We love tiny tattoos and celebs love them, too. Stars including Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber have a few of ’em. So, when we saw Kylie Jenner’s Stormi tattoo photos, we know the trend isn’t going anywhere. Jenner also has a few tattoos—well, more than a few, and most of them are red. We think she has around nine, including “sanity” written phonetically on her hip, a heart on the back of her arm and the name of her grandmother Mary Jo, also on her arm. Eagle-eyed fans spotted her newest tattoo on her forearm and knew right away it was a nod to her daughter, Stormi.

Jenner’s tattoo reads “4:43,” it looks like in black ink. This was the time Stormi was born on February 1, 2018. Of course, this isn’t her first tattoo for her daughter. She and Travis Scott have matching “Stormi” tattoos on their triceps. It’s obvious how important their baby is to them. (Not that she’s a baby anymore. She’s talking now!)

Source: Instagram

Jenner and Scott have another matching tattoo that might be a nod to Stormi: a tiny butterfly on each of their legs. Or it would be a reference to Scott’s song “Butterfly Effect,” which came out in 2017 around the time they started dating. Jenner seems to be especially into matching tats with the important people in her life. She also has an “m” on her finger with then-best friend Jordyn Woods. And the tiny “t” on her ankle for then-boyfriend Tyga? She changed it to read “LA,” which is a lot more accurate to her life now.

If you’d like to see upfront-and-personal the face of the fastest-growing group of people at risk for opioid addiction and abuse, look in your bathroom mirror. While it may be comforting to believe that drug addiction affects mostly people who are “not like us,” the truth is a little different.

As boomer women, we are part of an increasingly expanding group of people who take painkillers for all the right reasons and follow our doctors’ instructions. The issue then, is that we may find ourselves unable to stop taking them or suffering horrible side effects.

These opioid painkillers come in a variety of forms and formulations. Some of the more common ones include oxycodone (such as OxyContin), hydrocodone (such as Vicodin) and morphine.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is significantly more powerful than other types of opioids. This drug is approved for severe pain relief, such as for patients with advanced cancer. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports it is about 50 to 100 times stronger than morphine.

How Big a Problem is Opioid Misuse?

Prescription sales of opioids in the U.S. have reached a level to where every American adult, literally, can have a bottle of these pills in their home.

What is even more worrisome is that while there has been more than a three-fold increase in prescriptions, Americans overall are not reporting more pain. If people are not experiencing more pain, why has the use of opioids increased?

A big reason for this is overprescribing by well-intentioned doctors. Another could be that previously addicted patients develop strategies for continuing their supply. These strategies include going to multiple doctors and pharmacies. And, sometimes, you may have been misdiagnosed and prescribed opioids when you didn’t really need them.

Another staggering statistic is that, according to the CDC, the number of deaths due to abuse or misuse of opioids continues to rise. To give you an example of how serious this problem is, between 1999 and 2014, annual death rates for opioids more than doubled from 6.1 per 100,000 to 14.7 per 100,000.

Despite efforts to address this opioid epidemic, the CDC reports that death rates continue to rise. Statistics between 2010 and 2014 show a steady increase from 38,329 to 47,055 annually.

We also need to consider the loss of quality of life, the expense and the emotional toll of this abuse to boomers and their families.

Looking more closely at the boomer group, the federal government reports that more than 6 out of every 1,000 Medicare patients have some type of opioid abuse or misuse. In contrast, only 1 out of every 1,000 patients covered by private insurance abuse or misuse opioids.

Data show that one-third of Medicare patients receive at least one prescription a year for the most commonly abused opioids. This is data we cannot afford to ignore.

Boomers at Higher Risk for Opioid Addiction

According to various studies, the likelihood that we will abuse opioids or take them longer than needed increases after the third day of use and rises rapidly from that point on. Let that sink in – after only three days of taking an opioid painkiller, you run a high risk of abuse or addiction.

Increasing this risk are several factors that are specific to boomers. These include the following:

#One

We take more medications for more diseases or conditions than younger people do. In fact, we account for almost a third of prescription drug use in the United States. This increases the chances that we may make mistakes when taking our meds, which can translate into harmful drug interactions.

#Two

As we get older, our bodies may eliminate medications more slowly. This means opioids and other medications can build-up to unsafe levels in our bodies rather quickly. What may be a typical dose for a younger person could prove dangerous, addictive or even fatal to us.

#Three

Boomers may have higher rates of pain than younger people. This increases our probability of being prescribed opioids, sometimes even when we don’t really need them. Unfortunately, the more we have and take, the higher our risk of abuse or addiction.

