Pregnancy After 40 is Possible (My Story) Part 1

I always wanted children, because that's what your supposed to do right? After around thirty I began to feel the emotional tug of wanting a baby for a few weeks at a time then it would go away, come back again, and so on and so forth till my husband and I decided to adopt a baby from China many years later. Something I had dreamed of doing ever since China opened international adoptions of their "unwanted" daughters, my thinking at the time was that the world didn't need any more children but to help the babies that needed us the most.

A year after filling out mounds of paperwork, home studies, health examines, and basically spilling every detail of our lives, our paper work was sent to China with a log in date of May 12 2007.

When we first started the adoption journey we were told it would be about 1-2 years before we would be matched with our baby girl. Quickly I realized this just wasn't going to be the case as the increase in family's that were adopting from China seemed to dramatically slow down the adoption system to a snails pace. My husband and I were antsy and felt overly ready to be parents. We had never tried to get pregnant, I'd always tried Not to, but I was beginning to have second thoughts.

So we decided to give it a go, we would still adopt from China, but now our Chinese daughter would have an older brother or sister. Low and behold I conceived the second month, wow we were beyond over the moon, funny how quickly you fantasize about what you'll do as a family, how life will be, Disney World, school plays, we heard the baby's heart beat, it was heavenly, then I miscarried in my third month. 

From the highest high to lowest low in a moment laying on the OBGYN's table, "I am so sorry I don't hear a heart beat" he said and rest is a blur as I began to sob, and didn't stop for days. Eventually I peeled myself out of a depression that only in the slowest sense began to heal a little day after day, why did this hit me like a ton of bricks? 

Well not only is miscarriage a serious and painful loss, but I started to think that maybe my only chance to conceive was gone, I was 42 after all. Not a fun time, but in typical character I began to think positively about conceiving again to the point of buying positive and inspirational CDs for my car and listening non stop. Anytime a negative thought or fear about getting pregnant came into my head I would push the crap out of it with a positive!! A Lot of sex and positivity later we were blessed with a healthy pregnancy and birth almost exactly a year later, I was 44.

My Cutie at 7 months

Do I Need Probiotics???

I have never been a vitamin taker I was lucky I remembered to take the pill! Or maybe that's how I got pregnant!!!???! Seriously though after the birth of my son at 44 I kept getting sick, every five months or so, it was exhausting, I had to do something fast I was spiraling down quickly! 

I was recommended by a "health-concious" freind that I begin to take probiotics that are known to work in the stomach where bacteria grow, that can lead to colds, flus, and such; I was desperate so I bought some!

Probiotics have been the most unbelievable discovery for me, since I have been taking them daily for going on three years, and knock on wood I haven't had a bad cold or flu since, is this a miracle or just lucky? Honestly I was almost afraid to write about it for fear that my luck would run out!!

 I also recently added a women's daily vitamin, a B12 for amazing energy ( Really!! ), some Omega 3's because the rest seemed to be making a difference and my brother another " health conscious" guy recommended it.

What's with the Probiotics anyway, do we need them???

You don't necessarily need probiotics says Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D. from the Mayo Clinic a type of "good" bacteria — to be healthy. However, these microorganisms may help with digestion and offer protection from harmful bacteria, just as the existing "good" bacteria in your body already do.

Prebiotics are non digestible carbohydrates that act as food for probiotics. When probiotics and prebiotics are combined, they form a synbiotic. Fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir, are considered synbiotic because they contain live bacteria and the fuel they need to thrive.

Probiotics are found in foods such as yogurt, while prebiotics are found in whole grains, bananas, onions, garlic, honey and artichokes. In addition, probiotics and prebiotics are added to some foods and available as dietary supplements.

Although more research is needed, there's encouraging evidence that probiotics may help:

• Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics
• Prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections
• Treat irritable bowel syndrome
• Reduce bladder cancer recurrence
• Speed treatment of certain intestinal infections
• Prevent and treat eczema in children
• Prevent or reduce the severity of colds and flu

All I can say is that I don't go anywhere without my probiotics, I'm a believer, so does his make me a " health nut"?? Nah, I still put marshmallows in my morning coffee!!

British Invasion

Traveling through Europe (while modeling) in the mid eighties as an American with Dollars was an enlightening experience, we were RICH, at some points the dollar was almost twice as much as the British Pound!

Shopping was frivolous and fun, this is when I became intrigued with British designers, then I did a video with the Rolling Stones and became intrigued with British music and fashion even more ( and Mick Jagger😉,but that's another story).

