Brighten up a bad day with a positive attitude.

All of us have bad days.  And it’s true that some of us have worse days than others.  However, I feel sorry for people who think they need to drag others down with them.  It accomplishes no purpose.  In fact it only makes them feel worse themselves.

It’s possible to turn your day into a bright one at every age.

• If you wake up feeling miserable, turn your day around immediately.
• Before you open your eyes, tell yourself, “This will be a great day!”
• Smile.  The effort of lifting the corners of your mouth with lift your spirits.
• Think of something you can do today to make someone else feel good.
• Turn on some music and loosen up.  Dance and sing.
• Look for humor during the day.

Bonnie Fatio

Do you enjoy exchanging a hello and “How are you today?” with people you meet?

Yesterday when I greeted a sales clerk in that manner, she shot back “It’s the worst day of my life.  Nothing could possibly be worse!”  Her face scowled and became ugly with her disgust.  I felt attacked by her answer.  It was as though the only thing that could make her day better would be to ruin mine.

“Then this is your lucky day.” I responded.  “It can only get better!”  She looked at me as though I had thrown cold water in her face.  It momentarily changed her thought pattern as she tried to decide how to react.

I didn’t mean to be flip, but she was nurturing her sour and negative attitude.  She didn’t need to dwell of her sorrows.  She also had the option to say, “If this is the worst day of my life,  it will soon be in the past. – And my life will improve.

A cucumber sandwich might make one think of England; or is it the other way around? –  England makes one think of a cucumber sandwich?  The Ritz in London among other fine English hotels is famous for its high tea.   Sometimes reservations have to be made two months in advance.  In any case, it is certain that the cucumber sandwich, thinly sliced cucumbers in between very fine slices of buttered bread with the crusts removed, is a landmark of English food.

The elongated green vegetable is a powerhouse of valuable components.  It belongs to the same family as the  zucchini  and melon.  When choosing a cucumber look for a firm, shiny one with a smooth skin.

The skin is valuable in facilitating digestion.  Vitamins A, B, and C are substances found in this tasty vegetable as well as Vitamin E which helps to slow down the aging process in the body. In beauty products cucumber is a known component in facial remedies for rendering the skin smooth and shiny.

Cucumbers are, of course, eaten raw in salads and sandwiches but can also be sauteed for a lovely accompaniment to a meal.  So, especially in summer when they are fresh and in season, stock up on fresh cucumbers and benefit your health.

Grandma Nature

Is it a fruit or a vegetable?  Actually, the pear-shaped avocado is a green tropical fruit.

However, it is not sweet but full of fat – good fat. That is why it is so valuable in preventing cardio-vascular disease; it benefits arteries and lowers cholesterol.  A powerful antioxidant, glutathione, which is an important source found in the avocado, is shown to block the onset of many carcinogens. And the avocado is rich in vitamins E and B as well as potassium, magnesium and amino acids.

Avocado is used in face creams and bath products because it renders the skin soft and smooth.

On the culinary side, it is adaptable to salads, as a dip, or as a dessert when sugar is an ingredient in the recipe.

Tip: If prepared in advance for a dip and it may become brown. Keep the pit in the avocado, and it should remain green.  Lemon or lime juice will also help.

Grandma Nature

Isabel Contreras, 57, Switzerland

What comes to mind when I hear Age Esteem is having self esteem so that when you age you will feel good about yourself.  Age Esteem is about having self esteem while aging.  I suppose that for me aging is once you reach 55 onwards.

Isabel’s Tips: Because I am very active in the work that I do, my own concern with aging is that I want to look relatively fresh.  I feel very young inside so therefore I would like to look very young on the outside – and I know and see that gravity is inevitable in aging.  Sometimes I’m concerned about that.

Positive thinking is key.  I maintain a positive attitude in everything I do.  I keep my dreams high, exercise,  read positive books, and avoid being with negative people.  I think that has been the most important thing.

I would say that to age well you need to enjoy every day of your life, to greet every morning with love in your heart, and to be grateful to be alive and to enjoy every day as a gift from God.

Isabel Contreras is founder of  Life Motivations and an international trainer.

Unfortunately being older does not make us immune to stress.  In fact it may bring even more as we juggle grandchildren and caring for our own parents while trying to carve out time for ourselves.  We are told that there is good stress and bad stress, but it might be better to have no stress at all!

Mother Nature provides us with many effective aids to combat stress.  A lovely walk in the countryside or in the mountains or along a river will lower blood pressure, oxygenate your body and enable you to forget your worries and problems.  Depending upon the season, there is much to see such as trees and flowers in blossom and vegetables bursting forth in all their colorful glory.  How beautiful it is to see a field of sunflowers, bright yellow and tall, all having turned their heads to look at you as you pass by.  They might make you laugh and this is “the best medicine”.  In colder months, we see the beautiful colors of turning leaves, and even in winter we can be refreshed when outside and getting physical exercise. Just looking at nature soothes the soul.

Regardless of the season being in the warm sun for a while can calm you as well.

Also to soak in a warm bubble bath, preferably with relaxing oils such as lavender, chamomile, jasmine, rose or sandalwood will do wonders for your well-being.

A swim in the ocean will increase endorphins which will give you a euphoric feeling.

Studies have shown that sugar and low-fat carbohydrates are very effective in lowering anxiety. This is due to a chemical reaction in the brain.  Sugar works more quickly than carbohydrates but both successfully create a calming effect, and even chewing gum aids in relieving anxiety. When feeling overwrought and overburdened just have some chocolate, other sweets.

