EMBRACING AGEING - NATURALLY

Back in 2013, I was asked if I would like to volunteer for a non-invasive anti-ageing procedure. Some doctors were doing a short training course in this field and needed volunteers to practice on. The idea of looking years younger than my chronological age (I was 65 then) was tempting, especially as it wouldn't cost me a cent.

But I declined. I was nursing a bad cough at the time. That was the excuse I gave, but the real reason was my aversion to anything that is labeled 'anti-ageing', whether it's anti-ageing procedures, supplements or cosmetics.

The only exception for me at the time was getting my hair colored black. It had turned almost all grey within a short span of six months, brought on mainly by the stress of caring for my mom after her hip surgery in March 2011. She was also diagnosed with dementia at the same time. I was her sole caregiver.

I would have happily left my hair that shade of grey had it not been for well-meaning young people offering me their seats on trains, or helping me with my bags. It made me feel frail, old and decrepit when the reality was I probably had more energy than those nice young people.

Anyway, since then I have vowed that once I reached my 70s, that's it. No more coloring my hair black. Maybe shades of brown or blonde! Well, I am 70 now, and have kept my vow.

I mean why go against nature? Physical ageing is inevitable. Some are born blessed with great genes that slow down the ageing process. They look terrific for their age, whatever it is. We have all met such blessed individuals and secretly admire or envy them.

Less is always more when it comes to make-up for older women. Unless we know how to apply make-up to look younger and more natural, we may end up looking like a painted Chinese opera performer! Branded cosmetics are expensive. Some of them are meant to help us look natural. The irony of it! Wearing make-up is addictive too. Once we are used to having our face all made up whenever we go out, or when we have company, we will feel naked to be seen sans make-up.

Confident women don't mind being seen in public without a trace of make-up on their face. They know outer beauty is only skin-deep. It is what's inside that makes them glow - inner strength of character and a positive attitude towards life. A light touch of lipstick should suffice. The best face-lift is a genuine smile. It works. Try it.

Ali MacGraw, 79, and Robert Redford. 82, still looking great despite the silver hair and age lines 

Men are lucky - they don't need make-up to cover the wrinkles or color their hair to pass off as younger than they are. However, a word of advice - if you are balding on top, please don't drag some strands of hair to cover up the shiny pate. It's a huge turn-off for the ladies. Better to go a la Sean Connery, or go completely bald a la Bruce Willis. Some women do find bald men sexy!

Source: Daily Mail

From face lifts to breast implants, tummy tucks and more, older women are resorting to whatever means they can afford to reverse the ageing process. More men are now chasing that elixir of youth too, as evident from the rising demand for anti-ageing products for men in the market.

Alicia Douvall is the world's most surgically enhanced woman. At only 33 (in 2013), she already had 71 operations and 260 cosmetic procedures, with her first one done when she was only 17. At this rate, by the time she turns 50, her entire body would have been re-molded. She readily admits to being an enhancement addict. Surely this can't be considered effectively turning back the clock?

If going under the knife to look good makes you feel confident about yourself, or if you are doing it for functional reasons rather than aesthetic like dental implants, for instance, by all means go for it. Just don't overdo it or you might end up looking really plastic with all that plastic surgery. Make sure you get an experienced doctor. And if you are prepared to spend on costly anti-ageing products, make sure you do the research and find out if the products are genuine and effective.

With the world's population ageing at an alarming rate, the anti-ageing industry can only go from strength to strength in terms of revenue generated. Cosmetic surgeons will likely be the most sought after of all medical professionals, as there will always be men and women who refuse to grow old gracefully.

For the rest of us who prefer to let nature take its course, just remember that growing older isn't all that dreadful if we still enjoy good health, have plenty of good friends and a family that loves us and cares about us. Think of wrinkles as lines that reflect our wealth of life experiences.

Baby boomers all. With my cousin Henry (centre) and Antares after a dip in the river at Kampung Pertak. Staying forever young-at-heart and only slightly older in other places :-) (Photo taken in 2013).

LEARNING TO ACCEPT AGEING GRACEFULLY

Botox jab to remove lines for a more youthful look.

