Personal Life Media

Do you remember Queen for a day? Well, our guest on today’s podcast, Donna Henes, suggests in her latest book, The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife, that women in midlife and beyond become their own Queen. Certainly, many woman need to own their own authority and purpose, but what does it mean to become a Queen?   Donna will answer this and other questions on women’s issues.  She’s also an expert on creating rituals and celebrations for any occasion, not to mention that she’s got a great sense of humor.

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Today we talk to the author of a little book that came out of nowhere to make a big national splash. If you haven’t read it, it’s called “The Sequoia Seed: Remembering the Truth About Who You Are.”  The author is Karen Wright, a woman who has had a lot of different careers and lived to tell about them.  In her life she’s been many things:  an educator, securities broker, TV news reporter, corporate consultant, author, speaker… Her book is about remembering the truth about who you really are.  How do you get to the bottom of yourself?  How did she do it?  Karen tells us which is the real Karen Wright, and why. We all want to know who we really are, unless we’re afraid to risk knowing the truth.  Karen’s online magazine – or ezine – along with her workshops and retreats -- helps women to connect to their deepest calling and take a step she calls “Risking mediocrity for greatness.”  How can you get ready to take that risk?  In the interview we talk about enlightenment and lasting happiness – do they exist?  What are they?  Do you/can you have them?

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Aristotle said, "The gods, too, are fond of a joke."  Who can doubt the benefit of laughter?  The famous writer, Norman Cousins, is said to have cured his cancer with laughter.  What does every woman say she is looking for in a man?  A good sense of humor.   Today’s guest, Leigh Anne Jasheway-Bryant, author of Don’t Get Mad, Get Funny: A Light-Hearted Approach to Stress Management, believes it is her mission to help the world become saner and healthier through humor.

Jasheway-Bryant has written fifteen books.  In 2003, she won the Erma Bombeck Award for Humor Writing, which probably explains why she has laugh lines on her face, her stomach, and oddly, her pancreas. She is a stress management and humor expert, health educator, comedy writer, and stand-up comic. Her mission, if she decides to accept it, is to help the world become healthier and more sane through laughter.  Leigh Anne claims to be the kind of girl who, as Mae West said, “Climbed the ladder of success wrong by wrong.”

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Our bodies are the temples of our souls.  In this life we live only as long as they live and we suffer when they suffer and we die when they die. Obviously, we need to take care of our temples. Our guest today is Joan Frentz, author of Life Begins @ 60:  Living Longer Stronger Lives.  After 60 she went from chronic arthritic and muscular pain to great health and strength and realized “I was healthier and felt better than ever.”  How did she do it? Can you become stronger and healthier after 60? What does it take? What are the secrets?

Joan Frentz is a former business owner, volunteer, dancer, and photographer’s model.  She’s now a mother and grandmother.  On turning 60, Joan realized she was stronger and felt healthier then at any time in her life. How could this be? She had spent years dealing with discomfort, pain from the debilitating affects of arthritis in her spine, neck, hands, and feet. A long process of first getting to know her own body, becoming and staying physically fit through exercise and healthier eating…and at the same time growing mentally stronger through conscious awareness training, including proper breathing and meditation, Joan has transformed what was always an active physical life to one free of pain and need for medication. Exercise may not be the cure-all but it certainly is close.  She feels that in these days, women are writing new chapters. With it not only possible but probable to live to be 100 and beyond, what do we need to know and do to ensure a physically active and independent life.  Our interview covers:

• The major components of an exercise program
• Keeping your body healthy
• Getting to know your own body
• Starting and maintaining an exercise program
• Fitness and the foods we eat
• Weight control

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Many Third Agers are in jobs that no longer satisfy them, and others are facing retirement without enough money to maintain their lifestyle. One solution is to start your own business. The internet is a natural place to market. But how can you combine your spirit and your passion with marketing?   Our guests today, Drs. Judith Sherven, and Jim Sniechowski say they are teaching people to do just that – market on the internet from their passion. Judith Sherven is a clinical psychologist who worked in private practice for twenty-two years.   Her husband, Jim Sniechowski, holds a doctorate in Human Behavior and co-founded the Men's Health Network in Washington, D.C. They are the bestselling authors of Be Loved for Who You Really Are. Their latest endeavor is “Soft Sell Internet Marketing.”  

What they tell us is this:  if you're looking for a way to market your products and services online that's in alignment with your heart-based professional values and personal integrity - it's called Soft Sell marketing.  What is soft sell marketing?

If someone buys something from you and they expect that the amount of money they pay for it will return to them plus a profit, that's called an ROI – Return on Investment – transaction.  This is the way most standard business transactions are designed and understood.

But what if you're a parenting counselor and someone comes to you for advice with their 5 year old. You make a suggestion and it works. Their child is better. And they give you a check.  Do they expect the amount of the check to return to them plus a profit? No. That's not the nature of the transaction.

What you've done is changed their life experience. And for that type of transaction we use the term ROE – Return of Experience.  Soft Sell marketers specialize in ROE – Return of Experience. And it's for you, the Soft Sell marketer, that Bridging Heart and Marketing is designed and dedicated.

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No one can say the relationship between Third Agers and their adult children is always easy.  Our guest, author Jane Isay says, “It is no easier being the parent to an adult child than it was raising children at any other stage of growth.” How do we nourish good a relationship with our adult children? What do they complain about? Do they love and appreciate us?  Jane Isay, author of Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents, gives us a roadmap to enrich this often difficult relationship.

