Have you ever had this happen - You decide to do something different and exciting for your lover, like completely shaving your pubic area, but end up with red blotches and so sore you don’t even want your lover to see or touch you? What a drag.

The thought was a good one - really - You just made the same mistake most people make, thinking you could use just anything for shaving the pubic area.

The pubic area is quite different and certainly more sensitive than other parts of the body you might already be shaving. For those of you who know, the closest comparison would be with shaving under your arms.

Whether you’re a male or female, if you try shaving your pubic area with the same device you use for shaving your face, under arms or legs, it’s most likely that you’re going to irritate the pubic area skin.

Tell the truth - You were shaving with a wet razor weren’t you? Or was it your favorite triple-headed shaver you usually use for shaving your face?

Whichever it was, it didn’t give you the results you had been hoping for.

This doesn’t mean you should give up the idea of shaving your pubic area, just that you need to find out about better shaving tools for this area.

Just like thousands of others who already have.

What? You think you’re the first to want to have a hairless pubic mound? You might be surprised … Just mention your shaving experience to one or two of your closest friends and see what happens. They may be thrilled to finally be able to talk to someone about their own experiences.

And know this - Learning how shaving is best done in the pubic area is also important to achieving that silky, smooth look and feel you’re wanting.

Your friends may be able to enlighten you to pubic shaving tricks and tips they’ve learned along the way.

Just remember that every body is different and/so what works for them might not be best for you. But at least you may hear some things to think about as you continue to explore shaving your pubic area.

Allow your pubic hair to grow back in some, which will allow your skin to settle down, before attempting shaving again.

But do try again - Those who are shaving their pubic area, and those who are benefiting from it say it’s amazing how much it adds to intimate interactions.

All you need to do now is your own research to find out about the shaving tools designed for safely shaving the pubic area.

Bodworx International presents articles, tips, tricks and resources for hair removal from the entire body at their personal shaver website. Visit them at http://www.hair-removal-shaver.com for more information.

Six Reasons Why the Mediterranean Diet Contributes to a Longer, Healthier Life

Over the course of many generations, observers have been able to discern that the people who populate the region around the Mediterranean Sea live longer lives than do men and women in some other parts of the world. Historically, the reason most often attributed to the longevity of the people of the Mediterranean region was climate. However, as researchers became more adept and as scientific methods became more sophisticated, it became clear that while the weather patterns of the Mediterranean area generally were pleasant and inviting, it was the diet of the people in the region that accounted for their longer lives.

There are a number of specific factors related to the Mediterranean diet that nutritionists and medical experts believe contribute to longevity. The more important of these elements are discussed within the confines of this article for your information and guidance.

1. Restorative Effects of the Mediterranean Diet

Many of the specific food items that are part of a Mediterranean diet regimen are high in anti-oxidants. Scientifically speaking, anti-oxidants are important compounds found in certain foods and beverages that work to neutralize the destructive nature of oxidants or free radicals that are found in the human body. Oxidants or free radicals are produced when the body burns oxygen to produce energy. In other words, oxidants really can be considered waste that pollutes the human body.

Over time, the accumulation of oxidants in the body accelerates the aging process. Cells wear and lose their elasticity. Organs end up functioning less efficiently and effectively. Indeed, recent scientific research has demonstrated that oxidants clog arteries raising the threat of stroke. Oxidants are found to contribute to cancer, heart disease and diabetes — the major diseases most responsible for causing people to have premature deaths.

The types of fruits and vegetables that form the foundation of the Mediterranean diet — including richly colored and leafy green vegetables — which are high in anti-oxidants, have a restorative and life prolonging effect on the typical human body.

2. Reducing Cancer Risks

In most parts of the world, cancer of various types is the leading cause of premature death. Studies undertaken by researchers in Europe, Japan and the United States in the past thirty years have demonstrated that the Mediterranean diet effectively reduces the risks of certain types of cancers.

A diet that is high in fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to be effective in reducing the risks of a wide array of different types of cancers. As has been noted previously, the Mediterranean diet includes the generous consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The Mediterranean diet includes very little animal fat. There is a direct link between the consumption of animal fat and colorectal cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease that oftentimes takes the lives of people in their forties and fifties.

Olive oil (truly the foundation of the Mediterranean diet) had been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

By reducing the risks poised by cancer, the lifespan of men and women has been shown to increase appreciably in studies that have followed groups of people over time.

3. Reducing Coronary Heart Disease Risks

Coronary heart disease is one of the top three causes of premature death throughout the world — except in the Mediterranean region. Researchers have concluded that diet has played a large and important role in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease amongst the people who populate the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.

An important study in seven countries (Italy, Greece, Yugoslavia, Finland, United States, Netherlands and Japan) demonstrated that those people who followed a Mediterranean diet regimen were less likely to have coronary heart disease and were less likely to have their lives cut short because of serious and ultimately fatal heart conditions.

4. Reducing Hypertension

On some level, the jury is still out on the direct effects between diet and hypertension or high blood pressure. With that said, it clearly has been demonstrated that hypertension and high blood pressure is responsible for premature deaths the world over. In addition, there is strong evidence to suggest that eliminating certain items from a diet — like processed salts — can work to reduce the risk of hypertension.

Additionally, there is evidence to support the proposition that a diet high in fiber and low in animal fats (like that of the Mediterranean region) works to reduce the threat of hypertension and premature death from this disease.

5. Diabetes Prevention and Control

The Mediterranean diet is well suited to staving off the serious effects of diabetes. The incidence of premature death because of diabetes is lower in those regions in which the Mediterranean diet is practiced. Because diabetes is a disease that can be controlled through diet, electing to utilize the Mediterranean regimen can work to add literally years to a person’s life.

6. The Cumulative Effect of the Mediterranean Diet

It is important to note that the beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet appear to be cumulative over time. In the other words, the longer a person practices the dining habits of the Mediterranean plan, more of inherent physical benefits of this healthy eating regimen will be ingrained into a person’s makeup. Simply put, the benefits of a Mediterranean diet literally are stored up over time, increasing a person’s lifespan and adding to his or her overall health and wellbeing not only now but well into the future.

Site Owner & Publisher Ray Darken - You can gain much more detail from Ray’s sites along with other relevant information at The Mediterranean Diet or http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com/wordpress/

Everyone has heard of skin peels and there are many - lactic, glycolic, salicylic, TCA (trichloroacetic acid), and phenol. Of these there are basically 3 levels:
Minor, superficial peels - lactic, glycolic, salicylic.
Medium depth peels - TCA, Jessner’s
Deep peels - phenol.

We will only deal with medium strength TCA peels here as they are the easiest to apply (Jessner’s can require multiple concurrent applications and taping to aide in skin penetration), safest, and, by far, the most effective against numerous skin ailments/conditions. They are also one of the most effective treatments for acne currently known to the medical community.

The most common treated area is the face. TCA is applied usually in a cream. Doctors will mix Obagi, Apeel, or other previously prepared cream with TCA and then apply this mixture to the face or body area to be treated. The creams tend to have a skin dye of green or blue so the doctor can easily see what areas have and or have not been treated. It is usually applied with a cotton or foam applicator. This is then left on for 10-20 minutes. Some doctors prefer to use a straight (non-cream) solution of TCA. This works much faster and penetrates deeper and is used for deeper peels.

After application and proper time for the desired depth is achieved, the doctor will apply a neutralizer. This is usually just a mixture of baking soda and water made into a paste. Some doctors will add chipped ice to further cool the skin. The skin will now be inflammed and if no dye was used will look like a bad sunburn. This will last 2-4 days until it starts to peel off and reveal new, clean, younger looking skin. Depending on the skin problems treated it may take several treatments, but a major difference will be seen immediately.

The results from a TCA peel are far more reaching than with a regular, superficial peel. Results can last 6 months to a year and it has been known to keep acne at bay, shrink and lessen acne scars, reduce and tighten up wrinkles, improve color, pigmentation, etc… A TCA peel cannot be applied as often as a more superficial peel. Generally speaking, a superficial peel can be applied every 2-5 weeks. A Stronger, medium depth peel needs more time batween peels for the skin to properly heal and regenerate. Doctors like to wait 2-6 months or more between these peels.

This process of chemically exfoliating the skin is more rapid and deeper in a TCA peel than in most peels. Many skin peels, like lactic, glycolic and salicylic are good at reducing oily buildup (overactive sebaceous glands), and very minor skin imperfections. but they cannot effectively treat acne, wrinkles, fine lines, etc… TCA has been proven to treat these deeper skin conditions and is offered at almost every dermatologist and plastic surgeon office. The improvement in skin color, tone, etc… is so drastic that women, even men are lining up in droves to have this done all over the world.

