Blog Posts by ThirdAge.com

This is what 64 looks like these days. It comes in the form of gorgeous Helen Mirren who was caught in a red bikini a few months ago and landed in the pages of magazines everywhere. Forget all the child-woman stars out there.

It's Dame Mirren who was proclaimed one of the sexiest women on the globe.

Yes, the photo was untouched.

"Oh, dear," says Mirren during a phone interview when your mention her age-defying status in Hollywood. "I don't think anyone would think I'm sexy if they could see me first thing in the morning! But it's still incredibly flattering. Everyone is being so kind.

"The reality of it is I'm not more attractive or sexier. There are thousands of other women who would qualify for those words. I'm not any better than any woman out there," she demurs.

Q: Ms, Mirren, two words..red bikini. Can you talk about that one shot of you in that bikini that swept the globe earlier this year. You did women over 50 proud everywhere.

HM: "Oh, I was holding my tummy in on a

It's Payout Time for Tiger: He's about $100 Million Poorer, but that's nothing compared to these divorce settlements!



Ever since Tiger Woods hit that tree last November; most people figured his marriage was over. This week, it was official. Tiger and Elin Nordegren announced an amicable split-and observers thought she'd probably get a $100 million settlement. Considering that he's worth about $1 billion, Tiger got off pretty lightly. Other guys didn't, though. Here, in ascending order, is a list of the top 10 divorce settlements of all time:

10. Greg Norman - $103 million

Ironically, it's a fellow golfer who's keeping Tiger out of the top ten - unless Elin's attorneys get a few more million from Woods. Norman left his wife of 25 years, Laura Andrassy, in 2006 for Chris Evert. In return, Laura got $103 million-and Norman got a divorce from Evert after about 15 months. Let's see: that means he paid almost $7 million a month for the privilege of being married to a former #1 women's

Oily skin doesn't just strike young girls. In fact, it can be even more embarrassing for older women -- after all, teens can commiserate with their acne-stricken friends.

If you're prone to oily skin, it can only be made worse by hot and humid summer weather. Here's what you need to know about dealing with your oily skin during the summer months.

Daily regimens:

Cleansers

I have noticed in the past that many of my patients have fallen into the assumption that excessive cleansing with drying facial washes is what's needed to control oily skin, that the more the better, right? wrong! After I became a dermatologist I learned that the more you try to dry your oily skin the more your skin will try to compensate for it by increasing the sebum production (which gives the oily complexion and shine). Minimize cleansing your face to only twice daily routine, morning and night. It should be enough with a cleanser that is especially labeled for oily skin something with low-neutral pH. I

Christina Hendricks, the gorgeous redheaded glamour girl of Mad Men, says she is a size 12 and she looks it. On the show she plays the full-bodied Joan, a very efficient and very sexy office manager who is always dressed in skin-tight 60s- style secretary sheaths or in low-cut cocktail dresses. And she always looks absolutely fabulous. On the last episode of the popular AMC series, one of her bosses declares," I understand that all men are dizzy and powerless to refuse you." Watching her lead a conga line at the Christmas office party, you understand why.

In truth, though not many women were as picture-pretty as Hendricks, her style and size were very typical for the early 60s. It was the time of Marilyn Monroe, after all, where women were expected to have curves not muscles, and "gym" was not a place to go but the name of a fellow who asked you out.

Now, there is some debate that Monroe herself, who supposedly wore a size 12 or 14, was really a lot slimmer than people

'And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.' -Kahlil Gibran

When I first heard about barefoot running, several years ago, I was skeptical - don't we need cushion to protect us from injuries, and why would I want to run barefoot, anyway?

But several months ago, I read a few influential articles (stemming from the popularity of Christopher McDougall's book, Born to Run) and decided to give barefoot running a try. Why not?

Today, I'm happy to say I'm a barefoot runner, and I love it.

I've given away my Asics, and now I run exclusively with my Vibram Fivefinger KSOs or completely barefoot. I'm running as fast or faster than ever, lighter than ever, injury-free, and I feel connected to the ground I run on. My feet have become stronger, and I feel better. Running was always fun, but now it feels like play!

The Whys of Barefoot Running

For decades now, runners (including me) have been sold on the need for good running shoes - if you want to prevent injuries, invest in good shoes. Proper cushioning, and sometimes rigid motion control or stability features, were needed, and if you had injuries, you probably had the wrong shoes.

But recent studies have proven what traditional peoples have known all along - that running barefoot strengthens your feet and is a more natural way to run. Running in cushioned, motion-controlled shoes is like having your neck in a cast for a month - when you take the cast off, your neck muscles will be weak. You also pound your feet much harder with running shoes, causing problems not only with feet but knees and other joints. We're making our feet weak, and pounding them hard - it's no wonder we have all kinds of injuries.

When you first start running barefoot, your feet will be weak, so take it very slowly at first. It takes weeks and months to build up the strength necessary for faster or longer running, but after a while, your feet get stronger than ever before.

There are numerous studies still being done on this, so don't draw any long-term conclusions yet. My thinking is to give it a try, and see how it works.