Jane Isay grew up in New York City, the daughter of a columnist for the New York Post and a psychiatrist. She worked at the Yale University Press, creating their lists in psychiatry, psychology, and child development. In 1979 she moved to Basic Books, and for the next 25 years she was an executive at a number of publishing houses. In 2004 she left her job as Editor-in-Chief at Harcourt Trade Books to embark on a new career as a writer. Walking on Eggshells: Navigating the Delicate Relationship Between Adult Children and Parents is the result.  Some of the questions she tackles in the episode of Aging Gratefully are: 

1.) How can one close the communications gap between parents and their grown kids?
2.) How come the decade of the 2000’s can be so tense and disappointing?
3.) Grandchildren and their parents—what are the keys to their kingdom?
4.) What are some of the issues or problems facing a person when marrying into a family with adult children?
5.) What about money and its discontents?
6.) What are the words that welcome and the words that separate?
7.) Why we have to grow into this new stage of parenting, and how to do it?

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Friendship and wisdom are two of the saving virtues of the Third Age.  Friendship is a special kind of love that endures the winter of loss, fills the spaces of our heart and makes so many moments special.  And wisdom allows us to carry the nourishing cup of understanding to the thirsty mouths of the world as well as our selves. Today’s show is about both: friendship and wisdom.  The friendship is between Mike Farrell, famous for his role in Mash, and his friend, author John O’Donohue, who unexpectedly passed away recently. The wisdom is in a book by John called To Bless the Space Between Us. 

Mike Farrell is best known for his eight years on M*A*S*H and five seasons on Providence.  He is also a writer, director, producer, and author of Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist.   Mike joins us to talk about the new book, To Bless the Space Between Us, written by his dear friend, the late John O’Donohue.  O’Donohuepassed away suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 52 – just two months before To Bless the Space Between Us was released.

What does it mean to bless others and ourselves? In this collection of O'Donohue's poetic prayers, the author of Beauty and Anam Cara focuses on bringing God's blessings into the liminal spaces in our lives: times of transition, grieving, change or preparation for the unknown. Some of the blessings are for specific situations that are bread-and-butter staples of other prayer books, such as benedictions over births, weddings, new jobs or new homes. Others are unexpected and bravely dark, including a prayer for the loved ones left behind after a suicide, or for a parent after the death of a child. O'Donohue is not afraid to tackle the fear and guilt that many harbor secretly, bringing shame and addiction out into the open even while celebrating new life and new love. His writing is sensitive and deep: As light departs to let the earth be one with night, Silence deepens in the mind, and thoughts grow slow; The basket of twilight brims over with colors, he says of evening Vespers. The book closes with the Irish priest's personal—and often profound—musings on the act of blessing, drawing on Celtic spirituality and the wisdom of poets and philosophers.

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Are you a member of the sandwich generation – squeezed between raising children and caregiving responsibilities for your parents, in-laws, or other aging loved ones?  Are you in a power struggle with your siblings? Are their often opposing objectives and/or philosophies of care for your senior parents creating conflict and bringing progress to a standstill? Are elder care issues such as driving, finances, maintaining their home, moving into an assisted living community or nursing home, Alzheimers or dementia, etc. costing you time, money, relationships, and peace of mind? Are you struggling to balance work and elder care and feeling you're losing control of both?  Listen to this interview with Barbara Friesner, of Agewiseliving.com  for the answers to these and other questions about caregiving.

BARBARA E. FRIESNER, author of The Ultimate Caregiver's Survival Guide, is an expert on issues affecting Seniors and their families.  Barbara has been featured on NY1 TV's "Focus on Seniors", "Coping With Caregiving" and on radio shows across the country.

In addition to her FREE monthly newsletter, Barbara is the Eldercare Expert and writes a monthly column for the National Association of Baby Boomer Women.  In addition, Barbara has been quoted in newspapers and magazines throughout the US.

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Ever wonder if organic foods are worth their high price? Are the marketing claims true? Are organic foods really more nutritious, safer, and better for the environment? Do the benefits of organic farming really outweigh the benefits of conventional farming? Can you handle the truth?  If you’re an organic food devotee, get ready to be enraged.

Alex Avery is the author of the controversial book, “The Truth About Organic Foods.”  He is the Director of Research and Education at the Center for Global Food Issues, a project of the Hudson Institute.  Since joining the Center in 1994, Avery has spoken to a wide variety of national and international audiences and has represented the Center at the United Nations World Food Summit in Rome.   

In his book he challenges widely accepted notions that organic food is better for your health.  A university study comparing the amount of bacteria on conventionally-grown and organically-grown produce found that the level of the common bacteria E. coli on certified organic produce was "not statistically different from that in conventional samples." Avery has attacked the researchers for their pro-organic "bias."  In this podcast he passionately takes on all dissenters.

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Sooner or later everyone has to make a decision about when they retire, what it looks like, and where they want to spend their retirement.  Our guest today, Jan Cullinane, is co-author of the book, “The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide To The Rest of Your Life.”  Her book tackles the basic questions of what to do in your retirement and is especially thorough in exploring where you should spend it.  Cullinane and Fitzgerald, her co-author, give a report card to each community they recommend, grading them on climate, cost of living, health care, transportation and things to do.  As you might expect, Florida’s coastal communities rank among their favorites but so do Reno (perhaps you’ll find a new career at its professional bartending school!) and Asheville, North Carolina.  The interview also addresses the questions, how do you know if you’re really ready for retirement and what are the secret ingredients for a great retirement.

Jan Cullinane has a B.S. and M.Ed. from the University of Maryland and she’s the Retirement Expert for the NABBW (National Association of Baby Boomer Women).  She is a regular contributor to “Ocean Breeze” and “Let Life In” magazines.   

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Loss and grief permeate the Third Age.  Normally, we lose our parents, we lose our friends and one of the couple will lose their spouse and partner.  How can we best cope with it?  How much should we lean on our friends, and what can we expect over the years? 

