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Most of us think that getting dressed every day Is just something we have to do, just another day, another outfit.

Maybe for some of you, getting dressed is about personal style, or what looks good, or maybe it’s just about putting something on and moving on with your day. But there is a layer underneath all of that ,that most of us are not paying attention to, and that is COLOR. Whether you realize it or not, the colors you choose to wear are shaping how you are perceived every single day.

Color is communication.

Color is one of the most powerful and immediate forms of nonverbal communication, it communicates things like, energy, identity, mood, status, color communicates your culture, before a single word is spoken. Color gives people information about you to interpret, and most of this happens quickly and automatically.

When you start to see your clothing colors as communication, getting dressed will stop being a random act and will start to become intentional because you are choosing what you want your color choices to say.

Colors carry certain associations, not because of rules, but because of patterns in how our brain responds to light, contrast and what we are used to seeing.

Some colors feel stronger. Some feel calmer. Some draw attention while other colors don’t.

Colors don’t just look different, they really do communicate differently.

Navy Blue: Navy Blue is one of the most universally trusted and arguably the #1 power color globally and it’s the most well received color. Blue communicates; competence, trust, calm, & stability. This is why you see it so often in business and professional environments.

Black:

Black is one of the strongest colors you can wear. Black is the ultimate power color in fashion and formal contexts. It communicates authority, control and sophistication, its “armor”, it reveals nothing, and commands everything!

Charcoal Gray: this is the quieter cousin of black. Grey communicates, serious, established, and unshakable and is Universally respected in professional settings.

Red: Red is a statement-it is the color of dominance. It commands power and energy, it communicates confidence, energy and presence and it draws attention immediately. Red is the color you wear when you want to be noticed.

White: white on the other hand is the opposite energy of black. White has a different kind of power- white really isn’t a “power color” in the same way as black, navy blue, red and grey. White communicates clarity, cleanliness, and simplicity.

There are so many colors, but NOT every color is meant to communicate power- and that is actually a good thing- Power isn’t always the goal.

Sometimes the goal is:

*to feel approachable

*to feel relaxed and feel like yourself

* and sometimes the goal is not to intimidate people.

Those stronger, power colors communicate authority and structure.

But softer colors , like brown, beige and other neutral colors communicate something different.

They communicate approachability, grounded, and they communicate a more relaxed feel- they don’t demand attention.

At the end of the day color isn’t about following strict rules, it’s not about getting it right or wrong, it’s about awareness.

Remember Color is a tool- and when you start using it that way- your image doesn’t just look better- it makes more sense- and people respond to that.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask-A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

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The word superstition originally was used to describe an excessive fear of supernatural forces. Today the description of superstition is:

A belief or behavior meant to influence luck or avoid harm, without scientific proof. This doesn’t mean they are meaningless, because Psychologically Superstitions give us something very real. They give us a sense of control, and you know WE humans do not like uncertainty. We like to feel like we have some say in what happens next, even when we don’t. We hope, sometimes without realizing it, that if we do the “thing” the right way, everything will turn out ok.

You know that space between hope and fear? that is where superstition lives, and I want to explore it along with you.

Most superstitions trace back to ancient cultures trying to make sense of the world they could not explain.

Before science, before medicine, before we understood weather or illness or coincidence, people creating meaning through patterns:

They believed that:

_spirits lived in nature

_words had power

_and people believed that certain actions could protect them, or harm them, So those beliefs became superstitions, and over time those superstitions turned into rituals.

Even though we have science, data, and explanations for almost everything, superstitions haven’t disappeared, they have adapted, you see them everywhere now, just in different forms:

Instead of…

*The Black Cats Superstition

*Walking under a Ladder is bad luck

*And Broken Mirror

Superstitions new modern form is: We hear them in the way we "speak".

We now say things like:

_Don’t jinx it

_ that’s bad karma

_just my luck

_that’s a sign

We have modernized our language, but the behavior is exactly the same.

Today, people don’t use superstitions in the way they were originally intended. People once believed that superstitions could actually influence outcomes-like prevent harm or bring good luck- but in modern times, they are less about changing what happens- and more about helping us feel calm, grounded and alittle more control in uncertain moments. This doesn’t mean they are useless- instead they function more as:

*a tool for managing anxiety

* creating a sense of control as I mentioned

*and they are used to mentally prepare us for something important.