I was recently asked if I would like to volunteer for a non-invasive anti-ageing procedure. Some doctors were doing a short training course in this field and needed volunteers to practice on. The idea of looking years younger than my chronological age was tempting, especially as it wouldn't cost me a cent.

But I declined. I was nursing a bad cough at the time. That was the excuse I gave, but the real reason was my aversion to anything that is labeled 'anti-ageing', whether it's anti-ageing procedures, supplements or cosmetics.

My grey hair then was mainly stress-related.

The only exception for me is getting my hair colored black. It had turned almost all grey within a short span of six months, brought on mainly by the stress of caring for my mom after her hip surgery in March 2011. She was also diagnosed with dementia at the same time. I was her sole caregiver.

I would have happily left my hair that shade of grey had it not been for well-meaning young people offering me their seats on trains, or helping me with my bags. It made me feel frail, tired and decrepit when the reality was I probably had more energy than those nice young people.

Anyway, I have vowed that once I reach my 70s, that's it. No more coloring my hair black. Maybe brown or silver or blonde!

I mean why go against nature? Physical ageing is inevitable, although some are born blessed with great genes that slow down the ageing process. They look terrific for their age, whatever it is. We have all met such blessed individuals and secretly admire or envy them.

Less is more when it comes to make-up. Besides, think of the money you will save. Your skin needs to breathe.

Less is always more when it comes to make-up for older women. Unless you know how to apply make-up to look younger and more natural, you will end up looking like a painted Chinese opera performer. Branded cosmetics are expensive. And wearing make-up is addictive. Once you are used to having your face all made up whenever you go out, or when you have company, you will feel naked to be seen sans make-up.

Confident older women are not afraid to be seen in public with minimal make-up or without make-up.

Confident women don't mind being seen in public without a trace of make-up on their face. They know outer beauty is only skin-deep. It is what's inside that makes them glow - inner strength of character and a positive attitude towards life.

Confident older men are comfortable with their balding patch or with going completely bald

Men are lucky - they don't need make-up to cover the wrinkles or color their hair to pass off as younger than they are. However, a word of advice - if you are balding on top, please don't drag some strands of hair to cover up the shiny pate. It's a huge turn-off for the ladies. Better to go a la Sean Connery, or go completely bald a la Bruce Willis or Yul Brynner. Some women do find bald men sexy!

Source: Daily Mail

From face lifts to breast implants, tummy tucks and more, older women are resorting to whatever means they can afford to reverse the ageing process. More men are now chasing that elixir of youth too, as evident from the rising demand for anti-ageing products for men in the market.

Alicia Douvall is the world's most surgically enhanced woman. At only 33, she already has 71 operations and 260 cosmetic procedures, with her first one done when she was only 17. At this rate, by the time she turns 50, her entire body would have been re-molded. She readily admits to being an enhancement addict. Surely this can't be considered effectively turning back the clock?

If going under the knife to look good makes you feel confident about yourself, or if you are doing it for functional reasons rather than aesthetic like dental implants, for instance, by all means go for it. Just don't over do it or you might end up looking really plastic with all that plastic surgery. Make sure you get an experienced doctor. And if you are prepared to spend on costly anti-ageing products, make sure you do the research and find out if the products are genuine and effective.

With the world's population ageing at an alarming rate, the anti-ageing industry can only go from strength to strength in terms of revenue generated. Cosmetic surgeons will likely be the most sought after of all medical professionals, as there will always be men and women who refuse to grow old gracefully.

For the rest of us who prefer to let nature take its course, just remember that growing older isn't all that dreadful if we still enjoy good health, have plenty of good friends and a family that loves us and cares about us. Think of wrinkles as lines that reflect our wealth of life experiences.

Baby boomers all. With my cousin Henry (centre) and Antares after a dip in the river at Kampung Pertak. Staying forever young-at-heart and only slightly older in other places :-)

DO ANTI-AGEING PRODUCTS REALLY WORK?

Two nights ago I was at a Toastmasters meeting where the theme was “Fountain of Youth”. It got me reflecting on how obsessed people are about looking young and beautiful. This unhealthy obsession has driven celebrities and ordinary folk alike into spending huge sums of money on anti-ageing products, and surgery.