Dr. Pamela D. Blair is the co-author of the bestselling, award-winning book on grief entitled, “I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye.”  Dr. Blair is a holistic psychotherapist, spiritual counselor and life coach with a private practice in Hawthorne, NY.  A frequently invited guest on TV, cable and radio talk shows, Dr. Blair has appeared several times as an expert on CBS TV.  Her book is considered a classic in grief recovery.  Dr. Blair’s current book is “The Next 50 Years: A Guide for Women at Midlife and Beyond.” 

Some things Dr. Blair talks about are: how sudden death complicates the survivor’s life with unresolved regrets; how survivors replay the traumatic event over and over and how to stop it; and how to deal with PTST.  This interview is a must for the sandwich generation.

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This generation of retirees will live longer, be healthier, have more choices and more knowledge, and potentially experience this stage of life in fantastic new ways.  Now there is a whole channel on TV devoted to information and entertainment directed specifically toward those who are retired.  It includes everything from how to use electronics, a dating game, health advice and a myriad of interesting talk shows.  On our show today we are very fortunate to have the network’s two founders, Charles Hirschhorn and Brad Knight, to tell us about this exciting new medium.

Charles Hirschhorn, Retirement Living TV’s Chief Executive Officer, created G4 Television, helped create the Fox Network, returned the Wonderful World of Disney to television, and has produced and developed over 20 major motion pictures.

Brad Knight, President of Retirement Living TV, is the driving force behind the network’s success in reaching more than 30 million homes.

Among the network’s lineup of shows is the AARP Magazine Show; The Art of Living; Health and Wellness Hour (everything from Alzheimer’s to Indian sweat lodges); and Daily Café (2 hours of news and interviews starring Florence Henderson).

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A lot of us wonder whether religion and spirituality lead to better health, happiness and longevity. Can prayer cure illness?  Can we pray for people and make them better? What are the benefits of meditation? Today we have someone uniquely qualified to answer these questions. 

Harold G. Koenig, MD, is on the faculty at Duke as Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Associate Professor of Medicine. His research on religion and health has been featured on The Today Show, ABC’s World News Tonight, and Good Morning America as well as NPR and the BBC.  He’s written many books, among “Spirituality in Patient Care” and “Spirituality and Medicine.”

Some of the questions Dr. Koenig answers are: 1) Why do deeply religious people recover from depression more quickly?  2) How does mindfulness meditation make people feel more peaceful? 3) Are people who just want to be “spiritual” not getting the healthful aspects of religion?

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Stacy Tessler Lindau, MD, MAPP, Assistant Professor Obstetrics and Gynecology and Medicine-Geriatrics at the University of Chicago.  Dr. Lindau is one of the fastest rising young stars in the field of aging research. In this show we find out how Third Agers’ social networks contribute to their longevity and health.  What kind of diseases women face as they age.  How sexually active people are as they age.  And how you can best stay healthy.

Dr. Lindau's research and clinical work focuses on health of women throughout the life course. Her teaching and mentoring efforts emphasize geriatrics education and research predominantly in the areas of ethics, sexual health, and primary care of older women. She is also working on several projects aimed to advance the health and life quality of older women and women living with chronic illness.

Some of the research she discusses:

The percentage of those surveyed who said they were sexually active declined with age: 73% of the 57-64 age group reported they were sexually active, compared with 53% of the 65-74 age group and 26% of the 75-85 age group.

Older women were less likely to report being sexually active than older men, and were less likely to be in intimate relationships. But women, also, were more than twice as likely to be widowed as men. Here's the breakdown:

-Ages 57-64: 62% of women and 84% of men reported sexual activity in the last year
-Ages 65-74: 40% of women and 67% of men reported sexual activity in the last year
-Ages 75-85: 16% percent of women and 38% of men reported sexual activity in the last year

Don’t miss this fascinating discussion.

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91 million people are over the age of 50 in America. As this enormous number of people reach retirement age are we simply going to waste their talents and energy. In that age group, 94% of those who were surveyed think it is important or very important to find ways to keep older Americans engaged in society either working or volunteering. We have two guests today who are doing something about it.

Harris Wofford is currently the spokesman of Experience Wave, a national campaign to widen opportunities for older Americans to stay engaged in work and volunteering.  Mr. Wofford was a U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania from 1991 to 1995. Since helping to launch the Peace Corps in 1961, Mr. Wofford has been at the forefront of the nation's service movement.   He played a key role in both crafting and working to pass the trailblazing legislation that created AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National Service.

George Ruznak came to the US as an immigrant in 1957.  Eight years later at age 26 he was the President of a computer company. After 10 years in industry, he became a management consultant with clients in over 20 countries. He started his retirement in 1993 after the sale of the firm and now works with the organization SCORE which uses the talents of retired executives to help younger entrepreneurs. Two very powerful and experienced guests on a topic close to all of us.

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Should you lose your virginity after 40? How do you remain vital, sexy and alive? Our guest today, Sunny Hersh, author of Is it Hot in Here or am I just Hot? says midlife is “no time to play the blushing virgin.” She says “this is the time to live with the passion and pleasure you’ve been putting into everyone else’s life.” How do you do that?

Sunny Hersh  is a wellness educator, journalist , workshop leader, editor of the e-newsletter Boomer Bites, and author of two books: Midlife Mamas on the Moon and Is it HOT in here, or am I just HOT?  Sunny helps women overcome the negative expectations they have about aging, and starts them on the path to transforming their lives. She has a PhD in Laughter, a Black Belt in shopping.

Some of the things Sunny discusses with Peter and David:

• How does a 40-plus woman lose her virginity?
• Is there any truth to the urban legend about sex-starved older women?
• You know, Mrs. Robinson, Stifler’s Mom, that type?
• You call Viagra “the big blue elephant in the bedroom?” Why?
• There’s been a lot of bad press about hormone replacement.
• Should women ever consider HRT?
• Why do men hate going to the doctor, and what can their partners do about it?

