Kathleen Porter: 1st Life – House, Family, Career, 2nd Life – Home, Healthy, Happy

Returning home is what a lot of us do in midlife.

Foods to Eat When You Are Stressed

Ruth stresses, whether to crunch or to slurp? 

Are you the kind of stress eater that needs to chew to relieve stress? Do you reach for something to crunch when you munch? Or do you need the soothing melt in your mouth feeling? We are hot wired to satisfy our emotional needs through food. As we enter one of the most stressful times of year think about how to create healthy choices, and keep these suggestions in your cupboard.

Face Food

Ruth Applies Food Directly to Her Face!

Image via Real Moms, Real Views

A hormone rich diet is the natural solution to younger skin.  Forget the creams and miracle potions, you should put healthy food on the inside of your body, but also directly onto you skin.  Here are some facial ingredients that are probably in your refrigerator right now.

Forget Anti-aging Creams, Eat Your Way to Younger Skin

Ruth Advises Healthy Skin Needs Hormones That Are Consumed Not Applied.

During menopause, I noticed my skin changing, and I wanted to do something about it. I had my blood analyzed and discovered I was low on sex hormones. My estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone needed a boost and I gave it to them through bio-identical hormones. I looked 5 years younger! It was a noticeable difference. 

Even now, I look at a woman’s skin, and I think, low estrogen is causing her skin to wrinkle. Here's the foods you can eat that will increase your estrogen without taking the supplement:

Diana Nyad Sets A Record at 64

First Person to Swim from Cuba to Florida Without a Shark Cage

1978                                                                                      2013

Earlier today Diana Nyad successfully completed her fifth attempt to swim between Cuba and the U.S.  When I last wrote about Diana, she was preparing for her third try at this life long quest that began in 1978.  As she walked on to the beach at Key West with her swollen face and dehydrated body, she managed to get out a statement - a philosophy - for all to hear: 

"I've got three messages:"

One is, we should never, ever give up.

Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream.

Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team.


As a second lifer, I feel her joy and triumph. And I believe in her personal philosophy and that you, this second life community, are my team.

Should you Eliminate Dairy in your Diet?

Ruth dumps the dairy and get her calcium elsewhere.

In the second half of life, should you dump dairy? One of the sensitivities that can occur as you age is your sensitivity to dairy. I am lactose intolerant, it runs in my family, so this food allergy happened in my forties. You can become intolerant of dairy at any stage, so if you are experiencing gastro intestinal discomfort, you should look to eliminate the culprit. Do two weeks avoiding dairy products and see if your situation improves. I laugh when I think about my daughter’s response to milk. During Hurricane Sandy her refrigerator stopped working, and when she went to pour the soured milk down the drain, it was a solid mass of stench. She has since refused to drink milk because it reminds her of that smell. LOL! She adds hot water to her coffee instead of milk. It works for me too. But you can substitute almond milk, or soy milk if you prefer.

Here's how dairy can do more harm then good:

Whole Foods Are Naturally Healthy And Low Calorie.

Ruth loses weight by subtracting the salt and adding some spice.

 Photoshopping this picture doesn't make the donut healthy!

When I wanted to lose 20 lbs, I tried some tricks on myself that turned out was just the right thing to do to lose weight. I switched to salads and since then have added greens to every meal I eat. I try to eat and get my enzymes kicking in each time I lift my fork. Fresh uncooked foods start your enzyme juices revving up and that kicks up your metabolism. Your body is hot wired to eat food off the tree, bush or from the ground. When you feed it what it recognizes, it knows how to process it. When you feed it something it doesn’t recognize, it often stores it as fat. For example, a donut is stored as fat because it isn’t recognizable as a whole food. Eat whole foods to maintain your health and keep your body weight in check.  And here's how to season your food to tantalize yet temper its consumption.

What Kind of Eater Are You? Diet Solutions For Every Type

Photo:  Fashion Gal blog

Ruth explains when you need protein and when you need carbs. 

Ever wonder why birthdays translate into cake?  It turns out that carbohydrates stimulate serotonin, which makes you feel good. Think about it. Selected Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs),  a class of antidepressants, work naturally through the foods we eat.

Traditionally, we use food to elevate the mood. Hence, birthdays get celebrated with cake. When you are depressed, and you are looking for comfort food, do you reach for a cookie? Bowl of pasta maybe? Your body may be telling you that you need some mood enhancing foods. Are you an emotional eater? And if you are, which type are you? 

What you eat--not statins--is critical to a healthy woman's heart

Ruth's lists of foods to eat and foods to avoid

The Great Cholesterol Myth

New research has surfaced that proves it’s inflammation that causes heart disease, not cholesterol. For the last 30 years, doctors have told us to keep our cholesterol levels under 200 for a healthy heart. Not so. Doctors Johnny Bowden and Stephen Sinatra shatter The Great Cholesterol Myth in their recent book.  They present new research that has taken over the health news that cholesterol is what the body makes to put out the flames of inflammation. Because cholesterol deposits that turned into plaque built up in the arteries and caused blockage, the cholesterol has been diagnosed as the cause. But it’s like blaming the firemen for the fire. The body deposits cholesterol at the scene of the inflamed area.  It’s the inflammation that actually caused the heart attack to happen. Not cholesterol.  Here’s how it works.  

Print & Save Shopping List for the Menopausal Diet

 (Illustration by Sandy Haight)

Diet for a second life:  What foods to buy to keep weight off after menopause

Ruth Gantman, our trusted nutrition counselor, has put together a list of the foods that are not only healthy but will keep the weight gain at bay.  A monthly contributor to Second Lives Club and a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Ruth sorts through all the health and diet news, latest research studies, and alternative medicines to come up with a diet--or as she prefers eating plan--that helps women our age maintain their weight and well-being. Be sure to read some of her older posts and check in the first week of every month for Ruth's Diet For A Second Life, a sensible eating plan that fits our life stage and lifestyle.  Continue reading for that shopping list...

How Not To Gain Weight After Menopause

Illustration by Joe Harris

Diet for a Second Life: What foods to always avoid

As we age, our hormone levels drop which means that our ability to create new healthy cells diminishes. This reflects on us inside and out. That means we see the change in our skin, and feel the change in our bodies.  We need estrogen to process insulin and when that diminishes; we are at greater risk for weight gain, and diabetes.

We don’t have to gain weight as we age. But, you need to know that it’s easy to put on weight with the onset of menopause. Our bodies are now more sensitive to sugar. You may find yourself eating the same as you did before, and gaining weight. When a particular hormone system breaks down as with the loss of estrogen from the ovaries, it affects all the other processes in the entire physiological system because the systems of the body are interconnected. Your body breaks down more than it builds up and the end result is aging.  We have to change our relationship to food in order to fight the aging process.  We need a menopausal diet.

The Best Exercise for Strengthening Knees

The most fallible joint (photo from New York Times)

Caryl perfects: The Squat ( You Can Too!)

I’ve always had trouble with my knees. The knee is the most fallible joint in the human body. I read that in Sports Illustrated decades ago—and it stuck with me. Many factors contribute to aching knees, and not all of them have to do with age. My own knee problems began in my teens with a cheerleading accident. Think splits gone horribly wrong. In my 20s, while downhill skiing (or was it tennis??) I tore ligaments in my knee that resulted in a knee brace (hard to wear with the high boots of that era). With exercise, I managed to avoid surgery. As an aside, I am convinced one of the reasons I married my husband is that he carried me up to my third-floor walk-up apartment in Greenwich Village during my six weeks of physical therapy.

Maryl toasts: Why Women Love Wine

Women buy and drink more wine than men do. Despite this, if you should find yourself dining out this Valentine’s Day, don’t expect to be handed the wine list if your companion is a male.  Interested in some new suggestions?  Continue reading and check out the Second Lives Club list of ten reasonably-priced (around $20) and highly-recommended choices that are equally enjoyable alone or with a special someone.

Diet for a Second Life: The Best Protein

By Food Blogger Ruth Gantman

As we age, our digestive systems are taxed. It’s best to eat simple and clean. Clinical research and author Dr. Neal Barnard suggests we eat no more than four different foods at any one sitting to reduce stress on the digestive system. We, as Americans, are saturated in offerings of animal protein and, according to Colin Campbell’s 30 year definitive China Study, the best source of protein that matches our own would actually be human flesh. So Jonathan Swift’s 18th century social satire A Modest Proposal not only would solve the economic problems of the Irish lower class, but also has a nutritional base. (Gasp)

Caryl takes: Dr.Frank Lipman's Two-Week Detox

Everything you need--minus cat and candle 

Gwyneth Paltrow isn't doing it this year but I am. She's concentrating on the Superfoods but I'm taking the cleanse. I  start this Monday, which for me marks the first day of MY new year. It takes me a couple of weeks to get back my equilibrium after the hullabaloo of the holidays. By the second week of January, I am as calm as I am going to get.  And, my desire to detox and my willpower to reboot my body is at its peak.

Shake ingredients come in packets to mix with water.  

I am a I am a believer in cleanses as long as they're not the flavor of the month kind. Remember the Master Cleanse that was made up of homemade lemonade, maple syrup, water, and Cayenne pepper? Crazy, huh?

Maryl got: Arm Candy in her Stocking

Actually I got two bracelets in my stocking this year and another as a gift from Caryl (along with a leopard tunic to match). I have always liked receiving jewelry for Christmas and my husband has nicely obliged over the years. Specifically rings were my real delight, and he took several practice runs before the actual engagement ring showed up one Christmas morn. But something's happened with my penchant for rings. 

Diet for a Second Life: Thanksgiving

Worn favorite cookbooks and torn family recipes are being opened up on kitchen counters across the country as Thanksgiving hosts  prepare their holiday menus. Certain traditional dishes should never change but the fact is that our palates and digestive systems do. We become more educated, dare I say, sophisticated with our food choices and that bloated, unsettling feeling we ultimately experience as we push away from the dinner table is no longer acceptable. So how should this change be considered when planning our Thanksgiving Day feast? 

Who Has Winning Hair? And, who won our giveaway?

Let's be honest--the stars are nothing like us. Neither are political spouses or even politicians for that matter. Not even newscasters. Most of the women in the limelight have professional advice when it comes to how they look, especially their hair. Still sometimes a new set of eyes can improve on what others might have missed. We asked Eva Scrivo to look at Nine Public Faces who range in age from mid-fifties to over 70 to offer her advice on their hairstyles. (You remember Eva Scrivo from Everyday Eva: the five posts we ran here packed with useful tips, sound advice, and how-to lessons customized for women our age?)

She agreed with us that they all look great but Eva suggested ways they could look even better. What actress did Eva urge to keep her roots dark--and why? What grey-haired artist did she say needed a younger, choppier haircut? (She didn't recommend changing the color, by the way.) Who did she suggest to let their hair go even longer as she approaches 60? And was it a Republican or a Democrat who got Eva's vote for best hair? Finally, who does Eva think could be a real "bombshell" in the next stage of her life? Don't forget to see who the lucky commenter is at the end who has won Eva's book with all the DIY information she needs to rethink her own hair. 

Everyday Eva: 5 Simple Rules to Look Your Best

Eva Scrivo on Beauty

Wow, what a week! And it’s not over yet but we did want to stop and review what we’ve learned from Eva so far with her five Golden Rules on a 2:30 minute video. Some sound fairly basic but more essential when coming from her. Others I know Caryl and I just hadn’t thought of. Of course they are all in her book and much more and in practice everyday at her salons.  Which takes us to Second Lives Club's first online giveaway.  See below.

GIVEAWAY EXTENDED to Monday, October 8.  Keep the great Beauty Tips and comments coming!

Everyday Eva: 9 Professional Makeup Tips To Look Younger

There’s a reason actors and models and Martha Stewart look so good. They know how—or have someone else who does—to put on their makeup. For many years, Eva Scrivo did the hair and make up for Martha’s TV show and public appearances. “I made a 70 year old woman look 45,” Eva says.