We all know that we are not going to live forever. But when we enter our 60s, the harsh reality of our own expiration date hits home.

The good news is that if you are 67 years old and have no chronic diseases, you can expect to live another 22.6 years. You will likely live to see your 90^th birthday!

If you have a chronic disease – or more than one – you are in good company. Nearly four in five older Americans live with multiple chronic medical conditions. And this is without factoring in the pandemic.

Do You Have Multiple Chronic Diseases?

At the age of 63, I learned I had systemic lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Raynaud’s Syndrome, and Sjogren’s Syndrome. “How long will I live?” I thought to myself.

In my stunned state, I could not verbalize this question to my physician. I am a retired nursing professor. I knew I could get the answer. As soon as I got home, I googled “peer reviewed clinical trials on life expectancy with several chronic diseases.”

In an instant, I had my answer.

“Life expectancy decreases by approximately 1.8 years with each additional chronic condition.”

Ok, I could live with that. But what about systemic lupus specifically? I lost many patients to lupus over the years.

Is My Chronic Disease Different?

I narrowed my search criteria. I wanted to know about life expectancy, women, and systemic lupus. I googled “Peer reviewed clinical trials on life expectancy for women with systemic lupus.”

This headline hit hard: “Lupus Patients, Especially Women, Die at Younger Ages.”

The 2017 Stanford study showed that “Women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the U.S. live on average 22 years less — and men an average of 12 fewer years — than members of the same sex among the public at large.”

At 65, I felt like my time was almost up.

My fate was sealed.

Something More, Please

Like you, I want more than statistics. And I want more than conventional medicine – medications and medical advice.

I want beauty, joy, and solid science to show me the way.

I want to live longer. I want to feel and look great while I am at it.

Following Doctors Orders

I take my prescribed Plaquenil medication for lupus. It eases my symptoms.

For the first year, I followed my doctor’s advice to stay out of the sun. I did one better – I stayed inside most of the time.

The year of my diagnosis, I was anxious, sad, and angry. It took me a year to practice going outside.

According to research, we all spend, on average, 93% of our time inside. I was surprised to learn that we spend more time inside than a maximum security prisoner.

I tell my story of hiding inside in my book Take Back Your Outside Mindset. Between those covers I also share my journey from rock bottom to health, hope, and happiness with the help of trees.

Trees, Please

To study life span and trees, research teams follow where people live and how long they live over many years. One scientist summed up his results by saying, “in general, it is best to have trees around.”

The research team led by Dr. Dan Crouse found that living with two blocks of green space makes you live longer.

The study found that in areas of high pollution people die earlier. And that even in low levels of pollution, they could measure the effect on life span. Trees made the difference.

Do Trees Help Us to Live Longer with Chronic Disease?

A 2017 nation wide Harvard study matched trees and chronic disease. Scientists discovered that those women who lived with trees and green spaces around their homes, lived longer.

The 100,000 women who had greenness within a 15-minute walk radius of their homes, had a 12% lower early death rate than those is the least green areas.

How They Did It

This study started in 1976 with 121,701 female registered nurses – 30–55 years old, from 11 states. “Twice a year nurses state their medical diagnosis and their health exposures.” The study defined health exposures as: air pollution, noise, and extreme heat.

The nurses were into it, with response rates of as high as 90%. The researchers calculated response rate in this study as the number of women who returned the survey and are still alive.

A major strength of this study was the use of sophisticated satellite imagery from NASA’s Terra satellite. This allowed the researchers to measure the detail of greenness around each study participant’s residence. They measured a radius reachable in a 10–15-minute walk around their home.

Step Outside and Breathe

The research is in. To extend our lives, we simply have to step out the door and breathe.

When we are on a fixed income and have fixed energy levels – simple, effortless, and free count.

Here are some research-based tips for getting the most of tree air.

Start Small

Science shows that a few minutes outside bring proven health benefits.

Time outside intervals (dose) and health benefits (response) are in my research based Tree Air Action Plan.

Notice Something New

Make a plan to notice something new each time you go outside. Next time you go outside, plan to bend down and touch a plant, shrub or tree for a few seconds. 60-something Stanford psychologist Ellen Langer, PhD, says that ‘noticing’ puts our minds in the present.

Take Your Deepest Breath of the Day

Try to take your deepest breath of the day when you are outside. One deep breath flips your nervous system from anxious (sympathetic) to calm (parasympathetic). When you breathe in near trees, you are breathing in longevity aerosols.

Celebrate Small Wins: You Went Outside Today for Two Minutes!

High five! Even if you managed to step outside to breathe for two minutes – this is a win. Say “good for you” to yourself. This way, you and your brain are creating outside habits.