Don’t be afraid to listen – it’s only your sex life we’re talking about.

 

 

I see that your books advise women to “Lose your virginity – the second time around!” What does that mean? How does a 40-plus woman lose her virginity? Is there any truth to the urban legend about sex-starved older women? You know, Mrs. Robinson, Stifler’s Mom, that type? You call Viagra “the big blue elephant in the bedroom?” Why? There’s been a lot of bad press about hormone replacement. Should women ever consider HRT? Why do men hate going to the doctor, and what can their partners do about it?

HOT TOPICS:   ·  Why’s of Women’s Health Initiave guy ·  Beauty of the Booty Call ·  The Joy of Java ·  Dirty, dirty vices we love ·  Enter with soul, not shoes Top 10 Positive Choices for Women over 40 Staying on the High Road: A Lifetime Program of Vision and Laughter I don’t know you God, but I’d like to! Shortcuts to a Healthier Life Become Best Friends for Life — with your husband, your parents, and your kids

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The topic of religion has elicited powerful, passionate responses throughout history.  So it’s not surprising that Dr. Kenneth Pargament’s latest study, which suggests that religious anxiety could increase the risk of death in the elderly, has garnered international attention. 

Pargament, a professor of psychology who has taught at Bowling Green State  University since 1979, has been interviewed by the Washington Post, New York Times, BBC and media from Norway and Japan since the controversial study was published in August.

“A number of studies have shown that religious involvement can help extend life expectancy,” says Pargament, who is also an adjunct professor at Boston University.

“This is the first one that found certain types can be a risk factor for health and mortality. This just kind of shows the other side of religion, that religion can raise fundamental questions for people and pose difficulty for people who get stuck in their struggle.”

Pargament was among the researchers who surveyed 596 elderly hospitalized patients in 1996. Patients who wondered if God had abandoned them, questioned God’s love or thought the devil had a role in their illness were more likely two years later to have died than patients who did not hold such beliefs.

“Having questions about God is not an automatic death sentence,” Pargament says, reiterating a point he has made in all those interviews with the media.

As a psychiatrist himself, Aging Gratefully’s co-host, Dr. Peter Brill, studied at one of the best universities with the one of the broadest perspectives in the country. However, nowhere in his training was spirituality ever mentioned or accepted. And yet there were clear sacred moments that occurred when souls touched in therapy.  Often these were the most important moments of all.  Subsequently, it has become clear that spirituality is essential to life in the Third Age. Dr. Kenneth Pargament has spent his career working to integrate spirituality and psychotherapy. His new book is called Spirituality Integrated Psychotherapy: Understanding and Addressing the Sacred.

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Extra-marital affairs are everywhere. We see them in the movies and we hear about friends whose relationships have ended because the husband became involved with someone else. How common are these affairs? What can a woman do to keep her husband from straying?  Marie H. Browne, RN, Ph.D, and her attorney daughter, Marlene M. Browne, have written a book, “You Can't Have Him, He's Mine: How to Affair- Proof Your Relationship". 

Marlene Browne is a women’s divorce attorney and her mother, Marie, is a therapist who counsels women going through divorce.  Between them they’ve heard all the stories, worked all the scenarios and know almost all there is to know about the infidelity of husbands in these relationships.  They discuss the things you don’t know or realize about men’s infidelity, such as: less men cheat than you think; more men are willing not to stray if they find contentment at home; men cheat for emotional connection, much as women do; men will equate sex with intimacy, so if a wife or long-term partner holds out on sex she’s preventing him from expressing intimacy in a typical male way.  They then move on to things you don’t know or understand about affair-proofing your relationship.  Listen to this podcast for the critical information you absolutely need to know.

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The Third Age is a spiritual age. The search for passion, purpose and joy ride along with the fear and fact of illness and death. Perhaps this calls for a hardy wisdom. To quote today’s guest,  Rabbi Gershon Winkler, ancient life was lived with “dark times and situations that would make our paradigm seem like Disneyland.”  What can we learn from this mystical religion and time? Find out what the ancient Kabala has to say about preparing yourself for the modernThird Age.

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Something is terribly wrong: The majority of Americans want to die at home surrounded by family and friends, but most end up dying in the hospital or nursing home, cared for by strangers.  Half of Americans die in pain that could have been treated.  Sick people have come to fear losing their dignity or burdening their families more than they fear death.  And this is all happening in a country that is meant to prize the rights of individuals and champion respect for personal wishes. What can be done?

Paul Malley is President of Aging with Dignity, a national non-profit organization based in Tallahassee, Florida. More than eight million Americans have used Aging with Dignity’s “Five Wishes” document to plan in advance of a serious illness. Today “Five Wishes” is distributed by 10,000 organizations – including physicians, attorneys, hospitals, hospices, employers, and places of worship. Paul Malley and the work of Aging with Dignity have been featured in national media including the CBS, NBC, and ABC evening news, CNN, MSNBC, NBC Today Show, Good Morning America, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times,Newsweek, Time and Consumer Reports.

The Five Wishes document helps you express how you want to be treated if you are seriously ill and unable to speak for yourself.  It is unique among all other living will and health agent forms because it looks to all of a person's needs: medical, personal, emotional and spiritual.  Five Wishes also encourages discussing your wishes with your family and physician.

Five Wishes lets your family and doctors know:

• Which person you want to make health care decisions for you when you can't make them.
• . The kind of medical treatment you want or don't want.
•   How comfortable you want to be.
•   How you want people to treat you.
•   What you want your loved ones to know.

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Stephen Paul earned a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Missouri and then taught, researched, counseled, and consulted at the University of Utah. Stephen and artist Gary Collins collaborated to publish 3 Vision books: Illuminations: Visions for Change, Growth, and Self-Acceptance; Inneractions: Visions to Bring Your Inner and Outer Worlds into Harmony; and In Love: Visions for Growth and Harmony in Relationships. He currently writes and speaks about a process for releasing attachments and how to ride the inevitable waves of change by living more simply, harmoniously, and respectfully--more in line with Spirit.

On that note, his new book is Hollow Bones, a novel that springs from an actual event:  on November 23, 1993, a Native American prophecy was fulfilled when a delegation representing the North American indigenous peoples addressed a gathering at the United Nations. The Native American Elders delivered the prophecy of their spiritual leaders, warning that a long-predicted time of purification was already under way.  The prophecy said that unless we return to living simply and harmoniously there will be climate change, poverty and war.  The book takes place in the not-too-distant future and tells the story of Mathew, Hope and Lily, who discover they have returned to fulfill the prophecy.  Dr. Paul speaks eloquently of the urgent need for simplicity and spirit in our lives.

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Many are the paths of life. Many are the challenges, and along the way we make choices about how we can be happy, esteemed by others and get what we want. Each path and each choice has rewards and costs. As we get into the Third age we begin to understand so much more about life that the accumulated costs begin to haunt and hinder us. Our author today, Susan Schachterle is Director of the Ahimsa Group.  The word "Ahimsa" denotes an attitude, a way of life that brings with it the intention to leave a situation in a better state than before. The individual who moves through life in a state of Ahimsa has developed an awareness and clarity that facilitate the effective combination of power, correct action, and compassion.  She has spent over two decades assisting individuals and organizations find and implement their inherent power, wisdom and joy.  She has given her book about women’s paths through life a title that may scare you or put you off. It’s called The Bitch, the Crone and the Harlot. It’s full of great wisdom about how the choices women made earlier in their lives need to be remade in the Third Age.

Susan says, “I wanted to use these words differently – there are gifts inherent in each word.  Bitch equals power and the possibility a woman can make things happen, create change.  An archetypal Bitch can make it happen without a self-serving agenda. A garden variety bitch doesn’t use her gifts well.”   In her book, a Crone uses her wisdom and insight and a Harlot her passion and awareness.  Filled with fascinating stories, this is a must-read book and must-hear interview for women (and men as well).

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Do you want an ordinary life? Do you just want to be comfortable and kind of numb where one day feels like the next?  Or do you want to find something that gets your juices going and makes you feel that your life is special and that you matter? It all starts with finding and living your dreams. Often people in the Third Age feel it’s too late to dream or they can’t afford their dreams. Rather, it’s the time to find new dreams and live them to the fullest. Our guest today, Marcia Weider, American’s Dream Coach, is going to tell us how to find our dream and bring them into fruition. Don’t dream of missing this show.

What is the difference between a dream, a goal and a fantasy?  What is the process of identifying and fulfilling a dream?  How does this differ from positive thinking?  Marcia Wieder is CEO and Founder of Dream University® and is leading a Dream Movement. With over twenty years coaching, training and speaking experience, her inspiring message, style and wit has touched audiences from 50-5000 at companies such as AT&T, The Gap and American Express. She has spoken internationally, been on Oprah, written several books and even met with three former presidents.  Additional questions we discuss are:

1. How can I rekindle passion when I feel drained and empty?
2. How do I allow myself to put my passions and dreams first, and not be sidetracked by everything and everyone else?
3. How do I break through limiting beliefs about time & money??? Where do I start and how do I make a habit of my new beliefs?
4. How do I get out of my own way -- that critical voice -- to make the visions and dreams come true?

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Most of us are perfectly willing to offer our help and advice to friends and loved ones -- but few of us are willing to ask for it. Why is that? Is it just that we think we’ll be seen as weak or unworthy?  Or, that we’re pitiful because we can’t do it all ourselves?  Yet endless studies have documented we all need the medical and psychological benefits of receiving help from others. Deep relationships are built on people helping each other. Our guest today, Nora Klaver, author of Mayday! Asking for Help in Times of Need, will help us fill the gap between what we know and what we do. Nora Klaver is a Master Life Coach and works with people to reveal the answers – that they already know – to the tough questions in life.

What is it that makes it so difficult for us to ask for what we need?  Why is it especially difficult for Americans?  Why should we ask?  What’s in it for us if we take the risk?  Nora Klaver answers these questions and more.  She tells her own story of how she learned to ask for help and how it changed her life, and she outlines the key emotional steps involved in the process:  1) Having self-compassion; 2) Having faith that things will work out and we’ll get the help we need; and, 3) Feeling grateful.

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We all have had the experience of passion. Being passionate about something makes you feel alive, full of energy and emotion and you can’t wait for the day to start.  Passion is vital to the Third Age because it keeps us feeling fully alive. And yet, many people have trouble discovering what their passion is. On our show today, we have three people who have discovered their passion. Each one is different and each took a different route to get there, but all three share the energy and excitement that can fill this time of life.  Listen to their stories and be encouraged to find your passion in life.

Jim Kwako M.D. is a family physician, but with special interests and expertise in alternative-holistic medicine. He is a past Trustee of the American Holistic Medical Association and past medical director of Cottage Hospital, Meadowlark Retreat Center and the Shealy Pain and Health Rehab Center.

Gene Tyburn was a trained actor for 25 years, had a fortuitous career change to becoming a certified arborist (tree surgeon).  Finally, he heard his true calling and found his passion in opera.  Gene’s operas have been performed in various venues around the country.

Betsy Gallery's adventurous life took her to West Africa as a Peace Corps teacher in the 60's, to Spain when she married a Spaniard, and to Costa Rica where she ran an eco-tourism lodge in the rainforest. Along the way she accrued two Masters Degrees, two wonderful bicultural children and a love of making art in the form of mosaics and gardening.  After a fourth career as a Marriage and Family Therapist, she retired to devote herself to making mosaics full-time and gardening part-time. 