Some of my favorite's right now are these Hunter Boots, very British countryside, Joe Malone scents are Divine. I fell in love with Top Shop at this same time, it has always been a fun, and inexpensive ( not so much now) place to shop. Alexander McQueens moderate line MCQ has some beautiful picks for the season, I especially like the belts, and fuzzy sweater-ing.

All Saints is a must for cult worthy staples that are at the same time edgy, cool and timeless.

Denim Picks

Even before I knew there was a trend towards denim I was craving denim shirts, so much so that I've purchased three since the beginning of summer.

When I started researching for this post I happily saw a bevy of denim jackets out there and not just your average Levi's retro style but lots of styles, shapes and lengths, mind you I will be buying the retro version but I am tempted to try something new and different. 

Brands to try: 

1. J Brand for sleek unadorned styles that fit perfectly

2. J Crew, preppy styles gone cool

3. Hudson, a personal favorite of mine with great back pockets that give my booty a lift

4. Mother, flattering just off the presses styles that flatter all shapes

5. Paige Premium another brand that flatters all shapes

6. 7 for all Mankind a great Nuevo classic

7. Levi's the Original classic

8. Gap, fashion worthy and wallet friendly 

I Love all these denim shirts, I will be wearing a long denim pick with a skinny jean or legging, a dark denim shirt with boyfriend or antiqued jean and pumps or wedge booties. I would love to pair the faded denim shirt with a sequin or pencil skirt and pumps or my favorite motorcycle boots.

Denim doesn't have to be tricky or complicated a great fitting jean looks absolutely perfect with a white T and blazer, bomber, collegiate or denim jacket. Denim on denim is another very cool statement, just make sure one part of your ensemble is fitted, baggy denim all over can look teenager-ish or bag lady-like.

www.turchinjewelry.com

Pimples Over 35...HELP!!!

My skin troubles began when I was around eighteen or nineteen just after I started modeling, having heaps of makeup applied to my face, traveling non stop and not eating particularly well may have been early contributing factors. 

It's so hard to describe the feeling of living with acne, I remember not wanting to go out, feeling like everyone was staring at my skin, and they were, I was modeling and supposed to have perfect skin; makeup artists would make rude comments, huff and puff about having to apply layers of concealer, I cringed inside and became more and more withdrawn. I could go on and on about how acne lowers your self esteem, makes you feel like you want to crawl in a dark room for life but I suppose if your reading this you already have a good idea what I mean so I will spare you any more of the gory details. 

In this picture below I had foundation caked on covering my pimples, thank goodness for great lighting and fabulous makeup techniques, this was French Elle circa 1984.

Why Me and Not Her???

Oily skin is hard to control because it's the result of genetically determined hormonal changes in your body, and you simply cannot control hormones topically. The hormones responsible for oily skin are called androgens—the male hormones—and they are present in both men and women.

Androgens stimulate healthy oil production, and while that truly has benefit for your skin, it is a problem when androgens stimulate too much oil to be produced! When too much oil is produced, the pores become larger to accommodate the excess oil production. Excess androgens can also cause the pore lining to thicken, which blocks oil from getting out of the pore, and that can result in blackheads and white bumps.

YOUR NOT ALONE check out these actresses with breakouts and oily skin.

So What Helps Unblock Pores?

GLYCOLIC ACID

Glycolic acid is found naturally in sugar cane and grapes and is commonly used in skin care problems including acne treatment, exfoliation, and chemical peels. For daily use find a daily cleanser with 8 to 10 percent concentration of Glycolic acid. Also try a weekly regimen of Glycolic acid peels for up to 6 weeks. Glycolic helps smooth out uneven facial tone and can even reduce the appearance of surgical scars, acne scars, and other blemishes.

So it’s not surprising that many older women turn to milder remedies, some of which also take into account that their blemishes sit atop dry, sensitive skin.

Products Please!!

1. Aczone (dapsone) shown to be gentle for dyer not 20 year old skin

2. Atralin Gel

3. Retin-A Micro 0.04 percent gel.

SALYCIC ACID

Another excellent exfoliating (pore de- clogging) ingredient for oily skin is salicylic acid (BHA). Salicylic acid exfoliates not only the surface of your skin but also inside the pore lining, thus improving pore function and allowing oil to flow easily to the surface, so it doesn't get backed up and plug the pore. In addition, over time, regular use of a BHA exfoliant will help fade the red marks from past blemishes, yippie!

Another benefit of salicylic acid is that it has anti-inflammatory properties, so it reduces irritation, which helps to calm oil production, lessens flaming red pimples.

More Products Please!

1. Garnier Pure Active

2. Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion

3. Neutrogena Deep Clean  

Skin Ceuticals a brand favored by some dermatologists, recently introduced Blemish + Age Defense, a serum that combines 2 percent dioic acid with an alpha- and beta-hydroxy acid, and is designed to prevent acne, reduce hyperpigmentation and make fine lines and wrinkles less apparent.

Elle.com recommends the products below for controlling Adult Acne.

IS IT WHAT I EAT??

There is no definitive proof that specific foods cause breakouts, but some medical professionals say diet can play a role. “Whenever hormones surge — around your period, during peri-menopause and menopause, when you’re pregnant, when you start or stop the Pill, and, yes, when you’re stressed or eat hormone-enhanced foods, i.e. nonorganic meat and dairy, skin changes can occur,” said Dr. Jeanine Downie, a dermatologist in Montclair, N.J.

Whatever the cause, hormonal havoc can overstimulate oil glands to pump out extra sebum, said Dr. Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. But aging skin is also drier, in part because of the cumulative effects of sun exposure. So when it comes to treatment, “less can be more, especially when it comes to adult acne,” Dr. Zeichner said.

I Finally found relief from my problematic skin with Retin- A, Glycolic and Salycic ingredients one of my favorites being Neutrogena's Rapid Clear Pads, drinking freshly made juices and Tons of water. Good Luck and please SHARE products that work for you and your experiences!

In Transit Fly- Girl Style

I started traveling around the world when I was eighteen, modeling, actually getting paid for photo shoots in Paris, London, Milan, Bali, Morocco, Greece, Seychelles, and Capris among many, many more incredible and fascinating places. That was a couple decades ago and I can finally say with confidence that I have my airplane style "in-check". I used to travel, I'm sorry to say, fresh faced ( You can do this at 19 ), scrunchi in hair, and aerobic shoes....scary but true, it never really looked good, trust me.

I learned from my mistakes and today I usually wear all black, denim with stretch for comfort, socks ( for security check ) a small comfy wedge booty or sandal, and layered t shirts with a soft leather jacket or a comfy cashmere sweater. I'll mix it up with blue denim from time to time but that's pretty much it, this look works for me and a lot of celebrity's I noticed as I was doing research for this story.

 Wear what you want on board but if you care about looking polished or chic and still comfortable you can follow some of my tips and these from Eva Longoria who looks cool and comfy in denim, a boxy sweater, long scarf, and chic bag, oh yeah and a great attitude. The super chic dressed in all black Angelina Joli with her huge pumpkin tote, I love her polished unisex style. Cameron Diaz looks young and put together in a fun fedora, antiqued denim, wedge sandals and a t shirt/ sweater mix, great for changing climates. Diane Kruger ops for a cross body bag, love, black denim, sweater and leather jacket, short comfortable looking boots, the hair could be better in a nice pony but all in all she looks really good. Lastly I asked my hubby to take this of me just before departing to Miami's airport, my all black style.

I would love to hear about your favorite transit style tips, leave me a comment.

Be chic, travel safely, find comfort, smile a lot!

Hair Cuts That Flatter....Us!

I remember when I was 29 years old I said to myself when I turn 30 I'm lopping my past the shoulder length hair off to just above shoulder length since that is an appropriate length for my age......WHAT was I thinking!! I didn't do it Thank God because I really love my long hair, I keep it colored and trimmed regularly so it's bouncy and shiny and Damed if I do I may keep it this way for another decade!

So what hair length and cuts flatter not 20 year olds?

This depends on 2 factors.

1. Face shape

2. Lifestyle...that's it!!

If you work in a corporate office on a weekly basis you obviously need polished hair, not sexy or pastel colored, that makes sense. If you are a freelance writer you have more options and freedom,

A doctor needs to look professional, A mom with young kids needs flexibility; whatever your lifestyle, your hair style needs to work with, Not the other way around.

Face Shapes: Usually round, and heart shaped faces look great with almost any length hair, except  maybe super short, square faces look great with short hair and most every other length. Long faces typically look best with bobs of all lengths, mid length styles, short hair and extra long hair will draw a long face down. I have a long face and wear my hair past my shoulders so I have my stylist Draco from Hair Dragon Salon in Miami cut wispy pieces in the front to add some softness. 

I included a picture of myself below along with some hair-styles I love that are flattering, cool and somewhat easy to pull off! Please share your ideas for great flattering cuts!!