HAPPY EYS TO NLOCKING A APPIER EALTHIER IFE ......The author and/or publisher do not guarantee that...

KATHRYN MERROW

HAPPY

HEALTHY

MIDLIFE

MASTERY

KEYS TO UNLOCKING A HAPPIER HEALTHIER LIFE

FOR WOMEN WHO ARE TIRED, ACHY AND

FEELING OLD

Happy Healthy Midlife Mastery

Keys to Unlocking a Happier Healthier Life for Women

Who are Tired, Achy and Feeling Old

By Kathryn Merrow

Copyright 2017 by Kathryn Merrow

Healthy Happy Midlife Mastery: Keys to Unlocking a Happier Healthier Life

for Women Who are Tired, Achy and Feeling Old

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,

electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval

system without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations and/or

brief video clips in a review.

Limits of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty

The author and publisher shall not be liable for your misuse of this material. This book is strictly for

informational, entertainment and educational purposes.

The author and/or publisher do not guarantee that anyone following these techniques, suggestions, tips,

ideas, or strategies will become happier or healthier. The author and/or publisher shall have neither

liability nor responsibility to anyone with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused,

directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book. It really is up to you to be responsible

for your own health and well-being.

Table of Contents Author’s Note ............................................................................................................................................. 1

The Goal of this Book .................................................................................................................................. 2

You Don’t Have to Have Pain for the Rest of Your Life............................................................................ 4

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 6

Bodies Change and Heal All the Time ..................................................................................................... 8

It’s Never too Late to Start ...................................................................................................................... 9

Secret Keys to a Happier Healthier Life ..................................................................................................... 10

Who am I and Why am I Sharing This?...................................................................................................... 11

The Truth About Women .......................................................................................................................... 14

Your Body is Logical .............................................................................................................................. 15

Emotions Cloud Logic ............................................................................................................................ 16

Common Myths about Aging .................................................................................................................... 19

Aging Myth #1 ....................................................................................................................................... 19

Aging Myth #2 ....................................................................................................................................... 19

Aging Myth #3 ....................................................................................................................................... 19

Aging Myth #4 ....................................................................................................................................... 19

Aging Myth #5 ....................................................................................................................................... 19

Aging Myth #6 ....................................................................................................................................... 19

The Truth About Aging .............................................................................................................................. 20

Secret Keys that Matter ............................................................................................................................ 21

Secret Key #1. Knowledge matters...................................................................................................... 21

Secret Key #2. Thoughts matter .......................................................................................................... 24

Secret Key #3. Laughter matters ......................................................................................................... 28

Secret Key #4. Movement matters ...................................................................................................... 31

Secret Key #5. Nutrition matters ......................................................................................................... 35

Secret Key #6. Stress matters .............................................................................................................. 39

Secret Key #7. Posture matters ........................................................................................................... 42

Secret Key #8. Sleep matters ............................................................................................................... 43

Secret Key #9. Water matters ............................................................................................................. 46

Secret Key #10. Caring matters ............................................................................................................ 48

Secret Key #11. Breathing matters ....................................................................................................... 53

Secret Key #12. Space matters ............................................................................................................. 55

Summary ................................................................................................................................................... 57

Continue to Invest in Yourself ................................................................................................................... 58

Is It Time To Dance? .................................................................................................................................. 59

About the Author ...................................................................................................................................... 60

Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................. 61

Aging Reversed Interview ......................................................................................................................... 62

Kathryn Merrow 2017 Page 1

Author’s Note “It’s okay to get older as long

as you don’t get old.”

– George Burns

Do you know what drains you and saps your energy and tires you and interferes with your dreams and

goals and makes you feel old before your time? No surprise here -- lots of things do.

But here’s a better surprise! They are almost all changeable!

If you can get rid of only some of the things that are stealing your energy and making you feel old, you

will feel happier, more energetic, more vibrant and younger.

What if you could eliminate some of your self-imposed restrictions and attitudes, knock out your lack of

confidence, enhance your health, kick to the curb your feelings of being less valuable, get the life you

want and start to love your wonderful self? You can.

You really can!


The Goal of this Book The goal of this book is to give you key restorative strategies for happy, healthy life mastery. We want

to pick up your positivity and dump the negativity. We’re going to boost your body and lift your spirit.