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Someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease every 72 seconds. How scary is the thought of getting this disease to you? What is Alzheimer’s? What causes it? What can be done to prevent it? Can it be treated, and how? By the age 85, 50% of Americans will develop Alzheimer’s. The emotional and financial costs are astronomical – today it averages $200,000 per year to care for an Alzheimer’s patient. Our guest today, Dr. Loretta Redd, Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Association, California Central Coast Chapter, helps us face our fears and answer our questions about this dread disease. Dr. Redd describes for us the terms “dementia,” “senility” and “Alzheimer’s,” and draws the distinctions between them. In diagnosing Alzheimer’s she says, “Look for loss of words and loss of orientation – it’s one thing to forget where your keys are but another to forget what they are for.” She talks about the ways to prevent or stave off Alzheimer’s and about the treatments and drugs that have proven of use in combating it. She tells us what hope is on the horizon and where to go for assistance.

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Menopause. What images does it bring to mind? Hot flashes, periods of anger or depression, loss of fertility, a change of life? Few woman look forward to it and many fear it. For many others they endure it but it is much worse that it needs to be. Did you know that in some cultures woman don't have menopausal symptoms? Why is that? What can be done to make this time important, spiritually fulfilling and as mild as possible?

Our guest today, Dr. Judith Boice, author of Menopause with Science and Soul: A Guidebook for Navigating the Journey, will answer our questions and guide us to a safe passage. Dr. Boice is a naturopathic physician, acupuncturist, author and international teacher, and she has a special passion for working with wellness and women's health. She conducts trainings and public lectures on women's health, menopause, and osteoporosis. She's also the author of several books, including Menopause with Science and Soul: A Guide For Navigating the Journey. She describes menopause as a "journey" and shares with us how she came to that understanding. Her book includes interviews with women from several different spiritual traditions, and describes women's experience of menopause in other cultures. (In many cultures, women have no menopausal symptoms, while about 80% of women in our culture have hot flashes.); Dr. Boice says this is because of their similar spiritual traditions - these cultures honor each part of the life cycle: puberty, adolescence, menopause and becoming an elder. She gives examples of how you can celebrate each of these times in your own life.

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Has your wife been getting on your nerves lately & and you don't really know why?

When you ask your husband to clean the yard and he suddenly throws a fit totally inappropriate to your request, is it possible he's experiencing something other than laziness or irritability? Could he be going through something called male menopause? Or is "male menopause" just an excuse some men use to explain their irritability?

We'll get the answers to these and other unanswered questions about men from our guest, Jed Diamond. Mr. Diamond has been a licensed psychotherapist for nearly 40 years and is the author of seven books including The Irritable Male Syndrome and his international bestseller, Male Menopause, that has thus far been translated into more than 16 languages - proving that male menopause is not just an American excuse for not cleaning the yard. Mr. Diamond describes the symptoms of male menopause such as irritability, lack of energy, heightened stress levels and changes in sexuality. He explains why the condition is not just due to a loss of testosterone but a state akin to puberty, when new hormones come on line and change everything. Is there anything you can do about it? Yes, says Jed Diamond, the condition is totally treatable. Listen to this podcast and you'll find out what to do about that "crazy" man of yours.

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We’ve got a really hot show for you today.  We’re going to talk about maintaining romance in your relationship after 60.  You say, how can romance over 60 be really hot?  Well our guest, Dr. Rita Benasutti, a marital and sex therapist in Boca Raton, Florida, has appeared on TV and radio, been published in the Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, and has been quoted in Cosmopolitan Magazine, The New York Times, and Women's Health Magazine among others.  Dr. Benasutti has some definite ideas about what you can do to keep the fire of love burning in the Third Age.  How is Third Age romance different from romance earlier in life?  Let’s say a husband and wife are both 70 years old.  She’s through with sex, he’s not.  He’s ready to leave.  What can they do?  Or, a couple is 60.  They both still work so their time and energy for sexuality is limited.  How can they save their romance?  Dr. Benasutti takes us through her 8 Levels of Intimacy – Affection, Social Togetherness, Physical Activity, Aesthetics, Intellectuality, Emotionality, Sexuality and Spirituality.  She describes how feelings of hurt, misunderstanding and love and be resolved through intimacy.  Listen to this show and learn the secrets of pillow talk and enduring romance.

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Are you wondering how much money you will need to retire? How important downsizing your lifestyle will be? How the slump in the house marking affects your retirement plans? Or, how to choose a community where you can take it easy and enjoy life?

Our guest today will tell you some things that will make you feel better about the years to come and may even change your life. Only a few years ago, the question on many Americans' minds wasn't 'how will I retire' but 'when.' Now, with 401(k)s and IRAs at a fraction of their previous value and health-care costs soaring, it's time for a definitive guide book that walks you through the fundamentals of retirement. For more than a decade Fred Brock was a business editor and columnist at the New York Times. With his biweekly 'Seniority' column, he has earned a reputation for providing frank and pragmatic advice on the changing landscape of retirement. He’s the author of Retire on Less Than You Think: The New York Times Guide to Planning Your Financial Future AND Live Well on Less Than You Think: The New York Times Guide to Achieving Your Financial Freedom.

Mr. Brock and tells you how you will fare in retirement with a few adjustments in lifestyle.& Do you need 100% of your current income? 80%? You may just have enough to retire right now. This podcast will lift your spirits.

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What do you think are women's greatest fears about being middle aged? Why is the midlife transition so much more difficult for women than men? Donna Henes is an internationally renowned urban shaman,& award-winning author, popular speaker and workshop leader whose joyful celebrations of celestial events have introduced ancient traditional rituals and contemporary ceremonies to millions of people in more than 100 cities since 1972. Mama Donna, as she is affectionately called, is the author of four& books, including the recently published "The Queen of My Self: Stepping into Sovereignty in Midlife.

