I’ve noticed that a startling number of Baby Boomers I’ve known through the years have died from a chronic disease. It may be that I notice it more because I’ve friended them on Facebook. You get to know every detail about a person that way.

We Must Face the Reality of Chronic Illness

I’ve seen friends and family turn from happy, active people to suddenly suffering from endless chemo or other treatments. It’s heartbreaking, but it makes me wonder if those chronic diseases could have been prevented. Everyone dies, and we never know when our time will be up, but sometimes life isn’t fair.

My husband died at the young age of 49 from brain cancer, leaving me with two pre-teen children to raise. He was healthy, active and hardly ever sick. One day he lost his balance, and nine months later he was gone. Why does something like that happen?

His father chain-smoked and died of lung cancer. His mother survived breast cancer and is now 89. Two of his siblings had cancer but have survived.

Did my husband die because he was subjected to second-hand cigarette smoke? Or was it because he tried LSD a few times during the 70s? It could have been genetic or simply a fluke of nature. We’ll never know the answer.

A friend of mine from high school recently died of cancer. He was an alcoholic at one point in his life and became a sober-living coach. Was his past alcoholism the factor that caused cancer to occur?

Again, we’ll never know. It was excruciating to hear about his multiple chemo treatments, and my heart went out to him and his spouse, who was his caregiver.

My youngest brother also died suddenly, at 49, from a liver disease exacerbated by Hepatitis C – which he may not have known about. This has become a major issue with Baby Boomers who may have had a blood transfusion, used needles, etc.

That’s why it’s important to have your blood checked for Hep C, HIV, and other possible illnesses. Even light social drinking can be deadly under those circumstances.

Is a Random Illness Just Fate?

There are those who, for whatever rhyme or reason, get sick and die. Another friend succumbed to cancer recently. He never abused substances or had major health issues before.

His diet wasn’t as healthy as it could have been, but when I look at my father who died at age 90, there wasn’t much of a difference. I believe he worked in a rocket testing plant, so it could have been due to environmental reasons.

How to Fend Off Chronic Illness or Make It More Manageable

Anything can take us out at any time. It could be a falling tree, a car accident, or we could get sucked out of an airplane. There isn’t much we can do about fate if it’s meant to happen.

However, chronic disease can be prevented, or delayed – if it is genetic – by doing a few things that will improve your habits and lifestyle.

Eat a Real Food, Healthy Diet

You don’t have to become a vegan, vegetarian, or follow a fad diet to avoid chronic illness. In Italy and Greece, where people live the longest lives, they eat sensibly.

They enjoy locally grown organic fruits and vegetables in season as well as whole grains, and may eat a small amount of meat or fish. For beverages, they prefer water, tea, coffee, and wine. Soft drinks, artificial ingredients, and processed foods are not in abundance and are rarely consumed.

Stay Mobile

Moderate exercise – like walking, swimming, yoga, and easy dance movements – keeps your joints and muscles limber and strong. There is no need to go overboard and risk injury. Mobility helps your blood flow and keeps your heart pumping normally.

Reduce Stress

Over time, extreme stress takes a toll on your body and increases your risk for chronic illness. And it’s difficult to avoid if you’ve lived over six decades or more.

However, there are easy and effective ways to reduce stress. Sip a soothing cup of tea, meditate, go for a stroll, take care of a pet, cut back on your activities and avoid toxic people. These are but a few examples.

Improve Your Environment

Don’t smoke or abuse substances. It not only puts your health at risk but may put others in harm’s way as well. Get help if you need it, and don’t try to do it alone. It’s important to have a support system.

You don’t always have a choice where you live, but if you reduce toxic exposure you will have a better chance of warding off a chronic illness. Use natural cleaning products, non-toxic makeup and skincare, and work to create an eco-friendly home – which will often save you money.

Apply safety precautions when using electronics like your cell phone. A headset will protect your brain from harmful non-ionizing radiation.

Don’t Avoid Routine Checkups

If a chronic illness like cancer or heart disease is detected early, you can usually beat it. People die because they wait too long.

