Month: April 2022

Fear of ‘Curmudgeonhood’

It has become a deep concern to me of late that I am becoming a curmudgeon. When one goes to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary (online, of course), a “curmudgeon” is defined as “a crusty, ill-tempered and usually old man.”

In this equal-opportunity era, I am sure the sexual requirement of this definition can be waived, as many others are so blithely by-passed these days. I do believe that waxing into a full-blown “curmudgeonhood” does not require one to be “old” anymore, either.

I think that “curmudgeonhood,” occurs quite regularly now and is the natural outgrowth of the fact that living seems to be quite simply the death of us. Things that were once the true pith and juice of life or just the simple activities of daily living are now frequently fraught with danger and impending doom.

Remember when you could have fun-to-be-so-bad sex on the beach with joy and a shiver of delight? The really only bad upshot of this event was sand in every imaginable and unimaginable place, some insect bites, and perhaps some embarrassment over a bared behind. Now if one engages in procreation of the species with nubile outdoor abandon you can die of lime disease and/or the human immunodeficiency virus; or get shot for trespassing.

When did eating stop being fun and no longer deliver gastronomic gaiety? It is now a “deadly” affair! Red meat and butter will kill you. Tuna fish, red fish, blue fish and green fish are full of mercury. Foods that should be simple good, honest fare are now enriched, lactose-free, high-fiber, low fat, low protein, high-vitamin, low calorie and labeled “this amount of this tasty product” might not kill you.

Simply carting the above foodstuffs from the automated check-out line to the car can be life-threatening. Please note the label on those plastic food-carry bags that warn not to allow children to place the bags over their heads. This can cause suffocation. I will not even address the fact that there might be some unseen benefit in this eventuality.

Even cooking the results of our shopping expeditions can now be dangerous. Have you ever really read the warnings inside the door of your microwave oven? If you want to continue using this modern-day marvel, I advise against it.

Cell telephones, boons and banes to our existence that they are, can cause loss of brain cells and mental retardation. Has anyone else seen the un-popped popcorn kernels explode into puffy white fulmination when placed next to a ringing cell phone? Now there is room for thought! Better do it quick, though. Is that your phone ringing?

Healthcare is the cause of much concern as well. Most everyone has had the “weighty” experience of that skirt, vest and/or pantaloons that you are required to wear as your inner workings are being X-rayed for further recommendation. Don’t you just love how the health “techie” person just scurries out of the X-ray room with that “no teeth” smile?

I could move on to children; especially teenagers. But, you know, they are sliding into “curmudgeonhood” at an alarming rate as well. Poor dears are being told that those caffeinated energy drinks are now toxic and that their head-phone music listening habits will deafen them before they are thirty.

Boy, just thinking about all of this can be depressing. Though, there actually may be a bright spot… or two. Do I recall correctly reading something about a couple glasses of red wine and reduced heart disease?…

Archery is a popular and enjoyable pastime, especially if you enjoy the outdoors. If you are thinking of taking up this sport, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Choose Your Bow

In general, recurve bows are more popular for target shooting and compound bows are more popular for hunting, but there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Recurve bows are generally more challenging to operate, which may be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your goals. A compound bow requires less practice to shoot accurately, making it a good choice if you just want to shoot occasionally for fun. If you want to develop good form and technique, however, a recurve bow will challenge you more.

Many novice archers make the mistake of choosing a bow with the wrong draw weight; this is the force required to pull the string back. It is best to visit a shop that sells bows and archery tools Canada for a hands-on trial to select the right bow for you.

2. Learn Basic Safety

Many firearm safety practices also apply to archery. These include:

• Don’t nock (load) your arrow until you are ready to shoot.
• Keep your bow aimed downward when nocking your arrow.
• Don’t point your bow at anything you don’t intend to shoot.
• Ensure that your target has a backstop, such as a hay bale.
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

Maintaining your equipment is also important. Before shooting, inspect the bow and arrows for cracks, splitting or other damage. Inspecting your equipment every time you use it is a responsible safety practice and helps you get the most use out of it.

3. Perfect Your Stance

Stance is essential to achieving accuracy in archery. Most beginners learn the square stance first. In this stance, you stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and parallel to the shooting line. The hand in which you hold your bow should be closest to the target. Your back should be straight and your shoulders relaxed.

The best way to develop and improve your stance is to take lessons. An instructor can observe you and give constructive feedback. With practice, you will develop muscle memory and the movements and positions will come more naturally. While it is possible to teach yourself archery, you risk developing bad habits that are difficult to break later on, so having an instructor can be helpful.

Taking up a new sport is both fun and challenging. Selecting the appropriate equipment, following safety guidelines and investing in lessons can help you get the most out of your new hobby.…

Spa Tricks You Can Do At Home To Combat Skin Aging

The spa isn’t the only place for your skin to get pampered. I think it would be more convenient and more relaxing if you try to solve your skin aging problems at home. Going to the spa can be stressful especially during peak hours when you are going to be stuck in traffic. Furthermore, your skin can get stressed out because of UV rays and pollutants when going to the nearest spa center.

Regularly visiting the spa can also cost a lot of money. So here are a few spa tricks that you can conveniently try at home:

1. Don’t throw coffee grounds yet after making your coffee. You can still use them to create a scrub that can help improve the elasticity of the skin tissues in your thighs. These areas usually turn saggy and dimply because of the fats that accumulate under the subcutaneous layers of the dermis.

Gently massage coffee grounds on your thighs. Religiously apply the mask to stimulate better blood flow. You can also try adding green tea to the mixture. This will detoxify your dermis and get rid of the toxins in the skin layers.

2. Make your skin softer and smoother with a good exfoliating scrub. Blend one cup of pineapple cubes, one cup of fresh strawberries and three tablespoons of yogurt. Apply the scrub on your skin.

Pineapple is a natural exfoliant. It contains exfoliating enzymes that can dissolve the bond that allows dead skin cells to cling to the wall of your pores. Strawberries contain small seeds that can also help unseat dirt and dead cells. It also contains antioxidants that can fight the bad effects of free radicals. Yogurt is a good source of lactic acid that can help facilitate a renewal of skin tissues.

3. Get rid of ugly spots and blemishes with the help of lemon juice, mashed avocado and sour milk. Mix these ingredients well and apply the mask all over your skin. Let it sit there for an hour before washing it off.

Lemon juice can inhibit melanin production easily. It also works well in reducing the appearance of age spots. Mashed avocado also contains Vitamin E that can help lubricate cells and tissues. It is also a good source of Vitamin D and linoleic acid that can improve skin structure. Sour milk contains lactic acid that can help slough off dead skin cells and remove the dead layers of the dermis.

After using these spa treatments, immediately apply a hydrating moisturizer. Look for a product that contains CynergyTK and Phytessence Wakame. CynergyTK is a good source of functional keratin. Keratin is a special kind of protein that can help regenerate more collagen and elastin. Phytessence Wakame, on the other hand, can help drive harmful enzymes away. These enzymes tend to damage hyaluronic acid. This is the acid needed to lubricate collagen fibers.…

Anti-Aging? Is it a Real Possibility?

I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this concept of anti-aging because every time I turn on my computer I see ads for anti-aging x, y, and z products.

Is anti aging possible? Can it be a reality? Do you want it to be real? 

You might disagree – but in short – I don’t think so. 

Aging is a process that starts when we are born – we get older every day!  It’s that plain and simple; then again I am a developmental psychologist and look at forward development; not backward.

Aging is a process, it has a beginning, a middle and an end.  My focus in my writings is that giant middle – the part of life when we start to see and feel some of the inevitable declines that happen with where we can still make choices about how well we will live in our own futures.

I don’t think we can stop the process – except when we die – nor can we reverse the process and go backwards. 

What we can do is slow down the process by making intelligent decisions about what we do and do not do – and those choices can also help us look better.  Ultimately, the life we live is always about the choices we make! 

Intelligent people can choose to be well informed, read information and labels and then make informed choices.  With facts in hand one can ask: “Is it an intelligent safe choice for me to use this product or service?”   And ask yourself why you are doing it – is it for you? for someone else?

This is a very different process than just assuming or hoping “this will reverse or stop my aging process.” 

Finding good information is not always easy.  Cosmetic companies, pharmaceutical companies and exercise equipment makers outspend and out-advertise any formats where you might find intelligent information.  It takes work on your part.  But you can do some of this “intelligence gathering” by reading blogs like mine or others who do try to look at the research.

In conclusion, I don’t think we can or should want to anti-age – but we can slow down the process and still look good while we are growing older better.

As with most of life – the choices are yours.  Choose intelligently.…

Beautiful Skin – 5 More Reasons To Quit Smoking

Do you want your skin to look:

* dull?

* tired?

* wrinkled?

* saggy?

* coarse and generally unattractive?

I doubt very much that you do, but if you are a smoker that is exactly what you can expect – if it doesn’t look that way already!

I’m not going to preach about the health dangers of smoking – unless you have been living under a rock (which I know you haven’t) that’s an absolute no-brainer – but I am going to point out 5 ways that smoking damages your skin.

1. smoking increases production of an enzyme which breaks down the supply of collagen in the skin. Collagen is what give’s the skin elasticity and ability to bounce back. Collagen production naturally decreases with age but smoking speeds up the process.

2. smoking restricts blood flow through the tiny veins near the skins surface, which prevents oxygen and nutrients getting to the skin – these are the skin’s food and it cannot function properly without them.

3. smoking depletes the body’s stores of vitamin A – a vital anti-oxidant that provides protection from skin damage.

4.smoking depletes and interferes with the absorption of vitamin C – another important antioxidant for skin protection and health, vitamin C is also involved in collagen synthesis.

5. smoking causes deep lines and wrinkles around the mouth and eye area as a result of the constant dragging on the cigarettes and squinting to avoid the smoke.

Patches, pills, support groups, books, hypnosis – there are a ton of resources available to help people quit. Apart from the awesome health benefits and amazing skin that will result from quitting smoking, all that money can be spent on eating well and enjoying some well deserved treats like a trip to the day spa or a new outfit.

I know which one I’d prefer!…

The Best Filler For Aging Lines – Say Bye to Those Ugly Lines and Wrinkles With Natural Ingredient

Are you afraid of looking into the mirror because of the aging lines on your face? Maybe you have lost hope of ever finding a solution to your problem; however, you shouldn’t be. Although there are many anti wrinkle products on the market that do not work; there are still a few out there that really do what they claim.

This article is going to tell you about a natural wrinkle filler that will help remove your aging lines and rejuvenate your face, making you look younger and beautiful.

The first advice I will give you is, avoid products that contain harsh chemicals like fragrances, parabens and alcohols (ethyl, methyl, isopropyl and SD alcohols); apart from being harmful to your body, these chemicals also dry out your skin thereby worsening the appearance of aging lines.

I started using all natural products since I discovered the dangers of putting harmful chemicals and synthetic ingredients on my skin; I can frankly tell you that I am happier for it.

Natural wrinkle filler

I discovered this ingredient after a long and unsuccessful use of many other wrinkle creams. Its name is cynergy TK; you may not see it in creams in the drug stores because it is a patented ingredient. It is a unique active keratin extracted from the wool of New Zealand sheep.

Cynergy TK enhances your body’s ability to naturally produce collagen and elastin which leads to the reduction of aging lines and wrinkles. For starters, collagen and elastin are proteins found in your body; they are responsible for keeping your skin firm and flexible.

However, as you advance in age, the amounts of these important proteins deplete thereby causing your skin to sag and develop aging lines. In order word, cynergy TK restores the depleted collagen and elastin and thus, helps to reverse the visible signs of aging.

This ingredient is easily absorbed and used by your skin because its keratin is similar to the one naturally found in human body. It also boosts skin cells renewal and brightens your complexion making it look radiant.

If you want an effective product for lines and wrinkles, then you have to look for a wrinkle cream that contains cynergy TK.

Discover the best wrinkle cream for aging lines.…

Anti Aging Tips – How To Fight Cellular Oxidation

Cellular stress is one of the leading contributors to rapid skin aging. Our body is made up of billions of cells. They ensure that our systemic functions will work normally and properly. However, there are certain things that can mess up with the functions of our cells. Free radicals are some of them.

Free radicals are unpaired electrons with a very unstable molecular structure. They tend to damage cells and DNA. There are free radicals in the environment that can attack us anytime. It is also important to remember that our body can produce free ranging radicals. If it is stressed out or exposed to chemicals, the body undergoes an oxidation process that leads to the emergence of free ranging radicals.

How can cellular oxidation affect us? For one thing, they can weaken the core systemic functions of our body. But the most obvious sign of cellular damage is the appearance of premature wrinkles. It is also obvious in the way our dermis turns dull and dry.

So how exactly can you fight cellular oxidation? Here are some helpful tips for you:

1. Avoid exposing your body to the things that can cause a chemical reaction. That being said, you have to stop taking strong medications. Ask your doctor if you can take alternative medications. There are a lot of herbal remedies that can provide relief to common illnesses today.

2. Try reducing stress. Put a rein on your fast-paced lifestyle so your body can catch up. You should allot a special time of the day to meditate or to take a deep breathe and clear your mind.

3. Seek the help of antioxidants. These are free radical scavengers. They help the body fight oxidative stress. They work well in repairing damaged cells. If you want to slow down skin aging, you can try using Vitamin E. It has antioxidative benefits that can prevent the deterioration of skin cells. It can keep your skin properly nourished and hydrated.

4. Eat more fruits and vegetables. They contain a hefty amount of antioxidants. Tropical fruits and dark-colored berries work so well in reducing cellular stress.

5. Use alpha lipoic acid. This has similar benefits to antioxidants. However, it is considered more potent because it is both water and fat-soluble. It can work in the various areas of your body.

6. Look for a more potent anti aging moisturizer. Protect your skin with the help of a product that contains Nano Lipobelle HEQ10 and Phytessence Wakame. Nano Lipobelle HEQ10 is a derivative of Coenzyme Q10. This antioxidant is made up of smaller molecules so it can easily penetrate up to the deepest layer of the skin. Phytessence Wakame, on the other hand, is a type of sea kelp that can prevent the rapid decline of hyaluronic acid. This acid is vital for collagen lubrication.…