Millions of women are now entering or in the midst of midlife. With unprecedented freedom, education, longevity, and wealth, they hold positions of unheard of responsibility and stature. No longer Maidens, nor Mothers, and not yet old Crones, the question arises: Where do these dynamic, accomplished middle-aged women fit into the traditional description of the three stages of womanhood?

In The Queen of My Self, Donna Henes proposes a completely original paradigm -- that of the midlife Queen, a woman in her prime who has achieved wisdom, mastery, and self-esteem -- that reflects more accurately the realities and needs of women today. Learn how to start a Sacred Circle where ancient rituals around the cycles of the seasons resonate with the seasons of your life. Henes draws on history, mythology, and literature, her own life experience, as well as stories from women in many different societies, situations and stations to provide upbeat, practical, and ceremonial inspiration for all women who want to enjoy the fruits of an influential, passionate, and powerful maturity.

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At one time it was thought that if you were a single woman, 50 or older, your dating life was over. Nothing is further from the truth. According to our guest today, Alice Solomon, author of the book, Find The Love of Your Life After 50, it's just a matter of knowing how and taking the risk. Her book is filled with useful advice about how to find healthy relationships with men. She graduated from Wellesley College cum laude at the age of 50, then wrote the syndicated newspaper column, A Guide for Gorgeous Grandmas. She has her own radio show and is the author of two books on dating in later life. She has appeared on The Today Show and National Public Radio. "Being single stinks," she says. "A gal 50 to 70 lives with a companion for 35-40 years. Then he dies or leaves the marriage. He's gone, she's alone - supporting herself alone on half the income. If she does nothing about it she eventually becomes spiritually, intellectually, societally destroyed. Then her married friends disappear." Alice Solomon paints a gloomy picture. But then she tells women what to do about it. "You need courage. You need to be adventurous, open-minded, adaptable and flexible. Stop being so chummy with old friends. Be open to making new friends." In this spirited and enlightening interview women learn what to look for in cyberspace, where to go to find companionship, if there's such a thing as a perfect man and more of what they need to know in order to find the love of their life after 50. more.

It may sound like a strange question, but how long do you want to live? Wouldn't everyone say as long as possible? As long as they can be healthy? Well, according to Dr. Eric Plasker, you are deciding every day how long you live by how you manage your life. Are you managing your life to have as high a quality as possible and to live to be 100? Or are you managing your life filled with destructive patterns, survival strategies or complacency? On this podcast Dr. Plasker will tell you why change is easy-- it's thinking about change that is hard. Health and wellness expert Dr. Eric Plasker has written the bestselling book The 100 Year Lifestyle, which reveals the secrets to making the most of our extended life spans and living it to the fullest. He is also a licensed chiropractor and the founder of The Family Practice—a chiropractic coaching and training organization geared toward building highly successful and profitable family practices.Dr. Plasker explains how the quality of your first 100 years can be as high as the quantity. And if you think it's too late to make changes, you're dead wrong. Dr. Plasker tells us why we think changes are hard to make and how to break ourselves of that negative attitude. more.

America is overweight. Most of us are on one diet or another throughout our entire lives. What is wrong? Why don't we lose weight? What is the right kind of diet? Is the same approach best for everyone? Our guest today is Lisa DeRosimo, M.D. who is board certified in a relatively new field of medicine, Bariatric medicine. Bariatric Medicine specializes in the comprehensive treatment of overweight, obesity and related disorders. If you or someone you love needs to lose weight, this podcast is for you. Dr. DeRosimo holds a Masters Degree in Nutrition from Cornell University and a medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She is in private practice in Palm Beach Florida and Charleston South Carolina. In her wellness care clinic, Dr. DeRosimo prepares a "personalized eating plan" for each patient. Included are lifestyle changes that each person needs to make to maintain their proper weight, energy and health. Patients check in weekly. She encourages women around 50 to eat 3 meals per day but they must include an activity plan and cut back 500 calories per day. Women who follow her plan lose 2 lbs. per week and do not gain any back. She gives suggestions on what to eat, what not to eat, and talks in depth about your metabolism and nutrition. more.

Whether Meredith Medland is interviewing celebrities on the red carpet at Hollywood Eco-Fashion Shows or turning on a room full of students in her fitness class "Sexy and Spirited," she helps people experience an extraordinary level of possibility. The founder of Three Outcomes.com, and a Master Host on the Personal Life Media Network, Meredith is a gifted interviewer and facilitator. She's known for her unique questions, ability to dig up the real truths and bring humor as well as depth to her interactions with audiences. She is also a podcaster and host of the show, "Living Green: Efortless Ecology for Everyday People." Her show just hit the top 100 podcasts in June of this year. A frequent speaker to audiences of thousands, she has interviewed on CNN, CNBC, ABC, CBS and been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Meredith has bridged the gap from the boardroom to burning man, by bringing 12 years in digital marketing and advertising and combining it with holistic education, transformational facilitation and somatic movement. Her career as a nationally known internet analyst and Fortune 500 marketer give her a solid foundation from which she can leverage technology to bring the voice of everyday people living eco-savvy lives through her podcast "Living Green." Meredith probes the psychology of ecology in her unique and entertaining interview style by bringing her midwestern traditional business life and merging it with her more recent transformative Californian hipster. If there is anyone in the world who can bring two very different worlds together — Meredith can. She began focusing on "living green," after she found that living "in her body" was just the first step in expanding her own personal evolution. #160; more.

