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This 64-Year-Old Woman Found A Natural Alternative To A Facelift And Fillers

Nora Ephron was 65 when she felt bad about her neck. At 64, I feel bad about my elbows. It is nature's gift that I don't have to look at them. But you do, so let me apologize in advance. Maybe that's why we are invisible. We are a walking advertisement for the inevitable pull of gravity.
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AUTHOR OF "THE MODERNAGER®BLOG" A DROLL LOOK AT AGING. Who else is going to hire me at 64?

AUTHOR OF "THE MODERNAGER®BLOG" A DROLL LOOK AT AGING. Who else is going to hire me at 64?
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Nora Ephron was 65 when she felt bad about her neck. At 64, I feel bad about my elbows. It is nature's gift that I don't have to look at them. But you do, so let me apologize in advance. Maybe that's why we are invisible. We are a walking advertisement for the inevitable pull of gravity and today's youth clearly would rather not be reminded. Assisted suicide franchises for people over 50 will spring up replacing plastic surgery as the only alternative to aging. Who has the money? Even with all the over-65 perks, who wants the perks? I have a friend with a Senior MetroCard who keeps her full price "vanity" card handy so she wont be forced to suffer the slings and arrows of her coworkers discovering her well-guarded secret. If you can't afford a facelift or fillers I have the cheapest alternative around. It's called Warby Parkers and bangs. Aging gracefully is a bore and the term "age appropriate" gives me hives. Fashion should be age neutral -- not age appropriate. I want to make some noise, break boundaries, have a cocktail ... maybe two.

CNN recently wrote an exposé about how the modeling industry exploits young workers but nothing about older models. A stunning silver-haired model, who shall remain nameless, recently shared her own story of exploitation in the industry with me. While on a fashion shoot for a high profile billion-dollar company she was asked to work double the amount of hours of the other models who were half her age. Why, she asked indignantly? The answer was that she sold double the amount of clothes and they needed more shots. She also discovered she was being paid half the amount of her younger counterparts. Ageism at its finest.

When I was in my mid 20s I had a boyfriend who told me I needed to start exercising in order to keep my body in shape. Like the late bloomer I am, 40 years later I took his advice. I snuck onto the information highway where The Refinery29 plank challenge beckoned. Now I never leave home without it. Three minutes of blissful purgatory. Keep your bod together and who's going to notice your neck?

As people around me are retiring, dying or even worse, leaving New York, I wonder, who am I and where am I going? At 64 I'm not ready to retire or die or even worse, leave New York. So I guess I go on discovering, growing and doing my three-minute plank every day. Maybe I'll just go outside and walk around naked. I'm sure to get noticed. And try to figure out what to do with my hair, while sipping a cocktail, of course.

Photo Credit: Leland Bobbé

Earlier on Huff/Post50:

Natural Ways To Reduce Anxiety And Get Better Sleep
Get Moving(01 of06)
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Exercising can naturally help you sleep better by raising dopamine levels, which in turn reduce anxiety and depression. Avoid exercising too close to your bed time, however, as this may make it more difficult to fall asleep soon after. Cognitive hypnotherapist Lesley McCall suggests having at least three hours between exercise and sleep in order to give your body ample time to wind down and prepare for rest. (credit:Alamy)
Watch What You Eat(02 of06)
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Avoid devouring large meals before bedtime. Along with the discomfort of being stuffed, large meals take the body longer to digest, thus leaving you more tired when you wake. Conversely, going to bed hungry can be just as disruptive.Dr. David L. Katz recommends fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains for sound slumber as these "tend to produce a slow, steady rise in blood insulin that helps the amino acid tryptophan enter the brain. Tryptophan is used to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps induce sleepiness along with improving your mood". (credit:Alamy)
Adjust Room Temperature(03 of06)
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Try adjusting the temperature of the bedroom for a more optimal sleeping environment. According to Jennifer Trachtenberg, M.D., FAAP, you should aim for somewhere between 68 and 72 degrees. For easier temperature regulation throughout the night, ditch the singular heavy comforter and opt for piling on light layers that can be easily kicked off as needed. (credit:Alamy)
Make The Bedroom A Bedroom(04 of06)
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According to The Mayo Clinic, the ideal bedroom should be three things: Cool, dark and quiet. It may be time to invest in earplugs, an eye mask or even heavier curtains to block out extra light and sound. Don't be afraid to give fidgeting pets the boot and avoid eating, watching television or finishing work in the bedroom. Instead, make the space strictly for sleep and sex only. (credit:Alamy)
Sign Off(05 of06)
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Don't ruminate. Practice "thought-stopping" where you only allow yourself to worry about a problem during daytime hours. Refrain from checking texts and e-mails (physically banish your cell to a different room if necessary!) before and during your bedtime routine. McCall suggests doing a "brain dump" before bed, in which you spend 10 minutes writing down what is on your mind. Whether you're making a to-do list or merely scribbling by minute eight, leave everything on the page. (credit:Alamy)
Start A Sleep Diary(06 of06)
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Keeping a sleep diary can both help you maintain a consistent sleep schedule and reveal the possible culprit (or culprits) behind your difficulty falling asleep naturally. Create your own sleep diary following a general template and use it in conjunction with a visit to your doctor to discuss any questions or concerns you may have. (credit:Alamy)

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