Month: March 2025

When it’s time to drop a few pounds or tighten up my jeans, I don’t count calories, carbs, or give up the foods I love – because honestly, that’s not how I live. My go-to method for fat loss and feeling amazing? Intermittent fasting.

I’ve used intermittent fasting (IF) many times, and it always works – without the stress or math of dieting. It’s a simple shift in when you eat, not necessarily what you eat. That means I still get to enjoy my partner’s incredible Indian and Italian dishes, his homemade granola, and fresh sourdough bread – no guilt required.

What’s more, I usually lose 8 pounds in a month while keeping up with yoga and biking five times a week. The inches melt off my waist and hips, and I feel the difference – especially when my jeans start fitting better!

Why Intermittent Fasting Works – Especially for Women Over 60

As a Doctor of Naturopathy, I’ve taught intermittent fasting to hundreds of women, and they love it for the same reasons I do: it’s easy to follow, doesn’t require complicated meal plans, and it delivers real results – especially in that stubborn belly fat area.

I typically follow the 16/8 method, where I eat between 11 AM and 7 PM. This gives me flexibility for later dinners and lets my body rest and reset for 16 hours overnight. During that fasting window, your body taps into fat stores for energy, balances hormones like insulin, and even boosts brain health – all naturally.

It’s Not a Diet – It’s a Lifestyle

One of the best things about intermittent fasting is that it’s not a fad or restrictive diet – it’s a lifestyle practice that supports good health every day. Clients tell me their emotions stabilize, they sleep better, and they feel more clear-headed, focused, and determined. That’s not a coincidence. Intermittent fasting stimulates a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports memory, learning, and mental sharpness. Think of it as fertilizer for your brain cells!

In fact, studies show that intermittent fasting may even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and support longevity – goals many of us have as we age.

10 Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for Women Over 60

Here’s a quick look at some of the most powerful benefits my clients and I have experienced firsthand with intermittent fasting:

1. Fat Loss – Especially around the belly, hips, and waistline.
2. Improved Metabolism – Encourages your body to burn fat for fuel.
3. Better Sleep – Many report deeper, more restful nights.
4. Stable Energy – Say goodbye to sugar crashes and afternoon slumps.
5. Hormone Balance – Helps regulate insulin, cortisol, and growth hormone.
6. Enhanced Brain Function – Boosts BDNF for better memory and focus.
7. Reduced Inflammation – Supports joints, digestion, and overall wellness.
8. Longevity Support – May activate genes linked to longer life.
9. Improved Digestion – Your gut gets time to rest and reset.
10. Emotional Balance – Many feel calmer, clearer, and more in control.

Why Now Is the Perfect Time

Here’s the truth: after 60, our bodies change. Weight can creep on, energy dips, and we start to feel – not just older – but disconnected from our vibrant, younger selves. Intermittent fasting helps you reconnect with that energy. It’s like giving your body a reset button.

And because it works beautifully alongside natural cleansing, I often guide clients through gentle liver-supportive cleanses while fasting. That’s when the fat-burning kicks into high gear, and women really begin to feel younger again.

Ready to Get Started?

I’ve created a free guide to help you take the first step with confidence:
“Intermittent Fasting Made Easy: A Simple Guide for Women Over 60 to Burn Fat, Feel Energized, and Boost Longevity Naturally.”

Inside, you’ll find:

• A simple fasting schedule you can follow today.
• Tips for staying energized and beating hunger.
• What to eat (and avoid) for best results.
• Brain-boosting benefits and more.

To receive your free PDF guide, just send me an email at drshirleysays@gmail with “IF PDF” in the subject line.

And if you’re ready to make April your breakthrough month, I invite you to join my “IF Not Now?” April Challenge – a supportive, step-by-step experience to help you lose fat, feel great, and thrive naturally with intermittent fasting. You can request all the details by email as well.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re new to intermittent fasting or ready to recommit, remember this: it’s never too late to feel better in your body. Intermittent fasting is simple, powerful, and adaptable to your life – especially when you have the support and know-how to make it work for you.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Have you tried some form of intermittent fasting? What works for you? Which of the benefits of intermittent fasting might you consider as a goal?

Will their love last?

Don’t miss March’s biggest sports event.

Here’s something I crave to do as much as I am able: taking a walk in the woods. It’s such a mundane thing to do, but I miss it when I’m unable to head out.

Today I was fortunate. The natural beauty of the hillside crowded with towering oaks, laden in icy green
moss, and a gentle breeze caressing my skin, calmed my jagged nerves as though I was being tenderly held in its maternal embrace.

I felt my
shoulders drop as my body relaxed and my heart pumped oxygen rich blood through
every fiber of my being. The natural world welcomed me and granted me solace
and a feeling of protection from harm.

Outside of
my imagination, there is scientific evidence that a walk in the woods can
indeed change our physical, as well as our mental state.

Forest Bathing: A Modern Brand for a Long-Held Practice

Studies
have proven that time spent in a quiet, natural surrounding can produce an
overall feeling of well-being. Regular visits to forests and woodlands can have
a lasting effect on how we feel, as well as our physical condition.

Results of multiple studies monitoring health indicators such as hormonal levels, blood pressure and heart function prove the practice is indeed beneficial.

Shifting Our Focus Changes Our Outlook

Scientists
observed MRI images as patients viewed peaceful nature scenes and found an
interesting reaction. They noted increased blood flow to the anterior cingulate
and insula, the parts of the brain associated with empathy and altruism.

I know that
when I am among the trees, I find myself awed by the power of nature, its
resilience, and fortitude to prevail and live on, despite the harsh elements.

I take
note of how the trees bend to the wind so they don’t break, how a flower finds
a crack in the rock to reach for the sun, and I try to apply those principles
to my own life during difficult times. We can learn so much by observing the
natural world up close and benefit simply by being in its presence.

Moreover, if it’s too cold/hot/rainy/stormy to head out, or we are simply unable, watching images or videos of nature can lift our mood too.

There are
plenty of options on YouTube – from single images with calming music, to drones
filming natural sights around the world. Find one that works for you and take
some time to immerse yourself in the views.

The Effect of Silence

Our days
are often lived at an excruciating volume – traffic
noise, loud music or television, ambient noise of all kinds go relatively
unnoticed. But the constant barrage takes a toll. Whether we’re actively
listening or not, noise affects our mood.

Have you
ever noticed you are walking to the beat of the music in the grocery store? Our
brain processes all stimuli, and sound is a powerful one.

When we escape the din for the quiet of a walk in nature, those overstimulated sensors power down temporarily, focusing instead on the peaceful sounds of the breeze through the trees and the birds calling for their mates.

Our brainwaves settle into a calm pattern and our entire body reacts to the change. Thankfully, we have the alternative of listening to nature sounds even when we can’t go to the park, and we can experience the benefits of slower heart rate and calmness from home.  

The Impact of Physical Exertion on the Body

Our bodies
are engineered to move. Physical exercise was once achieved by searching for
food, defending our tribe from predators and eking out an existence in an
inhospitable environment.

As we
settled and tamed our surroundings, we stopped using our bodies as they were
intended, became sedentary, and our health suffered.

In an effort to fend off the impact of this lifestyle, medical professionals encourage us to find ways to include movement into our daily lives.

So, whenever you can, take that walk in the woods, full of appreciation for the benefits it offers to your mind and body!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What do you crave to do right now? What do you do as a substitute to your favorite outside activity? Are there any tools you have found helpful to lift up your mood? Please share them with our community!

In my last article, I explored the remarkable leadership of Cyrus the Great, a ruler who governed with wisdom, tolerance and a deep sense of spiritual purpose. In that exploration, I mentioned that one of the important reference points in Cyrus’s worldview was Zoroastrianism.

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of Zoroastrianism before. This unusual but beautiful word certainly sticks in your mind once you’ve seen or heard it. But in the West, we’re far less consciously familiar with the specifics of this faith than we are with those of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and various others whose names I could reel off.

I think this is a shame, because this gentle faith has so many virtues and values to teach us.

Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest surviving religions. It influenced not only Cyrus but also countless spiritual traditions that followed. And it laid the groundwork for many of the ideas we now take for granted – for instance, free will, the battle between good and evil and even the concept of heaven and hell.

Perhaps most importantly, though, Zoroastrianism asks us a question as old as time itself: What kind of person will you choose to be?

Origins: The Roots of a Timeless Faith

Zoroastrianism is built on ideas and practices that are nearly as old as civilization itself. Its origins date back over 3,500 years, to the early Aryan tribes who migrated into Persia (modern-day Iran). These people carried with them spiritual beliefs that would become the foundation of many later traditions.

