Kids, it is a funny place to be, 40 and pregnant. When I turned 40, I settled into a way of thinking about myself that was a little uncomfortable – I’m no longer too young for much, and I’m getting too old for stuff by the day. And wasn’t it amazing how fast I went from being too young for stuff like a two-piece bathing suit or a cocktail after work to being too old for those things? That sweet spot age when you’re just the right age for everything – the age you look forward to throughout your youth and look back on during middle-age turns out to be infinitesimally short and enormously fleeting. I’m not in it anymore – Stacy and Clinton remind people my age of that every week with their admonishments to "dress age appropriately" and their yield sign warning me "No Miniskirts After Thirty."
Well, okay, I’ll cover my knees and refrain from wearing bubblegum pink tank-tops. I’ll age-up outwardly and try to be okay with it, but hey, guess what? On the inside, I’m still young enough to create and carry a baby, and something tells me that’s the healthier way for me to measure my youth and vitality. I may be lookin’ at tiny little crows feet under my eyes, but my body says, "Yeah, we still got PLENTY o’ life left in us, ma’am." And I’d like to keep it that way, since in a couple months I’m going to have two kids under the age of 4, and youth and vitality are going to be more important than they’ve ever been to me, mini-skirts and happy hours be darned. A 40-year-old mama to two young kids needs considerably more energy and alertness than any 20-something single girl with pretty knees and a late curfew, if you know what I mean.
And then there’s the desire I have to see my kids happily established with families of their own, and to see my grandkids born and still be young enough to bounce them on my saggy knees. I want to live, and live well, and live long and strong. And I know there’s only a finite set of circumstances I can control as relates to my own longevity (and as relates to my kids and their families and my potential grandkids, but we’ll fight that battle when we get to it, right?), but those I can control, I certainly want to put my hand to now.
Huh? Beauty product review?
Yeah. Not today people.
Today we’re talkin’ about what goes IN the body, instead of what goes ON it. So as I’ve pondered, in my contrarian position at the intersection of knocked-up and old broad, (I’m kidding, people!) just what exactly I need to do to help this body of mine keep up with the two bodies it’s produced since I turned 36 and survive until they don’t need me anymore (perish the thought), I’ve done a little bit of online research, and found some good resources and tips on slowing down the aging process a bit.
I’m not talking plastic surgery or eye cream – I’m talking good old fashioned diet, nutrition and all those other fun forms of self-discipline that suck all the fun out of life AND make it drag on much longer. Hee hee.
And as I read these articles, I’m going to pass them along to you, because we’re all women here, women with people to live for, with love to give out as long as we can, and dreams we want to pursue as late into our decades as we can. And any help we can get to guarantee we’ll still be healthy and happy long past the time we’ve decided wearing rolled-down knee-high flesh-toned nylons with pedal pushers and a pair of slip-on Keds looks purty darn good on us afterall is all good with us.
So here are a few links to get you started.
Firstly, a great article I found on WomenFitness.net enumerating the top 10 foods you can eat to slow down and/or reverse the aging process: Top Ten Anti-Aging Foods
Secondly, from WebMD, an article on the vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements believed to be most impactful on aging skin: Nutrients for Healthy Skin: Inside and Out
And lastly, so as not to overwhelm you, a 5-item checklist of things you can do to age beautifully and healthily, which I found on Oprah.com. Now I know we are not all big fans of Ms. O around here, girls, but this article isn’t about her views on spirituality or politics – it’s a collaborative effort by experts in several fields who discuss things like dental health, getting the right amount of sleep, defending your body against bone mass loss and other vitally important components of a healthy lifestyle. So check it out, okay? THE FIVE THINGS YOU MUST DO TO AGE BEAUTIFULLY
I loved all these articles for their clarity, their bullet-pointedness and their smarts. I’ve got them bookmarked and I know I’ll refer to them often. Maybe y’all will find them helpful, as well. I hope so, because I want to see every one of you and your Aunt Dot readin’ and makin’ comments here at Chic Critique come the year 2035, when I’m reviewin’ Dentucreme and Geritol from behind my bi-focals, and bouncin’ a beautiful little grandbaby on each of my ugly old knees.
About Jo-Lynne
Being pregnant proves that you are young, no matter your age. And having little kids will age you, no matter your age. Age is not relevant. It just proves you have kept living.
Thanks for this article – from another AMA.
Great article. I find what you’ve said to be more true with each passing day. Growing up, I had perfect skin. Never had to do a thing to it — it just was that way. Now, it’s microdermabrasion and creams and all sorts of things. It’s new stuff to me. One thing I’ve learned in reading up on all of this stuff — drinking water is key. Drinking lots of water keeps the skin hydrated. Never knew that in the past. But I’m trying so hard to increase my water intake.
Thanks for the great information.
Great post.
Since I’ve gotten older (creeping right up towards 40), I also focus on health more than other superficial “beauty tips,” but I find that they go hand in hand. When I eat well, I lose or maintain my weight. When I exercise regularly (that’s a rare when), I feel younger and more active.