Finally to end a stressful day there is nothing more rewarding than a delicious meal and a glass of wine, again bounties coming from the earth.  So, enjoy and no longer feel stressed. – Just take the time!

Grandma Nature

Helen Drew 59, English

When I hear the term Age Esteem I think of the value that older people can bring. – And that would be from the experience that they bring.  If I think personally I think in my life I’ve done many interesting and very different things, and the nice thing to do would be to pass that on to other people.  Of course we do pass them on to our children, which is actually quite difficult.  Often the children don’t appreciate your experience and they don’t really want to listen; but eventually they get to the age when they do.  I have constantly reinvented myself I think. Whatever I started out doing when I left University at 22, I’ve used that experience but I don’t do the same thing now.

Helen’s Tips: I’m very into what I eat and I eat very carefully.  I’ve trained myself to eat carefully.  I make sure I always do some exercise because you also feel better if you do exercise.  And when I get up in the morning I like to have the lot of my day planned out.  I like to know what I’m going to do.  That for me is my raison d’être, my purpose.

I like to think young but I like to look young as well.  I like to keep abreast of fashions.  When I was growing up in the UK the saying for ladies who dressed slightly younger than their age was “mutton dressed as lamb”.  I love to be a mutton dressed as a lamb and I enjoy people who are dressed a lot younger than they probably should be dressing.  Just because I am my age I will still occasionally wear high heeled shoes or platform shoes if I like it.  I will tailor my look for the fashion of that season and I will always buy new clothes every year.

There is always something new to learn and there is always something new you can be doing.  I’m training my mother who’s 81.  I just persuaded her to buy a laptop and I’m training her on how to use it.  She’s a bit nervous about it but we’ve got the email sussed (figured out) and while I was training her I thought, “Oh, I wonder, when I am 81 what will there be new for me to learn at that age?”  I think I will be up to learning it.

I was trained as a designer but didn’t paint for years.  It was only recently that I thought, “Well I’m not going to go down in history as a graphic designer or a trainer but maybe I can carve myself a small niche as a painter.”  I’ve taken on the new challenge of showing my paintings.  I’ve got three expositions coming up and I’ve just hired myself an agent which I think is a wonderful idea.  I hate selling my own work.  If someone else can do that for me I’ll be quite happy.

Helen Drew is a trainer, graphic designer and watercolorist.  Her exposition at the Gallery Chausse-Coqs in Geneva, Switzerland will take place December 5-23, 2010.

Mother Nature entices us to try all of her fruits and vegetables with their bright and various colors when we see them displayed at outdoor markets and food shops. Their beautiful colors mingled together remind us of a secret garden, all in bloom.

Today it is known that these colors, phytonutrients, are beneficial in preventing heart disease and cancer, among other illnesses.  The darker the color the more important they are to the body. Yellow and orange vegetables are full of vitamin A and beta-carotene, a wonder drug in preventing cataracts and retina problems. Vitamin A is known to help control lung cancer.

What is even more important is to combine them together and eat various colors at the same time.  This is easily done, for example, with a mixed salad of dark red tomatoes, bright orange carrots and bell peppers, dark green lettuce and white onions and garlic which enhance the immune system and increase memory capacity.

Dark blueberries and blackberries are full of a nutrient effective in helping to offset the anti-aging process as well as circulatory problems.  And these precious little berries can be mixed with other fruits of a different color.

A couple of dishes consisting of several different colored vegetables are ratatouille and a tomato, mozzarella and basil salad. Just use your imagination when shopping and pick up whatever you find in season. Your body will then be filled with valuable nutrients to keep you fit.

Grandma Nature

Inez Kirby 74, NY, USA

I think Age Esteem is not letting age become a factor in what you do in life, not giving in just because you’re old.  My mother is 96 and she’s one of the most young at heart people that I’ve met in my life.  I think that that affects all of us, her kids who are all now in their 70’s.  When we look at Mum and very productive older people  I always think it’s really funny when you hear someone of 30 say, “Oh my God.  I’m going to be 30.  I’m going to be so old!”  I’ve never ever felt that way in my life.  I always try to approach the age that I am and enjoy it for what it is because there is nothing much you can do about it.  You might just as well have a good time as best you can.  Obviously it’s not always possible, but just take life and do as much as you can and enjoy it as much as you can.

Inez’s Tips: Not looking in the mirror. (laughter) Because when I look in the mirror I see my father.  I think for me it’s an innate thing.  I’ve always been an optimist in life.  I’ve never really looked back and regretted too many things, and I always try to enjoy what I do.  Obviously my knees are giving out a little bit and I’m having the, you know, sans (without) teeth, sans hair, sans everything.  I enjoy plays, reading, music, friends, and especially family.  I think family is a big part of feeling good about my age.

July is a month of independence.  And not just for the United States and France.  It is also the month of the independence of Burundi, Rwanda, Algeria, Cape Verde Islands, Argentina, Solomon Islands…

Independence is a key word when it comes to age esteem.  It is a major concern as we age. – To lose our independence and become dependent on others.  It is a real concern, one that we should take seriously. – Especially since much of our independence is based on our attitude.

You can be visually impaired, deaf, or lacking normal mobility and still be independent.  Yes, you will have to accept care and guidance from others for some of your daily needs, maybe even most of them.  However, you are the one to decide how you will accept this help and what your relationship with the care givers will be.  Will it be one of appreciation and reciprocation?  Will you make it agreeable for others to help you, and maybe even make it a highlight of your care giver’s day?

Independence comes through doing what we can.  That may be listening actively, smiling, sharing, giving your support and encouragement, being grateful…   Independence is manifested through our own positive attitude.