Get second and third opinions to avoid harm to your body, but don’t believe every miracle cure you hear. A combination of standard medicine and a healthy lifestyle is usually your best bet.

Chronic illness is a crap shoot, and all we can do to dodge it is give it our best.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What chronic illnesses are you living with? What creative healthy eating and living habits are you taking on to avoid developing a chronic illness? Please share your story and tips below.

In
our 60s, our lives change in many ways, as we move from old roles into new
ones. Workers may become retirees, or go from full- to part-time work, or
change careers entirely.

Parents
may become grandparents, wives and mothers may become entrepreneurs, the
homebound may become world travelers, and relentless givers may develop
stronger boundaries and find more time for self-care. Married people may become
single, and singles may begin looking for love once again.

Our
bodies change, our hormones shift, and our outlook may go through a complete
overhaul, as our perspective transforms from middle age to senior status; from
the worker bees to the elders of the tribe. The transition from who we were to
who we will become is complicated and takes some time.

Changes Are More than Superficial

While this is clearly a personal, internal transition, who we are in the world and how others see us also changes as we move through our 60s. People may start making all kinds of assumptions about who you are, how you live, what you like, want, buy, feel, think, know, and can do.

Do
you feel others assume that you are out of touch, technologically illiterate,
or sad and lonely? Do you see people your age only represented in ads for
pharmaceuticals and walk-in bathtubs?

On
the other hand, do people in your life expect you to continue on exactly as
they have come to know you, not recognizing or accepting that you are
transitioning into a new time in your life?

In
truth, we are changing, but not always in the ways other people imagine,
and that can be pretty frustrating.

Remember
Sally Field’s acceptance speech in 1985 after winning the Academy Award for
Best Actress? “You like me!” she cried. “You like me!”

She
said that she’d had an unconventional career and wanted, more than anything,
the respect of her peers in the Academy. Finally, she had the award proving
that she had earned it.

At
the time, she took a lot of ridicule for her excited cry, but it was a moment
of honesty we don’t often see. We all want to be respected, recognized,
and yes, even liked. Most importantly, we all want to be seen as we think we
are, and to have other people’s respect and affection for us to be based on
that.

The Red Zone

In
Feng Shui, there is an area of your home that corresponds to your Fame/Reputation
in the world.

Whether
or not you know where your personal brand is headed yet, or who you want to
become in this new era of your life, enhancing this area can activate the
energy needed to help others see you in the best possible light during this
transitional time.

It
can help dispel your frustration with how others see you and what they expect
from you, as well as prevent the formation of negative or inaccurate images of
you.

Begin
by thinking of your home as a nine-square grid. The bottom line of the grid is
the wall of your front door and the top line is the back of your home. The
center back square of the grid is your Reputation area.

This is the area you will work on in five easy steps. Even if your home is U- or L-shaped, and your Reputation area falls in your patio or backyard, you can still use all of these steps.

Clean and Declutter the Area

Fix,
remove, or replace anything that is broken, such as burned out light bulbs. Give
the area a good cleaning, remove anything you no longer want or need, and make
sure what remains is tidy and well-organized. Most importantly, you should love
whatever is there.

See Red

Red
is the power color of the Reputation area and includes the entire range of
reds, from burgundy to tangerine, maroon to fire engine, rose to brick, ruby to
candy apple, so you have plenty of choices.

You
can add reds to this area of your home in artwork, rugs, pillows, furniture, flowers,
or curtains, for example. (It wouldn’t hurt to wear some red, either, if you
want to.)

Use Shapes with an Upward Tip Point

Add triangles,
pyramids, or cones, the power shape for the Reputation area. You can add this
shape in fabric, furniture, or tile patterns, or in artwork and objects such as
coasters, dishes, clocks, vases, or planters.

Feel the Burn

The
power element here is Fire. If you happen to have a fireplace or stove in this
part of your home – or a
firepit or outdoor grill, if your Reputation area happens to be outdoors – that’s great. But you can also
add this element using candles (they do not have to ever be lit, and in fact,
you can choose LED flameless candles, if you wish), and lamps or light
fixtures.