#Four

As boomer women, we have an even higher risk of opioid abuse and addiction than do boomer men. While studies are still being done on why this is happening, initial explanations include our preference for taking psychoactive drugs to help us deal with painful life events such as widowhood or forced isolation and loneliness.

Boomer men, in comparison, have a greater tendency to use and abuse alcohol as a coping mechanism.

Some Steps to Minimize Opioid Side Affects and Addiction Risk

There are a few simple things we can do to minimize our risk of developing opioid abuse or addiction.

Talk with Your Doctor About Avoiding Opioid Addiction

Let your doctor know which prescription and over-the-counter medications you are taking. Ask if there would be interactions with the opioid painkiller you’re being prescribed. Make sure to learn about possible side effects and how to best manage them.

Limit Your Use

All research makes it clear that you should take any opioid painkiller for the shortest possible time. The ideal would be three days (the threshold for abuse and addition).

So, ask your doctor to give you the least amount necessary, use them as directed, and then move to non-opioid pain medicines. Of course, if you are battling cancer or another chronic disease, talk with your pain management expert for advice and support.

Use One Pharmacy

In addition to being more convenient, having all your medications filled at the same pharmacy makes it easier to track your use. Also, this is a simple way for your healthcare providers to know what and how much of it you are taking.

Follow Directions Carefully

Don’t mix-and-match your pain medications on your own or take them with alcohol or medications such as sleeping pills, muscle relaxants or tranquilizers. You also should not increase your dosage if you feel they are not working. Talk with your doctor first, and get their recommendation.

You should also talk with a competent doctor or healthcare provider about using minerals as a second line of defense (or as an adjunct) to prescription pain medicines.

Magnesium, for example, can be a huge help in managing the perception of pain. It has anti-nociceptive effects, which means it can keep a sensory receptor for pain from overreacting when it sends pain signals to the brain.

Spinach, pumpkin seeds, yogurt or kefir, almonds and black beans are good sources of magnesium. Another mineral to keep in mind is zinc. Animal studies suggest it may even help with opioid withdrawal and addiction.

Keep in mind that taking opioid painkillers may also remove vital nutrients from your body. So be sure to have your healthcare provider check your vitamin, mineral and other nutrient levels if you are going to be taking these medications for more than a couple of days.

Your best approach is to try non-opioid painkiller and non-pharmacological options first, and if these don’t work, then take the smallest effective opioid painkiller dose for the shortest possible time.

What is your experience with taking opioid painkillers for either acute or chronic pain? What steps have you taken to minimize your risk of abuse or addiction? Have you experienced either and how did you deal with it? Tell us about it. Please join the conversation.

Editor’s note: Nothing in this article should be considered medical advice. Always consult a doctor before making any changes to your diet, medical plan, or exercise routine.

Eating healthy, staying active, and sleeping well are all things that we can do to keep the effects of aging from creeping up on us too fast. We should embrace our aging bodies, of course, but there are a few extra things that we can do to help us feel beautiful.

Our skin is often one of the first telltale signs of aging. Over time, it thins, wrinkles, and dries, and it may even spot. There’s no escaping that, but there are anti-aging creams that can make our skin feel and look better by erasing fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots.

By the way, I don’t really like that widely used term in the beauty industry. “Anti-aging” makes it sound like there’s something wrong with aging. I prefer pro-aging!

You may already be applying moisturizers, creams, or serums on your face every day. Did you know that your skin repairs itself while you sleep? By choosing the right night cream for your skin type and condition, you can give your body the extra boost it needs to keep your skin as healthy as possible.

Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Longwill in Florida says:

Your nighttime regimen should be about cleansing, repairing, and soothing. While we sleep, our skin is regenerating which is why it is beneficial to apply products that are focused on hydrating and recovering. It is also important to make sure that the products you are applying are formulated to penetrate deep into the skin.

Dermatologist Recommendations

Dr. Shainhouse, a board-certified dermatologist at SkinSafe Dermatology and Skin Care in Beverly Hills, California, recommends the following four anti-aging night creams for women over 50.

Olay Regenerist: Microsculping Fragrance-Free Cream

This thicker, non-greasy offering by Olay moisturizes the skin without causing irritation or breakouts. It contains moisture-attracting hyaluronic acid, collagen-building peptides, and skin-calming niacinamide and green tea.

The dimethicone helps create an intact skin barrier to trap moisture and hydration in the skin so that you wake up to skin with a smoother, plumper, dewier appearance.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Regenerating Cream with Accelerated Retinol SA (Fragrance-Free)

Neutrogena’s rapid wrinkle repair cream contains retinol, the only scientifically-proven molecule to help promote new collagen growth and improve the appearance of wrinkles. Retinoids also facilitate cell turnover, bringing fresh new cells to the skin surface, so that your skin appears brighter and younger.

