Every birthday, I remember my dad saying he didn’t like the word birthday because it didn’t really reflect his feelings about aging. He thought the more appropriate way to express it was to say “Happy New Year” since this was really your personal new year and was full of opportunity and optimism. I didn’t get it when I was a kid, but I get it now and he really was spot on!

The older I get the more I realize there is a difference between aging and getting older. Aging is about function, getting older is about time. Once we hit our 40’s, we begin to have two birthdays and the number attached to our age is the less important of the two.  

Aging gracefully is an active process with only a small part coming from your genes, as we get older it is a more active process that benefits from diet and skin care but also from gentle in-office “tweakments “to help maintain balance and proportion. Most of how we age is related to lifestyle choices (aka being sun smart), diet, attitude, and skin care.  

I can help you with the best skin care and guidance, to keep you looking your best at every age, as I’m doing for myself.  

Diet: 

• Minimize simple sugar, processed foods and alcohol 
• Supplements: I take quite a few, but I also carefully monitor and see my doctor regularly to make sure I’m on track and health 
• Exercise: I love my peloton and I walk 2.5 miles each way to and from work 
• Mindfulness: I listen to The Waking Up App daily; it makes such a difference! 
• Sleep: I use my Oura ring to measure my sleep quality and make changes as needed to make sure I get not only enough sleep but also quality sleep so I can be my best every day 

• Hormone Replacement: This may not be right for everyone, but the conversation around it is important and is unfortunately not done often enough 
• Skin care:  What we put on our skin makes a big difference in how our skin ages. Here are some of my favorites: 

Wash with a gentle cleanser and exfoliate on a regular basis. After cleansing, apply products in order of thickness, starting with a serum then a retinol at night and sunscreen during the day, ending with a gentle moisturizer. Also, the eyes need special attention with products designed just for them.