Episodes

  • "That's Just Not For Me"

    "That's Just Not For Me"
    Jul 1 2026

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    Have you ever forced yourself to like something just to avoid the guilt of admitting you don't?

    In this episode, I open up about a conversation with my girlfriend that completely changed how I think about "self honesty". We were talking about the Podcast when she said out loud and very matter of fact " I don't like the Ayurveda stuff you talk about it. Ayurveda, or however you pronounce it, is not for me, I don't like it".

    I am not going to lie, I was taken back, she didn't say it

    It wasn’t rude, it was just a matter of fact, she wasn’t apologizing, she was just simply telling me that Ayurveda is not for her, she doesn’t like it. I had to laugh because this is also a woman who doesn’t like massages! We clearly have different tastes.

    Anyway, I talk about why we feel guilty for disliking things, why elimination deserves to be celebrated just as much as addition, and how clarity about your dislikes actually helps the people who love you know the real you.

    I also get into lifestyle, your weekends your health habits, social life, and why you cant built a sustainable lifestyle around things you secretly don't like.

    The goal is never to like everything. The goal is to know yourself enough to know what you don't like, what isn't for you.

    I’ve come to really appreciate people who know themselves enough to know ,and say out loud, what they don’t like.

    At first it may catch you off guard, but when you see it for what it is;

    Its self-awareness, its confidence , and it’s an honesty that most of us never get comfortable with.

    Remember; Not liking something isn’t a flaw in your personality, it’s a Data Point. Its Clarity.

    I’ve come to really appreciate people who know themselves enough to know, and say out loud, what they don’t like.

    At first it may catch you off guard, but when you see it for what it is;

    Its self-awareness, its confidence , and it’s an honesty that most of us never get comfortable with.

    Remember; Not liking something isn’t a flaw in your personality, it’s a Data Point. Its Clarity.

    Guilt will tell you that you should like more things. But the goal is not about liking everything. The goal is to know yourself. And part of knowing yourself is being honest about what doesn’t fit, without apologizing for it.

    We celebrate discovery. We should start celebrating discernment too.

    Because Liking everything makes you agreeable .

    But, Knowing yourself makes you knowable.

    My friend was not rejecting Ayurveda.

    She was accepting herself.

    She knew it wasn’t for her and there is something really peaceful about that.


    One of the healthiest relationships you will ever have is the one you build with yourself. And that relationship begins the moment you're honest about what fits you, and what doesn't.

    If you need permission to stop pretending you like things you don’t.

    Say out loud..

    That’s not for me.

    And say it..

    _without guilt

    _without apology

    _and Without feeling like you have to explain yourself.

    You don’t need anyone’s permission. But, if you are waiting for it..This is it.


    Enjoy!

    Joanne Demers

    The Aging Mask- A lifestyle Medicine Podcast

    (949) 236-1529


    Follow along on Instagram:
    https://www.instagram.com/theagingmask
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    21 mins
  • Head to Toe: Did You Know?

    Head to Toe: Did You Know?
    Jun 24 2026
    Send us Fan MailWe are going to take a journey that I call“Top of your head to the tip of your toes Did you know” Journey.I will share some of the many things I found about our bodies that at one time or another really stuck with me, and have made me stop and appreciate what a miracle our body is. Every part of us was built for a specific reason, not one thing on us or in us goes to waste, and there isn’t a part of us that doesn’t have a very hard and taxing job.Alright, let’s start this journey with hair.First- is your HAIRI think it is safe to say that most of us have a love hate relationship with our hair which is why we panic the minute we see large amounts of our hair in the shower and on our combs and brushes. BUT, before you sound the alarm, you should know that most of us naturally lose about 50- 100 hairs every day, and it’s absolutely normal.Hair is everywhere we look, it’s on the floor, on us , on the couch, the counters, its everywhere. It sounds like a lot of hair loss until you realize you have around 100,000 hair follicles on your scalp, so losing a few dozen hairs daily is nothing at all. Your hair is constantly growing, resting and shedding as part of its natural cycle.That your hair is actually at its weakest when its wet, and it is strongest when it is dry?Water causes each strand of hair to swell- making it more elastic and easier to stretch farther than normal, which means it’s also easier to break.Wet hair stretches and breaks a lot easier than dry, so be very gentle with your wet hair.Honestly, whenever possible It’s best to let your hair air dry naturally before combing it- if you can’t wait for a natural air dry then please use a wide-tooth comb this works through the tangles instead of forcing a brush through your wet hair.This is important.. hair is one of the first places our bodies gives us a clue that something is out of balance.If you notice that you are losing/shedding hair more than usual your body may be trying to tell you that something has changed. Increased shedding can sometimes happen after a significant illness, major stress event, rapid weight loss, hormonal changes, certain medications, or maybe you are not getting enough protein or iron.Aging Mask takeaway..Healthy hair starts from the inside out.Feed your body with enough protein, iron, zinc, healthy fats, daily movement, good sleep, and good stress management. Be gentle with wet hair.And if you start losing more than 100 hairs a day-please don’t ignore it- maybe, your hair is telling you to take a hard look at what’s happening inside your body.Eye LashesEye lashes. The envy of many.The are one of the first things we notice, long, full eye lashes are so desirable that there is an entire industry built around making eye lashes long and full. We have extensions, lifts, mascara, and serums.The funny thing is.. eyelashes were not made to be admired.. they were designed to protect us.They are the first line of defense against dust, dirt, pollen, teeny tiny insects, and other particles that can get in and irritate your eyes. Eyelashes trigger the blink reflex when something gets too close giving your eyes an extra layer of protection.Just like the hair on your head, eyelashes have their own life cycle of growth, rest and shedding, and because they are on different schedules you don’t lose them all at once.Each eye lash typically lives about 4-11 months before it naturally falls out and is replaced by a new one. Aging Mask takeaway.. if you are spending a small fortune on eyelash products , castor oil may be worth trying. Its inexpensive, and it conditions your lashes and your brows making them look healthier and fuller.Remember I am not an ophthalmologist, so if you have an eye condition, or your eyes are sensitive, check with your eye doctor before using anything in or around your eyes.Nose-Let’s travel down to the nose. We don’t really appreciate our noses.Every breath you take passes through your nose, where the air is filtered, warmed and humidified before it ever reaches your lungs.And while our human sense of smell is pretty amazing, it is still no match for a dog’s. It is estimated that humans have around 5-6 million scent receptors, while a lot of dogs have close to 300 million.And depending on the breed, a dog's sense of smell is 10k-100k times more sensitive than ours.Did you know that your nose doesn’t actually use both nostrils equally all day long. Instead, it follows something called the nasal cycle. Every few hours, one of your nostrils becomes slightly more open while the other becomes a little more congested- then they switch- turns every couple of hours.And then theMucus.Your nose and sinuses produce about 1 to 2 quarts of mucus every day. That’s equivalent to a standard 32-ounce carton of milk every single day, that to me is mind blowing- we don’t even notice it as Most of it drains down the back of your throat, and you swallow it...
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    31 mins
  • The Heavy Lifters We Never Notice

    The Heavy Lifters We Never Notice
    Jun 17 2026
    Send us Fan MailToday’s topic came to me as I witnessed one of the strangest things this past week, it was definitely a first for me.I came out to get in my car, which is garaged btw, and there were ants all over the front of my car.As I watched them crawl over my car for the 3rd consecutive day, I found myself wondering if you all know why ants exist, and why fly’s exist?? I know that Most of us don’t have warm and fuzzy feelings toward either one. They give us the ick. They are not nice to look at.Ants invade our spaceandFlies annoy us with their buzzing, and all the gross things they do.But are you aware that both of them play a very important role in maintaining the eco systems that WE humans depend on? Now, before you wonder what the heck ants and flies have to do with Lifestyle Medicine, stay with me.This episode isn’t really about insects.It’s about awareness.It’s about appreciation.It’s about learning to recognize the things that quietly support our lives on a daily basis.Sometimes the greatest lessons about health and life come from the most unexpected places,Sometimes they come from an Ant and a Fly.Most of us spend very little time appreciating them.We swat them away.Spray them.And avoid them.Yet both of them perform jobs that are essential to life on Earth.Ants may be tiny, annoying, creepy little things, BUT they are among the hardest workers on the planet.When they are not in your house or on your car, think of ants as tiny gardeners.*Ants spend their lives moving and breaking down organic material through the soil, creating tunnels underground that naturally aerate the Earth. Their tunnels help water penetrate deeper into the ground.Which helps roots growHelps the soil stay healthySome ants disperse seeds which help plants reproduce and spread- and some ants breakdown dead insects and organic waste (yes poop).Ants support entire ecosystemsFun Fact: Scientists estimate there are about 20 QUADRILLION ants on earth.That is roughly 2.5 million ants for every person on earth, just so you know the math is right, I looked it up.The takeaway; don’t worry. EVER. About terminating them, they will replenish… and replenish in a blink of an eye.Flies have the worst public image in the insect world.They always land where we don’t want them too.Just as the ant, flies are also so important they have one of nature’s most important jobs.They clean up.They are one of nature’s recyclers.They help recycle dead plants, animals and organic waste back into the eco system- which returns nutrients back to the soil.- So While flies drive us nuts, we need them, they do very critical work- they keep our ecosystems functioning.Get this.. there are more that 160k known species of flies. And did you know that a lot of these species also pollinate plants? It’s not just Bees. Flies are pollinators too.Both ants and flies are working every day, all day.And both of them contribute far more than most of us realize.With that being said, imagine if they disappeared.Imagine waking up tomorrow and every ant and fly was gone, of course at first, it would be great:No antsNo fly’s No annoyanceSounds pretty great until we realize what they took with them. Soil quality would sufferNo flowersDecomposition would slow The food chains would be disrupted.A lot of birds, fish and reptiles would lose an important food source.The effects would ripple through entire eco systems. They would be enormous.This got me to thinking..Just as natures ecosystems depend heavily on ants and flies, our human ecosystem relies heavily on a group of contributors we rarely notice.The buildersThe Sanitation workersThe Utility workersThe road workersThe people maintaining systems most of us rarely, if ever, think about.Imagine if they disappeared too.It would not take long at all before we found ourselves in a world of hurt.Have you ever thought to yourself, why do we tend to overlook things that contribute so much.The world is sustained by workers-both insect and human- that most of us never notice until their gone.We humans have a funny habit.We don’t really notice what’s working.We notice what’s missing.We enjoy the finished product, but we rarely think about the work that made it possible. We love our clean waterOur Safe roadsWe love our Comfortable, safe homesOur healthy soilAnd food love food on the table.But we really don’t stop to consider everythingrequired to make those things possible.Maybe that’s because success is often invisible.The better something performs its job, the less attention it receives.Familiarity creates blindness.We don’t overlook important things because they are unimportant. We overlook them because they are familiar.They are there everydayDoing what they have always done.The more consistently something serves us, the less attention we give it.We stop noticing it.We stop appreciating itAnd we begin to expect it.What once felt so remarkable, slowly becomes ordinary. Not...
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    22 mins
  • Abracadabra: I Create as I Speak

    Abracadabra: I Create as I Speak
    Jun 10 2026
    Send us Fan MailHi. Welcome back to the Aging Mask Podcast. A lifestyle medicine podcast where together we explore lifestyle, wellness, and our everyday choices that shape the way we age.I am Joanne DemersYour weekly wellness companion.Thank you for listening.What do you think of when I say Abracadabra?Do you immediately think of a magician standing on stage waiving his wand, and performing magic? A word used to represent magic, mystery, & entertainment?Or did you immediately think of the famous abracadabra song by Steve Miller-who used the word to express something spellbound or irresistible?Either way, most of us do associate the word abracadabra with magic, mystery and entertainment. BUT what if I told you that long before magicians and musicians borrowed the word- Abracadabra carried a much deeper meaning? For centuries , Abracadabra was actually associated with the power of language and the belief that words possess influence & power.Abracadabra means …“ I create as I speak.”Think about that..“I create as I speak.Not create in a magical sense.But create through beliefs.Through perceptionThrough identityAnd through our everyday choices.Whether we realize it or not, we are constantly creating something with our words.We are creating stories and expectations, and we are creating limitations or possibilities.We are creating the way we see ourselves and the way we move through the world.Think about it this way…Before we become anything we speak about it first.Our words are not just sounds coming out of our mouths but forces that help shape our beliefs, our actions, our confidence, our relationships and ultimately our lives. So today, we are going to explore abracadabra not as magic, and not lyrics, but as a reminder that what we repeatedly speak, our words, Influence the person we become.It’s funny think about words.Words don’t weigh anythingYou can’t hold them in your handsYou can’t measure them on a scaleYet, words have the power to change the course of your life.Now, does science prove that we can magically create our lives simply by speaking something out loud?NO.BUT.It does show that the stories we repeatedly tell ourselves influence how we think, how we act, and how we respond to challenges.What gives words their power is not their sound, but the impact they have on our mind.The words we use internally shape the direction we move in. Overtime, our words influence our confidence, motivation and our willingness to engage with challenge or change.This is not because words directly produce outcomes- but because they contribute to our internal mindset that determines whether we approach life with avoidance or engagement.Words help you create the person who will either moves forward toward possibility, or away from it.Pursue the outcome or avoid it.I don’t think most of us realize how often we predict our own future with the words we use.The words we speak determine whether we move toward something, or away from something.Possibility Matters- Possibility matters because when we believe growth is possible, we tend to take action.· We try· We practice· We learnAnd· We improveOur words become the doorway through which action enters.. a lot of us unknowingly close that door to action before we even take the first step.Every day we are speaking something over our lives.A possibilityOr A limitation.A door openingOr a door closing.And more often than not. We dont realize which one we are choosing until years down the road -when we look back and see where those words have taken us.Now, let me be clear.. when I say“words create our reality”- it’s not about magical thinking, we can’t simple sayabracadabra and make it appear or disappear…*words don’t change the weather*they don’t erase challenges*And words don’t magically make life easy.But our words definitely influence how we experience the world around us.Words influence thoughtThought influences behaviorandBehavior influences outcomesAbracadabra, “I create as I speak”. Maybe the real meaning isn’t that words magically create our lives. Maybe, it’s that our words help create the person who creates our life.And that person is You.Please, please understand that words possess power, a lot of power. And even more than words, repetition is powerful.I think a lot of us underestimate how powerful repeated words really are.What we repeatedly say becomes what we repeatedly believe, and what we repeatedly believe, influences what we repeatedly do.And overtime, repetition shapes our perceptions, influences our expectations, and reinforces the stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what is possible.Our mind pays attention to what it hears all the time. And once your mind absorbs repetition, especially emotional repetition, your brain listens, your nervous system listens, your relationship listens, kids listen, and even your body listens -then your mind & body respond to the ...
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    20 mins
  • Spider Veins & Varicose Veins: Webs, Branches, and Rope

    Spider Veins & Varicose Veins: Webs, Branches, and Rope
    Jun 3 2026
    Send us Fan MailHi. Welcome back to the Aging Mask Podcast. A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast that explores Lifestyle, Wellness, and our Everyday Choices that shape the way we Age.I am Joanne Demers. Your weekly wellness companion. Thank you for listening.Today, we are talking about veins, not just veins, but spider veins and varicose veins.Those not always tiny, red, blue purple or bulging veins that seem to just pop up out of nowhere. If you have ever looked at your legs and wondered why you have these veins, you are not alone. You are definitely not alone. Spider Veins and Varicose veins are just another itemon the long list of things we compare about ourselves. And since they have made the list of comparables, I thought it would be fun to explain them.Admittingly, there is one thing that I do appreciate about spider and varicose veins…the good news.. they are equal opportunity employers… they affect Men and Women. BUT, there is bad news; They are more common in women.Veins are blood vessels whose sole responsibility is to carry blood back to your heart.All veins carry blood back to your heart, but the veins in our legs have one of the hardest jobs in your body as they must constantly work against gravity to move blood upward, which is one reason spider and varicose veins are more common on your legs.In order to do this, veins contain tiny one- way valves; think of them as little doors- they open to allow blood upward and close to prevent your blood from falling backward, pretty cool, huh?When these valves work properly, your blood flows efficiently- but when they weaken, blood begins to pool, and that is where the problem starts.Overtime, that increased pressure can stretch your vein walls and contribute to the development of spider and varicose veins.Now, these are more terms that we use interchangeably, but Spider Veins and Varicose Veins are not the same. Both of them are linked to increased pressure inside the veins, but the difference is where that pressure occurs, and how severe it becomes.Spider veins are the tiny veins you see. They sit close to the surface of your skin, and they look like:Spider websTree branchesOr some can look like cracks under your skin.Spider veins they are usually- red, purple or blue.They are typically flat, and for the most part they do not ,and will not ,cause you any physical discomfort.Varicose Veins… are bigger veins that have become stretched out overtime. When the little valves inside stop working as well as they should, blood pools in the vein, causing it to get bigger, twist, and sometimes bulge out beneath your skin looking like rope. Unlike spider veins, which are mostly just a cosmetic concern, varicose veins can sometimes cause symptoms like:Aching, throbbing, swelling, leg fatigue or discomfort which tends to worsen after long periods of sitting or standing.That said, not all people with varicose veins experience symptoms. Some people have very visible veins with no discomfort at all.PS) you might find relief in this: Spider Veins don’t typically morph into varicose veins. Spider Veins are not baby Varicose Veins.There isn’t just one cause.Most of the time, spider veins and varicose veins develop from a combination of pressure, time and biology.The most common causes of increased pressure in your veins is :*If you stand to long- anyone who spends hours upright without a lot of movement – this places strain on your veins. *If you sit to long- today we do a lot of sitting- hours and hours sitting at a desk, in cars, and airplanes- these all reduce healthy circulation.*if you have excess body weight- more weight means more pressure on the veins in your lower legs- this meansYour veins have to work harder to push the blood back up to the heart, and that constant strain can contribute to the weakening of those tiny one way valves inside the veins)the doors)- and when those valves no longer close properly, blood starts to pool, increasing the pressure- and leading to varicose veins.*Hormonal changes- can affect the elasticity of the veins.Hormonal changes make the vein walls more relaxed and prone to stretching, and these changes make it harder for the veins and their tiny valves to function as efficiently as before.We want our veins to be flexible, but not overly stretched. Think of a rubber band- a new- healthy rubberband stretches then returns to its original shape. An old or overused rubberband stretches- but it doesn’t bounce back the same- this is the same thing that happens to our veins.AgingAs we age.· Our vein walls become less elastic· Our valves weaken· And years of gravity and pressure accumulate- so spider and varicose veins become more common with age.When it comes to the cause of Spider and varicose veins.. The biggest factor of all.. is genetics.Most of the time veins arrive because of genetics.Some people inherit stronger vein walls and more efficient valves.And other people inherit veins ...
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    31 mins
  • Patience: Emotional Strength in an Impatient World

    Patience: Emotional Strength in an Impatient World
    May 27 2026
    Send us Fan MailToday’s episode is on something I have been trying to work on for years, and honestly, I still struggle with it every day. And that is the art of “Patience”.And I am not even going to pretend I have mastered this art because I absolutely. have. not.In fact, I am the most impatient person I have ever met…and I am not joking.I have been struggling with patience for as long as I can remember.And yet somehow.. there is still not a day that goes by where I am not battling impatience in some area of my life.And the ironic part is.. Life has tried to teach me patience so many times, and in so many ways, but apparently I am a very slow learner when it comes to this lesson.What I have realized though, is that impatience does not just create frustration, it creates stress, It affects relationships. It affects our mental state. It affects how we treat other people. And honestly, how we treat ourselves.And the older I get, I know that impatience has caused me far more damage than patience ever would have.I will tell you that the most important lesson I have learned to date, is that..patience is not just about waiting.It’s about how we behave while we wait. I think it’s important to define patience.Patience: Is the ability to accept or tolerate delay, difficultly, inconvenience, or discomfort, without becoming anxious or irritable.It involves remaining calm and composed while waiting for a desired outcome, enduring hardship, or dealing with challenging people or situations.Sounds simple. That is, until life starts testing it. Patients isn’t really tested when things are going our way.Patience is not just a personality trait, it is a mix of biology, psychology, life experience and environment all working together.For a face paced mind, waiting doesn’t feel neutral, its feels uncomfortable. Almost like something is wrong that needs to be fixed. When someone is living in a state of chronic stress, anxiety or overwhelm the nervous system is already under a lot of pressure, and in that state, even the smallest delays or inconveniences feel amplified.A calm nervous system naturally has more space to tolerate waiting.And Another major factor is ‘learned behavior”We inherit emotional responses from our environment growing up. If you were raised in a fast paced, reactive, or high pressure environment, impatience can become a default response, we learn that urgency equals control. That speed equals safety. And that waiting equals discomfort.And overtime , that becomes automatic.Our brains are built around dopamine, the chemical involved in motivation and reward. When we repeatedly experience instant rewards our brain starts to expect instant outcomes. Overtime, delayed gratification feels more uncomfortable, not because we are weak, but because the brain has been trained toward instant satisfaction.And finally, Life Experience plays a huge role in patience.Some people develop patience through repetition- through our fitness, parenting, long term goals , healing, or situations where we learn that rushing doesn’t help.They may not have had as many experiences that have required long term waiting or emotional endurance.So when you combine all of this together; temperament, stress levels, learned behaviors, brain conditioning, and life experience, you start to see why patients varies so much from person to person.NOT TO WORRY-Patience isn’t fixed. Even if someone is naturally more reactive or fast paced, patience can still be strengthened overtime, Not perfectly. And by no means overnight. But gradually, through awareness, lifestyle changes and practice.Now, Patience is influenced by biology, environment, and stress and life experience.Impatience comes from wanting certainty, movement, results and answers.When things feel unclear, delayed or out of our control, our minds naturally want resolution. It wants things to move forward. It wants closure. It wants speed. And our brain wants certaintyinstead of waiting in uncertainty.This is where impatience starts to build.But environment matters here too.We now live in a time where almost everything is “instant satisfaction”.*instant entertainment*Instant communication*instant shoppingAnd *instant answersWe barely have to wait for anything anymore.Even patient people are loving instant satisfaction.And overtime , I think that changes us psychologically. It lowers our tolerance for waiting, for effort, for uncertainty and even for boredom.The things that matter most, like relationships, health, career growth, healing and trust, they all require time, repetition, and emotional endurance.Everything that once required patience, connection, effort, and emotional presence are now competing against instant forms of stimulation… even areas like intimacy and relationships, there are now forms of stimulation that offer immediate reward without the same emotional depth, connection, communication or patients that real ...
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    31 mins
  • Everybody is a Role Model to Somebody

    Everybody is a Role Model to Somebody
    May 20 2026
    Send us Fan MailToday’s class is on role models.I want you to know this true fact..“Everybody is a role model to somebody”.That means YOU are a role model to someone whether you realize it or not.Your behavior is always being observed, and not just by kids, or somebody you are close too, but by friends, coworkers, family and even strangers.*Someone out there is watching the way you speak.*How you handle stressful situations*the way you treat people * How you take care of yourself* And watching the way you show up in everyday life.Here is the important part of that; most of the time, you don’t even know who you are influencing.Someone is learning from you without ever telling you.And Maybe.Just maybe. YOU are learning from somebody in the exact same way.This is what makes this topic of role models so interesting, because role models aren’t just something that you look for, they are something YOU are. You are a role model every day to somebody.A Role Model is simply someone whose behavior influences another personThat’s it.The funny thing is, a role model may never even know they impacted you. Just like YOU may never know how much you impacted somebody.When we hear the words “role model” most of us immediately think of celebrities, athletes or public figures.But personally..I don’t think that’s where the strongest role models usually come from…I think that the strongest role models are people we know in real life.I just think that You can better judge someone’s character when you are a witness to how they live every day.Sure, It’s really easy to admire someone from a distance, especially online.But the truth is; you only see curated moments, you don’t fully know how they really live when the cameras are off.And I think that matters.. because a true role model is not just someone who looks successful.. its someone whose character aligns with the image they present.That’s why I think it’s important to look close to home. Your real life.I’m sure There are incredible role models inside your own family- friend groups- your workplace and maybe your local community. They may be people who will never become famous, but, they live with integrity, do the right thing consistently, and they do this without needing attention, praise, or recognition for it. These are the people worth learning from the most. And Role Models are not just people we admire, they are people whose behavior shapes the way we think, act and live.A REAL Role Model talks the talk… and walks the walk.I thinks it’s also really important to recognize that a role model and a mentor are not exactly the same thing.We sometimes use these two words interchangeably, but there is a difference.-A mentor guides you, teaches you and advises you. They teach with words- A Mentorteaches Intentionally-A Role Model is different… A role model teaches you through action. They teach thru Behavior, choices, and through the way they live. A Role Model teaches unintentional. We may never officially be asked to mentor someone in our lifetime, BUT our behavior will still leave a lasting impression on somebody else.Honestly. That’s kind of crazy.This should really make us stop and think about:How we handle our emotions, and how we care for ourselves mentally, physically and emotionally.Because all of this teaches someone, something.If you talk about fitness and health, but you cut corners when things get tough or inconvenient, people notice that too.But the opposite is also true. When you show consistency, discipline, honesty and self-respect in how you live people notice that as well.Your actions give others permission to improve their own lives…. And that’s so powerful.And honestly alittle scary too.Because it means that the way we live doesn’t just affect us… good habits tend to create a ripple effect.That may sound like a lot of pressure.. but here’s the thing.. you don’t need to be perfect… Being a role model, does NOT mean being perfect. Most of the time, just being honestcan teach more than appearing perfect.Be mindful that someone is always watching, and sometimes that awareness alone will push you to live and behave better.Because The people we view as “perfect” can feel unreachable… but real people relate to real people…No false advertisement…. just imperfect authenticity.* So admitting mistakes….*Taking accountability*Trying again*Learning *And Growing.That’s influence.A healthy role model isn’t someone who never falls. Its someone who learns, grows, and gets back up.I think that’s important to remember because sometimes we avoid leadership or influence because we think "We are not perfect enough”But that doesn’t mean we can’t still positively impact someone else. I want to quickly Circle back to social media.Of course I have to bring in Social Media.Social media has completely changed the way we find role models.You don’t need ...
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    19 mins
  • Parasites: Guests You Don't Want to Host

    Parasites: Guests You Don't Want to Host
    May 13 2026

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    At the most basic level, a parasite is an organism that lives in or on another living organism- called the host, and relies on the host for survival.

    Parasites survive in or on a host by taking nutrients and resources from the host body, which can interfere with normal bodily functions.

    Parasites may live in the digestive system, blood, in or on the skin or other tissues depending on the type, and can range from microscopic single celled organisms-to larger worm like organisms- to external parasites like lice or mites.

    When a parasite is present and actively affecting the body, it is considered a parasitic infection.

    Now, Infection only occurs when the parasite successfully enters your body, survives, and begins to live and establish itself in your body in a way that starts to affect you physically.

    It’s important to note here that not every parasite leads to infection, and not every infection causes major symptoms, and a lot of parasitic infections are treatable when they are properly identified, meaning, medically identified.

    Parasites are typically introduced into your body through specific types of exposure- not ever randomly.

    One of the most common ways is through Consuming contaminated food or water.

    We used to think nothing of drinking out of the hose- but today you don’t because of the dense population, our water has more contamination from sewage, industry, and agriculture.

    So, drinking water today needs to be treated, processed and filtered to help prevent contamination from harmful organisms- like bacteria, viruses, and parasites from entering our bodies.

    Some parasites can also be picked up through soil exposure. In some parts of the world walking barefoot outdoors can expose you to certain types of parasites, especially in environments where sanitation is limited.

    There are 3 main types of parasites that are most often talked about:

    *Protozoa- these are microscopic, single celled parasites- meaning they are made up of just one cell that does everything needed for survival; getting energy, moving, reproducing and responding to its environment.

    *Helminths- Are larger, worm like parasites. They are multicellular organisms, which means they are made up of a lot of cells and each one has a different job in order to keep it alive.

    Ectoparasites- These are external -they live on the outside of your body rather than inside.These parasites are lice and mites.

    The truth is ..

    Yes, they exist.

    Yes, they can affect your body.

    NO. They are not something everyone is dealing with.

    No. having a parasite doesn’t require you to panic or go to extreme measures to get rid of it.

    There is no single symptom that automatically points to a parasite, there are symptoms associated with parasites that overlap with other health issues; digestive issues, stress, food sensitivities, nutrient deficiencies , or just plain illness, so it can be hard to tell. The goal is not to overthink it. The goal is Awareness, not anxiety. It’s Understanding how your body works, how exposure happens, and when to seek proper evaluation if something feels off.

    And like most things health wise, its less about drastic action, and more about consistent support. And really, it all comes back to:

    Supporting your body.

    Supporting your gut.


    Enjoy!

    Joanne Demers

    The Aging Mask - A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

    (949)236-1529

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