Ageism Causes Unhappiness and Not Just for the Old
Why Anti-ageing Products Are Offensive Recently, I saw a post on Instagram promoting ‘body positivity.’ It was part of a great campaign that aims to dispel the stigma around differences in appearance. Those differences can be visible or hidden and include, for instance, scars. In the video post,
How to Grow Old with Youthful Spirit
Making the most of every moment Recently I have taken up a new mantra and it’s this: “Live as though you will last forever but stay mindful that it could all be over tomorrow.” It’s a blend of the stoic reminder Memento Mori, literally ‘Remember that you must
Five Self-Talk Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Improving Your Self-talk Will Make You Happier We often equate self-care with physical care, taking enough exercise, rest and relaxation and eating well; we may also meditate or practice yoga to help us relax and reduce stress. But one of the key areas I’ve been working to improve
Change Your Perspective and Change Your Life
How Some New Thinking Could Help You Live Longer Critical thinking and becoming open to change could be the key to improving your physical and mental health, helping to change your perspective, your life, and maybe even increase your life span. As a health professional, it was
My Relationship Advice After 40 Years of Marriage
Being in lockdown with my husband for the last four months has been a good test of our relationship and caused me to wonder whether there are key things that keep couples happily together. I don’t usually presume to offer anyone relationship advice, because I truly believe that
Does Everything Make You Angry Now You’re Older? Let’s Just Be Kind to One Another
When my daughters were young and having a typical sibling squabble, in desperation I would often ask them ‘are you being kind?’. It was an attempt to avoid becoming involved in their argument and to get them to think about what was really important at that moment. Amazingly,
The Surprising Benefits of Regular Foot Care
Why healthy feet can make all the difference as you grow older Is it possible to write a witty and profound article about feet? Possibly not. But this is important stuff. It could save your life. In his wonderful book ‘Being Mortal’, the surgeon Atul Gawande describes sitting-in
The Troublesome Mother/Daughter Relationship
Coming to terms with the loss of my mother We celebrated my mother’s 90th birthday last August. Family and friends held a lovely afternoon tea in the sunny dining room of her care home, where she had been living for just a few months. She had fallen