"Aging Gratefully" has been dedicated to helping people find Passion, Purpose and Joy in the aging process. To do that we know it is essential for people to come together and share their support, resources, stories and knowledge. Our guest today, Dotsie Bregel, is doing just that through her prominent web sites for Baby Boom women. She helps them by empowering and connecting them with others on the same path. She has a wonderful story to tell. Listen to this podcast to hear of her fascinating journey and learn from her wisdom. Dotsie is the Founder and creative force of the websites National Association of Baby Boomer Women, and Boomer Women Speak, (the number one website on all search engines for "baby boomer women.") She established the association, the only one dedicated to serving the healthiest, wealthiest, and best educated group of women to reach midlife, in order to support and encourage women to live their dreams. She is a writer, speaker, and expert on issues concerning her generation of women. Dotsie is passionate about educating and empowering midlife women through her wildly successful Web sites, including more than 60 forums that act as a virtual village for boomers. We asked, "What prompted you to create your baby boomer women websites?" Dotsie answered, "Following Mom's death and facing the empty nest caused me to hunker down in prayer seeking guidance and direction for the next season in life. I struggled with this question: What do I want to be when I grow up? Yes, I was a 44-year-old baby boomer and was still searching! I'd loved being a mom who stayed home to make a difference, but shortly they'd all be in college and I'd be out of a job. Since I enjoyed my friendships with women and liked us to feel connected and encouraged, I chose to launch a Web site that would do just that. A site that allowed us to share our stories and give everyone a peek into our hearts and lives would help enlighten ourselves and others about our generation of women."On this show she answers questions such as:"What is the mission of the National Association of Baby Boomer Women?" "What are the member benefits?" "How did you find the associates who share expert advice on your website?"What type of women are joining?""What role does NABBW play in addressing the joys and concerns of boomer women?" The URL's for her websites are www.nabbw.com and www.boomerwomenspeak.com. more.

Modern medicine has performed miracles with acute illness. If you have a heart attack, if you're shot with a bullet or you have pneumonia, you want the best trained western doctor available to treat your condition. But people with chronic conditions have a different experience. They are often treated with powerful but often only mildly effective drugs, frequently with disturbing side effects. Today's show features two men who are doing something that's different, yet tried and true about chronic illness. This show will be good for your health. Walter M. Lewis, M.D was trained as a traditional western medical physician in Internal Medicine. He practiced at the Santa Barbara Medical Clinic, now the Sansum Clinic. When Walt Lewis was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he first tried the accepted, mainstream medical practices for a cure. Unable to reverse his condition that way, he decided to break with his years of medical training and commit himself to a totally naturopathic program. He retired after thirty years of practice, took his wife and daughter and moved to Hawaii, switching gears to heal their bodies, minds and spirits along with his own. He let go of his mental stress and began a specific health diet, regular exercise and prayer. After those five years his "terminal" cancer was in complete remission. Returning to Santa Barbara he had the opportunity to join the Issels Clinic, a naturopathic clinic where he now does healing work mostly with patients who have advanced cancer conditions. David Spero has been a nurse for 32 years and has lived with multiple sclerosis for 25 years. He is author of two books: The Art of Getting Well: Maximizing Health When You Have a Chronic Illness; and Diabetes: Sugar-coated Crisis, which won 2007 Eric Hoffer Award for best small-press book from Writers' Digest. He is working on a third book, tentatively called, Hotter, Safer Sex. He has been co-facilitator of the San Francisco MS self-help group since 2001 and currently works with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement on improving care of people with chronic conditions. Mr. Spero and Dr. Lewis answer these questions about chronic illness: What are the keys to maximizing health when you have a chronic illness? Why don't people take care of themselves, and what gets in the way? What is the most important skill needed to overcome a chronic illness? What is stress? How does stress cause chronic illness? What protects against stress? Why is the support of other patients, families and people in the community crucial to most people's success in managing chronic conditions? Why have medical advances made so little impact on Type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions? How are chronic conditions diseases of powerlessness, and how can people empower themselves to improve their behavior and health? They explain that Naturopathic Medicine is a partner with your body in building up immunity, and tell of other ways to strengthen yourself. For instance, in the case of cancer, radiation and chemotherapy are major insults to your body. The problem with all this is that medical doctors and naturopaths don't talk to each other. There needs to be an free exchange of information about the patient so that the best of both treatments can be designed. This is an inspiring show with two men, one who overcame terminal cancer and one who has lived a normal life with MS, telling the world how they managed to beat the odds on chronic illness. more.

Dr. Northrup continues to be a familiar face in the media. Her numerous empowering works have been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today show, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, The View, Good Morning America, and the Rachel Ray Show. Internationally known for her empowering approach to women's health and wellness, Dr. Northrup is a leading proponent of medicine and healing that acknowledges the unity of the mind and body, as well as the powerful role of the human spirit in creating health. Dr. Northrup put her own personal truth on paper in 1994 in her first book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (Bantam). This groundbreaking reference of raw facts and intriguing case histories became a New York Times best seller, has sold more than 1.25 million copies, and has been translated into 16 languages. Dr. Northrup continued to gain national recognition with her first two public television specials Women's Bodies, Women's Minds and Women's Bodies, Women's Choices. After that, she wrote her second New York Times bestseller, The Wisdom of Menopause: Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing During the Change (Bantam). In this breakthrough book, she unearths new revelations about menopause, refutes the stereotypic definition as a frenzy of hot flashes and hormonal mood swings, and instead proves that it is a powerful , hormonally supported opportunity to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit on all levels. Over 1 million copies of this gutsy work have been translated into 15 languages. Dr. Northrup discusses menopause, which she calls "The Mother of all wake-up calls."She talks about hormone replacement therapy, then describes bio-identical hormones, and how women can create them for themselves with, among other natural components, natural progesterone 2% skin cream (over the counter), low glycemic diet, avoiding white foods, omega 3 magnesium 400 mg. per day. She tells us why so many women suffer degenerative diseases at midlife and how your beliefs shape your body. Dr. Northrup is candid, clear and speaks from a world of experience. more.