Spider Veins & Varicose Veins: Webs, Branches, and Rope

Altitude Sickness: Why?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2051222/fan_mail/new] In today's episode, we are taking a look at Altitude Sickness- what it is, why it happens, and why it affects some people more than others. Altitude sickness is not your body failing. It’s  a response. It’s your body’s response to having less available oxygen while it tries to acclimate to higher altitude. And it's important to not that it doesn’t just happen to those of us who live at sea level.  People who live in the mountains can get altitude sickness if they climb higher than their body is accustom to. Think of altitude like lifting weights.  If you normally lift 20 pounds and suddenly pick up a 50 pound weight, you will notice the difference. If you normally lift 50lbs and pick up an 80 pound weight  you notice that  too. It’s not about where you started. It’s how big of jump it is. We all respond to altitude. We just don’t all respond the same way. Anyone at altitude experiences, faster breathing, an elevated heart rate, and changes in their blood chemistry. There is no such thing as a person immune to the effects of thin air. Your body is reacting whether or not you feel anything. It affects men and women, young and old,  elite athletes, and avid hikers. I will share with you what happens inside your body the moment you arrive at higher elevations, why your lungs, heart, brain and even your kidney's all work together to help you acclimate.  And how to recognize the difference between altitude sickness and look- alikes like a hangover, dehydration, or the flu. We will talk about what you can do before and during your mountain trip to help your body adjust, including, hydration, nutrition, alcohol, sleep and pacing yourself during those first few days. Whether you are planning a hiking, skiing, backpacking or mountain vacation, this episode will help you understand what's happening inside your body- and how to give it the time and support it needs to acclimate. I was thinking that today’s take away isn’t only about altitude, it’s also about adaption. Your body is constantly adapting: -to altitude -to heat -to Cold - to Exercise -And even to aging Altitude is just one of the most dramatic examples. Your body is incredibly adaptable. Sometimes it just needs a little time. Whether its adjusting to mountain air, recovering from exercise or navigating the changes that come with aging, your body is always trying to find balance. And the healthiest thing you can do is give our body the time, patience, and support it needs to acclimate. Enjoy! Joanne Demers The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast (949) 236-1529 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask

Whose Dream Wins?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2051222/fan_mail/new] We talk a lot about building a life together, but what happens when two people  want different things out of life, What happens when your dreams are different? One dreams of living near the beach. The other dreams of mountains. One wants adventure. The other wants roots. One wants to downsize and one wants to stay. Whose Dream Wins? In this episode we take a look at  a question that never seems to get a clear answer:  When two people love each other but their dreams don't match, whose dream wins? In this episode, we will talk about how our dreams evolve throughout life, why not all dreams carry the same weight, the difference between compromise and sacrifice, and how two autonomous people can built one shared life without one person losing themselves. The conversation will breakdown dreams into three (3) categories:  Some dreams are  preference dreams, identity and contingent dreams. The tug of war between staying "I" and becoming "we", and how compromise can actually wreck your dreams that matter most, and what it actually takes to protect both people's dreams over a lifetime together. If you ever wondered how to dream different things and build a life together, this episode it for you. Enjoy! Joanne Demers The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast (949) 236-1529- Text Me. Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask

"That's Just Not For Me"

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2051222/fan_mail/new] Have you ever forced yourself to like something just to avoid the guilt of admitting you don't? In this episode, I open up about a conversation with my girlfriend that completely changed how I think about "self honesty".  We were talking about the Podcast when she said out loud and very matter of fact " I don't like the Ayurveda stuff you talk about it. Ayurveda, or however you pronounce it, is not for me, I don't like it". I am not going to lie, I was taken back, she didn't say it  It wasn’t rude, it was just a matter of fact, she wasn’t apologizing, she was just simply telling me that Ayurveda is not for her, she doesn’t like it. I had to laugh because this is also a woman who doesn’t like massages!  We clearly have different tastes. Anyway, I talk about why we feel guilty for disliking things, why elimination deserves to be celebrated just as much as addition, and how clarity about your dislikes actually helps the people who love you know the real you. I also get into lifestyle, your weekends your health habits, social life, and why you cant built a sustainable lifestyle around things you secretly don't like. The goal is never to like everything. The goal is to know yourself enough to know what you don't like, what isn't for you. I’ve come to  really appreciate people who know themselves enough to know ,and say out loud, what they don’t like.   At first it may catch you off guard, but when you see it for what it is; Its self-awareness, its confidence , and it’s an honesty that most of us never get comfortable with. Remember; Not liking something isn’t a flaw in your personality, it’s a Data Point. Its Clarity. I’ve come to  really appreciate people who know themselves enough to know, and say out loud, what they don’t like.   At first it may catch you off guard, but when you see it for what it is; Its self-awareness, its confidence , and it’s an honesty that most of us never get comfortable with. Remember; Not liking something isn’t a flaw in your personality, it’s a Data Point. Its Clarity. Guilt will tell you that you should like more things. But the goal is not about liking everything. The goal is to know yourself. And part of knowing yourself is being honest about what doesn’t fit, without apologizing for it. We celebrate discovery. We should start celebrating discernment too. Because Liking everything makes you agreeable .  But, Knowing yourself makes you knowable. My friend was not rejecting Ayurveda.  She was accepting herself. She knew it wasn’t for her and there is something really peaceful about that. One of the healthiest relationships you will ever have is the one you build with yourself. And that relationship begins the moment you're honest about what fits you, and what doesn't. If you need permission to stop pretending you like things you don’t.  Say out loud.. That’s not for me.  And say it..  _without guilt _without apology _and Without feeling like you have to explain yourself. You don’t need anyone’s permission. But, if you are waiting for it..This is it. Enjoy! Joanne Demers The Aging Mask- A lifestyle Medicine Podcast (949) 236-1529 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask

Head to Toe: Did You Know?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2051222/fan_mail/new] We are going to take a journey that I call “Top of your head to the tip of your toes Did you know” Journey. I will share some of the many things I found about our bodies that  at one time or another really stuck with me, and have made me stop and appreciate what a miracle our body is. Every part of us was built for a specific reason, not one thing on us or in us  goes to waste, and there isn’t a part of us that doesn’t have a very hard and taxing job. Alright, let’s start this journey with hair. First- is your HAIR I think it is safe to say that most of us have a love hate relationship with our hair which is why we panic the minute we see large amounts of our hair in the shower and on our combs and brushes. BUT, before you sound the alarm, you should know that  most of us naturally lose about 50- 100 hairs every day, and it’s absolutely normal. Hair is everywhere we look, it’s on the floor, on us , on the couch, the counters, its everywhere. It sounds like a lot of hair loss until you realize you have around 100,000 hair follicles on your scalp, so losing a few dozen hairs daily is nothing at all.  Your hair is constantly growing, resting and shedding as part of its natural cycle. That your hair is actually at its weakest when its wet,  and it is strongest when it is dry? Water causes each strand of hair to swell- making it  more elastic and easier to stretch farther than normal, which means it’s also easier to break. Wet hair stretches and breaks a lot easier than dry, so be very  gentle with your wet hair. Honestly, whenever possible It’s  best to let your hair air dry naturally before combing it- if you can’t wait for a natural air dry then please use a wide-tooth comb this works through the tangles instead of forcing a brush through your wet hair. This is important.. hair is one of the first places our bodies gives us a clue that something is out of balance. If you notice that you are losing/shedding hair more than usual  your body may be trying to tell you that something has changed. Increased shedding can sometimes happen after a significant illness, major stress event, rapid weight loss, hormonal changes, certain medications, or maybe you are not getting enough protein or iron. Aging Mask takeaway.. Healthy hair starts from the inside out. Feed your body with enough protein, iron, zinc, healthy fats, daily movement, good sleep, and good stress management. Be gentle with wet hair. And if you start losing more than 100 hairs a day-please don’t ignore it- maybe, your hair is telling you to take a hard look at what’s happening  inside your body. Eye Lashes Eye lashes. The envy of many. The are one of the first things we notice, long, full eye lashes are so desirable that there is an entire industry built around making eye lashes long and full. We have extensions, lifts, mascara, and serums. The funny thing is.. eyelashes were not made to be admired.. they were designed to protect us. They are the first line of defense against dust, dirt, pollen, teeny tiny insects, and other particles that can get in and irritate your eyes. Eyelashes trigger the blink reflex when something gets too close  giving your eyes an extra layer of protection. Just like the hair on your head, eyelashes have their own life cycle of growth, rest and shedding, and because they are on different schedules you don’t lose them all at once. Each eye lash typically lives about 4-11 months before it naturally falls out and is replaced by a new one.  Aging Mask takeaway..  if you are spending a small fortune on eyelash products , castor oil may be worth trying. Its inexpensive, and it conditions your lashes and your brows making them look healthier and fuller. Remember I am not an ophthalmologist, so if you have an eye condition, or your eyes are sensitive, check with your eye doctor before using anything  in or around your eyes. Nose- Let’s travel down to the nose. We don’t really appreciate our noses. Every breath you take passes through your nose, where the air is filtered, warmed and humidified before it ever reaches your lungs. And while our human sense of smell is pretty amazing, it is still no match for a dog’s. It is estimated that humans have around 5-6 million scent receptors, while a lot of dogs have close to 300 million. And depending on the breed, a dog's sense of smell is 10k-100k times more sensitive than ours. Did you know that your nose doesn’t actually use both nostrils equally all day long. Instead, it follows something called the nasal cycle. Every few hours, one of your nostrils becomes slightly more open while the other becomes a little more congested- then they switch- turns every couple of hours. And then theMucus. Your nose and sinuses produce about  1 to 2 quarts of mucus every day. That’s equivalent to a standard 32-ounce carton of milk every single day, that to me is mind blowing- we don’t even notice it as  Most of it drains down the back of your throat, and you swallow it without ever noticing it.  That mucus is not there by accident- It is constantly trapping dust, pollen, bacteria, viruses and other tiny particles before they can make their way deeper into your body. When you have a cold or allergies, your body simply makes more mucus to help flush out whatever its trying to get rid of…so next time you need to blow your nose- just know your body is protecting you. Aging mask Takeaway Whenever possible, try breathing through your nose instead of your mouth- Your nose was designed to filter, warm and humidify  the air before it reaches your lungs and that’s important.  And don’t forget to stay hydrated!! Water helps keep your mucus thin so it can do its job of  protecting your airways without becoming thick or uncomfortable. Glutes- Butt cheeks Most of us think about our glutes from a cosmetic/ Aesthetic  standpoint.. We want them bigger, firmer, stronger, but glutes are about so much more than appearance. The gluteus maximus (its true name) is the largest muscle in your entire body…that’s right.. the biggest muscle you have is the one you are probably sitting on right now, and it’s not just designed for sitting… your glutes are designed to  power some of our most important movements. Every time you stand up from a chair, climb stairs, walk uphill, lift something off the floor, or simply maintain your balance.. your glutes are hard at work. When your glutes are strong, they help- keep your body moving efficiently, but when they are weak, other muscles have to compensate, which puts extra stress on your hips, knees and especially your lower back. So take note that weak glutes don’t just affect your butt cheeks, they affect the way your entire body moves. The Aging mask takeaway.. As we age, one of the biggest gifts we can give ourselves is strong glute muscles. If you spend a lot of time sitting, make it a habit to stand up and move throughout the day. Walking, climbing stairs, squats, step ups, and resistance exercises all help keep your glutes strong. Again, Strong glutes  aren’t just about looking good- they help protect your knees, support your hips, stabilize  your pelvis, and reduce strain on your lower back.. if you have pain in any of those areas, check your glutes before going in for tests. Take care of them, keep them strong and give them love for everything they do to keep you standing, walking and living an active life. We end the tour today with one of the hardest working parts of your body- your Achilles Tendon. It’s the thick, strong tendon at the back of your ankle that connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. Every time you walk, climb stairs, stand on your tippy toes, or push off to take a step, your Achilles is hard at work. And it is the strongest and largest tendon in your body. It is capable of handling incredible amounts of force, when you walk, run, or jump. and yet despite its strength, it is also one of the tendons that gets injured most. Aging Mask lifestyle tip-    Your Achilles tendon works every time  you take a step so you want to make sure that you take care of it the best you can… and the best way is to keep your calve muscles flexible and strong is by doing calve stretches, heel raises, and of course walkingas much as possible, these will keep those Achilles healthy. However; if you suddenly feel pain, swelling or tightness in the back of your heel, don’t ignore it. Ease up on the activity causing it, give it a little rest. If you feel a “pop” don’t wait, go get it looked at. Tendons usually appreciate a gradual load, not sudden overload.  Your Achilles is the strongest tendon in your body, but even the strongest can get hurt once in a while. So take care of them, you need them. Stretch your calves regularly to keep your Achilles flexible. That was the end of our head to toe journey. I know we only scratched the surface. There are hundreds of amazing things our body does everyday, and these were just a few that I find the most interesting, and honestly, they are ones I have had the most personal experience with. Enjoy! Joanne Demers The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast (949)236-1529 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask

The Heavy Lifters We Never Notice

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2051222/fan_mail/new] Today’s topic came to me as I witnessed one of the strangest things this past week, it was definitely a first for me. I came out to get in my car, which is garaged btw, and there were ants all over the front of my car. As I watched them crawl over my car for the 3rd consecutive day, I found myself wondering if you all know why ants exist,  and why fly’s exist??  I know that Most of us don’t have warm and fuzzy feelings toward either one. They give us the ick. They are not nice to look at. Ants invade our space and Flies annoy us with their buzzing, and all the gross things they do. But are you aware that  both of them play a very important role in maintaining the eco systems that WE humans depend on?  Now, before you wonder what the heck ants and flies have  to do with Lifestyle Medicine, stay with me. This episode isn’t really about insects. It’s about awareness. It’s about appreciation. It’s about learning to recognize the things that quietly support our lives on a daily basis. Sometimes the greatest lessons about health and life come from the most unexpected places, Sometimes they come from an Ant and a Fly. Most of us spend very little time appreciating them. We swat them away. Spray them. And avoid them. Yet both of them perform jobs that are essential to life on Earth. Ants may be tiny, annoying, creepy little things, BUT they are among the hardest workers on the planet. When they are not in your house or on your car, think of ants as tiny gardeners. *Ants spend their lives moving and breaking down organic material through the soil, creating tunnels underground that naturally aerate the Earth. Their tunnels help water penetrate deeper into the ground. Which helps roots grow Helps the soil stay healthy Some ants disperse seeds which help plants reproduce  and spread- and some ants breakdown dead insects and organic waste (yes poop). Ants support entire ecosystems Fun Fact: Scientists estimate there are about 20 QUADRILLION ants on earth. That is roughly 2.5 million ants for every person on earth, just so you know the math is right, I looked it up. The takeaway; don’t worry. EVER. About terminating them, they will replenish… and replenish in a blink of an eye. Flies have the worst public image in the insect world. They always land where we don’t want them too. Just as the ant, flies are also so important they have one of nature’s most important jobs. They clean up. They are one of nature’s recyclers. They help recycle dead plants, animals and organic waste back into the eco system- which returns nutrients back to the soil.-  So While flies drive us nuts, we need them, they do very critical work- they keep our ecosystems functioning. Get this.. there are more that 160k known species of flies. And did you know that a lot of these species also pollinate plants? It’s not just Bees. Flies are pollinators too. Both ants and flies are working every day, all day. And both of them contribute far more than most of us realize. With that being said, imagine if they disappeared. Imagine waking up tomorrow and every ant and fly  was gone, of course at first,  it would be great: No ants No fly’s  No annoyance Sounds pretty great until we realize what they took with them.  