Windows
or skylights that let in bright sunlight are also good, as are images in art
such as sunbursts or fire. Since water douses fire, avoid having much black or
reflective surfaces here, which symbolize the Water element.

On
the other hand, Wood fuels Fire, so a bit of green and tall, columnar shapes – symbols of the Wood element – can work well here.

Express Yourself in a Positive Way

Finally,
add positive, happy images that reflect who you are now or who you want to
become. These might be photos of yourself doing work you want to do, traveling,
or pursuing hobbies you want to take up or continue.

The
list includes anything from yoga, dancing, writing, tennis, hiking, swimming,
drawing or painting, photography, singing, wine tasting, camping, horseback
riding, learning a language, or taking a class in anything that interests you.

Add
objects that symbolize your authentic best self and any awards or recognition
you have received for accomplishments you want to focus on now and in the
coming months or years.

Stay
grounded in the present and future when choosing images and symbols for your
Reputation area, and feel free to change them as you and your life evolve.

Accept Recognition

During the transition of your 60s,
you may not know precisely who you are or who you are becoming, but that in
itself is part of your current identity. You are a person in the midst of
change, and you can be that for as long as it takes.

Having other people see you and
treat you with respect along the way can only help as you navigate this transitional
period of your life. Feng Shui your home’s Reputation area and be ready to receive
respect and recognition for who you are now and who you are in the process of
becoming.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How is your over-60 persona changing?
Do you like the changes you’re seeing? Have you tried any of the Feng Shui tips
listed here? I’d love to hear about your results! Let’s talk!

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, STYLECASTER may receive an affiliate commission.

There’s one thing most people can’t live without because it makes them feel refreshed and wide awake. I’m talking about caffeine, which I myself love to sip on. But did you know caffeine can do more than just give you a jolt of energy? When packed into a skincare product, it can help reduce puffiness. The under-eye area is especially prone to this concern whenever fluid builds up beneath the skin. It could be due to allergies, genetics, a late night out on the town, binge-watching K-dramas until the early morning and the list goes on. Luckily, you’re not doomed to swollen under eyes thanks to The INKEY List’s Caffeine Eye Cream. 

This lightweight cream targets puffiness, dark circles and fine lines under your eyes. Caffeine assists in reducing fluid retention, while Matrixyl 3000 peptide promotes collagen production (translation: it smooths fine lines). Albizia Julibrissin Bark Extract (which comes from Persian silk tree bark) works to make your under eyes look extra refreshed. 

So if your under eyes could use a pick-me-up, don’t reach for anything but the Caffeine Eye Cream. One shopper wrote, “Really makes my eyes look like I’ve had a good night’s sleep!” 

Essentially, this depuffing product is like a cup of joe for your under eyes. Shop it for only $7 during The INKEY List’s Black Friday sale. The brand is starting way early, which means you get even more time to save. From November 10 through November 20, save 25 percent off of everything on the site. It’s time to get ahead on your Black Friday shopping with this amazing deal.

RELATED: Shoppers Say This Balm Makes Their Under Eyes ‘Brighter & Younger-Looking’ 

Photo: The INKEY List.

You might be impatient to get rid of puffiness, dark circles and wrinkles around your eyes, which is why this cream is perfect for you. According to the brand, you could start to see visible results in as little as two weeks. Full results take six weeks, but it’s well worth the wait.

In fact, one shopper said they noticed results even quicker. They wrote, “Love this eye cream. Very good price. Visibly reduced dark circles in a week. Definitely recommend.”

Another reviewer wrote, “I have tried many eye creams and gels, but this is the best. I have dark circles and eye bags… this gets rid of both! Brilliant stuff which I buy on repeat (and now also for my daughter!).”

Apply the eye cream in both the morning and evening on a daily basis. This step should come after you’ve cleansed and applied serums. Be sure to use your ring finger and keep your movements nice and gentle, since this area is super delicate. 

The brand also has a pro tip that’ll enhance the product’s cooling effects. It’s simple: Toss the Caffeine Eye Cream into the fridge for 30 minutes prior to application. Who doesn’t want to feel like they’re at the spa when they’re applying this product?

Give your eyes the T.L.C. it deserves by adding The INKEY List’s Caffeine Eye Cream to your arsenal. Make sure you scoop it up before the Black Friday sale ends.

When I began to contemplate the idea of retiring from my career, I experienced anxiety around the idea of not working every day. What would I do all day? How would I spend my time?

I was lucky enough to have been in a career and with a company that I absolutely loved. However, my job as a behavior analyst working with children on the autism spectrum and their families was becoming less joyful for me for a variety of reasons. I was experiencing chronic back pain. And I was at a point in my life where I wanted to spend all of my “kid” time with my grandchildren.

Still, seeing the grands was not going to be a daily event. So, how would I spend my days if I left my job?

I reflected on this question and decided that this would be the time for me to do the thing I’d wanted to do since I was a little girl. I would write.

Specifically, I would create content for women like myself who were trying to figure out who they were and what they wanted to do on this side of 50.

It’s Been a Journey! I’ve Made Mistakes and Learned Some Things!

I started Life Balance After 50 and began writing blog posts and live content centered around:

• it’s not too late and we are not too old to do big things! To go back to school, start a business, write a book, and the list goes on;
• the role that our core beliefs play in how we live our lives and what we decide to do or not do
• the importance of a growth versus a fixed mindset in all we do.

Although this content and these topics were helpful and of interest to my community of women, this summer I took a different turn. I called it my “summer of being present.” I made it my goal to live “in the moment” no matter what I was doing. To see the joy and beauty rather than to worry about all of the other things I “should” be doing. And my community loved this.

Because, many of us in this community of women aren’t necessarily looking to make huge changes! We are just looking to find our joy and passion in each day and spend at least part of our day doing the thing that brings us just that!

For Some of Us, Changing a Small Habit Is a Game Changer

Many of us in this community are just looking to have some structure and control over where our days take us. We often spend our days “reacting” to the needs of others in our environment.

Carving out and scheduling “me” time that you honor can help with this. Scheduling time each day to reflect, mediate or journal. Time to take an outdoor walk every day. Time to read for pleasure.

Creating or changing a new habit can have a domino effect on our days and weeks when we honor it and stick with it.

Others Might Want to Look at the Big Picture

For these women, reflecting on how our priorities and values may have changed through the years is helpful. Maybe you want to think about what your mission statement is on this side of 50. This can provide you with a big picture look at each day as you move forward.

Having a good idea of what your priorities are can help you decide who and what to say “no” to so that you are spending more time on the things and people that matter.

Some Reflection Ideas to Get You Started

Taking quiet, focused time to really reflect and journal out your ideas is key during this process. As you consider the reflections listed, it is important that you do NOT censor yourself. Write down everything that comes into your mind. This will provide you with invaluable information.

1. Picture your ideal day and week and go into great detail. What activities are you doing? Where? With whom? What are you wearing? Write down everything that comes into your mind. This reflection should be done periodically.
2. What are your top three priority areas? How much of your day and week is spent on these? Are you happy with the time that you give to these areas? If not, what changes can be made so that you have more time for the things that you WANT to spend your time on?
3. How have your priorities/values changed throughout the years?
4. If you could spend two days doing anything you wanted and money was no object, how would you spend those two days?
5. How do you want to be remembered?

I encourage you to take time to reflect on how you’d like your days to look as you move forward. Not all of us want to make major life changes, but we do deserve to have time dedicated each day to do something that is just for us at this stage of the game.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What changes in your days and weeks would you like to see happen on this side of 50? Big? Small? What small habit change would you like to make? What is standing in your way when you think about making these changes?

Sweet potato casserole. Pumpkin pie. Hot chocolate with cinnamon. Yum. Just saying the words makes me want to have some. I can’t count everything I eat during holiday season, and it’s better left unsaid. I just hope I don’t put on 10 pounds before January 1st. It won’t be funny.

