Madonna Still HopesThere’s A Mr. Right – Like All Of UsPosted

by Linda Franklin

Last Friday night, Madonna, of all people, admitted to this - ”even if we are sophisticated, educated, evolved human beings, we still in the back of our minds think Mr Right is going to rush in and sweep us off our feet. ‘If you have half a brain, you know real love doesn’t exist, but I can see myself walking down the aisle again.”

Now, it could well be that the Material Girl was merely faking a belief in the idea of a great love because she was promoting her film W.E., depicting the affair between Edward and Mrs Simpson. But maybe not.

Madonna still feels, at 53,  that she is attractive and has a lot to give a man. She has conquered every career mountain it is possible to assail, and now wants to focus on relationship.  She has an amazing lifestyle but is beginning to realize it’s not as much fun doing it alone.

She has been wounded and betrayed by men, but is still willing to believe she has not yet met the right one. ‘We keep getting disappointed,’ she said. ‘But we still hold out hope that, next time, he will be The One.’

She isn’t the only woman who has that sense of longing, that hope that one day her knight in shining armor will come and sweep her away to the Magic Kingdom. 

But, does a great love really exist out here in the real world, away from the silver screen or between the pages of romantic fiction?  Why do we find it so hard to find the great love we’re still holding out for? Well, for one, we are perfectionists.

The thing that breaks apart many relationships is the desire for everything to be perfect – and there is no such thing.  How could we expect one human being to be the perfect man?  Always disappointed, like Madonna, too many of us never made relationships a priority. We believed that success, money, power and nice things would be enough. Unfortunately, we have discovered they aren’t.

But don’t give up hope – happiness isn’t that elusive.  It begins with refocusing your priority list.  When you are happy with yourself you won’t be as critical with the man in your life.. 

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Big Butts Hot

By Linda Franklin

How’s this for a New Year’s resolution: “make my butt look bigger!” Apparently this is the rallying cry for millions of women according to RealSelf, a popular reviews and information site for medical-beauty treatments.  Searches for butt augmentations lifted 39% in 2011*, making it the fastest moving topic on the site in terms of overall consumer interest. 

“Anytime we see a big spike in searches at our website for a particular procedure, it indicates a dramatic increase in consumer attention. In 2011 lifting and enhancing the butt topped the list, and we foresee this holding strong for 2012 as well,” said Alicia Nakamoto, VP of Community for RealSelf. 

“There are some definite pop culture cues driving this trend and where the waif look was once in, women now want to know how to get a fuller backside!”

Rounding out butt enhancement surgeries, RealSelf analyzed more than 20 million searches performed at its site in 2011 to find the biggest movers in terms of consumer interest, indicating these will also be the hot trends to watch in 2012. The top five movers are: 

1. Butt Enhancements (up 39%) – one of the most popular such treatments is the Brazilian Butt Lift, which transfers a patient’s own fat cells to enhance the shape and size of the buttocks, as seen in the before and after gallery here: bit.ly/RealSelfBrazilianButtLift. The procedure scores a 90% “Worth It” rating by RealSelf community members who have undergone the treatment and costs an average of $7,624, according to RealSelf data.
2. Eyelid Surgery (up 26%) – involves surgically smoothing out and lifting the skin around the eye area. Worth It Score: 74%. Average Cost: $4,268.
3. Lip Augmentation (up 25%) – aimed at temporarily plumping the skin and smoothing nearby wrinkles through chemical filler injections. Worth It Score: 56%. Average Cost: $1,619
4. Liposuction Alternatives (up 28%) – includes non-surgical approaches to fat reduction, and was led by increased interest in a new technology called CoolSculpting, which uses controlled cooling to eliminate fat cells. Worth It Score: 75%. Average Cost: $1,730.
5. Wrinkle Freezers (up 11%) – Botox is the most widely known option for this treatment performed on the face, which involves using botulinum toxin injections to block communication between nerve endings and the muscles responsible for the deep wrinkles, thus temporarily “freezing” the wrinkles. Botox Worth It Score: 65%. Average Cost: $487.

To learn more about specific cosmetic procedures – including before and after images, treatment overviews, Worth It ratings, average costs and even questions and answers with board-certified physicians – visit www.realself.com/reviews. 

 

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

5 Top Health Worries Women Have

By Dr. Jennifer Landa

The modern woman has plenty to worry about – taking care of family, working hard, offering a listening ear to friends, keeping house, cooking dinner and maintaining her health. For many women, careful attention to health is often at the bottom of the list, but that doesn’t mean there are not some major health fears lurking in the back of her mind.

Women’s health is a category all on its own.  There are so many diseases and conditions specific to women that it can be hard to pacify those fears or know what to do to prevent it. So, what are the 5 top health fears of most women?

Aging. Youth has its appeal- we all know it and believe it.  Many women fear that as they age, their beauty will fade and they will melt unnoticed into the background. Although aging is inevitable, it does not have to be an abominable experience. Participating in preventive health programs to sustain your health can make age 50 more appealing than age 20 – because not only do you get to look better, you’re wiser too!

 Heart disease. This silent killer literally strikes fear in the heart of women.  Heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the United States and, unfortunately, many are completely unaware they are at-risk until it is too late.  Regular visits to your doctor will help you keep tabs on your cardiovascular health, but equally as important is ensuring you make lifestyle choices, like routine physical activity and a heart healthy diet.

Breast cancer. This fear causes many women to avoid the doctor’s office and miss out on early detection.  Unlike ten years ago, there are lots of options for the treatment of breast cancer and many result in positive outcomes. Early detection is the key to a better prognosis with breast cancer treatment. 

Osteoporosis. Visions of becoming a hunched over old lady due to poor bone density is a valid fear.  Sixty-eight percent of American women will develop osteoporosis in their lifetime.  Prevention begins in childhood, but if you have some catching up to do, strength training, vitamin D, a healthy diet and hormone balance can ensure you salvage the current density of your bones.

Mood disorders. No woman likes to be known as the “spaz” or “super-b!@ch,” but out of whack hormones can turn even the kindest of hearts from sweet to seething in a matter of seconds. Many women live in fear that their emotions will explode at precisely the wrong moment. You can avoid toxic blow-ups by keeping tabs on your hormone levels – even if you aren’t on the brink of menopause, knowing your hormone levels now can ensure you keep them in check and make lifestyle changes to inhibit fluctuations, thus avoiding career or relationship pitfalls caused by severe moodiness. 

Fortunately, researchers and experts have studied and debated tirelessly over the last few years and now health care practitioners can confidently recommend formidable solutions, like hormone replacement therapy, to help remedy the top health fears of women.  A March 2011 review study published in the medical journal, “Menopause,” conclusively determined that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was not only a safe and effective treatment for the symptoms of aging and menopause, but is also beneficial to a woman’s overall health as she ages.

After careful analysis of several studies over the past years, including the controversial Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), experts discovered that hormone replacement therapy began in younger women between the ages of 36 and 59, yielded a decreased risk of heart disease. Even in the eldest category of women – aged 70 to 84 – no increased risk of heart disease was discovered due to HRT. A November 2011 study also made comparisons to the WHI study and found that HRT has a positive impact on bone density. Women who discontinued use of HRT experienced bone loss equating to a 55 percent increase in risk of hip fracture.

Every woman deserves to be armed with information like this. With all the daily stresses of life, women do not need one more thing to worry about or fear, so peace of mind, especially when it comes to your health, is priceless.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Cindy Crawford - What Have You Done?

 by Linda Franklin

Cindy Crawford admits she has used cosmetic enhancements. That’s unusual given the fact that she has her own skin care line called Meaningful Beauty, which brags that it’s “Cindy’s anti-aging secret”.  

There’s no way to stop the natural  aging process.  It happens to all of us and it first shows up on our faces.  The cheekbones start to drop making them look lower and flatter.  The face looks more oblong losing what the doctors call the “triangle of youth”.  And, if that’s not enough, the lips turn down at the corners, creating an inverse triangle.

Today, rather than using old face lift methods to pull the skin back and eradicate wrinkles, cosmetic surgeons found that reinstating the golden triangle is what women want.  They do that by adding fillers to the cheekbone that supposedly will bring back the illusion of youth.  

It is this kind of procedure that dermatologists are suggesting could be behind Cindy’s newly plumped-up cheekbones.  

Women all over are doing what Cindy did and they all end up looking exactly alike.  Look at the faces the next time you are with a group of women and you will immediately pick out the ones who have been injected with the lastest filler.

I don’t know about you but when I saw this picture of Cindy I didn’t recognize her.  She has such a beautiful face, why would she want to look like every other costmetic enhanced woman. 

I have no obection to wanting to look your best, just opt for the more subtle approach.  Chipmunk cheek belong on chipmunks.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Sexualization of Women in the Media

by Linda Franklin 

Descriptions of women used in men’s magazines are indistinguishable from views expressed by convicted rapists, researchers found in a new study.

When presented with quotes from both, some men actually found themselves identifying more with the views of the sex offender than those espoused by the magazines.

Psychologists say that the study highlights the danger of the sexualization of women in the media and called for moves to deal with the issue. 

Men between 18 and 46 were shown quotes about women from leading men’s magazines and also quotes given in interviews with convicted rapists. Participants were asked to rank the comments on how derogatory they were.

The results found the magazine descriptions more demeaning than those from the sex offenders, reports the British Psychological Society’s British Journal of Psychology.

Quotes from the sex offenders list included: ‘I think if a law is passed there should be a dress code. When girls dress in those short skirts and things like that they’re just asking for it.’ “Girls love being tied up, it gives them the chance to be the helpless victim.’ Then there’s this one “‘I think girls are like plasticine, if you warm them up you can do anything you want with them”.

Dr Peter Hegarty, of the University of Surrey, added: ‘There is a fundamental concern that the content of these magazines normalizes the treatment of women as sexual objects. 

This problem is bad and getting worse.  How are teenage boys and young men supposed to be prepared for a fulfilling love and sex life when they normalize their views from what they read and what they see on porn sites?

Anna van Heeswijk, Campaigns Manager for OBJECT, a human rights campaign group which campaigns against the objectification of women, said: ‘This crucial and chilling piece of research lays bare the hateful messages which seep out of the magazines and indoctrinate young men’s attitudes towards women and girls. 

If we are serious, and we should be, about putting an end to discrimination and violence against women and girls, we must stand together and have a very strong voice.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,” there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system and a dream.  All things are possible”.  Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest

Makeup Tips To Unleash Your Real Cougar

by Linda Franklin

Your makeup has to change as your face does.  We should not be using the same products and techniques at 50 that we did at 25.  Our skin has changed, so our beauty regime has to be revised too.

We've all seen the Baby Jane ladies who refuse to change with the times - don't be one of them.  Here are some tips that will allow you to show off your best features and camouflage what you don't want to see. 

Stay Away From Dark Lipstick - As we age, our lips thin. Super dark lipstick on skinny lips isn't attractive. Your best lipstick bet is the shade closest to your natural lip color or if you like color, rosy reds. Orange lipsticks are aging, but pinks are not. Instead of playing up your lips, concentrate on your eyes as your feature attraction.

A bit of lip gloss makes lips appear plumper. Dab a bit on cheeks to create a dewy glow.

More lipstick tips in How to Apply Lipstick: 16 Lipstick Tips & Tricks.

Eye Pencils Instead of Liquid Liners - Eye pencils are softer than liquid liners, which can be harsh on aging eyes. To soften the line even more, smudge it with your fingers. And don't line the inside of the eye if you have small eyes, it makes the eye appear smaller.

Find out more in How to Apply Eyeliner.

The Right Eyeshadows -  You should make your eyes the focal point of your face. This will detract attention from any fine lines or turkey wattles.

Enhance your eye color with eyeshadow shades that will make your eyes pop. For brown or hazel eyes, golds and browns are gorgeous. Blue eyes look great with blue-gray and lighter browns and dark eyes look fantastic with dark shades.

Find out more in Eyeshadow: How to Apply It, My Best Picks & More.

Less is More -  You don't want to pile on the foundation, the eyeliner and the heavy lipstick. Instead, you want to use highlighter pens, tinted moisturizers and a lighter touch with the shadow and lipstick. Oh, and you might want to get some bangs.

More makeup tips in How to Conceal Wrinkles on Your Face.

Concealing Sagging Skin - As we age, we may begin to notice a big change taking place under the chin. And I'm not talking about excessive growth of chin hairs. You may develop a turkey wattle or you might what you consider a double chin. Either way, you might want to conceal it.

You could see a plastic surgeon and have lipo under your chin or a facelift, but if you don't want to spend the cash or endure surgery, there are inexpensive ways to conceal sagging skin and a crepe-y neck.

Check out these tips and many more in Loose Skin? 4 Tips to Conceal Sagging Skin.

How to Conceal Droopy Eyelids Without Surgery - Drooping eyelids are another natural part of the aging process but there's no need to invest in eyelid surgery. You can spend thousands on an eyelift or you can try these beauty tips that cost nothing. Find out how in How to Conceal Droopy Eyelids Without Surgery.

Thinning or Bushy Eyebrows -  Keeping your brows done nicely is like having a facelift without surgery, according to author Charla Krupp's brow guy. Here are some tips for perfect brows:

• Get your brows professionally done. Nothing opens eyes up like curled lashes and neat brows. If you can't afford waxing or threading every few weeks, use the professional's job as a map for your own tweezing. Simply pluck the stray hairs that grow in between professional tweezing or waxing. How to pluck your own brows.
• Drawn-in brows are a no-no. You know the pencil-thin line you see some of your friends or women in your town wear? Well, they only age you and they're somewhat tacky. Learn how to properly fill in sparse brows.
• Avoid tweezing gray brow hairs. Instead, conceal them with a brow powder or pencil.

Thinning Lips - As we age, our lips lose some of their fat. Here's how to plump up thin lips.

• Picking the right lip color is a must. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown suggests skipping the bright colors and opt for a color that's just a shade or 2 darker than your natural lip color. Check out 16 Lipstick Tricks and Tips.
• As you age, your natural lip line fades. Create a lip line by coloring in lips first with a lip liner, then apply gloss or lipstick over the liner.
• Consider getting rid of lipstick and using lip gloss instead. Gloss creates the illusion of puffed-up lips, especially when applied to the middle of lips.
• Lip plumpers do work, but the effects don't last long (we're talking under an hour). So skip the plumpers and save your money. Even Vaseline on lips will make them appear larger.
• Check out Cynthia Rowland's Luscious Lips.

Let me know if you have any great tips to share with out fabulous females.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,” there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system and a dream.  All things are possible”.  Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Pretty Women Have Their Own Set Of Rules

 

by Linda Franklin

It's no shock that the portrayal of women in the media - young, sexy, skinny, tall - makes the rest of us feel flawed. When we look at the 40,000 or so ads that the average American is exposed to each year, it's no wonder women are feeling inadequate. The average female model weighs up to 25% less than the typical woman and maintains a weight at about 15 to 20% below what is considered healthy for her age and height. It leaves us wondering how much importance is placed on pretty in this mixed up world we live in.

Well, as it turns out, pretty counts for a lot. As much as we want to believe we are not judged on how we look, that's the very thing that opens so many doors for us. A pretty woman gets more opportunities and lots more help when she needs it. Just try getting any kind of assistance on a day when you are looking particularly frumpy - no makeup, stringy hair, sweatsuit and sneakers. If you don't believe me get all dolled and see if you are treated any differently. The more attractive version of you will always win out - it's just the way it is.

Actually, there are a whole set of different rules for the pretty woman. She can slip past velvet ropes, get preferential seating in restaurants, and even smile their way out of traffic tickets...and that's just for starters.

People assume that if a woman is attractive, she possesses other positive traits, such as kindness and intelligence," says behavioral psychologist Stephen Josephson, Ph.D., of Weill Cornell Medical College. So it's not surprising that a study conducted by Daniel Hamermesh, Ph.D., and Jeff Biddle, Ph.D., economics professors at the University of Texas and Michigan State University, respectively, revealed that "plain" people earn 1 to 15 percent less than people with average looks, who in turn earn 1 to 13 percent less than those deemed good-looking.
Job recruiters have come to learn that sending out attractive women will get a much better reaction from their clients. Whether they admit it or not, many employers feel that having pretty female employees will reflect well on their firm. And, let's face it, men want to be surrounded by pretty women.

So here's the bottom line. You can choose to fight the obvious or perhaps it would be wiser to get a few well-placed highlights and dab on a little lip gloss. This will help create an aura not only of attractiveness but also of self-confidence. When you feel good about yourself, it changes the way you carry yourself. You can noticed.
"Occasionally being pretty can backfire", says Stephen Josephson. "It's the bimbo effect. "If a beautiful woman succeeds, she often finds herself fielding insinuations that her accomplishments are based solely on her looks." And although a 2009 Journal of Applied Psychology report found that handsome people do have an edge over their less comely counterparts with regard to salaries, it turns out that intelligence trumps all.

So ladies, all is not lost - intelligence is still our most important asset. Nevertheless, I'm not ready to give up my highlights or lip gloss anytime soon.

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Heavier Women Having More Sex

by Linda Franklin

Yes, it’s true.  A new study shows that overweight women are enjoying more sex than their thinner sisters. In fact, 92 percent of overweight women are engaging in lots more fun bedroom activities.

The research is based on data gathered on more than 7,000 women. The sexperts are suggesting that if a woman is feeling a decrease in desire she should try more erotic methods of stimulation — like reading trashy romance novels for 20 minutes, three times a week.  Oh come on, we can come up with something more exciting than that can’t we?

I think we all can agree that there is nothing sexy about housework or grocery shopping. And, if your to-do list is all you think about, you are not leaving any room for sexual fantasy. Heavier women agree that weight becomes less of an issue when you are feeling sexy and desirable.

There’s one thing we Real Cougars always have to remember.  Our weight becomes more of an issues for us than it does for the man or men in our lives.  Men love a confident woman and they love a woman with some flesh on their bones.  Who wants to snuggle up against a bag of bones?

Start appreciating your body. See yourself as a sexy woman, a woman who likes the way she looks, a women who appreciates and nurtures her sexuality and I guarantee you are going to be a lot happier in and out of the bedroom.

 

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.

Drinking and Smoking Add Years To Your Face

By Linda Franklin - The Real Cougar Woman 

Despite all the warnings on how your lifestyle might one day show on your face, women continue to smoke, drink and consume too much sugar.  I suppose when you are out having a good time you never think that someday you will have to pay the piper. After all, there is always make-up, and Botox to help you look younger.

Thank goodness that lots of women have given up smoking, but when it comes to that extra glass of cabarnet - not so many.

I'll bet if the women who abuse their bodies had a magic mirror that showed them what they will look like in 10 years, it might scare them in adopting better health habits.

Just imagine your face 10 years from now.  It's bloated, blotched with broken capillaries, lots of deep set wrinkles and sags.  Now, on top of that, your teeth are yellow and stained and you have a neck that resembles a turkey.  No, it's not pretty, but sometimes you need to imagine the worst to scare you straight.

Now, consider how much it's going to cost you to reverse all of this damage. Broken capillaries on the cheeks would require thousands of dollars in laser treatments, then add to that teeth whitening, a little liposuction, and cosmetic surgery.  Before you know all of this is costing you barrels of money. 

Here's how to make sure this imagined scenario doesn’t become your future reality.  STOP smoking, CUT DOWN on your alcohol and sugar consumption, DRINK lots of water, EAT lots of green vegetables, Exercise and SLAP ON a good moisturizer every day. 

The average women starts to worry about losing her looks at the age of 28.  How are you going to start helping the aging process today?

Women's Attraction To Other Women

by Linda Franklin - The Real Cougar Woman

Ok, hold onto your hats ladies, apparently as we get older, we become naturally bi-curious when it comes to sex.  I have to admit I never heard of the term bi-curious, but have always thought if all the taboos would disappear we are all bi-sexual by nature.  Some women I have talked to agree with that, others are not so sure. 

A study carried out by Boise State University found that out of a group of 484 heterosexual women, 60 per cent were sexually attracted to other women; 45 per cent had kissed a woman and 50 per cent had fantasies about the same sex. 

 

Elizabeth Morgan, a professor of psychology at the Idaho-based university, whose studies are focused on same-sex attractions among heterosexuals, said her findings revealed that straight women often feel more than a friendly affection for other women.

Other data suggests upwards of 20 per cent of women are attracted to other women. It's claimed this could be linked to the natural affection women show towards one another when they socialize, from chatting on the phone for hours to snuggling during chick flicks.

It is said often that women's friendships are barely distinguishable from romantic relationships. 'Women are encouraged to be emotionally close to each other,' said Prof. Morgan.

'That provides an opportunity for intimacy and romantic feelings to develop.'

 

Contributing to the findings, Lisa Diamond, Ph.D. a psychologist at the University of Utah, followed a group of women attracted to other women over a 15 year period.   

Her data shows for the first time how sexuality develops over a lifetime. At each of the half dozen follow-up interviews, she asked each woman to label herself as lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual or unlabelled and share details about her love life.

The findings startled even her. Over time, each woman's chosen labels changed repeatedly, with one noteworthy trend.

Ms Diamond said the older they got, the more likely they were to choose 'unlabelled' which meant the older they got, the more they felt their sexuality didn't fit into tidy boxes.

She said: 'We have this idea that sexuality gets clearer and more defined as time goes on. 'We consider that a sign of maturity to figure out who you are. I've seen it's really the opposite.'

The Real Cougar Woman is a 5-carat diamond who knows the importance of taking care of her health, beauty, relationships, finances and spirituality. Linda Franklin says,”there is no stopping a woman who has a strong belief system, passion and a dream. All things are possible”. Linda’s book, Don’t Ever Call Me Ma’am helps women of all ages tap into their power and live life to the fullest.