It is not uncommon for women over 50 to hold two different and conflicting points-of-view about a singular subject. Some of our viewpoints are inherited from our family of origin, some are points of view that reflect our society’s values, and some are very personal and reflect lessons learned through life experience. For example: (1) more »

As a certified immunizing pharmacist and an advocate for vaccination against infectious disease, I feel it is my responsibility to update everyone on the current recommendations on who should receive the flu vaccine and why. I am also an advocate for integrating a healthy lifestyle to prevent sickness, such as eating well, exercising, and boosting more »

I’ve had numerous patients call the office and ask my opinion on the Flu and the Flu vaccine, so here are some of my thoughts and recommendations.. The influenza virus is constantly mutating, but every once in a while, the virus shifts its genetic structure so much that our immune systems are challenged. This usually more »

Have you ever wondered how long and how intensely you would have to train to turn all that loose body fat into toned muscle? When you stop training, how long will it take before the muscle turns back into fat? Do sit-ups and crunches truly get get rid of your belly and leave you with more »

Last week I attended an art exhibition and was drawn to this charming picture by Graham Franciose. I love this concept of reinvention, which I believe is a process we must undertake from time to time if we are to survive and flourish through the different stages of life. There are always reasons to put more »

Did you know that: One of every five adults today is a woman over 50 59% of women at 50 or above say that the best years of their lives are still ahead Women over 50 account for 50% of managers and professionals in the workplace today Women have been starting 70% of new businesses more »

I had the pleasure of co-hosting the first of a series of teleseminars focused on “Entering the Age of Elegance” with Chloe Jon Paul, author of a book by the same name. Especially for Flourishing Divas, here is the audio recording of the hour-long discussion. Future topics are listed below. Your rite of passage into more »

The Mimi Foundation Supporting children with special needs and their parents 1st Annual Black-Tie Gala Saturday, October 23, 2010 The Driskill Hotel Austin, Texas About the Mimi Foundation: We network with many agencies to provide assistive devices/services for children with special needs, anything from parking money to take them to their doctor appointments to ABA more »

Being women over 50 doesn’t mean we give up on our bodies. In fact, the battle over weight gain through menopause is one of the biggest challenges we have. But with all the “miracle products” out there, we have to wonder if any of them really work. In this article, Natasha Turner, ND, explains which more »

Wall Décor Design You can create art from almost anything.  From a picture, a postcard, a menu to 3D items of memorabilia. Have you ever noticed how beautiful some wrapping paper is … or wallpaper. All of these and more can be made into “art” to create a new look for your home. The framing more »

It is post-Labor Day, and though the calendar says Fall and wearing summer apparel is a fashion faux pas, here in Austin, the thermometer is still screaming “HOT” and it is hard to even think about wearing dark colors and heavier fabrics. For some of you, however, the air is crisper and you are already more »

Trends come and go. One season it’s all about tiger or leopard or giraffe, next time it’s sweet florals or dramatic asymmetrical designs. And then there’s color: This year brights are all the rage and next year there is a sea of pale gray to choose from. Confusing? You bet! So what’s a girl to more »

When most women over 50 look at their hands, they see their grandmothers staring back at them—Yikes! Whose hands are those??  As we get older, our skin becomes thinner and the veins pop out, and our nails get brittle and soft, and no matter how good our faces look, our hands often give away our more »

When Debbie Sheridan’s son moved to another continent, she began thinking of the new possibilities for herself and her career. After being a stay-at-home mom for 23 years, it was Debbie’s maternal instincts that really catapulted her into the role of business owner.  She formed a relationship with a young woman she now thinks of more »

“Be planted firmly in the driver’s seat of your own life.” Are you planted firmly in the driver’s seat of your own life? Or are you lost in the cacophony of a too-busy lifestyle where one activity blurs into the next without a moment to re-group and catch your breath? In a society that has more »

Have your pie and eat it too? Well, not exactly. You can have your rhubarb pie but a better choice might be the purified and standardized extract from the roots of the Siberian rhubarb. This Siberian rhubarb is similar to the well-known garden rhubarb (R. rhabarbarum) commonly prepared as food or in your favorite strawberry more »

A recent study published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows a connection between memory loss and location of fat in women. Older women who are obese are more likely to experience memory problems, especially if their excess weight is located around their hips, a new study shows. more »

As children we often fought with our siblings, and regardless of gender it was a fair game—our body size and composition were somewhat similar. In fact, there was little difference in our height, weight and even strength. But in no time at all, the onset and progression of puberty began and all of a sudden more »

Lucinda’s personal journey to wellness. My personal weight loss turning point came during a Weight Watchers meeting some 10 years ago. After 2 years of “yo-yoing” – trying every diet in the book from Atkins to cabbage soup – I felt exhausted and on the verge of hopelessness. Maybe I was just supposed to get more »

In the next chapter of How Not to Look Old, Charla Krupp provides tips on looking 10 years younger by getting a big, bright, sexy smile. When it comes to teeth, Charla says nothing ages you like “yellow teeth, gray teeth, stained or splotchy teeth, small teeth, receding gums, teeth that are too straight across, more »

Simply stated, our food supply has changed along with the changes in our lives brought about by the demands of our fast-paced society. We are depending more and more on processed foods, and with each year, the FDA approves more and more chemicals for use in foods. With each year, the food industry is using more »

You’ve suspected it for years: You look in the mirror and say, “No way I can look that ____ (fill in the blank: pale, tired, old)”. I am here to tell you that you are right!  A mirror has three strikes against it in distorting your image. It flattens your image which distorts how you more »

Words have power. Sometimes they even have the power to make us avoid them because, by their very nature, they are incomprehensible. I’m talking about the ingredient list on the back label of your cosmetic products. Have you ever attempted to decipher the complicated list of chemical ingredients on the back of your facial cleanser? more »

Now what about all those media commercials and ads that you are bombarded with? The anti-aging industry seems to be doing a booming business but I think the jury is still on just how risky or beneficial they are. The industry now pulls in $56B a year and it is estimated that it would grow more »

A few months ago we heard from Valerie who was battling breast cancer. Click here to read that story, and celebrate with her after reading her update below. May 26: I am at home and have finished surgery Monday.  I look like a flat tire on one side!  Of course, it hurts and is sore, more »