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There once was a time when smell was not something that we hid, it was something we relied on. Babies knew their mothers by scent, partners were drawn to each other by smell, and the body used smell to signal your health status, hormone status and emotional status. Today, instead of listening to that signal we mask, we spray, roll, rub, layer and mask our natural scent every single day w/ Perfume, deodorant & lotion.

And while the concern today isn’t the scents themselves, it’s how much we use, where we apply it, and of course, the chronic exposure over time. When we stop listening and start masking we lose an important form of communication between our body and brain.

Smell is one of our most primitive senses.

And while the concern today isn’t the scents themselves, it’s how much we use, where we apply it, and of course, the chronic exposure over time. When we stop listening and start masking we lose an important form of communication between our body and brain.

Somewhere along the line smelling human became something that we needed to fix. But our personal smell is actually information. Before logic- before memory & before words, the body communicated through scent

Smell is one of our most primitive senses- its tied directly to our:

Memory

Emotion

Our Attraction

Safety

& our recognition

Before modern hygiene products , humans recognized each other by scent.

Body odor-BO- isn’t just sweat- sweat itself is mostly water and salts-its odorless. The smell we call body odor comes from bacteria that lives on our skin interacting with our sweat and breaking down certain compounds-by compounds I mean the natural chemicals in your sweat- like proteins& fatty acids that bacteria break down to create the odor-

Deodorant vs- antiperspirant :

We are applying chemicals daily to a highly absorbent area near lymphatic tissue- remember they are in your armpits (dry brushing)

Deodorants- aim to reduce odor- they do not block sweat Antiperspirants- BLOCK sweat glands, using aluminum salts-aluminum salts are the active ingredient in antiperspirants- they temporarily block our sweat glands-which stops sweat from reaching the surface of your skin.-this is why they keep you dry-even when you are hot or exercising. Think of it like tiny plug in your sweat duct-

Food for thought: Breast cancer continues to rise in both men and women. Blocking/plugging sweat glands with antiperspirants on a daily basis could interfere with your body’s natural detox pathways in the breast tissue- it blocks sweat glands- so the toxins that are meant to come out- get backed up into our tissue- and overtime could lead to long term effects.

I need to say that there is no scientific proof that antiperspirants cause breast cancer- but it’s something to think about when deciding how and when to use it. I hope you think twice

Lotions and skin absorption:

Lotion is another big player in this conversation- and it’s not talked about a lot. Many-if not all lotions contain synthetic fragrance, preservatives and stabilizers designed to make them smell good- and to last on a shelf. By applying them everyday like we have been taught- not only are we moisturizing our skin-we are also covering up our natural scent.

With that being said- remember that your skin absorbs everything you put on it- our skin is NOT a barrier-it’s an organ- &what you put on it is absorbed into your body and becomes part of your overall chemical load over time.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

949)236-15

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I realized something the other day- I am coming up on one full year of this podcast- I have talked about habits, health, nutrition, stress, digestion, gratitude, listening to your body, and the chakra system- and 48 other topics, yet I have never talked about the topic that I not only reference in the title of this podcast- but reference a lot throughout the episodes themselves- and that is “Lifestyle Medicine” –Lifestyle medicine is the foundation of this podcast- AND I have never stopped or thought about defining it for you.

So that is what I am going to do today.

I’m not going to talk about it in a scientific way and definitely not a trendy way- When I say LSM – what I really mean is going back to the basics. The kind of Basic people lived by long before we had supplements, diets, drugs and protocols- the basics- when our ancestors choices, and daily life itself supported their health.

Lifestyle medicine is NOT a pill, not a prescription, it’s not a program,it’s not complicated , extreme, or expensive and it’s not just a series of routines you need to perfect.

Lifestyle medicine is the understanding that how YOU live- shapes how you feel, and ultimately , how healthy you are.

It IS a balanced lifestyle- It is the idea that YOUR Daily choices- small, repeated-sometimes boring- or time consuming- shape your health overtime. It’s Not “someday” that it shapes it- it shapes your health every day!

Having a balanced lifestyle regiment is a whole heck of a lot harder to follow than just getting a prescription and taking a pill- AND it requires personal responsibility to maintain- BUT it is far more effective!

Lifestyle medicine IS preventive, NOT reactive. It’s not about waiting for something to break and then fixing it. It’s about supporting your body before dysfunction becomes disease.

I want the Aging Mask Podcast to feel modern, accessible and lived- not so academic and technical.

The six pillars of health- sleep, movement, nutrition, meditation, emotions and self care- are the foundation of LSM. Without them, there is nothing solid for us to build on.

Everything I talk about on this podcast, every topic and every conversation-rests on these pillars

I want to help you build a strong and steady foundation so whatever you add on top of it actually lasts!

What I really want to do as this podcast moves into its second year- is to bring back lifestyle medicine- the daily basics.

Everything that I have talked about thus far falls under this umbrella. I truly believe that if you are a breathing, upright human, EVERY Choice you make matters.

Everything you DO, everything you SAY, and even everything you consume- physically ,emotionally & mentally is lifestyle medicine. It all counts. From how you eat, to how you sleep, to how you speak to people- all the way down to something as simple as what shoes you choose to wear on your feet- it’s all lifestyle medicine.

So as much as I want to bring us back to the basics, I also want you to know this- I am here to teach you what I have learned, and I’m here to keep learning right along side you.

My going into 2026 mantra is:

If I want to learn something -I need to read about it.

If I want to understand something -I need to write about it

And If I want to master something- I need to teach it.

That’s what this podcast- THE AGING MASK- is for me- a place to study, understand, and to share, so we can all live a little better, a little more aware, and a little more connected.

This is lifestyle medicine- learning, living and growing together. We are not here to be perfect, we are here to be aware

Enjoy!

Joanne

T

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R. E.S.P.E.C.T- today’s topic is on Respect.

This word carry’s a lot of weight - even more than love. We don’t use it casually- and we don’t lose it accidently.

When someone says they have lost respect for another person, something meaningful has already shifted- something foundational.

Respect is foundational to all relationships-personal and professional- and the reason is simple:

Every relationship requires trust, safety, and recognition, and respect is what creates all three of these.

RESPECT is Recognition -it is the ability to see another person as whole- separate from you- not owned by you-not there to manage your emotions- not there to serve your needs- or validate your identity.

Respect matters to us humans so deeply because it is tied to our sense of worth, safety, and social belonging.

1.it affirms our value

2- it creates emotional safety

3- respect is important to all of us because is supports connection and cooperation- We humans are social animals. We are wired for connection

4-And Respect Nutures SELF RESPECT-respect from others teaches us how to value ourselves. When others treat us with dignity we internalize it- we stand taller, set those boundaries, and demand better treatment.

What does respect actually looks like & what does it feel like in a marriage- And what does respect look like from a child.

Let me start with kids.

Kids respect adults who:

1- Set and enforce clear boundaries

2- Model honesty and integrity

3- listen actively

4-Show calm authority

Real respect from kids grows and is earned when adults model, fairness, consistency, and emotional accountability-which means showing them how to handle BIG feelings without blaming or hurting others.

what does RESPECT actually look like- and what does it if feel like- in a Marriage

I say both Look and feel because they serve different purposes:

*Look like- is an Observable behavior (what others can see

* Feel like- this is an internal experience- emotional safety- you feel tension and calm-

Respect that only looks right can still be wrong. Respect that feels right, but isn’t supported by behavior doesn’t last.

Respect in a Marriage LOOKS like:

· Listening without interrupting or correcting

· Speaking about your spouse with dignity, even when they are not present

· Keeping your private struggles private

· Honoring boundaries without punishment- meaning- respecting your partners limits- WITHOUT reacting with anger, guilt or the silent treatment- they decline a request- you accept it.

· Allowing your partner to be different without trying to manage or change them

· Addressing issues directly with your partner instead of using sarcasm, silence or pulling in a third person to mediate or vent to- this kills respect.

In closing- I would like to remind you that respect is truly the key to all relationships-even more than love. And if you feel yourself losing respect for someone you love, that isn’t a failure-it’s a signal. A signal to communicate honestly, to slow down, to do the work together and to give one another the opportunity to earn it back. Love can survive a lot of things , but when it comes to respect in order to survive it has to be protected.

Enjoy!

Joanne

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

949) 236-1529

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Acne literally means- “Something Coming to the Surface”- this definition alone tells you right away that acne is not random- its expressive!

Eastern Medicine says that acne is a modern expression of OVERLOAD- which means the body has more coming in than it can handle- AND when this happens- the skin steps in and helps release it.

In Eastern Medicine -Acne is NOT a skin problem- it’s a communication problem- your skin is a mirror- it reflects what’s happening inside your body.

Your skin reflects digestion, circulation, hormones, stress levels, it reflects Inflammation and heat- and how well your body can process and clear what it takes in-/ When communication inside the body gets noisy from overload- the skin can act as a release valve-and that release shows up acne.

With that being said – think of Acne Not as a problem with your skin, BUT as a “pattern” your body is communicating.

Just like sleep patterns, digestion patterns, & stress patterns- acne actually follows patterns too- and when we learn to read them- your skin will stop needing to speak so loudly to get your attention.

Eastern medicine views Acne in ‘patterns’.- Acne patterns are the repeating ways acne shows up on the body that gives clues about what’s happening internally.

Acne patterns tell us why it’s happening- and Acne mapping shows us where the body is expressing it – together they help us listen instead of guessing.

Here are 4 common acne patterns:

1.Congestion pattern- this looks like…

Whiteheads and blackheads-

Small bumps

Dull or thick looking skin

Common locations for this pattern are the:

forehead

cheeks

and around the mouth

The Eastern Medicines takeaway is your food is not being fully broken down so waste builds up- then your skin steps in to help the release

2-Heat and inflammation Pattern:

Red, angry inflamed pimples

Tender

Warm to the touch

These come on really quick- like sudden flare ups- and their

common locations are your:

Cheeks

Nose

Chest

Back

The eastern take away is your body is overheated and trying to release it through your skin. In other words- Heat rises- and when your body cant cool itself internally, it VENTS thru your skin

3- Hormonal & Stress Patterns

Looks like:

Deep

Cystic

Painful

Lingers along time- so slow to heal

And will often leave scarring

Common locations:

Chin

Jawline

& neck

Eastern takeaway is – When hormones don’t clear efficiently the imbalance settles deeper- and the body pushes that imbalance out through the skin

And the last acne pattern is..

4-Reactive/ pattern

This looks like:

Sudden breakouts

Tiny clusters of pimples

Itchy or irritated skin

But it will clear when a trigger (a product or food) is removed.

Common locations:

Chin

Hairline

Chest and Back

Temples

Eastern takeaway- This is all sensitivity- not dirty skin- your body is reacting to something it doesn’t tolerate.

Acne isn’t something your body is doing TO you- it’s something your body is doing FOR you.

Bottom line - In Eastern Medicine Acne shows up when heat builds, digestion slows, elimination weakens, stress gets stuck, and the body needs another way to communicate this.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask Podcast

949)236-1529

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Teas have captured my full and undivided attention- I’m not just drinking it, I have been diving into its history, what it does for our body, how the herbs, roots and leaves heal us, and why it has been trusted for centuries.

So todays topic is about Tea. I want to talk about it as lifestyle medicine, not as a trend.

I thought I would share with you what I have learned so that after your holidays and having weeks of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, heavy meals and lots of late nights, you could use some real tea. The kind of Tea that will support your digestion, calm your nervous system, and probably the most needed after that punishment, tea that helps heal your skin.

Don’t get me wrong the holidays are super fun, and its ok to eat more, sit more, and drink more caffeine and sugar, that’s tradition, but your body feels it, and doesn’t like it.

I bet our post-holiday complaints are all the same:

*bloating

*our digestion is tired

* we get a puffy face, and our skin looks dull and dry

* we don’t sleep

* our cravings for sugar and caffeine go way up- it’s hard to say no to the sodas& energy drinks.

But; because of these post-holiday feelings, this is where some people jump right into the extremes like detox & weight loss drinks, you don’t need these, you don’t need a cleanse.

Healing doesn’t come from the extreme measures, it actually comes from supporting the systems that are already trying to help us.

And the easiest way to do this is with what we drink in the aftermath, TEA. JUST TEA.

As you know from listening to the Aging Mask- digestion, stress, and our skin are deeply connected.

There is no such thing as a tea that magically gives you perfect skin or hair- but again there are teas that support digestion, circulation, minerals and stress- and when these improve your skin and hair often do too-When your digestion is supported your body absorbs nutrients more efficiently – and your skin and hair are often the first places to show deficiencies.

Teas can help calm low grade inflammation, which is that Klingon that is behind our dull skin, breakouts, our thinning hair and premature aging- and just as important- tea helps regulate our stress by calming that nervous system of ours- I sound like a broken record, but when your stress hormones stay high, your body has to divert resources away from skin repair and hair growth. Once again, tea doesn’t force results- it creates the conditions where your body can repair, strengthen and renew itself NATURALLY-

One more thing- I want to be very clear about something. The few teas that I went over today are REAL teas- made from real plants, roots, leaves, flowers and seeds. THEY ARE NOT CANNED Teas- they are not bottled teas marketed as healthy. And you lose all medicinal benefits, and they do not support your body in the same way if they are filled with artificial flavors and preservatives.

Real tea is simple- usually 1 ingredient- maybe 2- and you will recognize what you are reading.

If you want the healthy benefits that tea has to offer- avoid canned teas & teas that have ”Natural flavor”-natural flavor doesn’t mean natural to your body.

If you want more benefits & flavor in your cup -it’s better to buy single ingredient teas and mix them yourself.

If you want ginger and peppermint- buy both teas and steep them together, this way- you know exactly what you are drinking!

True Teas don’t need marketing, they have been healing us quietly for thousands of years.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask Podcast- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

949)236-1529

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The holidays are closing in fast! Yes, they are fun, beautiful, and they are always filled with some form of excitement. I am not going to say relaxing, as that is up for debate. BUT, I will say the holidays can also be very derailing.

*your routines often get tested

*Routines change

*Schedules fill up and get chaotic

And your intentions slip; the things you meant to do slowly lose priority, not because you don’t care, but because life gets busy.

Today’s topic is about is on Consistency.

“Consistency is key”, you have heard that saying right?

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency!

This episode is where I want to remind you of something really important.

This Holiday season of 2025 is not the time to abandon your life plans. It’s the time to protect them- with Consistency

Not perfection

Not intensity- you don’t need to push yourself to the max-or overhaul your schedule all at once- take it slow and steady-. Just consistency-

Consistency is the key to getting and maintaining everything you want for yourself in 2026 and beyond!

Now your talents may open a door, motivations may start something. But Consistency is what keeps everything alive. Nothing meaningful in life works without consistency:

Not your health

Not your mental health

Not your relationships

Not your work and purpose

Not your hobbies

Not even your confidence

Consistency is the quiet force behind all of them- it works in the background-unnoticed at first, but gets powerful over time. It doesn’t announce itself. It just keeps showing up, SLOWLY shaping outcomes while no one is watching.

Consistency is often misunderstood.

Again, It’s not about you being perfect

Or Doing everything right

And it’s definitely NOT doing everything right all the time.

Consistency is you showing up again and again and again- even when you don’t feel like it, even if it’s boring, even when no one is watching- especially when your life gets busy.

Consistency doesn’t require drastic change it only requires reliable change. It wants to be seen every day, even if it’s only in small ways, that’s why it works.

I feel like we struggle with consistency in all areas of our lives in large part because we are now being wired for instant satisfaction. Our brains are constantly seeking instant satisfaction and reward. Consistency on the other hand is SLOW and QUIET- it asks us to show up over and over without immediate payoff. That gap between effort and visible result is exactly why so many of us give up before the real change happens!

Consistency wants to be practiced every day, not performed once in a while.

And here is something important to remember- small habits done consistently outperform big habits done inconsistently, every time.

So as the holidays approach and your life gets hectic- remember you don’t need perfection. You just need to show up for yourself again and again, over and over.

This is how momentum builds, how confidence grows and how you create the life you want for 2026 and beyond.

So make “consistency” your word of the year- stay consistent, be nice to yourself and trust the process. Consistency is not:

Glamorous, and It doesn’t make headlines- but it changes everything

Consistency is key to :

Your health

Your peace

Your relationships

Your joy

And your confidence

Not by doing more- but by showing up again tomorrow.

And then again.

And then again.

Consistency is YOUR Key.

Have a great, and safe Holiday.

Enjoy!

Joanne

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine

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Support and Encouragement.

Two tiny words , but they shape our confidence, our identity, our mental health, and even our ability to grow.

Both support and encouragement are forms of emotional nutrition. Your brain, your confidence, your motivation, and your sense of direction all depend on them.

Support is “ I am HERE With YOU- you are not alone. Support is about -presence, help, consistency, protection and stability- it’s the foundation.

Support sounds like:

· I have your back

· What do you Need from me?

· I will help you figure it out.

· I am here

Support is ACTION ORIENTED & its “emotional- physical- financial and logistical- which essentially means practical hands on help- an action that makes someone’s life easier

Encouragement -is emotional fuel. It’s the spark- it’s belief poured into you through words, tone, and enthusiasm. It provides 3 things_ connection, motivation and identity.

And it sounds like:

“You can do this”- “I believe in you” &- Keep going, You are doing great”!

Encouragement is full of Energy, its validation, praise, belief, and motivation - its fuel you need for forward movement. Encouragement is also uplifting, inspiring, and confidence building.

The easiest difference= support is stability

And encouragement is motivation

One doesn’t replace the other- they complement each other.

And we humans- regardless of our age, independence, personality, or childhood NEED BOTH.

When someone encourages you, your brain literally releases dopamine- the motivation chemical- and when someone supports you, your nervous system shifts into safety mode.

They are different emotional nutrients- and we can survive with only one- but we need both to Thrive.

You are not needy- immature- or weak-if you need them or ask for them- you are human. Even if you have learned to do life alone, even if you are capable & tough- you were not designed to live life without emotional reinforcement.

Now- when support and encouragement are missing, three predictable things happen

1- We start doubting ourselves more than we should. Encouragement doesn’t erase self doubt- it balances it.

2- We start to emotional shrink- we pull back, become quieter, less confident and less expressive- and we do this because we don’t feel supported

3- And a “big one”- We stop sharing.

The question of the day is …where do people go with they are not getting support or encouragement?

I have literally heard people say this out loud- And It intrigues me- and I love and respect it. sadly.

People who Don’t receive support and encouragement (along with a plethora of other things) will seek it elsewhere, and today, guess where they go knocking- or clicking rather? AI.

Because AI gives us:

*encouragement- Its affirming- it offers clear support and encouragement

*it will give us INTEREST

* attention-

*validation-

* reliability-

*Enthusiasm-

* It gives us the HYPE- AI is your HYPE person. It is your personal 24/7 cheerleader.

And, it provides emotional consistency with ZERO Judgement, ego, resentment, or jealousy.

At the end of the day, we all thrive when we feel encouraged and supported. These two things are part of the foundation of a great & happy life, and we have the power to spread them.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask Podcast

(949)236-1529

Follow along on Instagram:
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Today I want to talk about a topic that has had my curiosity peaked for a very long time. And that is “Addiction”.

Everyone talks about addiction as if it only belongs to some people, or certain types of families or certain personality types. But the more I have studied it, observed it , and questioned it the more I realized something very important: EVERY human brain is built with the same reward and habit forming system. We all have the capacity for addiction, and there is no human on earth who is immune to addiction.

My curiosity is about the WHY? Why do we all need something to relax us, distract us, excite us or rescue us emotionally? And WHY are whole industries engineered around us craving, clicking, buying, consuming and needing more?

Today I want to look at addiction as a built in human mechanism, not a flaw, a failure or a genetic curse.

Some families pass down certain traits but those traits are not addictions. They are just ingredients that can make the same addiction more likely.

Addiction runs in families because behaviors and emotional patterns do.

We are all born into the same biological wiring for addiction. Some of us are just born into environments that activate it faster.

Addiction is universal- our brain is wired for repetition. YOU are biologically wired to seek out three things:

Reward

Relief

And escape from discomfort.

What changes from person to person is what are they using their addiction to solve. When someone says they have an addictive personality , what they are really saying is “ I haven’t yet learned a healthier relationship with my emotions, my discomfort or my needs.

Addiction is anything that we return to again and again because it provides relief, pleasure, distraction, escape stimulation or comfort. Its anything we believe we can’t function without.

Addiction is not defined by the substance-addiction is defined by the relationship you have with the substance.

At its core- addiction is your brain finding a behavior or substance that brings short term relief and repeating it regardless of the long term consequences.

The point is , addiction itself can’t be erased- it IS hardwired into our brains- Our brain will always seek habits, patterns and relief. The key isn’t to eliminate it. The key is to understand what problem our addiction is trying to solve. Once we identify the need beneath the habit, we can redirect that drive toward a goal of conscious addiction, healthy addiction, and directed & growth oriented addictions.

We need to say: "if I am going to be addicted to something let me choose what it is”. Unconscious addiction is the enemy.

Please don’t let the world fatten you up, make you lazy, tired, anxious, and disconnected.

Feed yourself with:

*Movement- this solves stress, improves mood and builds confidence

*Reading- this feeds curiosity growth and purpose

*Meditation-regulates emotions, and calms the nervous system

*personal development- working on this will replace avoidance with awareness

*Nature and outdoor time- this relieves overwhelm and restores balance

*Creativity- art-writing &music- these channel our emotions rather than suppress them

*Relationships & community- solves loneliness and disconnection

* and being of service or helping others-meets the need for belonging and purpose.

Be strong mentally- emotionally and physically. AND Choose an addiction that will make you grow.

Enjoy!

Joanne Demers

The Aging Mask- A Lifestyle Medicine Podcast

949) 236-1529

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