Superstitions today have become small rituals that help us feel calm-

Maybe that’s why they have lasted.

Superstitions stick around for 3 reasons:

#1 As humans We look for patterns,

#2- We seek control & comfort in uncertainty,

#3-we are drawn to meaning & mystery- even when we know it might not be real- we don’t fully believe in them-but we also don’t fully let them go.

They have survived centuries, across cultures and across generations, not because people are irrational, but because they serve real psychological functions: reducing anxiety, creating routine, and binding communities together. Superstitions are in a sense , humanities oldest coping mechanism. The specific beliefs change with culture and era, but the underlying need never really does change.

We all want to feel safe- in control- and we want to believe that our actions matter- So we knock on wood- cross our fingers, and say things “just in case”. Again; Not because we fully believe, but because a small part of us still wonders…what if it does work??

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

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See No Evil- Hear no Evil- Speak no Evil. You have heard & seen this before. Three Monkeys covering their eyes, ears, and mouth.

While its premise seems simple, this phrase actually holds a powerful lesson. It’s about “mastering” how you move through the world, how you protect your mind, your actions, and your influence so you do not become part of what’s wrong with the world, and that’s where self- discipline plays a crucial role.

See No Evil

The modern meaning: Don’t look at bad things

The original meaning: Be mindful of what you allow into your mind.

What you see& consume….All media- gossip & negativity -all of these shape your thoughts, emotions and assumptions and become mental input.

YOU and only you are responsible for your mental diet. You don’t have to “absorb” everything you SEE.

Hear No Evil

Modern meaning- Don’t listen to Bad things.

The original meaning- Be selective about what you believe and internalize.

Not Everything you hear deserves your belief- and a seat in your mind.

Opinions, criticism, fear, gossip, they are everywhere.

Just because something is said and you hear it- doesn’t make it true- and definitely doesn’t make it useful.

Speak No evil-

The modern meaning- Don’t say bad things

The original meaning- take responsibility for the impact of your words.

This one isn’t about staying quiet.

it’s about being accountable/taking responsibility for what you contribute into the world. – once something leaves your mouth-it doesn’t belong to you anymore-it affects other people.

Before speaking, try and use a simple filter:

Is it true?

Is it necessary?

And is it constructive?

Again, this isn’t about silence. Your output is the one part you fully control. Think before you talk and choose your words carefully- choose words that reflect your values and purpose- meaning-speak in a way that aligns with what you stand for- and aim to use your words to inform, help or build- NOT to harm.

It’s the only part of this you Fully control.

The Modern Balance

Here is where this gets even more important- There is criticism about this philosophy, because it is often misunderstood as passive. As if the goal is to: look the other way, stay quiet, and avoid conflict, but that’s not the original intent, that’s avoidance.

True discipline isn’t avoidance it's:

* the acknowledgement of reality

* Filtering input

*responding intentionally

*And speaking responsibly

You can see, hear and speak with awareness without becoming part of the negativity.

You can be aware of what’s happening in the world & acknowledge reality, speak up when it matters, and still chose not to absorb or spread what’s harmful.

Remember:

You don’t control everything you see-

You don’t control everything you hear-

BUT you DO control:

*what you Take in

*what you hold onto

*and you control what you put back out into the world- and that’s where this whole idea lives- not in avoiding, BUT in Awareness, responsibility and choice…that’s where your super power is.

See clearly

Hear intentionally

Speak responsibly

And don’t let everything you come across become a part of you.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949)236-1529

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If you are a human being you have heard the phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses”. It is a phrase that has been alive, and used for over a hundred years, since 1913. It was originally from a comic strip(of the same name) about a family trying to match the lifestyle of their rich neighbors. That comic strip has become a cultural reference for the pressure to maintain a certain social status.

The idea was simple: No matter how much we had - it never felt like enough if someone else had more.

And here we are today…over 100 years later STILL feeling the exact same way, but now it’s not just our “Joneses” (neighbors ) it’s everyone. “Keeping up with Everyone”, we are now comparing what we have, to what the entire world has.

Have you ever noticed how people in general are so comfortable saying they want enough to be Happy. BUT, when it comes to saying they love money & want to be wealthy, they get uncomfortable?

