The Scoop

I am pretty sure I lost it during May. I was so busy yet working so physically hard that I think I did more damage than not. To be honest the year starting last April has been physically harmful. But I have put it all behind me and am every single day waking up with the intent of taking care of my body and mind. And as many of you know who are in their 60s and beyond, it is more work now than at any time in my life to stay healthy.

Some of the things I have noticed over this past year are the following.

I want sweets more. I have never in all my life had a sweet tooth but this last couple of years has brought it out in me. So, I am diligent to satisfy myself with fruits and veggies that taste sweet when they are roasted or grilled. Even broccoli tastes sweet if you roast it with little olive oil and balsamic.

I also notice that my muscles ache more and longer when I work out than they used to. So, I give myself more time to recover and I try to do gentle exercises like walking in nature, yoga and lifting light weights for more repetitions.

My skin has taken a beating from years of taking it for granted. I am on a skin care journey like nobody’s business! I use skin care products that include Retin A prescribed by a dermatologist and I wear sunscreen every day. I don’t stop at the skin on my face I pay attention to all my skin. I have found that a little care makes a big difference. My legs and arms were declining rapidly and now they look so much better after using the right skin care products. I have been paying attention for a couple of years now and yes, some damage can be reversed.

Now my hair is also joining in on the let’s give her a hard time gang. It was drying kinky and frizzy around my face (even my stylist said, “what the heck is this?”) It was feeling very dry and stiff and wouldn’t hold color. I am just now starting to give special care to my hair because to be honest it has always been no problem for me.

A lot of this decline in my skin, hair and muscles happened rapidly after changing my HRT and even stopping some of them. I see my doctor next week for my annual checkup and plan on going back to my prior dosages. We thought we were improving things but it made everything worse. Lesson learned, don’t fix what ain’t broke!

This is my main point here. I don’t mind wrinkles. They are normal and even beautiful if you think about it. I do mind feeling tired, achy and depressed. So, all my focus is on being able to move it so I don’t lose it!

Here are some of the products I use and find helpful. I will work from the top down.

First, my hair. Here is a post on my hair styles and hair care through the years. I mean how many hair styles can one have? Ha ha.

In that post I mentioned hair care products that I loved. Somehow, I moved on to other things and dwindled down to cheap products.

Now that I am back to caring about my hair, I started using the products mentioned it that post again. Why did I stop? My hair is already showing improvements.

I’m linking what I am using along with the hair color I have used since age 21. This past year my hair seemed to quit taking on the color so I am letting my stylist put in highlights right now. I am hoping once I get my hair back to health it will take on the color again. Fingers crossed!

For my face I am using Agency. It is an online service with certified dermatologists who prescribe the best products and plan for your skin. I started in January and can already tell a big difference. My wrinkles are still there but I had a couple of age spots that are almost gone. This is a long-haul plan. It doesn’t happen overnight but it is the gold standard.

Along with the products they prescribe I use the following products, in the morning only. I found these products at a spa a while back when I went to get a facial. They blew me away. I use the Agency products at night. You can get to the Agency website at Agency.com.

For my neck and chest I use these products. They are a little milder than the face products so no irritation. They have thousands of amazing reviews.

For my body, mostly legs and arms I am using the following products. I take equal amounts of the Alpha Skin Care lotion and the Dr. Teal’s Body lotion and mix them together using every other night. On the alternate nights I use the Gold Bond Retinol Overnight cream.

I really love the scents available for the Dr. Teal’s Body lotion. It is so nice to fall asleep with the gentle scent of my favorite the citrus, or the lavender or even the eucalyptus. Total self-care vibes.

Lastly here are a couple of face masks I use one or the other once a week. I usually use nothing at all on the weekend but do a face mask on Sunday night while I take a bubble bath. And I for many years I keep Radha Rosehip Oil on hand for days or nights I feel like only using a little oil on my skin and/or hair.

Thanks for stopping by!

Peace!