With so much pressure to look a certain way (usually thin and young for women), how can we maintain positive self-esteem and health at the same time? Counselor and nutrition expert Nina Manolson says it’s especially difficult for women, and even more so later in life. “End the war with your body and food to create body-peace,” she says, advocating for a process that is “about relearning how to be in an authentic, respectful, and caring relationship with your food and body.” Regular exercise plays a big role in this, as well. Nina calls it joyful movement, and it ties into how she teaches mature women to have healthy relationships with their bodies. Women are told constantly throughout their lives, “You eat this, and then you’ll get small,” Nina says. “But the reality is not everybody’s body responds that way.” Short-term solutions aren’t solutions at all. And to overcome disappointments with them takes time, compassion and support. “You’ve lived. You’ve been through childbearing years, surgeries, cancer, losses – like, a million things,” she says. “And there’s more access to intuition at this age, after women have lived in our bodies for a few decades.” Embrace the changes your body goes through later in life, and the hard-won wisdom and intuition you’ve gained. Maintain your health and vitality with proper nutrition and regular exercise. Listen to more from Nina on the Optimal Aging podcast, and come see us today to start working on that positive relationship with yourself.