David Maillie is a chemist with over 12 years experience in biochemical research and clynical analysis. He is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.bestskinpeel.com or by visiting or http://www.mdwholesale.com.

He looked down and stared in horror at his withered painful leg. "My God, whose leg is that?" he cried. "It can’t be my leg. That’s an old leg." But it wasn’t old. The other leg was just as old, and it looked fine. His right leg had deteriorated because it had been in a cast for several weeks due to an injury.

Stanford researcher and author, Walter M. Bortz, M.D relates the above incident in his book, "We Live Too Short and Die Too Long". Bortz came to the conclusion that many of the changes that are commonly attributed to aging are, in reality, caused by inactivity. They can occur within a matter of days in anyone, including young people, who are forced to stay in bed.

In the late 1960’s, the Swedish physiologist, Bengt Saltin, asked five young men to remain in bed 24 hours a day for three weeks to study their bodies’ physiological response. Two of the men were athletes and the remaining three ranged from relatively active to sedentary. Saltin found that within those 21 days all of the men experienced a dramatic drop in their aerobic capacity equivalent to almost 20 years of aging.

But it’s never too late to start feelin’ great! William H. Evans, PH.D author of Biomarkers says it well. "Aging is not a static irreversible biological condition of unwavering decrepitude. Rather, it’s a dynamic state that, in most people, can be changed for the better no matter how many years they’ve lived or neglected their body in the past."

Evans should know. His landmark studies at Tufts University involved people ranging in age to nearly 100 years. In a 12 week program of strength training for men in their 60’s and 70’s, their lifting ability went from 44 to 85 pounds-nearly a 100% increase.

Yes, you have a second chance to right the wrongs you have committed against your body. With the right exercise program, which includes strength training, you can regain the vigor, vitality, heart health and endurance you thought were gone forever!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, "You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately." Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen’s chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries.

"A six way heart bypass isn’t a record" said Gene, "but it’s not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me."

Gene Millen reviews new research on heart attack risks that are more dangerous than high cholesterol… and how natural supplements and heart vitamins can send them packing! Check out The Heart Health website at http://www.heart-health-for-life.com

Need a free article for your newsletter or website? Go to…

Now mater how frantic your schedule is this holiday season you can celebrate the holidays in stunning style and avoid the season’s must common beauty problems with the following expert beauty tips. Looking gorgeous for all the seasons festive has never been so easy.

Conceal under eyes bags – Place a small dot of contour cream or powder on the puff area under the eye and blend thoroughly. Next using a thin makeup brush or a Q-tip apply highlighter directly in the crease under the puffy area and blend. Now cover with foundation and set with face powder.

Reenergize flat lifeless hair – Flip your hair over and spritz a volumizing spray on the underside roots, flip hair back over and apply volumizing spray on top roots. Next using a hair dryer set on low blow bottom roots for a minute then do top roots for a minute.

Disguise blood shot eyes – Use dark blue eyeliner and mascara. The blue will bring out the white in your eyes and dilute the red.

Go from office to party – To easily take your makeup from work to party all you need is a glittery eye shadow, a lip gloss, eyeliner for touch up, and face powder with a large makeup brush. To take your wardrobe from work to party you need to start with a simply black dress or top and bottom combo that will work for the day with a business jacket or one of this seasons popular sweaters and which can be transform to party wear by simply adding one of the following items; glittering earrings and necklace set, a gold or sliver cardigan, or try one of the season’s hot velvet jackets.

Rejuvenate your complexion – Before going to bed remove all makeup and thoroughly cleanse your face. After cleaning your face massage your skin with a vitamin enriched moisturizer for about 3 minutes to nourish your skin, stimulate blood circulation and create a healthy natural glow.

Eileen Hammel is a Nationally & Internationally Recognized Image, Style and Beauty Expert Ms.Hammel is President of Smarter Image,and Smart Skin Care - Smart Cosmetics by Smarter Image. http://www.smartskincaresmartcosmetics.com/

How we age is largely dependent upon our attitude and expectations. If we think and act young we will stay younger and enjoy life to a much greater extent.

Too many people, when they think of the elderly, conjure up images of being frail, sickly, mindless and sexless. WRONG! Examples of vigorous and vital people in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s abound.

A biblical proverb comes to mind. "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he." This principle is as true today as when it was penned more than 2,000 years ago. How we think has an enormous effect on what we become.

