The 40s:  Mothers and Mavens – The Empowerment Decade

Nutrition/Lifestyle: 

The challenges of juggling family and career may be largely behind you by now, or just beginning to loom on the horizon.  In either case, you’ve reached a plateau in life where you know what you want out of it.  You’re strong, experienced, and confident, and you’ve established a foundation upon which to pave a stable future. 

However, somewhere along the life-building path, you may have noticed that you no longer have the “bounce” you once had.  You may become easily fatigued, experience muscle stiffness, and discover that you generally have less flexibility than you did in your twenties and thirties.  And while the scales of personal wealth may have, hopefully, tipped in your favor, the bathroom scale may persistently refuse to.  Add to this the trials of raising teenagers or caring for aging parents and you’ve got a prescription for ever-present stress.  And although the uncomfortable symptoms of menopause are on the horizon (who ever thought there would be such a thing as perimenopause?), your life is beginning to take shape in many other ways and you’re actually entertaining the idea that life just may begin at 40!

Health Concerns:

Since the risk of breast cancer, heart disease and compromised joint health increases with age, it’s important for you to form a strategy regarding your health at this stage.  One way to fight such diseases is with vitamin and plant-based antioxidants.  Green tea, for instance, contains catechins that bind with free radicals to prevent them from attacking cell membranes and damaging genetic material.  And, adding antioxidant nutrients to your diet, such as lycopene and betacarotene, can also help to prevent free radical damage and the formation of cancer.  Free radicals are electronically charged particles and the natural by-product of normal cell processes.  They’re called radicals because they try to “steal” electrons from other molecules, damaging DNA and cells.  However, antioxidants neutralize the electrical charge and, in effect, “correct” free radicals from their thieving ways.  In addition, Calcium D-Glucarate can enhance the body’s ability to eliminate toxins on a cellular level.  Glucosomine is an important agent to help maintain joint function since it promotes cartilage production.   

Supplementing with essential fatty acids (EFAs), namely Omega-3 and Omega-6, is important to help prevent vascular disease since they both help to regulate several cardiovascular functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood vessel dilation, and blood clotting. Omega-3, in particular, is very difficult to obtain in a normal diet, even if you eat a lot of fish.  The reason for that is because most of the fish found in the supermarket are farm raised and typically lack a diet in natural algae, their primary source of Omega-3.  On the other hand, certain herbs, such as flaxseed and borage, help the body manufacture its own fatty acids.  Both herbs contain lignans, a fiber and phytoestrogen, that’s an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid, which the body converts into Omega-3.

At some point in your 40s, you can probably expect to undergo the gradual transition into menopause, an experience unique to every woman.  But, it’s important to understand that menopause is not a disease; it’s simply a natural life event.  However, certain symptoms may arise that can cause temporary discomfort.  The herb black cohosh is widely used in Europe to lessen menopausal symptoms associated with approaching menopause such as night sweats, hot flashes, irritability and related sleeplessness. Soy contains isoflavones for additional symptom relief and nutritional support during this time of life.  There is also promising evidence beginning to emerge that soy may also lower cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL, the “bad” cholesterol), possibly reducing the risk of heart disease.

Skin in your 40s – Surviving the Wear and Tear 

As a woman’s skin approaches menopause, its ability to maintain a natural moisture balance fades. Lines and wrinkles become more plentiful and pronounced. Elastin fibers begin to thicken resulting in skin sagging, cross-hatching and the deepening of expression lines. Foreheads are no longer smooth and jaw lines slacken. Brown spots may crop up on cheeks and backs of hands. Despite all this, these can be the most confident years of a woman’s life.  Having life experience and a defined sense of self allows a poised beauty to shine through.  Time can only accent great bones structure too.  So when the fatty layer begins to fade away, those beautiful angles begin to show.   During this decade, those that have avoided the sun in their 20s and 30s will have skin that fares better than those that haven’t.

Trouble-Shooting:  Use a gentle cleanser that won’t strip skin of its natural oils. A moisturizer with a minimum SPF 15 sunscreen is essential for day. To help skin hold precious water, use a rich moisturizer at night. Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day to plump skin and help eliminate toxins. If you have not begun already, take your vitamins, minerals, and herbs.

Supplementation Recommendations

Women’s Essentials Pack – Minerals, LEW, Fruit Caps, Veggie Caps, OPC, Essential or Coral Calcium

Value Pack – Minerals, Fruit Caps, Veggie Caps, OPC, EFAs, Neutral C

40-30-30 Shakes and Bars

Slim Caps Extra

Choleste-Care

Heart Pack – Minerals, Choleste-Care, Neutral C + CoQ10 and Super Alo-E

Cellular DX (breast health support)

Osteo-Flex pack – Minerals, FlexRite, Essential Calcium and OPC

Hair and Skin Care Recommendations

Enzyme Cleanser

Hydra Firm Day Lotion

Illuminating Eye Complex

Nutri-C Complex

Beta C Antioxidant Crème

Advanced skin care set

Ellavi Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash

Aromatherapy Recommendations

Lavender for soothing, balancing, calming and relaxing

Lemon to help cleans and refresh high traffic areas

Peppermint to help beat the mid-afternoon slump

Balance Blend for total body balance.

Did You Know?

There’s such a thing as good fats?  Good fats are important for cardiovascular health, your cells and your skin! Unfortunately, the good fats including Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids are sometimes hard to find in your everyday diet.  That’s why supplementation is key!  Recently, new information has emerged indicating that the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.

“Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the US, occurring in one out of nine women.  This year, a new case will be diagnosed every two and half minutes.” – National Alliance for Breast Cancer Organizations

“30-60% of all cancers, including breast cancer, cannot be blamed on environment or genetics, but on a poor diet.”

Did You Know?

 On a cellular level, skin is very much a living process – it grows, it dies, it sheds and it needs nutrients and special care in order to function properly.

Get Steamed

Fill a large bowl with boiling water and add 5-6 drops essential oil, such as lemon or peppermint.  Using a towel to make a tent over your head and the bowl, lean forward and allow the steam to gently cleanse your pores. (Be careful not to burn eyes and lips!)

Smooth it Over

Before toweling off after a bath or shower, reach for a good moisturizing oil, such as Grapeseed Messenger Oil Blend.  Smooth on skin paying special attention to feet, elbows, and knees. The oil is readily absorbed into skin and will leave you feeling silky smooth!

Diffuse Stress

Try using an Aroma Diffuser to disperse the therapeutic benefits of an aromatic essential oil throughout the room to quickly relieve tension.  Some good choices are lavender, rose geranium, carrot, or lemon.