Today, the anti-ageing industry is a multibillion-dollar business. Step into any pharmacy or departmental store, and you will see a confusing array of age-defying supplements, creams and what-have-yous. But really, do any of these actually work?

Most of the surveys done on this subject have turned up little evidence to prove the effectiveness of anti-ageing products. Indeed, Anita Roddick, the late founder of The Body Shop famously said the cosmetics industry was peddling "a scandalous lie" in claiming that anti-ageing creams can stop wrinkles.

Sometimes all it takes to look great is a bit of grooming, make-up and a warm smile.

At the end of the day, anti ageing products tend to only work on the earliest and mildest signs of ageing. They may prevent and erase fine lines but they can't turn back the clock and make you look 20 if you are 50.

Furthermore, all dermatologists agree that our rate of ageing depends mostly on our lifestyle. So, rather than look for miracle creams, adopt the following regime:
1. Eat a balanced, healthy diet,
2. Stay out of the sun and use sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15,
3. Drink plenty of water.
4. Don’t smoke and keep away from smoky places and
5. Exercise regularly.

Boring…but effective!

Ageing is a natural process that everyone goes through, even a former Mr Universe. Guys are more concerned about youthful manhood than youthful looks, right?

Don’t be taken in by pictures of youthful looking ‘older’ women or men in glossy magazines. These pictures have been cleverly air-brushed to make the models look fabulous. Either that or the models are actually in their early 30s! The litmus test is to pick a model who is 60+ but looks 30+, and is a regular user of the brand of anti-ageing cream advertised.

Twiggy, 60. What a difference air-brushing makes! (Photo: Daily Mail)

I’d rather put my money and my faith in moisturizers. They are cheap, easily available and guaranteed effective. Want to get rid of wrinkles? Just learn to relax and smile more often. Worries and stress add lines to your face. That’s the simple truth.

“There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”

~ Sophia Loren

BE PROUD OF WHO WE ARE

Anyone can have fun, no matter how old

My daughter, who will be celebrating her 40th birthday this May, passed me a magazine article a few days ago. It touched on the stigma of ageing. Why are women in particular so defensive about disclosing their age? Why do they pour so much money into futile attempts to stay forever young? Judging by the advertisements in men’s magazines, our male counterparts are feeling the same way too about turning back the clock.

Barbie turns 50 this year. If she were mortal like us....

Growing old is natural and inevitable. So why fight it or try to reverse it? That would be like trying to stem the tide. Age is just a number, and we should be proud to reveal our age. We should look at our wrinkles as life-lines of experience, and our greying hair as threads of wisdom.

Spend some time in the company of those 50 and above. Sooner or later, you will hear the all-too-familiar refrains of “Old already. Cannot study anymore. Cannot travel anymore. Cannot dance anymore. Cannot chew anymore. Cannot wear bright colours anymore....” No wonder young people see us as decrepit old fogies ready to crumble into dust or ashes any minute. That’s how many of us see ourselves too.

And it’s not just our age that we need to come to terms with. It’s also our status, or the lack of it. In social networking circles, why do we feel embarrassed, even ashamed to say we are retired? Since when has ‘retiree’ become a dirty word?

We can't stop growing old, but we don't have to BE old. We need to think outside THAT wooden box or we'll be six feet under sooner than we want to.

Add fun, friends, and fantasy to our lives. Spice it up with a dash of colour and romance. Dance in the rain, sing in the sunshine, enjoy the outdoors, see the world through the eyes of a child eager to discover and learn once more.

Michael Jackson at 50 today, and what he would have looked like if he had let nature take its course. Give me the MJ on the right anytime. He looks more human!

No need for expensive botox, hair treatment or facelifts. Throw away those anti-ageing, anti-wrinkles cream. Invest in joy, love, forgiveness, gratitude. Eat sensibly. Exercise regularly. Nourish your skin with moisturizers. Smile often. Have a hearty laugh every now and then. Make positive words a part of your daily vocabulary. Think good thoughts.

"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;

For beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;

And for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

~ Audrey Hepburn ~

Actress and UNICEF ambassador Audrey Hepburn at 60.