s rendition of mythical Chiron—and my linked movie review, if you read it. The centaur planet Chiron was only discovered in 1977, named after the very same half-man/half-horse. I believe the Chiron archetype is the most important key to fulfillment astrologers have gotten to date. Last time Chiron was in your sign in the 1960s, the integration of opposites was high on the agenda—black/white relationships, male/female relationships (feminism), allopathic/alternative “natural” healing (AMA type medicine versus herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, etc.) Chiron challenges you, through your own pain, to integrate yourself and come into integrity—the whole of who you are. Pluto cheers you on. Saturn makes you uncomfortable enough to make the needed transitions. The ultimate goal of being Chironized is to turn lemons into lemonade, your pains into gifts, and in the process, to uncover your unique ways of serving others.

Mid-sign: You spring into the seeding season with Jupiter in your sector of Pisces, bringing a sense of invincibility and feeling larger than life. On that note? Jupiter transits are about over-do, and if you have one of those mid-life middles, a bit of a spare tire that you don’t want to pump up into something that belongs on a semi, be careful about what you eat. That goes for drinking, buying, and all the other excesses to which Jupiter makes us prone. Yes, the Santa Claus of all planets can bring us all kinds of good fortune, but be prepared for the consequences if you go whole hog.

Later Pisces: Your members of the School of Fish feel like electric eels these days with Uranus coursing its wild ‘n’ wacky energy through you. Life is like an Elton John concert. He’s wearing his most outlandish get-up and you’re rockin’ out with all kinds of people and blending into an ecstatic, hyped frenzy. OK, enough of the metaphors you might consider far-out and ask, “Where do I sign up?” You’ve also got some of the challenges of the other signs that are also having Uranus transits—erratic behavior, all shook up (hyped), mentally exhausted with ideas and visions that won’t let up. Consider calming the wake of this exciting time with herbal teas, flower essences, and plenty of rest. Take it easy especially, during the month before your birthday when you’re most vulnerable to energy strain. Write down or otherwise record all your great ideas. There are so many, you can’t act on all of them now. There will be other times of more grounded energy, when the seed idea planted in your overactive “mind garden” this spring will take better root.

Words for Pisces this spring: Fish are in the swim of major changes with all the excitement and discovery that brings.

See you at Summer Solstice for our next show at the Planetarium!

~~~

Want to learn more about your sign? Joyce recommends her High Signs: Living on the Upside of the Zodiac series: #1 (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer); #2 (Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio); and #3 (Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces). E-mail her for information about personal readings and other services: joyce@joycemason.com.

Resolutions a Dim Memory? Getting Back on the Fast Track

2010-03-15T19:50:00.000-04:00

By Pat Barone, CPCC, PCC
"America's Weight Loss Catalyst"

For many of us, our New Year's Resolutions have faded in the dust as we have beat feet into a new year of stress and activity.

No worries. Feeling guilty or blaming the demise of a resolution does us no good. In fact, it does provide the perfect time to re-assess them.

We know most resolutions fail but the figures are actually staggering. A whopping 75% of all resolutions find life's recycle bin by January 31^st!

The University of Washington conducted a study of resolutions and found one very distinct difference about the 25% who kept their goals alive.

No, they did not have more money to hire help. And their goals weren't easier.

The difference was … time!

The average achiever in the study took a full three weeks to plan their approach to their goals, doing research, preparing their lives and creating a support network.

Imagine… taking more time, not less. Sounds remarkably similar to my rants about the slow approach to permanent weight loss!

The study also found that, among those who abandoned their resolutions, the decision to adopt a resolution was relatively quick – sometimes even a spur of the moment decision on Jan. 31^st – and often in response to guilty feelings about their indulgences during the holidays.

No preparation or thought process was followed. These resolution makers also often made the same resolution, year after year, with just as little careful consideration.

If this approach describes you, or if you don't make resolutions but do want to achieve a particular goal, now is the perfect time to begin the process.

After all, we're past the post-holiday blues. We're coming out of the deepest part of winter (January) and we've turned the corner to spring. The disruption of the holidays is in the past. The Christmas lights and Hanukkah decorations are packed away.

So, in order to make your resolution a fact this year, SLOW WAY DOWN! Take a full three weeks to thoroughly think through and design a plan to achieve that important goal.

Here are some steps that will lead to success:

1. Decide what to discard – Take a good look at past attempts at attaining the goal. What got in your way? No matter what that is, clear it out of your life. It may be your own excuses, some bad influences, or a cabinet full of cookies.

2. Specify the goal - Emphasis here is on the word "specify." You want to be very specific about your goal. "I want to lose weight" is indefinite. "I want to weigh 150 lbs. by Thanksgiving" is specific.

3. Know your personal "why" – Knowing why you want to achieve something is very important. It needs to have real feeling and juice behind it. "Because I want to wear a size 10" isn't juicy, sexy or emotional. And it ain't going to happen either. Your "why" becomes your prime motivator so make it something that is deeply meaningful to you. When I was losing weight, I was very clear about my feelings for my son and I wanted him to grow up with a healthy mother. My own father was an alcoholic and my mother was an eater. I had spent my own childhood deeply ashamed of my parents. I felt passionate about my son and I was determined that he have a different experience than I had. Once I located that great well of feeling inside me, it was easy to access that feeling for motivation whenever I needed it.

4. Go backwards from the goal to get action steps – Always start making your plan with the goal first and move backwards from it, designing the steps to reach the end you want. If your goal is to change jobs, it might be easy to just start sending out resumes. But, if you start with the goal and fully describe it (getting specific!), you'll find a different path to that goal. For instance, if your goal is a "challenging research position with a biochemistry company", your first step BACK from that goal might be "meeting with people who hire within biochemistry companies." Then, the next one might be "identifying companies I'd like to work for." You can see that the steps will look different.

5. Design a plan – This includes research, preparation, scheduling, coordinating and tracking your efforts for accountability. Don't forget to include a communication step – make sure KEY people in your life know your plans. Certain family members and friends can be called on for support or be aware they need to give you the space to execute your plan but, first, they need to be privy to your plan.

6. Execute - Execution begins only after you've spent substantial time ironing out all the details and you're fully prepared, physical and mentally, to proceed.

Again, slow down, and take your time. One of the added lessons I learned while losing over 70 lbs (and then sustaining that weight loss for the last ten years), was that I realized most of life is pretty much like weight loss: if you go too fast or want instant results, you get no where.

Any goal that is meaningful to you is worth the investment of your time and resources. For big results, always give a serious effort!
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Pat Barone earned her title "America's Weight Loss Catalyst" by coaching thousands of clients toward permanent weight loss. Her status as an expert is heightened by her own personal weight loss success. She regularly busts diet myths in her free newsletter "The Catalyst", available at http://www.patbarone.com and she blogs at http://www.stoprentingweightloss.com.

What Can I do to Heal My Dry, Winter Skin?

2010-03-01T19:20:00.001-05:00

by Candy Dye

Even though the Groundhog has seen his shadow, parts of the country are up to their roofs in snow! Believe it or not, spring IS just around the corner, but tell that to our skin, right? What are the signs of dry, wintery skin and what you can do to help heal and moisturize…….

Symptoms of Dry Skin

Skin tightness
Skin appears dull and less supple
Rough skin
Scaling, Flaking, or peeling skin
Cracking that may bleed if severe
Itching
Redness

For many, the winter months bring dry, itchy, tight feeling skin that lacks the glowing, youthful appearance seen in warmer months. Why? As the temperature drops, our skin is bombarded with forces that cause dryness and leave it feeling and looking a bit lackluster. Central heating reduces indoor humidity, while outside cold, dry, windy weather strips skin of its moisture. Often the worst damage is caused when the harsh glare of winter sun off of snow and ice increases exposure to harmful UV radiation. While the combined effects of indoor and outdoor conditions may just leave some skin in need of a little extra TLC, for others the effects can be as severe as cracking, flaking, and even eczema. Following a few simple suggestions, however, makes it easy to maintain healthy, glowing skin even when winter throws its worst at us!

Common Causes of Dry Skin

Dry air from central heating
Hot water; frequent bathing
Harsh surfactants; cleansers
Not enough moisturizer
Harsh weather
Sun exposure
Age; genetic conditions

Dry skin is easily aggravated – once the natural barrier layer is disrupted, more substances are likely to cause skin damage or irritation. Avoid the discomfort of tight, dry, flaky skin this winter by making some small changes to your routine that prevent damage; keep your skin healthier all winter long.

What causes dry skin? The stratum corneum is a layer of skin cells and natural oils that resides on the outermost portion of the epidermis. This layer forms a protective hydro-lipid barrier system to both prevent moisture loss through evaporation while protecting against invasion from foreign substances (such as bacteria). When the stratum corneum is disrupted, the skin is not capable of retaining the moisture levels necessary for proper skin function; breaks in this protective outer layer make skin more susceptible to irritation and infection. So what can disrupt the stratum corneum and natural hydrolipid barrier? Common culprits include soaps with harsh surfactants, using hot water to bathe, and harsh environmental conditions that stress skin and strip it of its natural oils. Skin dryness can also be genetic, and tends to become more severe as we age.
Cleanse gently! Mild cleansers and warm water are the key! A long, hot shower or bath definitely feels great at the end of a cold day outside. Unfortunately, hot water and harsh surfactants are highly effective at breaking down the natural hydrolipid layer that protects skin. Without this layer, skin is less capable of retaining moisture and more susceptible to irritation and damage. To avoid drying out skin choose a gentle cleanser (such as Celloxylin Creme Cleanse), use warm water, and keep showers short and sweet! To achieve the best results, continue your skin care regimen immediately after cleansing to lock in moisture absorbed during rinsing!
Moisturize more often! Cold, windy weather outside and dry, heated air inside suck moisture from skin during the winter months. As soon as the heater goes on, you should consider making small changes to your skin care routine that help maintain healthy skin moisture levels. First, apply moisturizer more often if your skin is feeling dry and tight. This applied to your face and your body, especially areas that are prone to dryness like the hands, elbows, knees, and feet. Moisturizers should always be applied when skin is still damp to help seal in moisture, and seek out products with powerful humectant ingredients (such as Hyaluronic Acid and Tremella Fuciformis in the Nutrient Reservoir) to help your skin draw in and retain moisture.
Be diligent about your sun protection! Clouds and shorter days don’t mean it’s time to ditch your sunscreen. Not only do we experience UV exposure from above, snow and ice provide the perfect surface for reflecting UV rays up onto our skin from the ground. UV damage only worsens the effects of harsh weather conditions and dry air. A sunscreen that provided superior moisturization during this time of year is essential if you want to avoid the compounded effects of sun damage and dry skin! Apply a moisturizer with broad spectrum, UVA/UVB protection every time you go outside.
Exfoliate! Exfoliation will help clear away dead, dry skin cells that build up during the winter, making skin underneath more receptive to the benefits of moisturizing products. Remember – don’t over exfoliate! When used too frequently, exfoliating products begin to strip away and damage healthy skin cells at the surface; resources from deeper skin layers are then necessary to help in the repair and regeneration processes. Depending on your skin type, 1 to 3 times per week is enough to promote healthy skin cell turnover and get the most out of your moisturizer!
Invest in a humidifier! No, it’s not a part of the Apriori Beauty product lineup, but this simple piece of equipment can help return moisture to the air in your home or office, decreasing the drying effects of central heating. If you don’t have a humidifier, boiling water can also serve to return moisture to the air.
Don’t forget your lips! The skin on your lips is unique from other areas because it doesn’t produce sebum. Harsh conditions during the winter, therefore, mean your lips are even more susceptible to dryness and chapping. To ensure soft supple lips all winter long, be sure to use a moisturizer designed specifically for the delicate lip area, such as Celloxylin Eye + Lip Age Eraser from Apriori Beauty. Another tip for getting silky smooth lips: Gently scrub your lips with Celloxylin Enzyme Activated Micro Scrub before applying Eye + Lip Age Eraser. The soothing beet sugar crystals will help remove dry, flaking skin, while reducing inflammation! Carry around a 30 day sized Eye + Lip Age Eraser as a fantastic substitute for less effective lip balm.
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Candy Dye loves everything about wellness and beauty which has brought her to Apriori Beauty!

Because the condition of your skin is a result of what is going on inside of your body, the science of Nutrigenomics - the effects of specific nutrients on your cells and genes, which can prevent degenerative diseases - is being embraced by both the scientific research world and skin care products industry.

This is the science upon which Apriori Beauty products are founded. "Apriori Beauty's mission is to help women look and feel beautiful with the purest, most-natural and most-innovative products and opportunity. When you look beautiful, you feel good. When you feel beautiful, you look good. And, when you can share this beauty with others, you can feel good inside and out. Beauty from personal success will also be key to success."

A Neonatal Nurse Practitioner and Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist, she also currently teaches in University of California Irvine's Nursing Program. Candy also shares health, wellness and beauty tips on her blog ( http://www.candydye.com ) and on twitter (@candydye). This week she was listed as one of the Top 25 Nurse Practitioners on Twitter. WAY TO GO CANDY!!

Weight Gain and Menopause

2010-02-22T14:15:00.001-05:00

by Staness Jonekos
CAN’T ZIP UP HER PANTS IN MINNESOTA
My menopause symptoms have been moderate and I feel lucky to have escaped hot flashes. But I am getting fatter by the second. I am 5 foot 3 inches tall, 46 years old and have weighed 130 pounds most of my life. Within one year I have gained a whopping 15 pounds. I am having problems with high blood pressure and I look and feel terrible. I would rather have hot flashes than turn into the Pillsbury Dough Girl. Help!
Signed,
The Pillsbury Dough Girl from Minnesota
Dear Pillsbury Dough Girl:
Weight gain may be the most difficult change that occurs during menopause. We live in a society that celebrates young, skinny women. When we start to gain weight, whether it’s from childbirth, bad eating habits, lack of exercise, aging or menopause it is emotionally depressing. Your weight history seems stable and healthy, no doubt you have good eating and exercising habits. As your hormones fluctuate during menopause you start shifting fat to your mid-section because your progesterone and estrogen levels decrease. Progesterone increases your metabolism. As it decreases during menopause, so does your metabolism.
Also, women gain an average of one pound per year starting in their late thirties. This can add weight as well. You are 46 years old, and if you started gaining that one pound per year starting at 38, that equals eight pounds. Over half the additional weight you are now noticing during menopause.
Fluctuating hormones during menopause can cause an increase in weight and natural aging. Poor food choices and lack of exercise are unforgiving at this time in your life. If you already have a good exercise program, you may need to increase the time and intensity of your routine. If you eat well, cutting portions may yield results.
Start keeping a food and exercise diary. Record your menopause symptoms. According to the BMI (Body Mass Index) charts you are not obese, but considered slightly overweight for your height. This is the perfect time to make hormone, food and exercise adjustments. As you have experienced, being overweight raises your risk of many diseases such as high blood pressure. Doing 30 minutes of exercise everyday may help maintain your current weight. Exercising one hour a day is optimum. Studies have shown that people who briskly walk 30 minutes every day lost up to 30 pounds over time and lowered their blood pressure.
Try incorporating a 30- minute power walk every day, cutting your eating portions and discuss hormone therapy with your doctor. For faster results, exercise 60 minutes a day.

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Staness Jonekos is an advocate for women's health, wellness and empowerment. An award-winning television writer, producer and director, she was one of the original executive producers who launched the television network Oxygen Media, cofounded by Oprah Winfrey. Following her commitment to health, Staness co-executive produced the premiere season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, and post produced Lifetime's Speaking of Women's Health. Recently, Staness launched into the publishing world sharing her 8-step 12-week Menopause Makeover program in her first book The Menopause Makeover, co-authored with menopause expert Dr. Wendy Klein. Visit Staness at http://menopausemakeover.com/

Follow Your Dreams—and You Won’t Have to Chase Down Inspiration!

2010-02-15T18:36:00.000-05:00

by Joyce Mason

My favorite midlife musing: I found my husband, thanks to a dream, when were both 49. We’re reunited childhood sweethearts, born ten days apart, and we celebrated our 50^th birthday together. We hadn’t seen each other since we were young teenagers. My dream was startling, and I “got” the message because I had been paying attention my dreams for years. What if I haven’t listened?

If that doesn’t pique your interest about the potential for dreams to change your life, another enticing reason to follow your dreams is their relationship to creativity. Whatever it takes to remember, write down, and analyze your night movies is so worth it!

In the dream state, we free associate mental and emotional content to create stories, but the message of how they may help our waking-life dilemmas or needs for insight will be lost if we don’t bring them to the surface. It’s like having a buried treasure just beneath our boat. We’ve got to be willing to put on our scuba gear, plunge down, and pick up the gold doubloons.

What’s that? You say you don’t have time? Think of the time you’ll save when you actually get flash answers to your day-to-day problems. When you become skilled at remembering, writing down your dreams takes all of 10-15 minutes. Most of the aha’s and connecting the dream dots to daily life experiences will happen in the penning or computing process. (I do my journal electronically then print out to a binder, in case I need to get into the sort-it details. It’s easier that way for me to page back and forth to see developing themes. It’s like reading a book where the dreams build on one another like chapters.) The exercise of bringing your subconscious content to mind won’t just boost your insights and creativity; it will help you master your life and life’s purpose as you get to know yourself more deeply—your needs, hidden motivations, and roadblocks.

Getting Started

Dreams must be courted, like a sweetheart. They need to know you’re serious before they’ll give you the time of day. If you don’t remember many dreams, here are some tips to help you remember:

Get enough sleep. Longer is better for evoking dreams.
Avoid stimulants, especially caffeine, beyond morning.
Avoid alcohol at night.
Anything deeply relaxing before bedtime enhances—lavender baths, meditation, tense/release of muscles.
Affirm your desire to remember and your willingness to be a student of your dreams.

If you already remember or once you do: Keep a small notebook and book light at your bedside. Even if you sleep solo, dreams are most accessible and best recorded in that hazy time between sleep and waking. The book light gives you just enough light to get it down if you wake up in the middle of the night. Otherwise, do it first thing in the morning. Brief notes and memory joggers will do, although as a writer, I like to pen mine as full stories on the computer. Flow with your own personal style. With time, you may even be able to remember a dream hours later, but at first, write it down first thing upon waking.

Cracking Your Dream Code

Dream dictionaries are OK for starters, but the best interpretation comes by exercising your mind and intuition through free association. Learning your personal dream code can only come from the effort of cracking it. It’s your inner language and yours alone. Here’s a contrast: Places can be literal or a symbol for what the location evokes in you, such as Paris and romance. I used to dream a lot about San Diego—dreams that often involved a lost love I took decades to get over. Eventually, I got that San Diego was a pun for “sandy ago,” because we met on a beach as teenagers, or perhaps more aptly, “sandy ache-o.” Just keep at it and look at recurring themes and images. With practice, you’ll figure it out all on your own—perhaps with the help of a trusted friend or a few of them willing to share their theirs with you in a dream circle.

Applying Dreams to Waking

Here’s the best part of the application. It nearly always happens all on its own with barely any intervention by your analytical mind. You’ve opened the door between the right and left hemispheres of your brain by regularly saying hello to your subconscious. Now when you’re in the middle of a thorny dilemma in a board meeting, the answer just “bubbles up.” In the classic book, “Higher Creativity,” Willis Harmon and Howard Rheingold talk about how much these “offline” practices like dreams, play and relaxation stoke the fires of creativity for that very reason. Even if you didn’t analyze a single dream, just opening that door to bring dreams to consciousness also opens the creative and intuitive floodgates.

Want to learn more? The Dreamwork section on my website is tantamount a free introductory course. Sweet dreams!

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Joyce Mason is a seasoned writer and astrologer from Sacramento whose gift is seeing symbols as guideposts. She writes with gusto on these topics on her own website and blog. Here on Perrie Meno-Pudge, Joyce writes the new quarterly astrology feature, Perrie’s Planetarium http://perriemenopudge.blogspot.com/2009/12/perries-planetarium-winter-solstice.html . Visit her website for more information on dreams: www.joycemason.com http://www.joycemason.com/ . Her blogs are Hot Flashbacks, Cool Insights http://www.hotflashbackscoolinsights.blogspot.com/ and The Radical Virgo http://www.radicalvirgo.blogspot.com/ . Joyce is available for workshops and to help you set up dream circles, especially if you live in Northern California. Contact her: joyce@joycemason.com.

Why is Having A Skin Care Regimen Important

2010-02-08T18:45:00.000-05:00

by Candy Dye

Are you a soap and water gal? A bar of soap and a washcloth is all you’ve used for as long as you can remember? That was me, too! Every Saturday night, we used a white bar of soap that smelled really, really soapy (not perfumed), scrubbed ourselves all over, hard, with a rough wash cloth, and voila, we were clean enough to wear a dress with white gloves to church the following day! What I remember the most was how dirty the water was after I got out of the bathtub, and how dry my skin felt for several days after!

Then we became teenagers, noticing what all the other girls were wearing and doing, and wanting the boys to notice us, too. Looking good was a priority, especially if one slight flaw would be noticed by everyone!  As I started to notice changes in my skin during my twenties, I began my quest for the perfect cleanser, lotion, blemish eraser, rouge and lip stick I could find! I loved to make an appointment with the visiting makeup artist at department store cosmetic counters to have my makeup done with my girlfriends, coming away looking like a street girl. Did you do it, too? Did you run to the bathroom as soon as you got to school to roll up your skirt and apply a heavy coat of foundation, powder, rouge, liquid eyeliner, blue eyeshadow, heavy mascara, and white lipstick?? Those were the days!! We didn’t know anything about how to care for our skin, just what to layer on it to look “good”! Now, we feel so young in our hearts, yet when we look in the mirror, all those wrinkles look back at us! There’s still hope! We can get our skin looking beautiful and healthy once again, maybe with a few wrinkles from many years of laughter and sunshine…

                So……. How Important IS a Skin Care Regimen??

We all have our favorite products, the ones that feel great, smell great, and make our skin look amazing. And, though we’re likely to hold these products near and dear, the truth is, it’s unlikely that there’s ONE “silver bullet” product out there that can fill ALL of our skin’s needs! The skin around our eyes and lips is physiologically different from that on our forehead, cheeks or chin. A brilliantly formulated, moisturizing cleanser is still unlikely to provide the hydrating boost that a moisturizing cream can….It is for these of reasons that a regimen – one that includes a carefully chosen combination of skin care products that work together with one another - is often the most effective way to make our skin look and feel beautiful!

So how do we choose the right regimen? What products do we really need? Skin type can vary from person to person – so naturally, skin care needs to specific to your needs as well. With all of the skin care products on the market today, it can become confusing to decide what you really need to determine those products that are really going to help your skin look, feel and function most healthfully.
To simplify things things here, I’ll break down the basic skin care needs into a series of steps in which there are particular processes and ingredients that everyone can benefit from regardless of skin type or skin challenges you face.

Products in a skin care regimen should perform the following functions:

Cleansing, Preparing, Treating, Protecting, and Moisturizing.

Cleanse ~ Cleansing helps remove the dirt, oil, and other impurities from the skin’s surface and inside pores. It is the first step in improving skin appearance, preventing blemishes, discoloration, inflammation and general dullness. When choosing a cleanser, be sure that is is gentle, natural, and devoid of harsh, irritating ingredients. I HIGHLY recommend Celloxylin Creme Cleanse! It is also very important to avoid over-cleansing – twice daily is enough, even if you have oily skin!

Exfoliation ~ is another essential step for most skin types, mechanically or chemically cleansing skin by removing dead skin cells from the surface. The frequency with which you exfoliate can depend on skin type and your natural ability to turn over dead skin cells, but should typically be done 1 – 3 times per week (see blog post “Why Exfoliate” in sidebar). Celloxylin’s Sugar Beet Crystal/Papaya Enzyme Activated Microcrub has the perfect combination of gritty sugar crystals and papaya enzymes for a mechanical-chemical exfoliant. Did you know that sugar is an anti-inflammatory, too?

Cleanse morning and night, using warm water (water that is too cold or hot can harm skin). If your skin feels tight and dry, you have likely overdone it! And remember, it is important to take the same care cleansing the rest of the skin on your body as you do with your face!

Prepare ~ Prepare clean skin to receive ingredients that will come from the rest of your products. Toners, tonics, or astringents, such as Celloxylin Activating Tonic, are designed to remove the last traces of impurities and restore the naturally acidic pH level to the skin. Celloxylin Activating Tonic is unique, as it OPENS the pores and primes the skin to efficiently uptake ingredients in the Nutrient Reservoir (see last post “What’s in the Nutrient Reservoir”). Chose a quality product that supports skin structure and function by incorporating ingredients with astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties. When searching for a toner, tonic, or astringent, be sure to avoid those that are alcohol based – these can be extremely drying. Apply to skin that is still moist, as this will help prepare your skin to accept ingredients from your moisturizer deeper into your skin!

** What’s in your Tonic?? Celloxylin Activating Tonic contains Tremella fuciformis Extract, an extraordinary effective humectant. It both moisturizes the skin and helps the skin hold onto moisture longer. In addition, research shows that Tremella works effectively as a topical antioxidant, containing high levels of Vitamin D which is important for cellular metabolism.

Treat ~ Treatment products deliver a high concentration of important ingredients to the skin; some treatment products are appropriate for daily use on all skin types, while others should be used to target specific conditions (ie. wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, clogged pores). Daily use products should include nutrient packed serums such as the Celloxylin Firming Complex and Precision Skin Rejuvenator. These products are formulated with ingredients to provide Collagen and Elastin support, combat oxidative stress, promote skin hydration, and reduce the signs of environmentally induced aging.   Treatment products should be applied and allowed to dry completely before moisturizing, to ensure the beneficial ingredients can fully penetrate the skin. Once dried, apply moisturizer to provide a protective, hydrating layer to lock nutrients deep into the skin, where they can provide the greatest benefits!

Protect~ The number one cause of visible aging is sun damage! Two main types of UV radiation, UVA and UVB, contribute to skin damage and accelerated skin aging. For full protection, SPF products should contain certain ingredients that provide broad spectrum coverage (protect the skin from both UVA and UVB radiation). While the primary focus of SPF products is to absorb, scatter, and reflect UV particles, many SPF lotions and creams are formulated with ingredients that promote healthy skin structure and function in other ways. By choosing a daily moisturizer with SPF protection, like Celloxylin Day Cream, you’ll cut down on the number of products you need without sacrificing the benefits! Remember, it is essential to protect skin all year long, not just during the hot and sunny months. Products with SPF value should be used last in your regimen, to ensure that active ingredients (which sit on top of the skin to protect against UV radiation) are not rubbed off. To fully protect the skin from other sources of environmental damage, also seek products with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients – oxidative stress and inflammation are also major contributors to aging!

Moisturize~ Moisturizing is an essential step – it hydrates the skin and provides nutrients necessary for skin function and repair. It is common for moisturizing products to be formulated differently for day and night use; the primary differences tend to be the thickness and SPF value. Day moisturizers, like Celloxylin Day Cream, are often lighter than night time moisturizers so that they absorb quickly and can be worn under makeup, and may include SPF ingredients to ensure skin is protected from UV radiation. Night time moisturizers, like Celloxylin Night Repair 3-Deep, are often thicker, as night time is a great time to use a moisturizer that is highly nourishing or incorporates ingredients to target specific skin care conditions, as this is when the majority of repair and regeneration take place. The areas around the eyes and mouth need moisturization, too; because this skin is unique in structure – it is thinner and more susceptible to wrinkles – it is best to choose a moisturizer like Eye + Lip Age Eraser, specifically designed to target the eyes and lips. Moisturize twice daily, as the last step in your skin care regimen, to seal in moisture and the beneficial ingredients from all of the products you’ve used!

**To maximize the benefits of your skin care regimen, after cleansing, gently pat skin dry with a towel and apply products while skin is still moist (many are formulated to help retain moisture). Always allow each product to dry completely before applying the next.

Now that you understand how important taking care of our skin from the outside is, we’ll talk about what we can do from the Inside to make our skin even MORE BEAUTIFUL!!!
_______________________

For more information about the Process of Skin Aging, and the Apriori Beauty Products, visit Candy Dye’s Apriori Beauty website at www.aprioribeauty.com/fic/candace.

Apriori Beauty is complete with all of these in the Nutrient Reservoir ™ within every single product. No need for skin injections or plastic surgery! Check the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics website, and you will see Apriori Beauty has joined as a company that goes all out to give you the safest, non toxic products available! (www.safecosmetics.org)

For more information on Skin and the Aging Process, browse through some informational “Did You Know” library by clicking on each topic link:
http://www.aprioribeauty.com/FIC/candace/back_office/did_you_know
You may contact Candy Dye by email at aprioricandy@gmail.com.

Please feel free to leave a comment below. Just click on the comment link. THANKS!!

Suffering From Hot Flashes?

2010-01-25T19:50:00.004-05:00

by Staness Jonekos

Hot Flash 101

The most common and often the most irritating symptom associated with menopause is the hot flash. As many as 75 percent of women going through menopause in the United States experience hot flashes with 10% to 15% of women having severe or frequent hot flashes. I had miserable hot flashes that heated up at the most inconvenient times and sometimes flaring up every few hours. I tried every trick in the book to eliminate this miserable symptom – from herbs, to teas, to exercise, to diet, to praying hourly that they would disappear – but they persisted.

With confusing and conflicting information online and in best-selling books, I teamed up with leading menopause expert and co-author of The Menopause Makeover, Dr. Wendy Klein, to get the latest scientific information on alternative, complementary and medical options to relieve hot flashes.

Understanding available hot flash options will give you the opportunity to discuss menopause management with your clinician. This interview with Dr. Klein is the first in a series that addresses the various menopause symptoms.

______________________________________
Hot Flash Interview

Staness: Dr. Klein, what exactly is a hot flash?

Dr. Klein: A hot flash is a sensation of extreme heat in the head and upper body generally associated with sweating.

We know from studying women that the internal core temperature does increase. You can a put a sensor on the skin and before a woman experiences a hot flash she will be able to tell you, “I am going to have a hot flash.” And sure enough, there will be an increase in internal core temperature followed by profuse sweating which is very uncomfortable. As you know, the purpose of sweating is to cool the body so there is often a reflex of sort of chill that follows the hot flash. It is a very uncomfortable and distracting sensation. It can occur at any time of the day. It can occur with tremendous variability, it can happen many times an hour or only just once or twice a day. Some women have one or two hot flashes a day, and get through menopause with no problems while other women have fifteen or twenty a day. We are all different.

Staness: What causes a hot flash?

Dr. Klein: We are still trying to understand exactly what causes hot flashes. We know that they are related to the hypothalamus, which is in the center of the brain and acts like the thermostat for the body. What we don’t understand is why some women are so troubled by them and others are not.

Certain women seem to have triggers. An alcoholic beverage may bring on a hot flash, or a change in external temperature can cause a hot flash for some women. In general, the hormonal flux or variation in hormone levels seems to be related to this sensation in some women.

Staness: Are there other causes?

Dr. Klein: We know that smoking is associated with hot flashes. Women who smoke have a higher risk of troublesome hot flashes, so obviously you should not smoke.

Also certain medicines can cause hot flashes such as certain antidepressants SSRI, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, are common antidepressants that can actually cause an increase in hot flashes. Yet, for some women, a very low dose can actually alleviate hot flashes, making antidepressants an alternative to hormone therapy.

Illnesses and fever can cause hot flashes, as can malignancies, and tuberculosis – many illnesses can cause hot flashes.

Increased BMI, Body Mass Index, has been associated with hot flashes. We used to think that women who were heavy had excess estrogen, and therefore fewer hot flashes. Now from the major study that was done in the SWAN, Study of Women Across the Nation, we know that women who are heavy, who have abnormally high body mass index, are at increased risk for hot flashes.

Staness: What’s a menopausal gal to do if she suffers from hot flashes?

Dr. Klein: The real issue is how troubled are you. Some women find that they can manage their hot flashes with simple lifestyle changes, such as wearing layered clothing, lowering the thermostat, carrying a fan, drinking cool beverages, avoiding triggers like caffeine and alcohol. Some women can have a few hot flashes a day and over time, seventy-five to eighty percent of cases the hot flashes will diminish and disappear. Then there is a subset of women for whom hot flashes are really troubling and don’t go away. Lots of women have recurring hot flashes waking them up over and over again and they can’t go back to sleep. They are not getting enough rest; they wake up grouchy, tired, and sweaty. If it is really a problem, there are hormonal therapies that will alleviate these symptoms. As you know hormone therapy can have side effects, so you must always weigh the benefit versus the risk. There are very low dose hormone therapies that are now available that can be extremely useful for alleviating hot flashes.

There are some other options to consider such as soy and black cohosh. The studies regarding soy are mixed, with some showing that soy can be helpful; while there are other studies that show soy may help with mild symptoms. Soy is benign and easily available and may be worth trying. Black cohosh is another herb and has been used in Europe widely, but you have to be careful because there have been reports of toxicity with high doses. Used in limited amounts in standardized doses black cohosh supplements may help some women with hot flashes. Again, there have been mixed studies, so whatever you do, and with anything you take, you should always discuss with your clinician.

You can also try lifestyle changes – wearing layered clothing, practice deep breathing, meditation and yoga, exercising – all of these things that can be really helpful in learning to live with the symptoms if they are moderate.

Another option to treat hot flashes is gabapentin. This is a drug that was originally developed as an antiseizure medicine. Gabapentin is widely used for pain relief, because it was discovered that with patients in whom it was used for seizures, it helped with pain. It was then found that it helped with hot flashes. Gabapentin is a reasonable alternative to discuss with your clinician if you do not want to or if you cannot take hormone therapy.

Staness: I was on birth control pills for years and had no idea I was perimenopausal until I stopped them, then the hot flashes started erupting. Are birth control pills a good option for hot flashes?

Dr. Klein: Birth control pills are a form of hormone therapy. They are a higher dose than standard menopausal therapy, but there is estrogen in most birth control pills and that keeps hot flashes away. If you are in the perimenopausal phase, birth control pills can also be useful for regulating your periods, plus they keep hot flashes away.
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Understanding the causes and solutions for hot flashes is the first step to managing your menopause. If you suffer from hot flashes, discuss your treatment options (alternative, complementary and medical) with your healthcare provider.
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Staness Jonekos is an advocate for women's health, wellness and empowerment. An award-winning television writer, producer and director, she was one of the original executive producers who launched the television network Oxygen Media, cofounded by Oprah Winfrey. Following her commitment to health, Staness co-executive produced the premiere season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, and post produced Lifetime's Speaking of Women's Health. Recently, Staness launched into the publishing world sharing her 8-step 12-week Menopause Makeover program in her first book The Menopause Makeover, co-authored with menopause expert Dr. Wendy Klein. Visit Staness at http://menopausemakeover.com/

Flattering Styles for a Disappearing Waistline

2010-01-19T11:10:00.000-05:00

by Staness Jonekos
There are more than 40 million women in the United States over the size 14 and over 44 million women going through menopause. This Beauty Tip is a styling tip so you can look and feel beautiful everyday.
Shopping for a new outfit can be frustrating when your body is changing as fast as your hormones and designers are focusing on younger smaller woman.
For the past year I have been hiding my disappearing waistline with baggy clothes. With my body fat shifting to my belly, it’s time for a shopping spree. With my new larger body measurements I quickly learned what styles were flattering on real women.
Click here then page 3 to purchase these flattering outfits.
Flattering Styles
TOPS
With an increasing waistline, longer length tops and jackets that sit lower on your hips create a “longer” line. A top that sits at the waistline will accentuate an area you wish to diminish. Make sure your top does not hit the largest area of your hips. The length should hit just below the waistline to mid-thigh. It is best to wear jackets open for a clean vertical line. V-necks, open collars, turtlenecks and wrap tops will bring the attention to your face.
Layering can create a comfortable and stylish look. If you are suffering with hot flashes layering will be your best friend. Be careful to layer properly. Too many bulky layers will only make you look bigger. Try a fitted camisole under a fun blazer or oversized sweater.

BOTTOMS
Whether your bottom has gotten bigger or dropped from age, an A-Line Skirt is a must in your new wardrobe. Not only will it flatter a fuller figure, the waist is fitted and flairs out so the smooth lines don’t show the problem areas. You can also wear a longer top without adding bulk at your waistline. You should wear an A-Line skirt at knee length. Try wearing a dark color for the skirt and a fun top with accessories to bring the attention to your face.
Pants are one of the hardest wardrobe items to buy. Even before menopause finding the perfect fitting pant was tough. But, pants can be flattering with a straight (if you are 5′4″ or shorter) or boot-cut leg (taller than 5′4″) with the waistline falling just below your natural waistline. Try solid darker colors to create a nice straight line. Do not buy pleated or tapered legged pants, these styles will only bring attention to your disappearing waistline and hips. The jeans pictured, Not Your Daughters Jeans, are awesome! They are comfy, give you a little support and very flattering – menopause makeover approved.

DRESSES
Dresses look best when they are one-piece, not separates. They will elongate your body. The length should hit between your knees and mid calf. If you have great legs, show them. Choose a dress length just below the knee. If you have great cleavage, choose a neckline that celebrates your bust line. Accessories can bring the attention to the top half of your body. And for a dressy occasion, bare your shoulders and arms. If you are uncomfortable with your arms, cover them with a shear wrap or bolero jacket.

