The holidays are here and so is winter, bringing with it freezing temperatures, cold winds and snow—coughs, sneezes, runny noses, colds and flu. Even if you have gotten your flu shot, it is still wise to fortify your fortress—your immune system—against unwanted visitors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that during most flu seasons in the United States, an estimated 90% of flu-related deaths and 50% to 60% of flu-related illnesses occur in people aged 65 or older. Here are some immune boosters for seniors from handwashing to essential oils to for…

Of course, living in the present is something everyone, regardless of age, should aspire to do. But practicing mindfulness in your golden years is especially beneficial. 

 
If the term “mindfulness” makes you anxious, conjures up notions of some new age hocus-pocus or even has you believing a monk’s zeal and endurance is necessary for success, fear not. 
 
Despite its prevalence in Eastern practices like Buddhism, mindfulness isn’t religious, it’s simply state of being — of being in the present as often as possible, for as long as possible. And while meditatio…

Peppermint candies, gingerbread cookies, Christmas eggnog are some of the favorite foods of the holiday season. But do you know that these delectable treats also contain healthy ingredients that can counteract indigestion, gas, flatulence, bloating, queasiness, and just about any discomfort associated with overeating or feasting on rich decadent foods during this time of the year? Yes, the peppermint in the candies, the ginger and cardamom in the cookies, and the nutmeg in the eggnog provide potent healing powers when consumed in their pure state or as teas. The essential o…

Calling it the holiday blues seems a bit dismissive. For many seniors, the sadness they experience during or after the holiday season is much more serious than a cute catch phrase. 

And a lot of folks suffer. In fact, an eye-opening 64% of adults says they’re affected by the so-called “holiday blues,” and more than a quarter say they’re affected “a lot” by this phenomenon, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

What’s worse, when combined with other factors – failing health or immobility, loss of friends or family, etc. – the holiday-…

The ability to grow is one of the characteristics of living things. As humans, we continue to grow neurologically as we age.  But one of the things that makes us different from other living things is our ability to feel and express gratitude. Gratitude gives life and brings healing to the body, mind, and soul. Below are 15 reasons to cultivate gratitude.
Here are 15 reasons to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
1. Gratitude is the mother of joy.
Look around you. What is it that you see today that you can be thankful for? Count your blessings not your burdens.
2. Grat…