Lucille Thompson of Danville, Ill, an 88 year old, 4 foot 11 inch grandmother had begun to stoop and to feel the arthritis in her fingers. The exercises she was given at the local senior center didn’t have any effect. So she signed up for a Tae Kwan Do class and after two years of practice earned a black belt, along with the nickname killer!

I’ve had the privilege of knowing dozens of older adults whose energy, enthusiasm and physical condition is the envy of their friends who are 20 years younger. Too often people think that they are getting old when all they need is more exercise and a more positive attitude.

It is estimated that 80% of the health problems of older people are preventable or postponable. They are usually the result of years of inactivity and poor nutritional choices. Research shows that inactivity will put us at greater risk for a heart attack than smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

The good news is that we have a second chance to right the wrongs we have committed against our body. With the right exercise, a low carb eating program and heart vitamins you can regain the vigor, vitality and heart health that you thought were gone forever! It’s never too late to start feelin’ great!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, "You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately." Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen’s chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries.

"A six way heart bypass isn’t a record" said Gene, "but it’s not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me."

Gene Millen reviews new research on heart attack risks that are more dangerous than high cholesterol… and how natural supplements and heart vitamins can send them packing! Check out The Heart Health website at http://www.heart-health-for-life.com

Need a free article for your newsletter or website? Go to…

Have you ever examined the ingredients listed on the labels of your cosmetics or other skin care products? Do you know what those ingredients are?

What you may not realize is that many of the skin care products and cosmetics you are buying contain ingredients that are not only harmful to your skin, but also to your long term health. Many of these ingredients are known carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and are used by the cosmetic industry simply because they are cheap!

Harmful Ingredients Commonly Found in Skin Care Products and Cosmetics:

The following are just some of the synthetic chemicals that have been identified by scientific studies to be harmful to our health.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate (ALS)

Often described as being "derived from coconut" to disguise their toxic nature, these chemicals are commonly used in shampoos, toothpaste, foaming facial and body cleansers and bubble bath. SLS and ALS can cause severe skin irritation, and are easily absorbed into the body, building up in the brain, heart, lungs and liver, leading to potential long term health problems. SLS and ALS may also cause cataracts, and prevent children’s eyes from developing properly.

Paraben Preservatives

Parabens are widely used in cosmetics, deodorants, skin care and baby products to prolong their shelf life. They are known to be highly toxic and have caused rashes and allergic reactions. Recent scientific studies in the UK found a strong link between the use of parabens and the increasing rate of breast cancer in women. Researchers found a high concentration of parabens in 90% of breast tumors tested.

Propylene Glycol

Found in many beauty creams, cosmetics and cleansers, Propylene Glycol can cause skin rashes and contact dermatitis, and has been shown to cause damage to the kidneys and liver.

Isopropyl Alcohol

Alcohol is used as a solvent in many skin care products. It causes skin irritation and strips the skin of its natural acid mantle, promoting the growth of bacteria, moulds and viruses. It may also cause premature ageing of skin.

DEA (Diethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine) and MEA (Monoethanolamine)

These substances are harsh solvents and detergents that are used in cosmetics and face and body creams as an emollient. They can cause allergic reactions, and long term use of DEA-based products (such as Cocamide DEA) have been linked to an increase in the incidence of liver and kidney cancer.

Aluminum

A common ingredient in antiperspirants, aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mineral Oil

Derived from petroleum (crude oil), mineral oil is commonly found as a main ingredient of face and body creams and cosmetics. Baby oil is 100% mineral oil! It coats the skin like a plastic film, clogging pores and stopping the skin from eliminating toxins, which can lead to acne and other skin disorders. Other petroleum based ingredients include paraffin wax, paraffin oil and petrolatum.

Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)

Used as a thickener in skin care products and cosmetics, PEGs interfere with the skin’s natural moisture balance, causing an increase in ageing and leaving the skin vulnerable to bacteria.

Talc

Talc is a soft mineral used in talcum powders and cosmetic powders. Scientific studies have shown that routine application of talcum powder to the genital area is linked with a three-to-fourfold increase in the development of ovarian cancer. Inhaling cosmetic powders containing talc may also be harmful to long term health.

How To Avoid These Toxins

Examine the labels of your cosmetics and skin care products carefully, and learn to recognize ingredients that are harmful to your skin and to your health. Many web sites have lists of potentially harmful ingredients in addition to those shown above (e.g. Environmental Working Group).

Don’t be fooled by the words ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ on the front of the label. Many products contain at least one or two natural or organic ingredients, but they may also contain harmful synthetic chemicals as well.

Whenever possible, choose products with 100% natural ingredients such as essential oils and herbs. Your skin will love you for it!

Your source for information about ACNE causes, treatments, prevention strategies, coping tips and more; for both genders, all ages, is presented in a non-physician jargon, easy-to-follow format.

Visit us at http://www.naturalacnetreatmentinfo.com

"It ain’t fun getting’ old… but it beats the alternative." Surprising new research indicates that a low carb diet may help us live longer. Since some of my friends have been so rude as to suggest that I’m "older than dirt" I thought it would be a good idea to learn more about aging… especially how to slow it down.

"The Anti-Aging Solution" seminar featured Vincent Giampapa, M.D. cofounder of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, which now has more than 2,000 physician members. The seminar included the usual anti-aging strategies that we are familiar with but don’t always practice, such as reducing stress, eating the right foods, taking natural health supplements, heart vitamins and of course getting enough exercise.

Then it started to get real interesting. Doctor Giampapa and his associates have taken these strategies to a new level by showing how our genes are affected by our lifestyle. Since I a proponent of the low carb eating approach, the role that sugar and other refined carbohydrates play in prematurely aging us was especially fascinating. The typical American diet of white flour products, snacks and fast foods quickly turns into glucose creating a domino effect, which plays havoc with our healthy heart goals.

Although the clinical studies showing the connection between low carb diets and longevity are recent, the evidence is very compelling. Dr. Cynthia Kenyon, a noted anti aging researcher at U.C. San Francisco, has conducted an amazing experiment. Dr. Kenyon turned down the activity on a single gene in lowly earthworms and extended their life by an astounding 600%.

What is so interesting about this gene is that the human counterpart is a critical network of genes known as the insulin gene pathway which influences aging, fat storage and metabolism.

Here’s how it works. Sugar is toxic to cells, (as a sweet-o-holic it pains me to write this) and this glucose overload causes the cells to become insulin resistant over time. When this happens you develop diabetes and are susceptible to a host of other life threatening diseases. Medical researchers tell us that the vast majority of overweight people suffer from insulin resistance.

"High carb diets are lethal because they produce high levels of insulin and prevent your body from burning fat," says Jonny Bowden, a certified nutrition specialist and author of the book, "Living the Low-Carb Life."

Research data consistently finds three common factors in people who are mentally and physically fit and live to be at least 100 years old. The first is low triglycerides, the second is high levels of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), and the third is a low level of fasting insulin.

"A low-carb diet improves all these variables," says Bowden. "So bingo, you just hit your three longevity bull’s-eyes. Add exercise and sleep, which are proved to raise HDL, and you’ve got it made!"

Sounds like a good plan to me. Take advantage of these strategies to slow aging and improve your heart health for life!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The cardiologist looked up from the treadmill report and grimly stated, "You are a walking time bomb. You need to go to the hospital immediately." Two days later a heart surgeon sawed open Gene Millen’s chest and stitched in bypasses to six clogged arteries.

"A six way heart bypass isn’t a record" said Gene, "but it’s not bad for a skinny 59 year old with normal cholesterol and blood pressure. The villains and heroes in the heart attack melodrama may surprise you as they have me."

Gene Millen reviews new research on heart attack risks that are more dangerous than high cholesterol… and how natural supplements and heart vitamins can send them packing! Check out The Heart Health website at http://www.heart-health-for-life.com

Need a free article for your newsletter or website? Go to…

My husband loves the “natural way I look” without using any makeup or salon products. Fortunately he leaves for work before I start my daily beauty routine, and he sleeps late on weekends. This gives me all the time I need to have a secret affair with my salon products that I’ve hidden in places no man ever goes – like the medicine cabinet and the space under the sink.

It’s not that I HAVE to mislead him but, hey, if he “loves me like I am” there’s no reason to tell him that the “real me” is perfectly happy to get a little help from my friends at PureOlogy, Aquage, Redken, Paul Mitchell, Graham Webb and others. Their salon products work hard to make the “enhanced me” look like the “real me” and my husband doesn’t have a clue!

You see, that’s what really goes on when you select quality salon products to help you look your best. You’re simply enhancing the real you by filling in and smoothing over those parts of your body that Mother Nature was too busy to take care of herself

Using what I call the “top down approach” I start the morning off by pampering my hair with a shampoo and conditioner from one of my favorite salon product gurus like Paul Mitchell or Graham Webb.

