I love the old saying “Blessed to be a Blessing”
as it has a special meaning to me.
– The Uphill Skater –

We all know that living a healthy lifestyle has as many pieces to it as a big jigsaw puzzle, and one of those pieces, without which nothing else goes together, is gratitude. Yes, actual data-driven studies have shown that people who are grateful for what they have, be it a lot or a little by the definitions of others, live lives that are less stressful, happier, and less driven by acquisition of goods or wealth. Being a grateful person brings many life benefits, but perhaps equally important, it also brings health benefits.

If we embrace the wonderful piece of the puzzle called gratitude, it reflects the way we interact—both outwardly and inwardly— with our loved ones, co-workers and all we encouter. “Blessed to be a Blessing” has tons of implications when you think about it.

I have been advocating a healthy lifestyle in this column for years, and I hope you understand that creativity, newness and imagination are not only a part of a good health formula, but essential to the whole picture. Having the same old thoughts, the same old food boredom and the same old drudgery of a daily routine are not only sworn enemies of creativity, but also of good mental and physical health, too.

How can we avoid the unimaginative rut and use creativity to work toward being our best selves? I tend to substitute, or define the word creative in two ways: I like to use the words change and imagine.

With that in mind, let’s look at some things
that are very easy to change...

Hey, new season! Better weather, fall clothes and no more summer reruns… and I don’t mean TV! Let’s get revved up to bust out and get inspired to move toward some better goals and different daily living. General good health and that desired, sought after healthy life style might need to be taken out and dusted off, right? Let’s try some ideas that may resonate and lead to a much better Fall.

My first suggestion is one that has really worked for me. Try (nothing radical) to do something you already do, but do it in a different way. This takes many forms. It could be something as simple as trying different tops with the same pants, or doing your hair in a different way without color or a cut. This is one I picked: I have stopped coloring my hair (gray is in) and I have put up a different style with my old cut. Yes, it worked, offering just a bit of a different look. But, if you really want change, enlist your hairstylist for help.

Old wisdom told us to age gracefully, but not anymore. I recently saw an advertisement in a magazine about a face moisturizer (OLAY) that the new thinking is not to age gracefully, but to age successfully. Doesn’t that seem way better? I like this new spin and the positive vocabulary. But, what does aging successfully mean, and what do we have to do to accomplish it?

Well, I have a few thoughts on the subject:
First, I have people of all ages around me all the time, and it is easy to pick out those who seem to be a success not just at aging, but also at simply living their lives. One of my church friends is 89 years old, and she is a hoot. Her health is not the best, but every Sunday she is dressed to the nines with matching bag and shoes—even earrings. I asked her how in the world she did that so well, and she told me she picks her activities—the ones important to her. Knowing she is unable to do everything she used to, she evaluated what she really wants to do and how she wants to spend her days with her now limited strength. Many things were cut, leaving only the activities and habits that make her happy and fulfilled. She wishes she had done it sooner, rather than wasting time and energy on things she didn’t want to do—so simple and so brilliant.

I love summer, and getting out in the sunshine. Don’t you love the feel of that warmth on your skin? And yes, I love to get a tan. What I don’t love is to over pay for skincare products about which I know little or nothing. I have repeatedly preached about how we need to read and understand food labels, but we also need to understand what we feed to our skin. The prices of skin lotions and creams can be totally out of sight, and labels can be deceptive. Read on for a quick overview of some things to watch out for as you shop for that special item:

Right away, I will tell you to check out definitions of product types. For example, the term natural is very different from the term naturally derived. Also, the term non-toxic has a funny sort of description, as nearly everything can be toxic if you consume enough of it. This term is practically meaningless unless you take it in the literal sense, which means it is not poison, and who would sell something poisonous anyway?

“May is now officially declared ‘Be Good to Yourself Month!’”
– The Uphill Skater –

I love to change the designation of months. I think some of them are silly anyway. I mean, who really knows (or cares) if it is Dairy Month unless one lives in Wisconsin? Also, I get that April showers bring May flowers and all of that, but we can do better. So now we are going to have a special month absolutely dedicated to ourselves. That may or may not sound a bit selfish to you. My hope is “may not.” Think about how little you actually do just for you, We (women) usually give to others first. However, just for this month, may we try some fun experiments meant for you and you alone?

“I cheer up not only by the bright, warm weather, but also by the prospect of a thorough, deep, spring closet cleaning… and of course, buying replacements!” – The Uphill Skater

Spring is here, which brings change—visually with pops of color blooming everywhere and physically, as we can feel the heaviness of winter slough off which each warm, sunny day. A change in scenery is a good thing. People who are into biorhythms are happy right about now, since the belief is that our bodies respond at an ultra deep level to all things changeable.

“Combining a healthy lifestyle feature with a discussion about
women who give back? Piece of cake, my friends!”
– The Uphill Skater –

I go to the dentist. You go to the dentist. Since we all must do it, let’s discuss the benefits of good oral hygiene as it relates to being in a totally good healthy zone. In this column we have talked about everything from sex to heartburn to ingrown toenails, and now it is time, dear ladies, to talk about teeth. I know it’s boring, but as I researched the topic for this article, I found out tons of things I did not know.

We all know to brush twice a day, but did you know it’s possible to over brush? I did not even know what “over brush” meant until my son was told he had receding gums and had to have tissue grafts to correct the situation. It was expensive, painful, and took weeks to heal. So, twice a day with a soft brush, floss, and rinse with a mouthwash.

“Everything these days seems to be about ‘RE.’
Honestly it’s enough to make one REgurgitate!”
– The Uphill Skater –

All right, I know I watch too much HGTV, but doesn’t everyone these days? It’s all about REmodel, REpurpose, and REdo. I must admit, I love that kind of stuff. Who doesn’t love a REcolor? (I’m talking about dying roots, ladies, and I don’t mean the front lawn.) What about a REupholster? Sure, that old ratty sofa could really use it, right? At the same time, we could RE-wallpaper and RE-carpet, too. How about the REclaimed wood craze? I mean you can hardly tear something down these days without Chip and Joanna Gains hitting you up to buy the wood and RE-selling it for double the price. Okay, so what does all of this have to do with the New Year, and what to do about that self-improvement we are all so desperately seeking? Well, just an idea: Why don’t we consider the idea of a RE-resolve?

Rewriting history, renaming things, redoing old furniture, and so on is on trend in 2019, and I don’t want us to be left out. As such, please join me in renaming February: Checkup Month.

All the magazines and TV shows have featured reorganizing and resolutions in January, and we have all been there, done that, and we’re ready to roll, right? Perhaps, not quite. Therefore, let’s make February a time to do a genuine checkup of ourselves. I don’t mean one of those personality inventories we did in January to find out who we really are; I mean an honest and self-caring health checkup/check out of our personal well-being. This is pretty heavy—and important— stuff to think about it.

I know I always give advice about how to stay away from the buffet table and tell you not to gain ANY weight at all every Christmas, but this year is different! This year I am really into the true spirit of it all and it’s all because I have been in snow.

I have not really seen big, beautiful snow since I left California 15 years ago. We used to ski Lake Tahoe every year for all we were worth. It was fabulous, and somehow not having that snow has put a different cast on the holidays. This year, though, we have been visiting in a place where, just last night, it snowed nearly a foot, and it was so beautiful this morning! So yeah, white Christmas has changed my mood.

"Yes, reader questions have built up and it is time to answer
some of the more compelling ones!”
– The Uphill Skater –

So fall is in the air, the weather is turning crisp, and leaves are starting to come down. Also falling down around me are reader questions. I get many questions either in person, at my email address, or on my Skating Uphill blog. Here are just a few that I have answered individually and thought might also be of interest to you:

What is a hidden handicap? I see people all the time pull into handicapped parking spaces, get out of their cars, and jog up to the grocery store; or perfectly healthy-looking people using the handicapped restroom. What the hey?

“November is Gratitude Time!”
– The Uphill Skater –

The late, and might I say great, Joan Rivers once was rumored to have said, “Gratitude sucks. Give me plastic surgery every time!” Albeit extreme, I grant you, think about it for a minute: That humble, grateful, “Thank you so much, I could not have done it with out you” may be worn a bit thin lately. I do NOT mean that one should not have the generosity of heart to acknowledge when one has been helped. God forbid! What I mean is that we, and by we I mean women in general, might want to take a look at where we are in our struggle for equality, and maybe just take a deep breath and not be afraid to look victory in the eye.

I like to take genuine quiet and alone time around my birthday to take a look at where I’ve been, and even more importantly, where I think I might be going next. As you know, Skating Uphill often comes with bumps in the road that can make forward progress difficult. This year is no exception, so I thought I would share to see if I am alone in the dark, or standing in the daylight with friends. I have four things I would like to put out there to think about this month.

Weight Gain: My first speed bump is my 10-pound weight gain. I have gradually pushed it down to a net a six-pound gain, but that is the best I can do, which is not good because it means I have to take a good look at things like snacks, eating out, lack of exercise, and a ton (no pun intended) of other things I am, or am not, doing to keep these six pounds hanging around. I may just look this one in the face and move on. It is not good to be a slave to a few pounds, so I am not going to worry. I will try to do little things a little better. I recommend this approach; it is much easier on the nerves.

Indeed it is hot, muggy, buggy, and a bunch of other not too pleasant things. Just remember though, how you longed for this when it was so cold last winter. I remember it, and I love it. Heat is good for lots of things. It is good for my bones and joints, good for the ocean temperature, good for ice cream eating, among many other things. There are a few things though, and wouldn’t you just know it, that we need to look to for self-protection this summer.

When I say self-protection, I do not mean that you need to carry a gun, but I do mean you need your kit at the ready for those hot days that turn out to be ever hotter than expected. It is difficult to know what 88 degrees may feel like at the beach at 4:00 p.m. after you have been there since 11:00 that morning. So, here’s some beach and hot weather stuff you should know.

“All right, I know I have said that no diets work, but I have been sucked in yet again (sigh). Just give this a chance.”

– The Uphill Skater –

I can’t count the times that I have said that all diets work and conversely, no diets work, and I am sticking by that, but—because it is the lazy, hazy days of summer—I let myself give the diet scenario one more try. I read about this diet/book/plan in a magazine, and somehow it caught my eye, and the book was not expensive, so I sent for it. I get that this is like believing that boyfriend you know is a liar and a cheater, or buying that pair of jeans one size too small promising yourself you can wear them next week, but I did it, so here goes: I am going to share!

Okay, so your jeans are actually loose and your bathing suit looks great. No? Well, me neither. Let’s sit down and talk about this in a reasonable and non-hysterical way. What can we do in just a few short days, or weeks, to actually be able to feel good and face the world?

This is a hard question, but never fear, I have an easy answer. Simply stop worrying about it.

Have you seen Internet posts about involving fat shaming, ugly shaming, or the numerous ways people are able to anonymously say unkind things about others? I often wonder if these “posters” are not sitting in a basement dressed in a Mumu, weighing 400 pounds, and shooting hurtful darts about others just for something to do between donuts. Do you ever wonder that? I mean honestly, anyone who would tell Duchess Kate she is wearing ugly shoes that did not match her dress must have some real problems.

I often think the guy who wrote “June is Bustin’ Out All Over” made a mistake. It is really May that busts out. My daffodils are up and shaking their little yellow heads, the leaves are out on the trees and the weather has taken a decided turn for the better. The good eats opportunities have also taken a turn for the better, and the chances of fresh produce are looking very good.

There has been so much pesticide information out there lately, I am going to skip rehashing it. We all know to wash fruits with skins, and peel fruits with clean hands. One of my favorites is grapes. I love the seedless green ones, and I think they are finally getting sweeter like they used to be. You may notice the skins are thicker and that is because most are now picked by machine, and they have been genetically modified to develop thicker skins so they will not bruise. This kind of GMO is harmless. I cut the big green grapes in half when I give them to my grandson. I think he might not be able to chew a big grape, and I know this is a bit paranoid, but I am a granny, so I can do it if I want to!

I love to get questions from Pink readers. Before I answer questions, I spend a lot of time and care looking in to findings and new thinking coming out of the world of what I like to call “life health” research. I look at life health as the entire package that is the totality of each one of us, so broad questions are my favorites because answers so frequently interweave.

Here are some of the things readers have been asking/talking about lately:
First, there is a new idea about weight loss. I found some interesting information in the March 2018 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. The article stated the new best practices for weighing-in is once a week on the same day each week and same time, too. Weighing everyday is too volatile, and the old thinking of “I never weigh. I just go by how my clothes feel” is a sure way to get out of control before you know it. A few pounds may not show in your elastic waistband yoga pants or baggy Tee. Weighing weekly allows for necessary adjustments. If you gain two or three pounds for the week, go ahead and get them off. The weekly weigh in is a barometer that will keep you from incessant weight gain. In addition, the article discussed positive food thoughts, which are far better than negative ones. In other words, don’t think of what you can’t eat, or dwell on unsatisfied cravings. Instead, eat all you want of good things, and a full tummy will more than likely not still crave that cookie. I like that. I am a positive person, and things like this work for me.

I have been betrayed by February yet again. Not by a person; I’m pretty lucky in the friend department. Like you, perhaps, I have been betrayed by broken New Year’s resolutions, Valentine candy disguised as love, cherry pie disguised as patriotism, and just wanting something carb loaded because I ate the candy and pie—a vicious cycle that makes me crave a chunk of bread slathered with butter. Honestly, I thought February was going to be much better than it was.

So, March is here, and we are going to hit the “second chance” button on our lives and get ready for spring. I mean it. Let’s talk about new foods, new outfits, and most of all, a new healthy lifestyle. Get ready for some great food ideas and yes, maybe something besides jeans and a black sweater!

“February is cold and ugly, but to make up for it we have Valentine’s Day and a
long President’s Day weekend. Yay!”
– The Uphill Skater –

Although we are deep into winter and we’ve had some cold, shivering days and nights, the good news is we’re on the home stretch of the winter blahs being behind us. There are some fun things to look forward to in February, and I have a few suggestions for you, as always.

“Okay, now for something really different this New Year. We are not going to make positive resolutions, we are going to make ‘not’ Resolutions!  Hmmmmmm...”
– The Uphill Skater –

Well, I have finally had a thought for making those pesky and guilt producing New Year’s Resolutions work. No more sappy attempts or broken promises on January 2. I am done. In fact, am overdone. I refuse to be stuck in place any longer. In fact, I am as overdone and stuck in one place as Donald Trump’s hairdo.

Merry Christmas: Whatever That Means to YOU!”
– Alternate Church Christmas Carol –

It is actually true dear friends. Several years ago, my husband and I were invited to an alternate church service around Christmas time and we accepted. It was a most interesting experience. And yes, the lead off carol was a tune entitled, “Merry Christmas: Whatever That Means To You,” and was played on a big keyboard by a woman in a pirate costume. Most of the congregation, not us mind you, were dressed in some outrageous stuff.

“Put down that turkey leg, girl, and step away from the buffet.
You know you can’t eat that, you just dipped it in gravy!”
­- The Uphill Skater ­-

The holidays are no longer coming up; they are here. Party time is upon us. We all like to bring our favorite, most fabulous recipe when it is a potluck or covered dish, and when everybody does this, it usually turns into a feasting disaster. Dinner with friends can turn ugly pretty fast when you add a couple of glasses of wine and dessert. I mean ugly in the calories sense, of course.  I am sure you know the drill.  Gathering means eating, and eating means splurging. It’s a tradition, and in all honesty, it is a tradition everyone loves and enjoys.

As I watched all of the recent storms, earthquakes and floods destroying people’s lives and property it was so horrible, it almost did not register after a while. Places I had been and things I had enjoyed seeing were simply gone. Images of those just standing in wonder looking at where their property used to be were haunting accounts of uncontrollable events. If we think the loss of a home or tree or bridge is so devastating, imagine those who have lost loved ones. 

“New Year’s Resolutions in January are so over done.
Let’s start the real New Year, the “School New Year”
right with some REAL resolutions!”
­- The Uphill Skater ­-

Everyone makes those same old resolutions every year, and we have talked about this before, dear friends. Don’t say you will call your mother, write thank you notes and lose 20 pounds EVER again. Promise me? As school starts, let’s pretend this new start for so many young people can actually be a new start for us, too. It is never too late to be early!

“Plan to Fail.”
­- The Uphill Skater ­-

As much as this column has told you to always be positive over the years, I am now telling you to plan to fail.  As shocking as this may seem, I recently read as book about successful goal achievement, which devoted a chapter to how to cope with failure and still maintain your goal intention, self-esteem and conviction. Living a healthy lifestyle, the tagline for this column, has frequently discussed the topics of both goal achievement and self-esteem, but in the context of success, not failure.

“Honestly, if I read another article about exercise
I think I will just sit here and be ill. No, I guess I better not just
‘sit here’ to be ill. I need to walk around-right?”
­- The Uphill Skater ­-

I know, I know. Exercise is good for you. I have often said, though, it is not really a weight loss tool. You cannot possibly exercise off all the calories you consume. Well, just as everyone is convinced, more information has emerged showing how important exercise, even mild exercise, can be for a huge variety of reasons. Who knew?

“Environment is the totality of what surrounds you, so for an optimum healthy lifestyle, only surround yourself with things that are good, happy, and productive.”
­- The Uphill Skater ­-

Yes, I am actually the Uphill Skater, and yes, I often quote myself. So, what? As an advocate for living a healthy lifestyle, I would be a pretty poor example if I did not believe what I tell you. I also admit to subscribing to many, some say too many, magazines. I try to keep up with food trends, health updates and new surveys. Some would find this quite a chore, but actually I love it. It gives me great pleasure to share what I learn.

We have all heard beauty is only skin deep and stuff like never judge a book by its cover and looking beyond the surface. I am very much in favor of any and all of these types of sentiments. As we carry on our ongoing discussion of how to live a totally healthy lifestyle, insights like this are important not only to our own sense of self-image, but also to the quality of our interactions with others. If you don’t believe me, just ask Mama June. No, just kidding, but she really has undergone a huge transformation, right?