The classic night serum version is very lightweight and layers nicely under a thicker moisturizer. This newer moisturizer version has a smooth texture and application and still feels light on the skin, while providing moisturizing and skin barrier repairing ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and dimethicone.

Avène Eau Thermal – Tolérance Extrême Creme

If you have hypersensitive or allergic skin, Avène’s tolérance extreme is a great option. It contains no fragrance, emulsifiers, or preservatives, so this thick white cream absorbs and doesn’t cause skin irritation.

SkinFix Barrier⁺ Lipid Peptide Cream

This thicker moisturizer by SkinFix helps to replace the lipids and fatty acids that naturally occur in healthy skin. It strengthens the skin barrier and helps to soothe dry, tight, irritated skin.

It also contains moisturizing ingredients like glycerin and squalene that are locked in by the barrier-protective lipids (Shea, sunflower, vegetable, jojoba). It is non-comedogenic, doesn’t feel thick or sticky on the skin, and absorbs well.

Dr. Rina Allawh is a board-certified dermatologist in the Philadelphia area with a special interest in the unique challenges of pigmented skin in regards to anti-aging, skincare, sun care, and skin cancer. She mentions that a night cream containing retinol should be part of every anti-aging regimen.

“Retinol creams can provide non-invasive wrinkle prevention, evening out the complexion, promoting increased cell turnover, and reducing pore size.”

She also specifies that retinol use can sometimes cause some dryness, peeling, and skin irritation. Her go-to topical retinol cream is the La Roche-Posay Redermic R with Retinol Cream.

La Roche-Posay Redermic R with Retinol Cream

According to Dr. Allawh, this product provides optimum hydration (via the “Retinol Booster Complex”) with minimal skin irritation. If you are searching for a mild alternative to retinoids, you can look ingredients called retin-alts. These are natural alternatives to retinol which treat acne and improve skin texture, and also have anti-aging properties.

Under the “retin-alt” fall:

• Bakuchiol, named after the Bakuchi plant.
• Resveratrol, sourced from grapes and olives, which contains powerful antioxidants.
• Carrot oil, potent on carotenoids, such as Astaxanthin. Beta-carotene is thought to convert to vitamin A in the body, providing a natural “retinoid-like” benefit. Carrot oil has been used as an ingredient in various hair serums.
• Cacay oil, a plant-based derivative of vitamin A.

Highly Rated Night Creams for Older Women

Here are several other highly-rated creams available for nightly use.

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream

This RoC night cream contains powerful retinol and an exclusive mineral complex. The non-greasy and non-comedogenic formula helps reduce the appearance of deep wrinkles while lifting and firming the skin. It’s gentle enough for nightly use. This cream is tried and tested with over 3000 positive reviews on Amazon.

Collagen Face Moisturizer by L’Oreal Paris Skin Care Day/Night Cream

If retinol irritates your skin, you can try this day/night combo moisturizer from L’Oréal Paris. It gently nourishes and replenishes your skin while you sleep as collagen fills in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Clinique Turnaround Overnight Revitalizing Moisturizer

A revitalizing night cream from Clinique leaves your skin plump and silky. If you care for youthful looks, this is a great option for you. Wake up with glowing skin!

Have you tried any of these night creams? What was your experience like? Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us about your nighttime skincare regimen. Let’s chat night creams.

We love our friends. We really do. But even as I practice channeling acceptance, meditating, Zen breathing, and openness to the universe, I get irritated. It’s not about accepting them. I do. It’s not about judgement. I don’t judge. I think it’s about their crazy banging into mine.

A meme swirling around social media says it well: “When your friend’s mental illness matches your own, priceless.” So true. Yet, living through it can be much more challenging. How can we honor ourselves, our friends, and our intentions when a moment of irritation sets in?

It Is Just a Moment

“It is just a moment” can also be aptly named “this too shall pass.” To get past the moments, the trick is to string together more times that you like who you are with them. Pay close attention to the choices you make in the moment. And then rewrite the history of how you see yourself.

One reaction is just that. Just one time. It is the pattern that emerges over time, and time, and more time that we need to notice and keep on course. Small detours and course corrections to our own choices are the tending to keeping that train on its tracks.

Do Not Take It Personally

Everyone advises to not take things personally, but it is hard to do sometimes. But do it you must.

Start by reminding yourself it may not be you, even if it sure does feel that way. It is your friend’s stuff (behaviors, actions, choices), and you just have to breathe through it. Repeat to yourself, “I am just here, and it would happen to whoever was in this spot at this time. It’s not about me.”

Own Your Own Quirks

Why is it always more obvious when someone else displays the behavior? It’s so easy to point at them and carry on. The adage wisely says, “When you point a finger at someone, there are three pointing back at you.”

Seeing your crazy in someone else is hard to take. You must be brave to see yourself in their actions. You have to get past the annoyance, irritation, and anger. And then you start the hard work of choosing to let go or change.

Now let me illustrate with an example from some time ago.

I was picking up a friend at the airport. I was five minutes away from the rendezvous point when she called and said, “We just landed, it will be another half-hour until I get off and pick up my luggage. And, by the way, my phone is at 1% so you can’t reach me.”

I was about to explode. I could have run another errand instead of waiting. I could have slept late if she’d only considered that there is free texting on most flights these days and jacks to charge your phone.

Why was she devaluing my time? There are so many other things I could have done other than wait for her at the airport for 30 minutes.

I took my own advice and considered what might be the reason she did not text earlier or have her phone charged.

Was she afraid I’d leave her waiting at the airport? Or that I’d be late, despite my track record, so she told me an earlier time? Might I have done the same thing in her situation? This took me back to years past when we had to meet people without cell phones to communicate.

And I remembered it was just a moment and let it go. I just waited in the cell lot, made a few calls, because I was not at 1% on my phone, and when I saw her – gave a huge hello, held no grudge, no resentment, and no hostility.

I knew it was about her and not me. I accepted our friendship and quirks for what they are. Her need to be waited on and my need to squeeze activity into every second of the day. However, although it was just a moment, I have since declined to pick her up from anywhere.

Know When It Crosses the Line

Sometimes it may not be your crazy. Friends you love and respect can become aggressive. It is hardest when they do not recognize it. In these situations, it is best to detach. Remember, you can disengage and still love the other.

In most conversations, adding personal experience deepens the understanding. Not with my friend… she sees it as competition. I can see that about her now. What I cannot see is why I continue to accept my friend’s continuous hostility toward me.

Over several conversations she has said, “end of topic,” and then turned around and walked away from the sandbox. Is this what being kind embodies in a 60-year-old? She digs her heels in, says I am not listening, and believes she has the higher-level bit. I wish I could have videotaped that.

I try to relate with my experience, but she discounts my efforts and says, “I’m competitive.” She is the competitive one – thinking the situation is so different or special. She digs in – and that is her crazy. I take the bait and dig back – my crazy.

Either way, telling me how competitive she is and then not allowing for discussion is her controlling and uncomfortableness, not mine. And repeatedly doing it crosses a line.

This is a 42-year friendship I had to think long and hard about staying involved with. I have come to decide that the way she speaks to me and deals with conflict is unacceptable in my life today.

Meditating Vs. Medicating

Do you find yourself mentally preparing to spend time with this friend? If you feel that you are the one who is always compromising, taking the blame, and accepting her shortcomings while she continues to refuse yours, it’s time for real honesty.

Do not confuse meditation with medication. Finding your Zen and being present in each relationship through meditation is a healthy approach. If you find yourself medicating to be with your friends, this is a good sign it’s time to let go of whatever you are holding onto for your own sanity.

What’s Next

Look at the relationship as an observer. Look in and see if you are being the type of friend you want to be and expect from others. Decide if you are being treated with the kindness and respect you want from others.

Be gentle with yourself and your friend. We all want to be happy and loved. Cultivate relationships where the feeling is mutual and comes naturally.

Do you keep one or more friendships from decades ago? What are these friendships like today? Do you have friends who have come to act more like enemies as the years went by? Have you let friends go? Why? Please share your thoughts with the community!

Kelly Dodd’s White Puff Sleeve Crop Top on Instagram

Real Housewives of Orange County 2020 Instagram Fashion

On Insta Kelly Dodd was trying to sell us on her adorable workout clothes she was gifted. Little did she know she was also selling us on her adorable white puff sleeve crop top. I love her top because you can dress it up or dress it down depending on your mood. The puff sleeve gives any outfit such sophistication which is def something I need in my life. I’m turning another year older next week and I think I need to slip out of my usual baggy work out clothes and slip into a nice puff sleeve top for my outings (when those happen again). And then once I’m done for the day I’ll slip back into  some of Kelly’s cute Bare Athletics pieces.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here To Shop Her A.L.C. Mandy Crop Top

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Photo: @kellyddodd

Originally posted at: Kelly Dodd’s White Puff Sleeve Crop Top