Why is it that wanting a lot of money- and saying it out loud, sound so wrong and greedy.

It’s okay to want money, and to want more of it.

That doesn’t make you greedy. That makes you human.

How you relate to money; that’s where everything changes.

Greed isn’t just about loving & wanting more-,Greed is wanting more at any cost:

*At the Cost of your time

* your relationships

* at the cost of your peace of mind..

* and most of all: At the cost of your integrity. Meaning you are willing to comprise your values, relationships, or honesty to get it.

That’s when it shifts from something “healthy" into Greed.

Just to clarify- Greed is the excessive desire, not just for money- but for possessions, power & status.

I have learned to think when it comes to spending money.. “is this “worth” my time, and is it going to improve my life? Remember, everything you buy costs you a piece of your life.

Money on its own is neutral.

It’s not good . It’s not bad. Money is just a tool.

In fact- it does a lot of good:

There is research out there to show that as your income increases so does your Emotional Wellbeing.

Money actually gives & buys you several things…

* it gives you options

*it gives you stress relief

* it gives you fewer daily worries

* and money buys you FREEDOM- it gives you control over your time. And having control over your time, that’s a powerful kind of freedom. With this being said, it isn’t just about time, it’s about what comes with freedom, it buys breathing room , less stress, being more present, it buys your health. And we all know, less stress =’s a healthier you.

When you remove constant money stress from your life, you actually create a space for happiness. Money doesn’t “buy” happiness, BUT it absolutely buys relief. And that matters.

Nobody is happy all the time- that’s not how life works. Happiness comes and goes.

The better saying should be “ Money doesn’t buy happiness- but it does by relief, and relief is powerful”

Money can remove stress, pressure, and constant worry.. and that kind of relief shows up in your life every single day.

The goal isn’t to keep up with your neighbors- friends or people you don’t even know. Always keep in mind that we are all earning differently- spending differently and living differently- and again, that’s ok.

The goal should be to build a life that actually feels good to you!

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529 (text)

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I am going light and fun on today’s topic. I want to share with you Ten, “Old school Household Rules” that were once standard in well run homes and considered part of running a respectable home.

They are not easy- but they actually work.

They made sense, and still make sense- and not just for appearances- but they make sense for your mental health, your physical health, and honestly, just making life easier.

#1-THE BED.

Let’s start with something we have all heard, every self-improvement book tells you that you should make your bed every morning.

And if you have every thought to yourself “does that really work” yes. it does. And has for centuries. It was once considered a “non-negotiable” in many homes, including mine.

#2- Sheets.

Speaking of Sheets.

Bed sheets should be washed every week- in hot water:

Old school homes were strict about this, and of course they were right. Your sheets get sweat ,oils, and skin cells- (everything your body sheds is) on them!

#3- Bathroom

Now the Bathroom is the room where etiquette and hygiene completely overlap.

-The TOILET SEAT goes down. It looks cleaner, it prevents things from accidentally falling in, and it is more polite for the next user.

#4- Guest Bathrooms were always “ready”

#5- Open your windows every day.

Before air conditioning was common, homes were aired out every day.

#6 DUSTING:

Dusting the house was a scheduled event, usually Saturday mornings- so try and follow suit- weekly dustings keep your home healthier.

#7 Shoes:

Shoes stayed at the door. They were a no -go inside. The reason was cleanliness and respect. Shoes track in dirt, pesticides , heavy metals, and bacteria into your house, they also track in Bad Energy.

#8 Kitchen:

The classic rule” leave the house ready for morning”- and the “kitchen is closed when dishes are done”.

#9- Kitchen table:

Your kitchen table WAS /and is still an old etiquette that is encouraged- a social hub- it was considered the “anchor of the home”- not just a place to eat.

#10- Breakfast- rounding out the top

Is an old school rule that we don’t hear much about anymore it was how you started your morning- and one old school rule that never got debated. BREAKFAST was not optional.

None of this is about perfection- it’s about Creating a home that feels good to live in- it's clean, calm and taken care of. And when you think about it, that affects everything; your mood, your health, and your relationships. Your home is where your mental and physical health start. That being said, IT should be one of your priorities.

