Posts Tagged ‘tips’

Shingles; Tips for Avoiding the Kind You Don’t Want

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Whether you like it or not, mom is (almost) always right.

  • Play hard to get, check.
  • You’re going to wear that? Umm… maybe check.
  • You know I never liked _________. Check.

The last time my parents came to dinner, my mother asked about an old friend of mine. “She’s doing fine, but she just came down with shingles.”
“She didn’t have the vaccine?”
“What vaccine?”
“The shingles vaccine. I want you to call your doctor on Monday and go get the shot!”
Check!

If you’re a Baby Boomer like me, and most of my friends, you probably know at least one person who has had the shingles. From what I understand, it’s incredibly painful,and something you really don’t want to get. If you had chicken pox as a kid, you’re susceptible, and interestingly, the spring is the season for both the chicken pox, and shingles. Well, now you can prevent it with a shingles vaccine. It may not be covered by your insurance (why would it be, it’s preventing something), my shot cost $250 (I love NY), but knowing that’s it’s one thing I can really cross off the list, to quote MasterCard, “priceless”
And don’t believe everything you read.The common wisdom is that you can’t have the shot if you’re under 60. Not true. So do yourself a favor, and get vaccinated. Now my doctor says I’m good for another 40-50 years. According to a recent article on tampabay.com there are a whole host of vaccines that we Boomers probably think we’ve had or don’t need, but you’d be wrong. Here’s a link to a quick and easy quiz, to figure out what you vaccines you might need. And please, don’t feel bad if you didn’t know about this, most of my friends didn’t either, so mom wins another round. Check!

Big thanks to Life too for hosting this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival! You’ll like the blog about treating your spouse like a dog.

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Posted in aging, boomers, family, health, health insurance, parents, tips | 3 Comments »

January getting you down? Tips for getting though till spring.

Monday, January 25th, 2010

I’ve adapted these great tips from Sheila Weinstein, who originally wrote them to get through the holidays. Don’t you think they’re great for any tough period? And remember, spring is just around the corner. It's All About Aging January

  1. Let someone know you are alone and would like some company. Often we have no family nearby; friends are occupied and forget that we don’t have anyone to be with so it can be a very tough time. More often than not they are happy to include us in their plans, but they cannot read our minds, so we have to let them know.
  2. Find others who are alone and invite them to share your own table. There are many other people out there who share our feelings.  Together we can have a lovely, enriching time.
  3. Nurture yourself. Sometimes we prefer to be alone rather than in the company of others…too much noise…too much talk. Treat yourself as beautifully as you would a guest. Buy yourself flowers. Cook yourself a lovely dinner. This is the time to concentrate on you and give yourself the love and attention you would give to someone else. You are the most important person in your life.
  4. Rent your favorite funny movie — one sure to make you laugh. A hearty laugh is as therapeutic as a good cry.
  5. Volunteer to serve a meal at a shelter or soup kitchen where your help is appreciated and you can reach out and touch others with your good will.
  6. Create a ritual that has meaning for yourself. For instance, write a note or a prayer to your loved one, or one for yourself and your new life. Put it in a balloon and let it fly.
  7. •    Be grateful. Keep a positive attitude for all that you DO have. Write down what you are grateful for and keep it where you can see it.
  8. Get out in nature. Take a long walk or drive to a spot that gives you comfort and peace. It helps us realize there is something much bigger than our own pain.
  9. Give yourself permission to be happy. Allowing ourselves to enjoy the life we have paves the way for a fulfilling future.

Which will you do? What would you add?

Be sure to check out Sheila’s book Moving to the Center of the Bed,the Artful Creation of a Life Alone on her website: www.centerofthebed.com or on Amazon.com.

And don’t forget to check out this week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival, you never know what we’ll be blogging about.

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Posted in boomers, family | 2 Comments »

Can you sleep through the night? Tips to make it happen every night.

Monday, July 6th, 2009

It's All About Aging Sleep manMaybe you can sleep thorough the night each and every night (if so, I envy you), but most of us have issues either falling asleep, or staying asleep. Valerie Bennis, Founder & President of Essence of Vali has some good tips for all of us.

A good night’s rest is the foundation of health and well being.  More and more evidence points to lack of sleep as a contributor to declining physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.  Along with good eating habits, happy and healthy relationships, work we enjoy and exercise goes a good night’s rest as an imperative ingredient in our health regime.

Some people fall asleep easily and then wake up at 3 in the morning while others take many hours to fall asleep.  These are the two common patterns.  Anything less than 7 hours of sleep is considered not enough.  Even those of us who are good sleepers may not be getting enough rest.

Most of these difficulties are due to stress and also due to some of the foods we eat.  So, what can we do to cut down on stress levels and what are foods we should avoid to safeguard our sleep health?  Here are some tips:

Substances to Avoid
Coffee, Soda and Alcohol:  These are substances that affect our energy in some way – be it stimulating or sedative.  Try drinking water and herbal teas which contribute to your well being and create balance in your body, mind and spirit, rather than a roller coaster effect.

Sugar:  The impact of sugar is a spike in energy and then “fall down” and a vicious cycle of “up” and “down”.  There are many healthy treats that you can find in the health food store that can satisfy your sweet tooth without causing damage.

Nicotine:  This one goes without saying.

Stress:  This is under “substance” because it has become a metaphorical substance in all of our lives.  It is a common refrain – “I am so stressed out” that we all speak and hear and that in and of itself is stressful.

How do we eliminate the toxin of stress? We can empower ourselves to significantly decrease its impact on our lives by doing things that ease stress levels.  See below for some stress busters.

1.    Restorative yoga (gentle yoga)
2.    Exercise
3.    Dancing
4.    Listening to music
5.    Talking to someone really positive
6.    Writing in a journal
7.    Taking a bath
8.    Positive affirmations
9.    Drinking herbal tea, such as chamomile
10.  Rescue Remedy or other bach flower essences
11.   Aromatherapy
12.   Getting a massage or self massage
13.   Helping a friend or stranger
14.   Acupuncture

Once your body is in a healthier state, your sleep patterns will improve naturally.

Other ideas for improving sleep.

1.    Keep a regular schedule in terms of when you go to sleep and when you wake up.
2.    Do not eat a heavy meal before bedtime.
3.    Keep sound and light out of your bedroom as much as possible.
4.    Take a relaxing bath prior to getting into bed.
5.    Use natural products instead of prescription medication or over the counter products.
6.    Do some breathing exercises and listen to relaxation tapes
7.    Do not listen to the news before bed

These are some good ideas from Valerie.  What she left out, is her amazing aromatherapy sleep blend, her best seller for nine years. Have you tried it? What works for you?

Valerie Bennis
Founder & President, Essence of Vali
www.essenceofvali.com
Tel:  212-242-0576

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Posted in boomers, sleep, tips | 1 Comment »