After towel drying my hair and body I move on to catering to my skin. Because skin comes under attack every day from sunlight, household chemicals, pollutants, and general environmental nastiness, I apply a body moisturizer everywhere but my face, which gets a special face moisturizer but only after I’ve splashed on an alcohol and fragrance-free skin toner like Botanical Tonique, the one offered by the salon products experts at Pharmagel.

All of the better salon products companies have good moisturizers; just make sure that you choose one that is oil-free and contains agents that will bind your body’s natural moisture to the skin.

My next stop is my eyes. Since I am such a wise woman and a happy one too, I’m “blessed” to have little crinkles and wrinkles of joy and knowledge under my eyes. While women who have no idea how to get rid of them will tell you that they make you look attractive, I know a lie when I hear one. That’s why I reach into my salon products bag of tricks and grab a bottle of Genie Instant Line Smoother. If you’re thinking caked on cover-up, think again. The better salon products brand of line smoother makeup gently fills in the wrinkles, lines, and creases in your skin. It’s not just for the eyes either. Lots of women use line smoother to attack lines and wrinkles on their forehead, mouth, and neck and bust line.

A little touch of this, a little dab of that, and before you know it – my investment in salon products has paid off and I’m looking forward to hearing how “naturally beautiful” I look today!

Barb - http://www.stuff4beauty.com

The “Baby Boomers” are beginning to turn 60 in the year 2006.

Most people avoid the process of aging until they have to deal with it. Many people deny that they are in the process of aging, and the fact that at the far edge of the aging process is a confrontation with the ultimate transition of death. In fact, our society avoids discussing aging and death & dying. These natural processes become an unwanted mystery that we must unravel by ourselves. This adds to the fear and the loneliness for many people.

Face it, our society is still celebrating youth and beauty. The wisdom of the older members of our society is often ridiculed because it is not found easily on the internet or is not considered “cutting edge.” Well, this is going to be reaching the fore-front as our media must deal with the mass of humanity that has driven all the cultural trends since the “Boomers” first arrived in the late 1940’s and 1950’s. The youth dominated society will quietly give way to the inevitable swell of the wave of aging Boomers.

As reluctant as we may be about facing the process of aging and death/dying, we must consider the fear and the loneliness that will be more and more common. It is depressing to feel the effects of aging. Nobody wants to feel the aches and pains, the loss of hearing, eyesight, mental acuity, or energy that seems to accompany the process of aging. Anxiety is also very common. This anxiety is caused by the fears of the unknown regarding our future. As our society increases its pace of change, older people are feeling their bodies slowing down. This is a scary combination for the people aware of what is going on.

Support helps. Family (if you have them,) friends, co-workers, church members, therapists, and other health care professionals can help you find the local services that are available. Perhaps the political and economic power of the baby boomers will even cause the politicians to loosen their available resources to serve this large group of voters.

On an individual basis, people need to discover what their needs or requirements are. These will be slightly different for each person moving through this difficult transition. Basically, we need to make extra efforts to take good care of ourselves. We need to eat “right.” We need to get regular exercise, that our bodies can tolerate but which gently pushes our limits. We need to manage our stress and anxiety with prayer, meditation, or stress management techniques. We need to keep our minds young and active by continuous life long learning and positive social contacts. We need the adventures that make life worth living. We need healthy relationships with people who really care about our well being. And if you do not have any of the positive relationships, you need to go out and find them. Sitting around and feeling sorry for yourself, makes you a victim to aging and most healthy people do not want to be around “victims” for long relationships. Learn to give back. Volunteer. Continue to work and to be productive. Do not quit!

Finally, we all need to learn the lessons of aging. We need to learn to accept that it is a natural part of the process of living. I am not saying to give up, lay down and to die. I am saying that we must let go of our fear and anxiety about aging and the unknown of dying. We need to find celebration in the process and fully accept that none of us are going to get out alive. Instead of dwelling on the negative, we must dance in the light of the positive. Find what gives you joy and do it! Find out what gives you purpose and pursue it. Find out what makes you feel productive and chase this with all available energy.

Celebrate your life and give it your best shot. Do not live with regrets of what you should have done. Go do it! Even if you do not succeed in getting everything done “right,” you can still celebrate the process of pursuing your goal. Find the grace and the elegance of the aging process, as best you can. (I know this is much easier said than done…)

Along the way, find a way to share your lessons, your wisdom, your experience, and your passion for life. Many other people need you as a role model of how to live life to the fullest.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the stress management products that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.