Soil quality would suffer No flowers Decomposition would slow  The food chains would be disrupted. A lot of birds, fish and reptiles would lose an important food source. The effects would ripple through entire eco systems. They would be enormous. This got me to thinking.. Just as natures ecosystems depend heavily on ants and flies, our human ecosystem relies heavily on a group of contributors we rarely  notice. The builders The Sanitation workers The Utility workers The road workers The people maintaining systems most of us rarely, if ever, think about. Imagine if they disappeared too. It would not take long at all before we found ourselves in a world of hurt. Have you ever thought to yourself, why do we tend to overlook things that contribute so much. The world is sustained by workers-both insect and human- that most of us never notice until their gone. We humans have a funny habit. We don’t really notice what’s working. We notice what’s missing. We enjoy the finished product, but we rarely think about the work that made it possible.  We love  our clean water Our Safe roads We love our Comfortable, safe homes Our healthy soil And food love food on the table. But we really don’t stop to consider everythingrequired to make those things possible. Maybe that’s because success is often invisible. The better something performs its job, the less attention it receives. Familiarity creates blindness. We don’t overlook important things because they are unimportant. We overlook them because they are familiar. They are there everyday Doing what they have always done. The more consistently something serves us, the less attention we give it. We stop noticing it. We stop appreciating it And we begin to expect it. What once felt so remarkable, slowly becomes ordinary. Not because its value has changed, but because we have grown accustomed to it. And the irony of that is.. some of the most important things in our lives become the easiest  to overlook. Not because they’re insignificant- but because they’ve been showing up for us all along. And maybe there is another reason things become ordinary..  Maybe we are just drawn to things that are attractive, pleasant, and easy to admire. We tend to assign value based on appearance rather than contribution. We mistake appearance for importance. And we confuse  attention with contribution. We admire what is visible while overlooking what is useful. The more  I think about ants, flies, rabbits and the people who keep our community running, the more I realize That “visibility is not the same as value” Something can be highly visible- receive a lot of attention- and contribute very little to our daily lives… And something else can go completely unnoticed while making life possible. We live in a world that rewards attention. But attention and contribution are not the same thing either.. SO many of the things holding our world together operate behind the scenes. Without recognition Without applause Without anyone noticing at all. I think we have become so focused on what is visible that we have forgotten to appreciate what is valuable. And maybe, that’s the lesson ants and flies have been teaching us  all along… Value isn’t determined by how much attention something receives.. Value is determined by the role it plays and the contribution it makes. Just because something is highly visible doesn’t make it important. And just because something goes unnoticed doesn’t make it less valuable.  At the end of the day, the things holding our world together are the very things we rarely notice. The truth is, this episode  was never really about ants and flies, They just helped me  illustrate a larger point. A point about perspective. A Point about appreciation. And a point about the countless things that quietly support my life and your life everyday.. The more I thought about ants and flies, the more I realized they are not so different than humans. Ants contribute to their eco system Flies contribute to their eco system And millions of people contribute to the human eco system. …think about your home.. dozens of people contribute to building one home.. And we don’t recognize their value until their gone. Let this serve as your reminder… that the world is held together by countless workers operating in the shadows: Some have 6 legs Some wear hard hats Some drive garbage trucks Some build homes Most receive little to no recognition- yet, without them, everything changes. With that being said, I think that one of the greatest gifts we can develop is appreciation… not just for the amazing things- but for ordinary, behind the scene things that make life possible… The things that keep showing up- that keep working…. The things that we assume will always be there. Remember- some of the most valuable things in life are not the most visible… they are just the most reliable. SO next time you see an ant crawling around somewhere it shouldn’t be, or a fly buzzing annoyingly around your head- let them serve as a reminder.. contribution matters.. Every eco system- whether natural or human- depends on countless workers doing their part. Today was really about learning to appreciate the things that keep your life running beforeyou discover what life looks like without them. Enjoy! Joanne Demers The Aging Mask-A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast (949)236-1529 Follow along on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask