Preview of Your Coming Attractions

When I retired after 40 years of writing columns for the San Jose Mercury News, I figured I'd said about all I could say. Wrong. I've realized that at age 76, I'm about 10 years older than the oldest baby boomers, who are now turning 66. My very average body has had a lot of experiences in those 10 years. I've learned a lot that could be helpful to people just starting on that same path -- what to do, what to avoid, what to keep an eye on.. Consider me your canary-in-the-coalmine for the boomer generation. Tune in regularly for the heads-up advice.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

When I retired after 40 years of writing columns for the Mercury News, I figured I'd said about all I could say. Wrong. I've realized that at age 75, I'm about 10 years older than the oldest baby boomers, who are now turning 65. My very average body has had a lot of experiences in those 10 years. I've learned a lot that could be helpful to people just starting on that same path -- what to do, what to avoid, what to keep an eye on.. Consider me your canary-in-the-coalmine for the boomer generation. Tune in regularly for the heads-up advice.

Such as:

DRY SKIN: You're probably noticing that yours isn't as baby-soft as it was when, well, you were a baby. I started seeing this when I was 65. Actually, my dermatologist saw it first. "Man, you're really dry," she told me. "Start using a lotion. Please!" She was looking at my shins at the time, seeing the pile of dry skin flakes around my ankles that had fallen when I took off my socks. Embarrassing. Women typically take better care of their skin, using all sorts of oils, lotions and unguents that advertisers bombard them about. Men, not so much. But we need just as much help. I thought at the time it would be smart for me to buy stock in a cosmetic company that would offer dry-skin lotion for men. Get in early, get a big hunk of market share by the time the baby boomers came along. But I didn't, and I'm still kicking myself (in my now, not-so-dry shins). Some companies now have started selling men's lotions, and I could have had a part of that. Darn. I use a body lotion all over, every day, right after my shower. One called Cetaphil works for me. It has no scent, so I don't end up smelling like a fragile flower. Maybe it would work for you, but there are a lot of choices. The big thing is: Use the lotion. Make your dermatologist happy. Make yourself happy by not being so itchy in strange places (like the aforementioned shins). And then maybe your spouse won't enter you in a flower show exhibit as a dried arrangement.

4 comments:

  1. Good adavice for all of us over 65's. The lotion I use has SPF 15 in it so that when I garden I don't have to worry about the sun--too much. You do have to reapply often as the sun block doesn't stay with you for very long.

    Thanks for the new Blog, Leigh. I think we'll all enjoy your comments and those who comment on your comments. Isn't that the way it works?

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  2. What a great idea! The sharing of collective wisdom is a wonderful way to ease the uncertainties and pains of growing old. "Lets's grow old together"

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  3. First for Chickie, your SPF 15 is doing you almost no good as sun protection. Listen to a pro and use SPF 40 or above and make sure it has coverage for both Ultraviolet (UVA) A and B.

    Then for Conn, I prefer to think that I am getting older and not "growing old!" Yes, I'm splitting hairs.

    I like the idea of this blog, Leigh!

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  4. Great idea, Leigh! Actually, my shins are okay. It's the rest of me that is going down hill fast. Should I get specific? It could be depressing. I think I'll just stay tuned and get all the wisdom my aging brain cells can absorb.

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