We have been hearing much about beta-carotene these days.  What is it exactly?  No, it is not a carrot!  It is an antioxidant found in foods which seem to reduce cancer development and heart disease.  Carrots do contain a large quantity of beta-carotene as do other yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables.  One thinks of orange when seeing the word carotene, and yet the antioxidant is found in great quantities in dark green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach and Swiss Chard as well.

Studies have shown that for the beta-carotene to be most effective it must be cooked or cut into small pieces.  Some fat should be added when preparing the food in order for the beta-carotene to be assimilated in the body.  Other foods with high amounts are carrot juice, pumpkin, sweet potato, kale, beet greens, cantaloupe and red peppers.

Beta-carotene is converted in the body into vitamin A, which is necessary for good vision and the immune system.  It has an important function in helping to prevent lung cancer.    Enjoying these vegetables and fruits will not only provide a delicious meal but will keep you fit and healthy.

Grandma Nature

Alex Stauffer, 67, Swiss

When I hear the term Age Esteem I think in our old age that we should be happier with what we have, including health and wrinkles, and not think “Oh I’m getting old now.” or “It’s too late.”

Alex’s tips:  I would say you have to love yourself and in order to love yourself you have to be in good health, so you need to do something about it.  I know I drink a little bit too much, but I eat healthy, I move a lot, I do my exercises, I try to help other people.  But it’s not always easy.

I’m a little short tempered with people who have health problems because they do nothing about it.  They do nothing to prevent the problems even when they have time to exercise and money to buy good food.  I know it is sometimes expensive to eat good fruit and vegetables instead of junk food, but if you can do that and don’t do it, I have no patience.

Autumn Lessons

Switzerland has a new campaign to remind drivers to “Slow down, take it easy”.  Whether or not we drive, this is good advice.  Slow down.  We all gain when we take time to slow down, step out of our routine, get a new perspective, re-evaluate and renew.  It also helps build our age esteem.  How do I want my life to be?

• Take a walk among trees and breathe in the odors of autumn.
• Lie on the autumn floor to get a new perspective of the trees and colors.
• Sit quietly with your eyes shut and commune with nature through the smells, sounds and feel.
• Feast your eyes on the beauty that surrounds you.
• Write your thoughts in a journal while in the midst of nature, allowing your thoughts to flow directly to your pen with no sensorship.

Bonnie Fatio

Pumpkins come in all sizes and various varieties.

We all look forward to seeing Mr. Jolly Pumpkin in the autumn – that wonderful big round orange fruit hiding in the pumpkin patch.  What excitement to see one fully grown, ready to be picked.  Of course, immediately one thinks of carving a jack-o-lantern  or you might think of delicious pumpkin pie.  Whatever the association it is a time of year when nature is exploding in its autumn colors with rich yellows, reds, oranges…  And the pumpkin is a definite part of this.

Did you know that  pumpkin flowers may be eaten?  The bright orange color tells us, of course, that it is full of beta-carotene, such a necessary substance in curing eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts, cancer and heart disease.   Pumpkins are also full of minerals such as magnesium and iron and contain essential vitamins. Studies involving many men have proven that pumpkin seeds can slow down and even cure prostrate cancer.  Pumpkin seeds should be eaten daily on a regular basis in order to be effective.

So enjoy all aspects of the pumpkin’s decorative, nourishing and healthy aspects to enhance your age esteem.

Grandma Nature

Suzanne Durham, 64, Alabama, U.S.A.

I love the positive spin that was put on Age Esteem, because now that I’ve become one of those older women I realize some of the bias and negative words that are out there like the Senior Citizen’s Club and those kinds of things.  So I love Age Esteem.  I immediately went to my own age; I went personal first.  I went to my own age of being 64, soon to be 65, and I thought that was a very positive way to frame my own issues around age.

My own concerns?  Personally I’ve noticed over the last couple years a loss of energy.  I get tired easier.  Although I still consider myself energetic and I do have some vitality, I have noticed a little bit of decline in energy and my job doesn’t allow that.  So I get tired and a little weary.  I’m also incredibly blessed to have extremely good health.  I’ve never had any diseases.  I had gastric bypass six years ago and I’ve lost 100 pounds.  I did that 6 years ago to get my energy back because I noticed that my weight was just really sapping my energy.  I was 245 pounds and lost to 145 and am now about 160.

Now I have some extra skin and sometimes ask myself, “Shall I have a tummy tuck or chin tuck?”  I always say that you can’t tell how old black women are because they have that great oil in their skin; and you can’t tell how old a fat woman is because of all the cellulite.  There is an advantage to cellulite in some places.

Suzanne’s tips:  Take care of yourself.  Exercise.  Do all the things we say to do to remain physically healthy.  I think you need to be mentally healthy as well.  You need to find that thing that brings you happiness and joy and that brings you spiritual energy and spiritual joy.  It goes back to finding the passion in your life that gives you spiritual energy.  It is important to stay active both physically and mentally.  I’m a former PE (physical education)  teacher so I’ve taught activity and I beat myself up mentally fairly often because I’m not as physically active as I know I should be.  I don’t always get that mile walk in every day that I try to.

Know your body.  Know the signs and symptoms and pay attention.  Pay attention to your mental well being as well as your spiritual health and your physical health.  Pay attention to your body.

Suzanne Durham is CEO of YWCA of Central Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama

Sunflower seeds offer a healthy snack that will curb your hunger while improving your health by offering you significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.

Sunflowers are thought to be among the first flowers to be cultivated in North America, probably originating in Mexico and Peru.  Native Americans used the seeds for both food and oil for over 5,000 years.

Sunflower seeds offer many health benefits.  They are rich in vitamin E bringing anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protection.  The sunflower seeds’ phytosterols lower cholesterol.  The magnesium they offer calms your nerves.  Research also shows that magnesium helps to lower blood pressure and to prevent migraines as well as keep bones healthy and increase energy.  Selenium in sunflower seeds helps prevent cancer and helps repair damaged cells.

How do you build sunflower seeds into your diet?  Keep sunflowers handy as a snack; sprinkle them on your salads, cereal and sandwiches.  They can be added to most any recipe and even crushed into a powder to coat your meats and vegetables in place of flour.

When we are healthy and have energy we feel good about ourselves.  Snack on sunflower seeds to enhance your age esteem.

Grandma Nature

People with age esteem have a positive attitude.  Studies show that people who enjoy life with a positive attitude live longer and happier lives.  This is not to say that they don’t have aches and pains like anyone else.  They simple choose to take a different view of life.  Rather than focus on their pains, they chose to concentrate on what goes well and to develop their interests.  They are engaged in living.

Age Esteemers know that when we focus on the brighter side of life, we draw other positive people and opportunities to us.

• Become aware of your thoughts and words.  Are they positive or negative.?
• Turn negatives into positives.  When you catch yourself complaining or discouraging yourself, change your phrase to make it positive and encouraging.
• Surround yourself with positive people.  Drop those who hold you back or put you down.  They don’t deserve your time.

Bonnie Fatio

The childhood tongue twister, “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers” has a philosophy to it.  If you picked a peck of peppers and ate them, you would be very healthy indeed!  For peppers have a powerhouse of nutrients for the AgeEsteemer’s body.  There are green, red, yellow, and orange bell peppers and smaller chili peppers.  The lovely little vegetables are tempting to the eye in their shiny coats.  They may be eaten raw or cooked, stuffed and baked, boiled, broiled, fried and mixed with other vegetables such as eggplant, zuchinni, and tomatoes as well as adding a hot spice to  food.

Bell peppers are loaded with vitamin C, fighting off cancer, eye diseases and even conditions such as Alzheimer’s.  Chili peppers, which are very hot, are good for unblocking clogged up lungs and bronchial tubes.  The compound that makes them hot acts as natural aspirin. In addition, when added to food they speed up the metabolism, thus enabling the burning of calories. One interesting study shows that they do not destroy the lining of the stomach nor do they cause ulcers.   Venture out now and pick a peck of peppers!

Grandma Nature

This little white flower with its intoxicating scent is along, with the rose, a prime component of most perfumes.

Its main property is combatting stress.  Used in aromatherapy it helps to alleviate anxiety and provide relief with a massage or bath of the essential oil.  One study has shown that it is more effective than lavender for bedtime relaxation and sleep.  Also skin conditions are improved with the use of its oil.

In addition to emitting a beautiful scent, it can relieve the pressures of the day!  A wonderful secret for age esteem.

Grandma Nature

Ah! that majestic gift of Mother Nature. – The rose, “La Grande Dame” as the French would say, probably the most feminine of all flowers.

The Rose, a symbol of love, has been around since antiquity.  Its fragrance is euphoric, the petals like velvet and the multitude of colors available are dazzling to the eye.  It is a  component of nearly all perfumes.  Inhaling its fragrance and beauty will lift your spirits and enhance your age esteem.

There is more to the rose than meets the eye. The rose  is very efficient in treating skin conditions:  improving wrinkles, treating eczema and acne and being used as a tonic in rose water to smooth and invigorate the face.  Stress is also alleviated with rose treatments by a massage, in a bath or just by spraying a lovely rose perfume on the body.  It has anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant properties as well.

In the Middle East they use rose essence in puddings and ice cream, and rose petals may be scattered over a lovely salad to give a decorative appearance and may be eaten as well!

However, one must be careful when handling roses.  A prick from a rose thorn may be lethal when it cuts the skin.  Roses can carry a bacteria that is transmitted through the blood stream to the heart, lungs and brain.  Should you ever be pricked by a rose thorn go immediately for medical care if the area becomes red, swollen and seems to spread.  Antibiotics will be given to contain the disease.  This can be avoided by wearing gloves when gardening.

Grandma Nature