TIPS
Undergarment foundations are my newest discovery! I purchased an all-in-one shaper. I was firmer and my soft lumpy spots didn’t ruin the nice line in my outfit.
Know your best feature. If it is your legs, wear knee length dresses. If it is your bust, enjoy a plunging neckline. Whatever your special asset, this is the time to flaunt it.
If you are pear-shaped bring the attention to your upper body using style, color and accessories. If you are apple-shaped, show off those legs with shorter hemlines (around the knee) and sexy shoes.
Once you update your wardrobe, add a few sexy shoes, a fun handbag and accessories for day and nighttime.
Enjoy looking and feeling beautiful.

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Staness Jonekos is an advocate for women's health, wellness and empowerment. An award-winning television writer, producer and director, she was one of the original executive producers who launched the television network Oxygen Media, cofounded by Oprah Winfrey. Following her commitment to health, Staness co-executive produced the premiere season of VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, and post produced Lifetime's Speaking of Women's Health. Recently, Staness launched into the publishing world sharing her 8-step 12-week Menopause Makeover program in her first book The Menopause Makeover, co-authored with menopause expert Dr. Wendy Klein. Visit Staness at http://menopausemakeover.com/

Midlife – The Madness and the Magic

2010-01-18T19:00:00.011-05:00

by Raewyn Hamilton

Why is midlife such an important rite of passage and why isn’t there a manual for it? There is for every other key life experience such as puberty, marriage, pregnancy etc, etc.

My midlife transition finished with an emotional collapse which stopped me dead in my tracks after 3 years of personal unrest, inner conflict and a lack of interest in a 30 year career. I had completely ignored all the other signs. I recognised my life had to change dramatically as I had to a large degree lost my self esteem and was totally off centre. I had tried talking to a counsellor; I searched the internet and the bookshops and found a yawning gap where helpful books or similar stories should have been. Then I started sharing my story with other women and was amazed at the parallels in similar women’s lives. This is what I discovered.

Many of the women I spoke to in the 50+ age group are floundering in their search for 1. what matters in their lives, 2. what works for them and 3. what’s next.. They are adamant there is a next, and they do not want to stay confused, or dependent, or depressed, or unfulfilled.

They have probably realised their mortality is limited, they know they have at least 20-30 good years ahead of them, they know life is hard and that calamities are inevitable throughout midlife and they care less about what society thinks so they are feeling empowered but frustrated.

They recognise the importance of the sisterhood (ie. talking to their good friends about what is a common theme and about problems) and delight in sharing ideas and they will take advice from others in the same situation. They are not interested in young fashion as they know what suits them and they are not interested in endless goal setting, the latest life coach or most of the ra ra stuff that is being offered through motivational speakers.

They are more than willing to approach health alternatively and will not take conventional medicine as gospel. They have in many cases had a ghastly time going through menopause with the resultant emotional and physical turmoil as it may take up to 10 years in some cases. They have felt at times they were going mad and in previous years women accepted HRT or anti-depressants as a way through.

They are much younger as 50-60 year olds than their mothers as they have been trail blazers since the 60’s with contraception, child-rearing, juggling sometimes great careers and are used to running on adrenalin. They recognise they do not think the same way as they did prior to menopause. There are different hormones running their systems and in some cases they wake up one morning, in careers they have enjoyed, not wanting to go to work. One of the main reasons they are trail blazers is that in 1900 women’s average life expectancy was 47.5. It is now in the early 80’s. Because of this they are having to experience more divorce, death, sickness, children’s ongoing dependency, care of aged parents and financial responsibility for own retirement years, plus in many cases how to make new mid-life relationships work or rejuvenate a marriage of 30plus years..

Previously in their lives such women explain they had always had a purpose going forward as an adolescent, a wife, mother, career person etc etc .Now none of those apply or are enough of a reason to sustain fulfilment. Some find as they age they are invisible to employers and are not seen as valuable members of the community as they are in some societies.

One such woman spoken to had written the following poem by way of explanation:

If the universe has a plan for me

Would someone let me know

Because I have somehow lost my way

I don’t know where to go

I know there’s a purpose for me on earth

But I don’t understand

Where to look for my spiritual road

I need a helping hand

True happiness and peace elude me

Purpose is lost somewhere

So before I go mad- please let me know

Just why on earth I’m here.

Women are feeling a need to claim back their strength without dependency and are willing to make changes in their 50’s. They are also willing to accept a concept of wealth by understanding the need to take charge of their finances. This was never part of their mother’s job description so most have not been programmed to deal with finance and investing.

Thank goodness sites like this exist where women can air their issues, have a laugh at themselves, share and grow in the online company of other like minded and supportive women in their collective quest for a new happiness.

In the words of Carlin Flora in an article in Canvas mag. 7.2.09, NZ Herald,

‘Happiness encompasses living a meaningful life, utilizing your gifts and your time while living with thought and purpose’.

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Raewyn Hamilton is a co-founder of www.wisanow.co.nz – an online, one stop destination for midlife and beyond women. Wiseanow is for midlife women launched in November 2009 in New Zealand. 30 years heading a residential real estate company, MBA graduate, mother of two gorgeous daughters and grandmother to 5 grandchildren, happily married but not for the first time of course and caught short wondering what's next at 60.