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Encouragement: Ending July Celebrating Our Own Independence Days!

7/27/2018

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Our nation's independence day has come and gone. We celebrated with cookouts, family gatherings, and fireworks. All fun and great things that we share with those we love in a country that we love.

In our own lives we have multiple independence days
as we discussed in my July 13th blog. As we grow older we should focus on these independence days as good and disregard as much of the negatives as we can. We will grieve the loss of our full nest, but we can also use the free time to pursue our own hobbies, careers, and bucket lists. We will grieve the loss of family members and friends, but we will have others to fill some of the gap (grandchildren are good at this). We will experience the loss of mobility to some degree, but especially if we have not been active in the past. But these events do not define who we are, they do provide freedom to allow us to define ourselves the way we choose; freedom to pursue our own personal goals.

So, let's end July with this thought:

" Your body is the only real home you have, take care of it;
retiring can be good as long as you don't retire from living,
and the best years
are ahead of you;

Years to make a difference
in the world and
to those around you.

Use your new found independence to accomplish good things!

Sheryl

XOXO 
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Product Review: “That's It” Fruit Snack – Simple Name for A Different Snack

7/20/2018

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The unusual name (That's It) is not the only thing different about this fruit snack. It looks like a brown chunk of meat. The flavor I tried is the apple and apricot. Sounds yummy doesn't it?


While this snack is healthy it is not on my favorite list. In fact, I really am not sure I liked anything about this snack. I wish I could say is was as yummy as it sounds, but in reality, in my opinion only, it didn't taste like either of the fruits that it contained. (Maybe an ever so slightly hint of apricot.)

It resembled a dried fig bar, not apple and apricot. It was not very sweet and I was expecting a sweet fruity snack. I was a little disappointed.


Would I purchase again? Probably not. While this snack is not totally bad, it has great ingredients, it's lacking in a taste that resembles the fruit that is in it. However, it will appeal to some people and it is healthy.


Information about this fruit snack:
​


  1. Only 100 Calories per 1.2 oz bar
  2. Gluton Free
  3. Kosher
  4. Vegan
  5. Raw
  6. No Preservatives
  7. 3 g of Fiber
  8. No Fat, No Cholesterol, 15 mg sodium
  9. Non GMO
  10. 1 g of Protein
  11. Carbs - 27 g (9% DV)


If a snack is healthy and doesn't taste bad, but doesn't taste like the flavor it is supposed to be, would you still eat it? What if it tasted like something other than what it is made from? Do you have a healthy fruit snack that we can add to our healthy eating plan?


XOXO
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SPECIAL: Independence Day - Means Different Things to Different People, Including the Over 50 Woman

7/13/2018

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"Today I choose life.
Every morning when I wake up
I can choose

joy, happiness, negativity, pain...
To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue
to make mistakes and choices - today I choose
to feel life,
not to deny my humanity
but embrace it."

- Kevyn Aucoin,
American Make-Up Artist
(Deceased) -


We just celebrated our nation's day of independence - July 4th! In my part of the county it was celebrated with cookouts, parades, and fireworks. We owe our freedom to so many soldiers who fought wars and the ones who lost their lives so that we can live ours. For this I am truly thankful.


There is another type of independence day and this is not to diminish the real meaning of July 4th, but as over 50s we have our personal independence days...and I say days
not just a day.

Especially as women over 50, we experience more than one independence day. We experience the day we are without our parents (our parents pass away and we are no longer someone's child), we experience the day we are childless (our children are grown and on their own), we experience the day when we have entered the final phase of menopause and are free from all the burden it brings, some of us experience the day we are spouseless (our husband passes away or our marriage ends), and sometimes we experience the day we become completely alone.


"The biggest change
for me as a mom

was realizing
I needed to
put someone else before me.

Now the hardest part
about the empty nest

is learning to put myself first."
- Kim Alexis,
American Model,
Age 57 -


On each independence day, we learn to live more and more on our own. As long as our parents are living, we still consider ourselves someone's child.

Women being nurturers at heart and by nature, are always dependent on her family being there. It provides her with a purpose for living. Her children need her and she needs them. Her spouse needs her and she needs him. Each time one of these connections is broken we become more and more independent.


"Death is not the
greatest loss in life.

The greatest loss is
what dies inside us
while we live."

- Norman Cousins,
​American Journalist
-


One of the most freeing independence days is the day we pass the final phase of menopause. No more monthly concerns, no more worries of pregnancy, we are free to be who we are sexually without any reservations. It's a two faced blessing. You can no longer bare children and that's a little sad, but you can no longer bare children and that's freedom!

It's important to keep these independence days in the back of our mind. It's important because it will remind us to live a full life. A life that is full of things that belong just to us, that we share with no one else - not our parents, not our children, not our spouses. It can be a hobby of sewing, reading, writing, painting, woodworking, crafting, jewelry, watching movies, dancing, concerts, exercising, studying the Bible, anything! Anything that fills our time that is just for us.

"Most women would not
be happy being me.
People say,

'But you're alone.'
But I don't feel alone.
I feel very un-alone."

- Stevie Nicks,
American Singer -


This is important because when those independence days come along, we will still know who we are and have things to fill the gaps. We will grieve the losses, but we won't lose who we are. We must also remain close to our spiritual beliefs. If we keep other things in our life that belong just to us, it will be easier to handle those independence days.

"Grief is in two parts.
The first is loss.

The second is
the remaking of life."

- Anne Roiphe,
American Writer
(Died at age 82) -


As we celebrate the independence of our great nation, let's remember how far we as women have come in the land of free and the home of the brave. We can do anything we want now, go anywhere we want (with or without a man), we are independent and no matter how old we are or are allowed to be, we are valuable, we are relevant, and we have a lot both to offer the world but also still to learn.
Be open to it.


As a final thought, a young actress has the right idea about true beauty. No matter what age you are this is true:

“I can’t think of any better representation of beauty
than someone who is unafraid to be herself.”
- Emma Stone,
Actress -


Have you experienced any personal independence days? Have you discovered new found freedom through menopause? Do you wake up every morning and say to yourself:

“The question isn’t
who’s going to let me;
it’s who’s going to stop me.”

Ayn Rand, Writer

XOXO
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Health and Wellness: 6 Benefits of Walking Everyday, Especially for Over 50's

7/6/2018

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All of us want to arrive at the ripe old age of 90 or 100 with the ability to walk on our own and take care of ourselves. If we don't move when we are younger, we won't be able to move when we reach that ripe old age.

Starting at any age is better than not starting at all and within a matter of time, you will be walking so well no one would know you just started. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself today.

When I started back to daily walking after several years of neglect, I would walk as far as I could (not very far) and then sit for a few minutes before starting again. Now I can easily walk 4-6 miles at one time.


Some of the wonderful benefits to walking everyday are:

1. It reduces stress. Walking everyday will reduce both physical and mental stress by increasing blood flow.

2. It will add years to your life. If you are healthier, less stressed out, and happy you will live longer...that's a fact (borrowing any accidents, of course.) 

3. It lowers your risk  of chronic disease. The American Diabetes Association says walking lowers your blood sugar levels and your overall risk for diabetes. The New England Journal of Medicine in 2002, found that people who walked 30 or more minutes or had moderate activity on 5 or more days per week, had a 30% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.That's just two of many risks that are lowered due to walking.

4. It helps you lose weight and then keep it off. Suggestions through various studies indicate that walking between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day (four to five miles) is extremely effective for losing weight. I can attest that this is a true statement. Of course, every step you take over 10,000 is just that much better

5. It boosts Brain health. Many studies have been done on the benefits of walking. Daily walks are excellent, but even a 40 minute walk three times a week has tremendous health benefits to our brain.

6. It boosts your social life.
Moving is an important element to staying youthful and active. If you can walk, it is the best thing you can do for yourself. If you add in other exercises, then you can see major improvements in your strength and agility no matter what age you are.

Get out and walk! Walk your neighborhood, walk in a nearby park, walk at an indoor track at a gym, walk on a treadmill if you have one.

JUST GET OUT AND WALK!

Do you walk at least three times a week? Do you walk every day? Do you get at least 8,000 to 10,000 steps in at least three times a week? How do you feel when you walk? Where do you walk and where is your favorite place to walk?

XOXO
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    My mission​

    Sharing thoughts and ideas for the woman over 50 that are helpful, fun, creative, inspiring and interesting. Over 50s who want to remain relevant, happy and loving their life.
    On fire for your own life!
    ❤ Sheryl ❤

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