At the core of their belief system was the idea of a Great Spirit. This divine force pervades everything and everyone. To maintain harmony with this Being, priests conducted rituals involving haoma, a sacred plant-based drink, and fire, which was seen as a divine manifestation of purity and wisdom.

Unlike many other ancient religions, which worshipped a multitude of unpredictable gods, what would become Zoroastrianism gradually developed a more structured, moral philosophy, one focused not just on pleasing the divine but on living an ethical life.

Zoroaster: The Prophet Who Saw the Light

At the heart of Zoroastrianism is its prophet, Zoroaster (who was known in his time as Zarathushtra, Zoroaster being the Greek rendering of his name). His exact biographical dates remain uncertain. some say he lived around 1000 BCE, while others place him as late as 600 BCE, possibly making him a contemporary of Cyrus the Great.

According to tradition, Zoroaster received a divine revelation while meditating beside a river. In this moment of clarity, Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord, revealed the nature of existence to him: the world was not controlled by fickle gods but the theatre of a cosmic struggle between truth (Asha) and deception (Druj).

Zoroaster’s teachings were later recorded in the Avesta, the holy scriptures of Zoroastrianism, in the form of hymns and prayers. Their message is clear: people are not powerless before fate. Instead, they have the free will to choose righteousness and to contribute to a better world.

Zoroastrianism’s Core Teachings

Zoroastrianism is built on a simple yet profound moral philosophy: good thoughts, good words, good deeds.

This triad serves as a guiding principle for followers, emphasizing that every action, no matter how small it is, has consequences. The universe, according to this belief system, is shaped by the choices we make.

At the center of this cosmic struggle are two opposing forces. On the one hand, there is Ahura Mazda, the wise lord, the embodiment of truth, justice and order. On the other, there is Angra Mainyu, the spirit of chaos, deception, and destruction.

Unlike many religious traditions where evil is an independent force, Zoroastrianism teaches that Angra Mainyu exists because humans have free will. The battle between good and evil is not just a war between gods; it is a struggle within every individual.

The faith also introduces the idea of divine judgment. At the end of life, each person’s soul is weighed based on their thoughts, words and actions. Those who have lived with righteousness cross the Chinvat Bridge into paradise; those who have followed falsehood and cruelty fall into a realm of suffering.

These ideas of free will, personal responsibility and a moral afterlife are also found in the major world religions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

A Legacy that Shaped Empires

Zoroastrianism became the guiding force behind three great Persian empires across more than a millennium. But the Muslim conquest of Persia in 651 CE marked a turning point for the faith. As Islam spread, Zoroastrians faced pressure to convert, and many were forced to flee. A significant number settled in India, where they became known as the Parsis. Today, there are roughly 25,000 Zoroastrians in Iran, 60,000 in India (Parsis), and 30,000 in North America.

Sacred Fire and Unique Traditions

Zoroastrians hold fire and water as sacred symbols of purity. Fire temples, where an eternal flame is tended by priests, remain places of worship. This reverence for fire has led some to mistakenly call them “fire worshippers.” In truth, fire is seen not as a god, but as a divine representation of wisdom and truth.

Some of the most fascinating Zoroastrian traditions concern death. To avoid polluting the earth, Zoroastrians traditionally placed their dead in Towers of Silence, where bodies were left to be naturally consumed by birds. This practice, though largely discontinued, reflects a deep environmental awareness that feels strikingly relevant in today’s world.

Why Zoroastrianism Still Matters

So why should we care about this ancient faith? Because at its heart, Zoroastrianism is a philosophy of empowerment. It reminds us that:

We have a choice. Every day, in the smallest of actions, we decide between kindness and cruelty, truth and falsehood, light and darkness.

We are not alone. There is a greater order, a moral structure to the universe, and our actions contribute to it.

Our legacy matters. What we do in this life echoes beyond it.

In a world that often feels chaotic, these ideas are as relevant now as they were three thousand years ago.

As Cyrus the Great himself said: “Whenever you can, act as a liberator. Freedom, dignity, wealth – these three together constitute the greatest happiness of humanity. If you bequeath all three to your people, their love for you will never die.”

Find more information at the encyclopedia Britannica.

What Do You Think?

Had you heard of Zoroastrianism before? Do you see its influence on modern beliefs? What do you think about the idea that we actively shape the world through our choices?