Blog - Melanie Young- Fearless Fabulous You!

Is Your Elderly Parent Eating Properly? Fearless Fabulous You! July 11

On July 10, 2016 / Aging Gracefully, Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show, Nutrition and Diet, Over 50

Remember when your Mom used to bug you about eating your vegetables when you were a child? Well, in my case the shoe is now on the other foot. My 80ish young at heart mother does not like to eat vegetables. Nor does she like to cook. Her meals consist of supermarket takeout or restaurant leftovers or, sigh!, slices of cake and pie. She has a wicked sweet tooth. I worry she is too thin and malnourished; she brushes it off as earning the right at her age to eat whatever she wants if it tastes good. According to the nonprofit

Char None! Healthy Tips for High Heat Cooking

On July 4, 2016 / Cooking Tips, Nutrition and Diet

I’ve never been much of a fried food fan but I love the crispy edges of burnt toast and pizza crust, seared salmon skin and grilled veggies. When I was a meat eater we’d always asked for the flavorful “burnt ends” of the barbecued brisket or pork butt. Grilling and barbecues are cooking rites of summer. But high heat and open flame cooking can cause a chemical reaction in some foods that is potentially carcinogenic. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) website: Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemicals formed when muscle meat, including beef, pork, fish,

Fearless Fabulous Women: Wit & Wisdom from a Young Breast Cancer Survivor

On July 2, 2016 / Breast Cancer

Imagine. You are young, married with four sons, full of energy and gorgeous. You find a lump on your breast. It tests positive for cancer. Your world turns upside down. You feel lost. You have radiation, reconstruction, complications. It’s all complicated. Where do you turn for support? It happens more than you think. Breast cancer affects women (and men) of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. It’s hard on everyone, but especially hard for younger women who may be of childbearing age or raising children, or who are single and dating, or starting a new career. You feel shot down in

Fearless Fabulous You! Nothing Is Set In Stone

On July 1, 2016 / Attitude Adjustment

Last week the British voted to leave the European Union, aka Brexit. Reports say the decision was set in stone. I don’t get that statement. I believe nothing is set in stone.There are always options and opportunities for change. It’s all about the mindset, whether in the political landscape or your personal lives. We can close borders and isolate or build bridges and connect. We can maintain a stony silence and allow things to happen whether we agree with them or not. Or we can speak out and facilitate change. Inertia keeps us stonewalled. Creativity and action can build paths to

Fearless Fabulous You! The Show Must Go On

On June 13, 2016 / Attitude Adjustment, Staying Grounded, Survivorship

I wrote this watching the Tony Awards. It was a joyful night of celebrating amazing live theater. Sadly, a real-life tragedy played out in Orlando, Florida, less than 24 hours earlier, marking another black spot in America’s history. We ask “Why does this happen?” But there is no suitable answer. We ask “How can we continue to let this happen?” But there is no suitable answer. We ask “When is it going to stop?” But there is no suitable answer. What we do know is the show must go on. Bad things happen. But we must not let them stop

A Bad Break Should Not Put the Brakes on Your Outlook

On June 5, 2016 / Attitude Adjustment, Making Things Happen, Survivorship

At least once in your life you may experience a bad break or a traumatic experience. It could be a cancer diagnosis, the death of a loved one, a marriage gone sour, or loss of a job or business. Setbacks and stumbling blocks are facts of life. Some situations are more difficult than others, and the healing process may take more time and effort for some. Survivorship has many faces and paths, but there is one common destination: recovery. There was a point in my life where I faced a fork in the road after a series of setbacks that could have stopped me in my tracks.

This Cancer Survivor Found Her Sweet Spot

On June 3, 2016 / Attitude Adjustment, Inspiring Women

June is National Cancer Survivors Month. According to the American Cancer Society, there are nearly 14.5 million Americans with a history of cancer. As a breast cancer survivor I believe in healthy thriver-ship and sharing inspiring stories about fellow survivors. This month I will introduce you to a few survivors who will share their life lessons. Monday June 6 on Fearless Fabulous You! Meet Loren Brill, founder of Sweet Loren’s. After beating cancer at a young age Loren became conscious of what she was putting into her body. Loren decided to cut out hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, most dairy, and anything she couldn’t pronounce!

Fearless Fabulous You! Change Too To One

On May 30, 2016 / Making Things Happen, Staying Grounded

How often have you heard or said any of these lines? I’m too busy. I’m too old. It’s too much work. It costs too much. It’s too risky I’m too tired. It takes too much time. It’s too confusing. It’s too pointless It’s too much to think about. All of these are basically mental shields. But instead of protecting you from harm, they may prevent you from helping yourself. We all think this way at some point. But if you find yourself thinking this way more often than not, it may be time to unlock your mental block. Here are

Fearless Fabulous You! Ladies & Gen(t)itals

On May 23, 2016 / Aging Gracefully, Women's Health

Last week the news media was buzzing over a penis transplant. The man who suffered from penile cancer was open about his choice to go public to encourage other men who’ve lost their genitals to cancer or to military combat. I consider the story one giant step for mankind. Men are usually mum about such things. Now, what if the shoe was on the other foot? Would the news media discuss a vagina transplant? Doubtful. In the same vein, commercials can advertise pills for erectile dysfunction, but how many ads have you seen that address women’s sexual dysfunction? While women

Pearls of Wisdom for Your Pearly Whites

On May 16, 2016 / Aging Gracefully, Healthy Living

What do you notice first about someone you meet? Their eyes? Their smile? Their hair? According to a survey about first impressions with online dating participants conducted by Buzzfeed and Crest Whitestrips, over 23% of the 150,000 respondents said a person’s smile is the first thing they noticed. In fact several surveys (many naturally sponsored by companies who want to improve your teeth) report that bad teeth and breath are a #1 turnoff. Here’s one from the blog BeautyintheBag.com “Is your not quite so killer smile killing your love life?” Healthy white teeth and a smile that illuminates your face are attributes we all

Easy Steps for Every Day Health

On May 9, 2016 / Women's Health

May 8-14 is National Women’s Health Week. You may already be mindful about your self- health. But if you have let things go, the good news is you can get back on track. Jobs may come and go. Families are raised and kids move on. You may move homes or cities. Life may throw you bouquets or curve balls. The one constant you can control is how you take care of yourself. There are countless tips for healthy living from government websites (check out this link) to self-help gurus and online apps. I’ve read, studied and tested many diets,

Make No Bones About It……..

On May 2, 2016 / Aging Gracefully, Women's Health

When it comes to our bones, there are no lucky breaks. One in two women over the age of 50 and one in 4 men over 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Of the estimated 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, about eight million or 80% are women. Osteoporosis causes an estimated two million broken bones a year. Source: National Osteoporosis Foundation. Make no bones about it. We all need to be proactive to protect our bones. May is National Osteoporosis Awareness Month. Here’s what you need to know: