Why haven’t I been doing this all along? I thought to myself after my first night sleeping on a silk pillowcase. My friend Elaine had given me one a long time ago and I finally started using it. It’s pure heaven—cool, smooth and luxurious. It’s soothing for my hair and skin too. Now I can’t go to bed without it. The experience got me wondering—what else am I missing out on? So I asked my girlfriends (all over age 55) what feel-good practices they’ve discovered that they wish they’d known about years ago. Here are their responses. (I haven’t tried most of these, but I totally trust their opinions!)
Aunt Mary said, “Are you kidding? Use sunscreen and go easy on the tanning!” Which hopefully everyone is doing by now, right? Let me know if you find something that works on sun spots.
Randee recommends these eye patches, which she finds totally remove the puffiness under her eyes and and minimize dark circles. Her daughter uses them too.
Randee also recommends restorative toe separators as a way to keep her toes aligned and feet feeling good after tennis, walking or dancing at weddings. When her tootsies are really sore she puts on the separators and puts her feet up on the wall (at left) to elevate and get better blood flow. I bought a pair and could barely squish them between my pudgy toes but I’ve been using them for the last week and they do feel great!
Maureen loves red wine but it stains her teeth. She’s tried a number of whitening products but found the Colgate Optic White Overnight Teeth Whitening Pen is a handy way to get in all the nooks and crannies and gently keep her smile gleaming.
Lorraine has suffered from a compressed neck and tight shoulders in the past, but finds relief by using a neck hammock—a handy contraption that hangs from a doorknob. Lorraine lies with her head in it for 15 minutes in the morning while she meditates.
Brenda (who immediately ordered Lorraine’s neck hammock) is one of the most active women I know, biking the lakefront and playing tennis daily. In her early 70s, she has discovered that the best way for her to stay adequately fueled is to literally follow her gut: she eats when she’s hungry and stops when she’s full. If that means having a hearty mid-afternoon lunch and skipping dinner, that’s what she does.
Nancy H. has recently found a breakfast of overnight oats with chia and berries is a great way to start the day. She mixes 1/2 cup of steel cut oats with 2 teaspoons of chia seeds and a 1/2 cup of oat milk and puts it in the refrigerator. In the morning she tops it with berries, almonds or honey. “It’s yummy and makes me feel like I am starting my morning in a healthy and satisfying way,” she says.
Emily, 59, just tried Botox for the first time. She marveled at all the younger, smooth-faced women the dermatologist’s waiting room. “The doctor did say I was a little late to this party,” says Emily, who likes how the product smooths the lines on her forehead. (I’m also a fan, with reservations. For my take on Botox, click here.)
A lot of my friends recommended different kinds of facials. Nancy G swears by the Hyrdafacials at Mario Tricoci in Chicago. It seems like they to do it all: cleanse, extract, hydrate and diminish signs of aging.
Tricia has had three “Scarlet” facials over the last year that have made a noticeable difference on her skin. Her friends have commented out of the blue on how great her skin looks. The radio frequency micro-needling technique is pretty painful and leaves her with some redness for a day or so, but it has helped minimize fine lines and improved her complexion. There’s a similar technique out there called Morpheous we’ve heard is effective. I haven’t tried either one, but I’m interested. At around $1000 a pop, these procedures aren’t cheap, but if they actually work….
Lori takes an inside-out approach to her skin and focuses on staying extremely hydrated and takes collagen supplements. “It really does help with crepey skin on the face and body,” she says. I haven’t taken collagen, but I found this list from Glamor of the best collagen supplements.
Stephanie has been using Faciablasting tools (which I’ve never heard of) to diminish cellulite. “I use it on my legs and butt and I do see great results!” she says. The techniques are supposed to help remodel and regenerate tissue. Stephanie has begun using the tools for her face as well, but it’s still too soon for her to report any changes.
Carol’s first recommendation is “lots of sex!” and it’s a good one. I written about the health benefits of sex at every age here. But also, her trainer introduced her to working out with a medicine ball and she finds it’s not only great for her body, it eliminates stress. “I use it as part of my routine but also when I need an emotional release (i.e. when I’m furious with the world),” says Carol. “I whack it hard on the ground 15-20 times and almost forget what’s bothering me.” Carol is a therapist and is considering getting one for her office for her clients to use. Here’s some medicine ball exercises you might try.
I really appreciate my friends contributing to this list, which is so interesting to me. I know it could be much longer, but I need to wrap it up! I may need to do a round two. Please share your recommendations in the comments and I’ll include them next time. Feel good and be well!
Fully Fabulous 