From festive Starbucks drinks and endless Christmas cookies, I consume at least double the sugar I’m used to during holiday season. Holidays are a special time. In some cases, it’s the only time of the year we get to eat certain foods, and I want to enjoy them all.

The holidays are a time to be around friends, family, and of course, food. But overeating stems from emotional distress, not a time of the year or food availability. What is it about the season that makes resisting the urge to overeat especially difficult for us, emotional eaters? How to not get weak in the knee and give in this year, and still enjoy ourselves?

Holiday Season Is a Challenging Time

While the holiday season is a joyful time for many people, it also is a time that can bring an enormous amount of stress. Some of us feel overwhelmed with social obligations, costly gift-giving and complicated family relationships. For others, the holidays bring feelings of loneliness and isolation. The temptation to soothe these feelings with food can be especially strong.

On the one hand, holidays are highly emotional times that emphasize food. Most of the holiday events include food, which is off diet, and delicious. The social pressure to try it all is real, even though I don’t need to be pushed too hard. For us, emotional eaters, any kind of celebration usually involves food.

On the other hand, sadness, anger, frustration, disappointment, hurt, loneliness, tension, and anxiety are the most common triggers in emotional eating. And family celebrations during the holidays sure can create major emotional discomfort, while also providing our favorite coping tool to manage it: comfort food.

How to Survive the Season Without Binging on Food

If, like me, you are concerned about gaining weight during the holiday season, here are four tips that have helped me manage my emotional eating.

Check in with Your Feelings

If you’re worried about relying on emotional eating during the holidays, try to understand why you would need to. Getting to the root issue will help you identify productive actions you can take, instead of compensating your discomfort with food.

Try to identify which aspects of the season are the most challenging for you. For example, if loneliness is an issue, you may try to fill your holidays with plans. Accept that friend’s invitation to join them for dinner on Thanksgiving or sign up to help serve Christmas dinner at a local soup kitchen.

If, on the opposite, parties trigger food cravings for you, you can try to be more mindful about which invitations you accept this year. There is no upside to jeopardizing your weight loss or weight management efforts by putting yourself in high-risk situations.

“Not Your Plate, Not Your Place” Policy

If you cannot avoid toxic situations with people who make you stressed or anxious during the holidays, you can always set boundaries and let them know what you will tolerate from them or not. Do not let anyone shame you about your food choices or pull you in conversations you refuse to engage in.

You can set boundaries by saying something like: “I don’t want to discuss [topic of your choice] at Thanksgiving dinner.” You can also set boundaries by walking away from or not participating in any conversation that makes you uncomfortable.

No “Should” Policy

Holidays emotional eating begins with a “should” list that is bound to get anyone in trouble. I “should” do this or go to that function or get that gift. I “should” prepare a holiday feast for my family or make an expensive gift.

We all have a desire to please others by making the holidays picture-card perfect, but you may tend to take on an overload of responsibilities and then feel guilty if you cannot live up to that self-imposed standard. Commit to what you can realistically do this year. Take a step back. Learn to say “no” if necessary and try not to overschedule your calendar.

Trying to reach unrealistic expectations will only bring you disappointment, therefore more emotional eating. Set out small goals for your holiday season. Ones that are attainable. Break each one down into small steps. Keep it all simple and you will enjoy it more.

No Guilt Policy

It’s not just you. The holiday season triggers all of us. Remind yourself that you are allowed to have celebrations surrounding food, just like anyone else. If you overeat, acknowledge it, learn from it, then move on and try to do better the next day. Guilt is a set-up for restricting and then subsequent overeating.

Even though you are watching your weight, you don’t need to deprive yourself of your favorite foods. You don’t have to eat only leafy greens and lean meat or feel guilty about giving yourself sweet treats at this time of the year.

This holiday season, you no longer have to feel powerless in the face of difficult emotions or obsessive food thoughts. Being aware of your personal eating triggers and developing effective responses can help the season go smoothly. You can enjoy a memorable holiday with family and friends while keeping Santa’s pants in the closet.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are your favorite strategies to not overeat during holiday season? Have you noticed that certain emotions stimulate your eating habits?