How much time do you spend outside on any given day? What are your outside habits/rituals? Do you have strategies to get yourself outside? How do you feel once you are outside? How do you think you look to others when you are outside? Please join the conversation.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the joy of the season and a welcome escape from the virus is just what we need! This time of year brings thoughts of baking and preserving foods from the garden, or perhaps, making food gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

I’ve learned from experience that I can’t go wrong with the gift of a golden jar of marmalade, but not your traditional marmalade made using Seville oranges. I prefer to make mine with clementines, ginger, lemons, and perhaps a splash of Cointreau. First, let’s look into what this delicious spread is and where it came from.

Origin

Recipes for marmalade first appeared in cookbooks in the seventh century in England. We know that the word “marmalade” came into the English language from the French word marmelade, which in turn, was borrowed from the Portuguese word, marmelos, meaning quince paste.

Quince paste is made from the quince fruit, and the paste resembles a thick, orange spread. The English started making their marmalade when citrus was plentiful. Typically, they used oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, clementines, mandarins, or bergamots. The high pectin content of citrus peelings helped produce the thick consistency of the marmalade.

What’s Your Preference?

Marmalades come in different textures and taste. A thick cut of citrus peeling usually produces a strong, bitter taste and is the most common type of marmalade. Others prefer a finer cut of peeling, which yields a smooth, delicate taste.

Finally, some people want an added ingredient to their marmalade, such as ginger and whisky. A purist or “marmalade snob” will only eat citrus and sugar, no additives necessary!

Marmalade or Jam?

The answer is very simple. Jam is a cooked condiment, usually made from pressed fruit, sugar, and sometimes pectin, while marmalade is made from citrus fruit and uses the juice and the peeling or rind of the fruit.

Marmalades are chunky and jams are smooth. The chunks in the marmalade make it the perfect choice to spread over breakfast toast, drizzle over roast chicken or pork, or pour over vanilla ice cream.

Clementine Ginger Marmalade with Cointreau

Prep and Cook Time: 12 hrs.

Yield: 5 one-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 16 Organic Clementines (whole)
• 4 Cups Water
• 1 Organic Lemon (halved)
• 7 Cups Sugar
• 4 Tablespoons Cointreau
• 3 Tablespoons Grated Fresh Organic Ginger

Directions:

1. Scrub and rinse the clementines and place them in a large, non-aluminum pot, with four cups of water.

2. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze each half, reserving the juice. Bundle the lemon seeds in cheesecloth and tie. Add the seed bundle with the halved lemon to the pot.

3. Cover the pot and simmer for 2-3 hours, until the fruit is soft.

4. Remove the pot from the heat and cool overnight. The next day, discard the seed bundle but do not strain the liquid.

5. Remove the cooked clementines from the liquid and place in a bowl. Halve the clementines, scoop the pulp and remaining seeds, if any, into a strainer set over the pot used to boil the fruit. Make sure to save all peelings. Press the pulp through a strainer.

6. Add the sugar and the reserved lemon juice to the pot. Heat gently for a few minutes, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.

7. In the meantime, slice the peelings of the clementines very fine or chunky, depending on your preference for the thickness of the marmalade. Stir the chopped peelings into the boiling sugar-lemon syrup.

8. Continue boiling until the syrup reaches its setting point of 220 degrees Fahrenheit, making sure the natural pectin gels with the sugar.

9. Remove the pot from the heat, skim off the foam, and let the pot sit for 15 minutes to evenly distribute the peelings. After cooling for 15 minutes, stir in the grated ginger and Cointreau if desired.

10. Heat your marmalade jars, as you should never pour hot marmalade into cold jars. Wipe the jar rims with a clean, damp towel before toping with two-part sterilized lids. Process in water bath for 15 minutes or according to canning instructions. Let the jars cool and listen for the sound of the sealing process.

11. Label the jars and store in a cool, dark place.

I guarantee you and anyone you send a marmalade gift to will delight in this homemade treat!

When was the last time you made preserves? What did you can? Have you made marmalade? What was your main ingredient? How did it turn out? Please share with our community!

Ciara Miller’s Black and White Turtleneck

Winter House Season 1 Episode 3 Fashion

I am absolutely loving that Winter House is airing so close to winter. One reason is because it’s occupying my time since there’s not much to do (though I’d love it anytime of year). The other reason is because we can get major cold weather outfit inspo. Such as Ciara Miller’s black and white turtleneck. I mean it is so cute and so simple and would go with just about anything. It’s a bummer it’s sold out (site says “coming soon” ). But thankfully there are great Style Stealers below that are perfect for welcoming into your Winter House Closet.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Click Here to See Her H&M Turtleneck

Originally posted at: Ciara Miller’s Black and White Turtleneck

A face serum is a must-have step in any skincare routine. Serums deliver all the beneficial ingredients your skin needs to stay healthy. While there are tons of different serum concoctions out there, there’s one serum that multitasks like no other. It also happens to be one of the most in-demand serums of the moment. 

Eighth Day’s Regenerative Serum has sold out five times in the past two months, so it truly is selling like hotcakes. 

Formulated with the help of skincare expert Dr. Antony Nakhla, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, Eighth Day truly seems like it does nothing but positive things for your complexion.

You might want to buckle up, because there are loads of ingredients and functions that make this serum such an MVP and fan-favorite. The formula is enriched with clinical strength ingredients that have high concentration levels—the stronger, the better applies to skincare, too. The scientific terms might not make sense at first, but keep reading and we’ll break down the various layers of this best-selling, all-in-one serum. Just make sure you don’t dillydally, because this skincare product is likely already on its way to going out of stock for its sixth time.

RELATED: TikTok’s Favorite Skincare Line Has An Anti-Aging Cream That’s Better Than La Mer 

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Courtesy of Violet Grey.

Here’s the low-down on the Regenerative Serum. First of all, the name is truly spot on in that the powerful formula is formulated to sink deep into your pores, right where your cells are, to energize and renew your skin cells. Additionally, the hero ingredient, a Peptide-Rich Plasma that includes 24 bioidentical synthetic peptides, growth factors, and amino acids, copies the unique molecules found in your skin cells to renew and restore.

That is some pretty advanced science going on, but a few other anti-aging ingredients you’ll definitely recognize include hydrating hyaluronic acid, exfoliating glycolic acid, and healing Manuka honey. This trio makes for some seriously soothing, lifting, and plumping effects that’ll have you questioning if you got Botox in your sleep. Top that all off with niacinamide, which reduces the appearance of pores, protects the skin barrier, repairs previous damage, and calms the skin, and you have yourself a serum you won’t want to waste a drop of. 

Once these beneficial skincare ingredients penetrate deep into your skin, then what? Well, you might notice some or all of the 10 most visible skin concerns starting to improve. Some of the main ones this serum targets are fine lines and wrinkles, dehydration, redness, dullness, and loss of firmness and elasticity, among others. Not to mention, it achieves all of this while remaining vegan and cruelty-free, as well as without any gluten, parabens, sulfates, phthalates, GMOs, PEGs, and fragrance.

Eighth Day’s Regenerative Serum is sold exclusively at Violet Grey, and because it can sell out with the snap of a finger, we suggest you place your order now. Though it may cost a pretty penny, the expertise, quality ingredients, and results are just too good to pass up.

Victoria Beckham has been influencing beauty, fashion, and pop culture from her Spice Girls days all the way up to now. We look to her when we want to know which lip color to choose, but besides her signature makeup, she has a flawless complexion, too. Beckham is skin goals, and I think we’d all love to know the secret weapon that gives her that youthful glow.

In a recent interview with Byrdie, she unveiled some of her beauty mainstays, and one hero product that stood out to us is a super soothing moisturizing cream.

“For night, if I am feeling super dry, I use Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream,“ she said. This celeb-favorite anti-aging moisturizer that Jennifer Aniston, Gigi Hadid, and Kim Kardashian are all fans of, so it’s no surprise that Beckham also keeps this staple in her rotation. 

This plumping moisturizer uses the power of omega fatty acids and hyaluronic acid to moisturize and put life back into dull skin. The formula is packed to the brim with all sorts of skin saviors, which makes sense given that it’s crafted by one of the world’s most renowned skincare experts. 

RELATED: Victoria Beckham Beauty Rolled Out Its First Full Skincare Product and It’s Luxe AF 

The brain behind the brand, Professor Augustinus Bader, is a globally recognized biomedical scientist and physician, and also a pioneer in stem cell research. So, while there’s a ton of scientific jargon involved with The Rich Cream, let us explain how it has become such a hit with Beckham and loads of other celebs. 

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Courtesy of Violet Grey.

The brand’s patented TFC8 technology remains at the heart of what makes this cream so effective. It triggers the stem cells you already have to repair and renew your skin. This complex engages natural amino acids, high-grade vitamins, and synthesized molecules to help minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, giving you a more youthful and radiant complexion. 

Combatting visible signs of aging is definitely at the top of this cream’s agenda, but moisturizing is right there with it. The formula enlists hyaluronic acid to plump your skin and help it retain moisture better. Meanwhile, omega fatty acids, linoleic acid, and evening primrose oil also moisturize and soothe your skin. The product is vegan, gluten-free, and GMO-free, as well. 

If you want to really get the full Beckham skincare experience, she also revealed to Byrdie that her own products, the Cell Rejuvenating Power Serum and the Cell Rejuvenating Priming Moisturizer, have completely transformed her skin.

It’s easy to see how this line-reducing, skin-softening cream rose to fame among practically everyone in Hollywood. Take a page from Beckham and incorporate the one-of-a-kind anti-aging Rich Cream into your skincare routine, too.