CL: And why should people listen to you about these topics?
SS: You know the group Al-Anon? The whole concept of Al-Anon is by attraction, others will want what you have. So if it looks like I have quality of life and health and a youthful vitality at my age, then maybe by attraction they'll want what I have. Everything that I say is backed up by Western doctors. I've spent hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours [researching hormones]. I think that something about me has an energy that people want, and I think that's why they read my books.
CL: What are your top five recommendations for healthy aging?
SS: The first thing is eat real food. And by real food I mean no chemicals, no preservatives, no trans fats, no hydrogenated oils. Eat real fats: butter, cream, sour cream, olive oil. Every cell in the body requires protein, fat and carbohydrate to reproduce itself -- just make sure it's real, and you're way ahead of the game with that. Get a good night's sleep. It's more important than I ever even realized. Nature has provided all this healing work that happens within eight and nine hours. Manage your stress. [Stress] blunts hormone production, so manage your stress, because an imbalance of hormones is where disease has an opportunity to occur.
And then replace hormones only if they are low or missing. Never too much, never too little -- it's got to be individualized. Then understand that as you get older, you need a doctor who specializes in your years. They can make a huge difference in your health and your life span. And the goal is to die healthy. The goal is to not end up like everyone's ending up now, in nursing homes with tubes up their nose. Women on this continent can expect eight years of disability before they die. Eight years. Wheelchairs, Alzheimer's, cancer, stroke -- it's kind of crazy.
CL: Would you say those are in order of importance?
SS: I do. Unless you are 50-ish and have no hormones, maybe you want to get your hormones put in first and then think about your eating. But it all goes hand in hand.
Page 2 of 3 - find out about Somers' daily routine on the next page.