“Wait. Who is this ‘we’ you talk about,” you ask? It’s US! You and me.

This is a small book but it’s easy to read and it will get you started on the road to being who you want to

be and feeling how you’d like to feel! My hope is that it will help you break free from whatever is

keeping you from being truly happy and healthy.

It’s filled with inspiring real-life examples (client names have been changed) and reliable natural, self-

help and wellness training and information that I have accumulated professionally since 1990. I’ve read

tons of books relating to health, psychology and natural cures so you don’t have to.

Providing over 25,000 manual therapy sessions, I have had the opportunity to thoughtfully observe and

listen to bodies of clients and to client’s stories and to respond to both.

These are the same people who sometimes said, “You should charge me for the therapy and the

therapy!” Listening and providing thoughtful responses are two of my “super powers.” They allow me

to help people get what they truly want into their lives while using their own “super powers.”

When helping someone get rid of their physical pain, or set life goals and strategies, I know I’m focusing

on my correct direction.

My goal is to help YOU focus on your correct direction, too. When a client transforms their life or health

or makes an incredible change or breakthrough, it’s downright exciting!

I’ll be asking some thoughtful questions to help you start your mind and body healing journey. I’m not

going to bog you down with research, statistics and dry, boring stuff. Instead, I’m going to share what

I’ve discovered to be true over the last 25+ years.

Happy Healthy Midlife Mastery is for women who are ready to be surprised with more health and

happiness than you imagined possible!

If you’re tired of living with the discomfort or challenges of your current situation and don’t want to

tolerate it anymore you’re in the right place. If you’re ready to live a new, happier, healthier story, it’s

time to start now.

“Thank you for all your encouragement.

Sometimes a little support is

all you need.” - Star


You have a smart body; it wants to be well. Sometimes it just needs a little more information — a little

support. Sometimes we all do.


You Don’t Have to Have Pain for the Rest of Your Life Sharon said, “My mom’s been having a lot of back pain lately. She tried massage and hurt more

afterward so she’s afraid to try again. She’s going to have hospital tests next week.”

I called her mom, Lisa, and asked about her back pain. (Pain is a symptom – your body is telling you

something.)

I listened while Lisa told me where it hurt, how her symptoms had been growing worse and what her

doctor said.

She even told me what she suspected caused her back pain. When she drove her car, she would

“hover” her foot over the brake pedal in case she needed to respond quickly.

(If the physician listens well enough, the patient will give the diagnosis.)

Worrying about having to respond quickly put a lot of strain on her emotionally and it put a lot of strain

on her muscles, too. Tight muscles can press on nerves. Nerves don’t like to be pressed on.

Her doctor had told her to “just wait it out. It will go away on its’ own.” I told her that was wise and

explained why doctors do so many fewer surgeries now for back pain. In many, many cases there was

no relief. (That’s because they were chasing a symptom rather than actually taking care of the cause.

The cause may well have simply been muscular.)

I also explained how a nerve needs only a whisper of anything pressing on it to cause symptoms.

If you take that barest of pressures off the nerve, it can settle down. Sometimes it’s as easy as changing

positions. I suggested a relaxation position which would take pressure off Lisa’s back.

I told her about other people I knew whose back pain had healed naturally.

We made an appointment for Lisa to return the following week. But when I walked into the waiting

room to get her, she wasn’t there. Sharon said, “My mom hasn’t had any pain in four days so I came in

her place.”

Sharon continued, “My mom said the strangest thing. She said, I don’t have to have pain for the rest of

my life.”

You DO NOT have to have pain for the rest of your life.

Will it take some work on your part? Perhaps a few changes in the way you do things? Maybe

strengthening your back and doing movements to improve your posture? Maybe some different

thoughts or actions?

Yes. But you are worth it.


The dance is starting.


Introduction “All cultures dance.

You don’t have to teach people to dance.

Basically people learn not to dance.”

- Choreographer Mark Morris

The music is starting. May I have this dance?

Your body is amazing! It’s unique and wonderful with a tremendous ability to heal and transform into a

healthier, more youthful you--even as you start to age.

