Vagifem

While having strong genes is certainly a plus, the real secret to staying youthful and healthy is living with passion and joy. It's mainly about your attitude--loving yourself and the gift of life enough to adopt the resolutions and rituals that keep mind and body strong and emotions in balance.

Learning how to live your best life at any age is an art the fit and fine women on the preceding pages have obviously mastered. You, too, can enter the prime of your life in peak form. Here's how:

STAY FIT

* Commit to exercise. While everyone ages differently, geriatricians agree that nothing ages us faster than illness. It wears down our body, depleting its vitality. Although no regimen we follow will guarantee that we'll never face a serious health challenge, committing to a regular exercise program is one of the most important life-preserving steps we can take. Working out consistently reduces the incidence of heart attack, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure, the leading causes of illness and death for Black women. A 30-to-60-minute aerobic workout--running, walking, biking, playing tennis--four to five times a week goes a long way toward increasing your life span, and the best news is that it's never too late to get started. Of course, before beginning any exercise regimen, it's best to check with your doctor first, especially if you haven't worked out in a while.

* Pump iron. We begin losing muscle mass around age 35, so as we get older, weight-bearing exercises become even more critical. They help build bone density and strength, both of which are essential to preventing osteoporosis. (And yes, Black women are vulnerable to this disease.) An added benefit: Lean muscle is metabolically more active, meaning that it burns more calories--even at rest.

* Focus on flexibility. Range of motion is one of the first things to diminish as we age, but it doesn't have to be. Make stretching a part of your everyday routine. Some easy moves: While standing with your feet flat against the floor, reach for the ceiling with your fingers with one hand first, and then the other, "climbing" through the air. Next stand with your feet spread about a foot apart. Extend your arms straight out to the sides and begin to slowly swing your body clockwise, then counterclockwise. As you move from side to side, make sure to look over each shoulder. For a more intensive stretching regimen, try yoga. It increases flexibility, strength and stamina while centering the mind.

NURTURE YOURSELF

* Eat to live. We've become a society and community of overeaters. Obesity, a major health issue for Black women and girls, can lead to significant medical problems. When we ingest more calories than our body uses, we gain weight, which is stored in us as fat. If you are overweight, you are eating too much and exercising too little. You can, however, turn things around--not so much by dieting, but by developing a sensible way of eating that will serve you well for the rest of your life. (For some nutritional ideas, see food editor Jonell Nash's feature on healthy eating on page 101.) And to ensure that your body receives all the nutrients it needs, don't forget to take a multivitamin daily.

* Encourage mental fitness. As much as we'd like it to be true, there is no quick fix for memory loss. But there are plenty of things we can do to stay mentally sharp. We greatly improve our chances by offering our brain complex ideas and new challenges. With age, we may not always pursue information-rich experiences, so be proactive: Learn a new language, play chess, do crossword puzzles. Take notes on important information so that you don't unnecessarily stress yourself trying to remember the details. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, so be sure to participate in some type of aerobic activity. Exercise also reduces stress, stimulates endorphins, makes us feel joyful and even spurs growth of new brain cells. It's good for every part of our being.

* Have fulfilling sex--and lots of it. There's no reason to give up sex after middle age. But around our forties and fifties, many of us find that declining hormone levels--especially estrogen, progesterone and testosterone--and other factors such as stress and undergoing hysterectomy may cause us to experience a loss of libido. Thinning of the vaginal walls and dryness, which also occur as we age, can cause pain during intercourse, which is another blow to our sex drive.

Fortunately, today there are lots of options for keeping a woman's sexual desire strong. Estrogen therapy can help. Discuss the possibility with your gynecologist to determine what's right for you. Also ask about Vagifem, prescription vaginal estrogen tablets that plump up vaginal tissue walls and relieve irritation during sex. And using over-the-counter lubricants like K-Y Jelly and Replens, a moisturizer that miraculously lasts for days, will keep you juicy.

The most powerful sexual organ, of course, is the brain. Know the sights, sounds and smells that turn you on. Respect yourself always, and unless you're in a committed relationship and you've both been tested for HIV/AIDS, use a condom to prevent your partner's semen and blood from making direct contact with your vagina, anus and mouth. And remember, you don't have to have a partner to have an orgasm -- yippee!

LIVE A WHOLE LIFE

* Choose what fulfills you. It's never too late to set new goals for yourself to become your own best friend. You are the only person who can know you intimately and satisfy your soul. Maybe you've always wanted to attend college, go skydiving, trek in the Himalayas or perhaps follow an artistic pursuit such as painting or learning to play the piano. Make a plan, then go for it! There are no limitations, only endless opportunities.

* Keep the faith. Whatever your faith or spiritual practice, remember that The Creator's protective love is always sheltering you; the spirit that dwells within is always guiding. Tending to our souls keeps us centered and gives purpose and meaning to our lives. Medical studies have shown that having a spiritual connection has a favorable impact on our ability to deal with life's ups and downs, both physically and emotionally. Make time to be with God and to listen to your intuition, which grows during our wisdom years. Meditate, pray, play gospel music, read inspirational books--do whatever serves your spirit.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Essence Communications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group