I do know we are not living in the 1950’s ,but some of these “rules” really do make life easier, simpler, cleaner and more connected.

Listen to full episode for more.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529 (text)

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A Virtue is both a quality and a habit. It’s not just something you believe in. It’s something you practice until it becomes a part of who you are.

Some of the most common virtues:

Honesty

Courage

Kindness

Integrity

And Loyalty

A virtue is a good quality of character. They are the character traits that make you trustworthy, dependable, honorable and good to others.

A virtue is also a habit; a habit of doing what is right over and over again until it becomes part of who you are. Virtues are built through repetition.

Virtues were often talked about as the “opposite” of what are known as the 7 deadly sins. Those include: pride, greed, envy, and anger. Where those qualities, the 7 deadly sin qualities, tend to breakdown trust and pull people apart, VIRTUES are the qualities that build trust and hold relationships together.

Today I want to focus on one of the most important Virtues when it comes to all of your relationships, and that is loyalty.

Loyalty is the quality of remaining committed to someone or something through both good and bad moments- it means standing by the people you care about and honoring the relationships you have chosen.

Loyalty is a quality that most of us say that we value- we want loyal friends, loyal partners & loyal family members. We want people who we trust to stand beside us.

Without loyalty in your relationships you may start to feel uncertain about where you stand.

Loyalty is often misunderstood.

Loyalty is NOT blind obedience and it’s NOT staying in harmful situations.

Loyalty is:

Commitment

Reliability

Standing by someone you love

And choosing your “relationship” when things get hard.

This is where loyalty matters most- and that is your romantic relationships.

When you chose to spend to build and spend your life with someone- loyalty becomes the foundation that keeps your relationship stable and secure.

Relationships inevitable experience stress, disappointments, and periods of uncertainty- Attraction may fluctuate, responsibilities grow heavier and life becomes complicated. Loyalty provides reassurance that both people are committed to protecting the relationship during those times and you feel like you are on the same team, and working toward the same future.

Committed relationships rely on 3 major pillars:

Trust

Respect

And loyalty

When it comes to loyalty in a relationship most people think about “physical cheating”-but loyalty is much broader than that. it shows up as emotional loyalty, physical loyalty, and in how you protect your relationship.

Today, it feels like “loyalty is fading out”, relationships are ending at record speed, marriages are 50/50 divorce rates, friendships feel temporary ,families seem to be growing distant, and even workplaces today operate like short term arrangements.

Many people feel that loyalty is not really a “thing” anymore. It’s definitely not what it used to be.

Our culture now celebrates independence, instant satisfaction, and walking away. Technology makes it easy to imagine endless alternatives, and constant competition encourage self focus- and - ADD to that the fact that fewer of us grow up seeing loyalty modeled, no wonder long term commitment feels much harder today.

Two people who repeatedly chose commitment, trust, and loyalty to each other- this is why loyalty remains one of the most meaningful virtues a person can have.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A lifestyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

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When you meet someone for the first time, it is always the eyes you notice first?

I love eyes. I have always been intrigued by them, and I love the saying” I could see it in your eyes” & I could see it in THEIR eyes.

You can tell a lot about someone by looking into their eyes. Some people have very bright lively eyes, some have tired eyes, and sometimes you see someone whose eyes look really sad even if they are smiling.

Your eyes reveal so much; they reveal how you are doing mentally and physically. Your beautiful, unique, one of a kind eyes aren’t just there to help you see the world, but so the world can see you.

Your eyes are the most honest part of our body - they reveal things you might not want to say out loud.

Very early in our development, while we were still forming in the womb, our eyes actually form on the side of our head (like a horse), before slowly moving towards the center of our face, and when they finally move forward, we become one of the few species with forward facing eyes. This placement gives us depth perception, the ability to judge distance, track movement, and the ability to read eyes.

Your eyes are incredibly unique & no two people have the exact same pattern in their iris (the colored part of the eye) The texture, the rings, and the markings are so distinctive that they are sometimes used in high security identification systems- just like fingers prints-your eyes help identify who you are. They are your biological signature that belongs only to you.

Your eyes play a huge role in “first impressions, they are not the only thing people notice, but your eyes are one of the most powerful signals people read when meeting you.

When you met someone face to face your brain naturally scans the eye area first, we do this automatically because eyes tell us important things very quickly:

*is this person friendly

* are they paying attention to me

* are they trustworthy

* are they confident or nervous

The eyes help the brain make rapid social judgements within seconds.

Your brains scan the eyes for micro expressions and emotional signals- genuine smiles even show up in the eyes first- which is why a fake smile can look convincing at the mouth- but the eyes will give it away.

Your eyes help the world recognize who you are- and they also reveal HOW you have Lived.

The skin around your eyes is the thinnest skin on the body- this is why it’s usually the first place we see aging.

Those little lines at the corners of the eyes, what you know as crow’s feet, are really just evidence of expression .

Years of smiling

Years of squinting in the sun

And years of laughter.

The eyes record our life in small ways which is interesting because while our eyes reveal so much about us, we also spend a lot of time trying to hide them.

We humans have a built in way to hide our eyes;

Our eye lids.

Closing our eyes is one of the most natural protective behaviors we have.

We close them when we:

Feel overwhelmed

Cry

Or when we experience a deep emotion we close them-

And unlike the movies most people close their eyes during intimacy.

Your eyes are more than just organs for seeing, they are:

Emotional signals

Social connectors

Identifiers

Protectors

And emotional release valves

Your Eyes really are the window to your soul so try not to cover them up so much, be vulnerable, and allow yourself to be seen.

Enjoy!

Joanne

The Aging Mask- A LifeStyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

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Is it just me, or do you feel in the last year or so, there has been this huge push on supplements? Especially Creatine and Collagen? They have become the modern fountain of youth.

The supplement culture has wrapped itself so tightly around fitness, aging and physical beauty, it’s a lot to take in.-What used to be marketed heavily to Men for muscle performance and physique, is now being strategically aimed at us women.

I personally care about all the things.

I care about muscle mass, I care about aging well and I care about brain health. I read a lot about them all, so when I hear you being told that if you are not taking supplements, and multiple powders, your brains, skin and muscle are all going to shrivel up, I get mad because it’s so not true.

Today I’ am going to give you the good, bad and the marketing on Creatine & collagen AND are we Optimizing?or are we being Optimized? Meaning; are you making intentional choices to improve your health-,or are you being subtle shaped by marketing, fear, and influence to buy products you may not actually need. In other words, are YOU In Control of your wellness decisions, or are your insecurities being strategically targeted and monetized.

Creatine has been around a very long time . Creatine was discovered in 1832 by a French chemist- so it’s not new- and it’s not just a tiktok craze. It has been studied heavily since the 1990’s and is one of the most researched supplements in sports science.

Your body makes creatine naturally.

Your body produces Creatine in the liver, kidneys and pancreas and is primarily stored in your muscles-

Creatine is used to produce quick energy- especially during short bursts of high intensity activity like lifting weights.

Creatine pulls water INTO your muscle cells which makes your muscles look slightly bigger and fuller.

If you want creatine from food- you can get it naturally from:

*red meat- beef especially

*pork

*salmon

*tuna

Animal tissue contains creatine also.

Vegetarians and vegans tend to have lower muscle creatine stores because plant foods do not contain creatine- So supplementation is more prominent.

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body-it acts as a structural support protein- forming the framework that gives strength , firmness, and elasticity to your:

*skin

*tendons

*ligaments

* cartilage

* and collagen adds structure to your bones

Structure- is the physical scaffolding that holds tissues together and gives them shape and stability. Collagen is what helps your skin stay firm, your joints to stay supported and your connective tissues stay strong.

It's important for you to understand that collagen cannot be your primary source of protein. You will face an amino acid deficiency- and you can’t build or repair muscle tissue effectively using a collagen supplement alone.

Collagen marketing is emotional:

Strong, capable Men & women are being subtly convinced that they are deteriorating faster than they are.

Remember, thriving doesn’t start from man-made powders- it starts with good daily habits- and your habits are free.

Creatine and collagen are Not Villains nor are they magic.

They are Not dangerous

And they are not mandatory

They are a choice, an option, and options are empowering when they are chosen & not pressured.

The Good news is we are not going to die if we take them- and we aren’t going to deteriorate if we don’t.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A LifeStyle Medicine Podcast

(949) 236-1529

Follow along on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask