Skin CLINIC
by Karen D. Jennings
1-31-2007
Why Do I Look And Feel So Old?
Dear Karen,
It is a brand new year, but not a happy one for me. I just turned 50 and it has
hit me hard. I feel so old. I have never been one to stay on top of my health,
skin care, or nutrition. I was always too busy to bother with it, but now I can
see all that neglect is catching up with me.
Once I turned 50 I felt as though a dark cloud covered me, causing a deep
depression. After a while, I took a serious look at myself and was not happy
with what I saw. I had friends who were 5-10 years older than me but looked
years younger. My skin has become thin and very wrinkled. My body fat has
probably doubled in the past 5 years while my muscles have depleted. I was
having hot flashes and my emotions were so erratic that my husband said it was
like being married to three people in one: the good, the bad, and the very very
ugly. I am wondering if these changes could be due to menopause. Can the body
change that much, so quickly.
I am starting to feel like the good times are behind me and the only thing ahead
is the nasty decline of my life. I am willing to do whatever it takes to feel
and look younger. Can you help show me the way, so I can bring back the zest in
my life. By looking at my friends, I know that I don’t have to feel like life is
over and it is all downhill from here.
–Tina, Anaheim Hills, CA
Dear Tina,
50 should be the best time of your life. For many women and men, it is a new
beginning, the start of the second chapter of their life. With it comes exciting
new changes. It is time to take control of your life and health. When you feel
and look good, the choices are endless and so is the list of things you can
accomplish in your life. But first, you must see your doctor and have a complete
blood work panel done to check your hormone levels. As we age, our hormones
estrogen and progesterone decline; the lack of these hormones is the first
indication of the onset of menopause. With menopause come many changes, like dry
skin, increased fat, decreased libido, and lack of energy. You could also
experience more aches and pains. What many women don’t know is that hormones
start depleting 10-15 years before the major signs of aging appear.
The good news is that by replacing hormones to their original levels helps keep
you looking and feeling younger. Replacing these hormones can help with bone
density, firmer and smoother looking skin, increased muscle mass, increased
libido, and more energy. Testosterone helps your visual memory while estrogen
affects your attention, concentration, and working memory. Progesterone helps
keep you calm and balanced. Elevating levels of these hormones helps keep you
feeling much younger. Another hormone to check is DHEA. It is the mother hormone
and helps increase muscle mass and libido and hydrates the skin.
Today, you can change your life by taking low dosages of natural hormones that
don’t have the negative side effects of synthetic hormones. Synthetic estrogens
are made from horse urine and have been known for years to cause an increase in
heart attacks, strokes, blood clots, and breast cancer.
Once your health is in check and you have more energy, start working out every
day for 30-60 minutes and drink 8-10 glasses of bottled water a day. Take a good
vitamin/mineral supplement, high in B vitamins. Other supplements that can be
very helpful are Colostrum, DHEA, Chlorella, Acidophilus, DMAE, Alpha Lipoic
Acid, and collagen, just to name a few.
Next, be sure to always protect your skin, keeping it soft and supple. Use a
quality skin care line, morning and night. The following is KDJ’s skin care
basic routine:
1. One Step Cleanser
2. Soothing Refining Grains
3. Lactic Acid AHA Treatment
4. Firming C Eye & Throat Crème
5. Forever Younger Moisturizer
6. Lipid Balancer
7. Sunscreen (when needed)
And mask twice each week.
Today, you truly can feel and look much younger than your chronological age. You
just have to take the first step and do something about it. Always see your
physician before starting any new program.
For more information about menopause, please write to us at P.O. Box 2635, Costa
Mesa, CA 92628 or call us at 949-481-9185.
© Karen Jennings 2007