When you break a bone, it heals. When you get a cut or bruise, it heals. And when you give your body

what it needs—simply, easily, naturally, comfortably—it heals, too.

Your body is also logical. It complains when it doesn’t get what it wants. (Yes—bodies do want!) And it

purrs like a fine machine when it gets what it needs.

A woman said, “I don’t understand what you mean about having a happy body.”

A happy body is one that isn’t complaining. It’s not reacting with aches and pains. It is easy and

comfortable and feels good to be in. It functions as it should.

Another woman remarked: “You talk like muscles have feelings. Like they’re human. They can’t talk.”

Ah, but they DO talk!

When muscles aren’t happy, they complain. Sometimes they yell and scream to get your attention.

When you get pain you know that your body and your muscles are trying to communicate with you.

It’s easy to understand your body when I give it a voice.

Your mind is also amazing! Just as bodies can change and become healthier and stronger at any age, so

can your mind. Just as muscles stretch, minds can stretch and a mind that has stretched with a new idea

will never go back to its old proportions.

With the subtle, easy improvements that will start to take place in your mind and body when you use

the keys I’m about to share, your whole life can transform and become easier. Bodies, movement,

posture, diet, thoughts, emotions, happiness and health are all interconnected.

When any part of us changes or improves, so does every other part.


And it’s really not hard because I like easy. I like to feel good without hard work so that’s what we are

going to do.

You truly can become happier and healthier!


Bodies Change and Heal All the Time Yes, some change is inevitable as we grow older--most of us will get some wrinkles (I love "smile lines"

around eyes--like sparkly sunshines!) Our skin and muscles will lose some tone. Bodily fluids may

decrease or increase and there may be other changes that we just cannot prevent or change.

BUT...bodies change for the better and heal all the time! And the better care you give yourself, the less

“old age” can creep up on you.

~~~~~~~

Laura was on the verge of having surgery for pain in her lower back but her neighbor insisted she see me

first.

She was a very active, athletic woman and the pain was interfering with her life. The doctor offered

surgery. When you are desperate you are willing to try anything to get relief.

Laura really wasn’t sure that I could help but was willing to try. I figured we would have about 12

sessions until she felt totally better. She postponed the surgery.

Soon she started to feel better but some weeks she felt a little worse. Two steps forward, one step

back. Sometimes that happens while we are making progress in many areas of our lives.

Around session #9 I told Laura I didn’t think she needed to come back the next week. How about next

month instead? If she felt she needed to come in sooner she could call me.

When I saw Laura four weeks later, she had tears in her eyes. She said, “I never thought I would feel this

good again.”

Sometimes you just need a little more information--a little support--to heal.


It’s Never too Late to Start Ernestine is a competitive bodybuilder. She’s beautiful, strong and muscular...and 80 years old. When

she started working out around age 60 with her sister her body transformed. Before she died, her sister

asked Ernestine to continue on the exercise journey they had started.

Ernestine is still working out, having fun and strong!

When I watched an interview with Ernestine Shepherd, I thought that her knees may be a little stiff. Or

maybe it was because she was getting up from the floor--in high heels! Some aging change is inevitable

but she shows what is possible with dedication and hard work.

Please don’t worry. I’m not going to ask you to become a body-builder. I’m not even going to ask you to

work hard.

But I may help you to transform.

And I may ask you to dance.

~~~~~~~

Arthur was a paratrooper who was injured in the Gulf War. His knees were so damaged from jumping

out of planes that he could only walk with leg braces and crutches. Doctors told him he would never run

again or walk unassisted.

Never.

Arthur was overweight with a big belly and his mood was low.

Arthur got the idea that yoga might help him physically but no instructor would accept him because of

his condition. He finally found a coach who would work with him. He struggled and struggled to go into

yoga poses. He fell but he kept getting back up.

Over and over, he fell and fell and fell, crashing into walls and furniture and floors.

As the months passed, Arthur’s pants got too big. His legs became stronger and the braces on his legs

came off. He stopped using crutches because he didn’t need them anymore.

Arthur’s balance improved and his muscles normalized. His joints healed and he became healthier and

more powerful. He avoided the knee surgery he wanted to avoid.

And now Arthur runs!

Around the time he started feeling his toes again, he started teaching yoga.


"We put ourselves on the mat and twist ourselves into all these uncomfortable positions. Why? So we

can practice being uncomfortable. So we can learn to deal with that discomfort, with some grace and

some compassion. And it’s hard. We all screw up sooner or later. But it’s about being observant and

catching yourself and saying, ‘Hold it! Back the truck up. Deal with it.’ It’s not about having a giant Om

tattooed on your back." - Arthur Boorman

He does a whole lot more, too.

I bet he even dances.

Secret Keys to a Happier Healthier Life Earlier I quoted comedian George Burns who said, “It’s okay to get older as long as we don’t get old.”

He was pretty darn old when he died, so I think he knew what he was talking about!

You are about to discover some of the secret keys that will help you improve your life and your health.

Are they really “secrets?” No. Many people know them, or parts of them, but few people take

advantage of them. The “secret” is taking action!

After I spoke to a professional group, a woman said, “You don’t know anything that the rest of us don’t

know. The difference is that you’re doing it!”

Now it’s your turn to do it! It’s time for you to grab these keys and unlock the doors to your health and

happiness and life.

I’m going to make it so, so easy for you!


Who am I and Why am I Sharing This? Many years ago, I wanted to be a registered nurse. I wanted to help people feel better. I wanted to get

my hands on patients, and work with them one on one, but the hospital that I applied to for training

wanted me to go into administration instead. They thought I would be more useful in admin.

That wasn’t what I wanted to do, though. I didn’t feel that was my calling. Around the same time, I got

married and pregnant and didn’t get trained as a nurse or an administrator.

I became a mom and years passed.

I worked as an insurance sales agent, market researcher, and corporate legal secretary and a few more

things. I got divorced, too.

Then one day I read about something called massage and it grabbed my attention. It was a pretty new

field in my part of the country but I found a massage therapist and made an appointment with her. I

spent my whole session grilling her and began a new career.

I also started laughing even more because, there I was, doing what I had wanted to do twenty years ago

when I thought I wanted to be a nurse—getting my hands on people and helping them feel better and

working with them one on one!

I would not have had this opportunity as a registered nurse (but I didn’t know it then) or as an

administrator.

All of the earlier jobs I had gave me the skills and knowledge that I would need to grow my own large

therapeutic massage clinic with a staff of twelve. With so many therapists working with me, I thought I

was “getting my hands on” lots of people!

Well, kind of.

But there I was, administering my clinic full time besides seeing my own clients full time. So, once again,

my focus changed and I downsized.

Changes happen.

With my smaller office and through the power of the Internet, I started “getting my hands on” people

from all over the world.

Because bodies are logical (including your body) I’ve been able to help people feel better both in person

and remotely. People from all over have contacted me for help and have experienced relief.

So, who am I? I’m a Wellness, Life and Pain Relief Coach and Consultant, author and educator. I’m a

mom and a grandmother.

I have a life that I love, doing things that I love.


I want the same for you!

By the way, do you like to dance?

“Clouds come floating into my life,

no longer to carry rain or usher storm,

but to add color to my sunset sky.”

– Rabindranath Tagore


We are not designed to live forever but I believe in my heart that we are entitled to live a healthy,

happy, relatively pain free and disease free, productive life into our 90's and beyond.

And it’s doable!

Many of the disorders and diseases that are considered to be a natural part of aging aren't natural at all.

They are very often the result of not treating your body as it would like to be treated and cared for. I’d

like to help you get started reclaiming yourself now.

My flat feet pitched me forward. My posture was atrocious—I led with my heavy head so I had no curve

in my lower back. I was hunched over. When I looked at my walking companion, I was confused—our

feet were in the same place but my head was twelve inches ahead of his.

I leaned to the left, always. I had pain in the left side of my neck, pain in my right ribs and chronic

migraine headaches that stole days from my life. I was twisted and hurting and I wasn’t very old.

And then I discovered why bodies complain.

The music is starting.

May I have this dance?


The Truth About Women Women are expected to do everything. Keep the home fires burning (but not the house) and take care

of and monitor kids, laundry, cleaning, school work, meals, doctor appointments…and lots of us go to a

job where we are expected to do everything there, too.

There’s a funny but sadly true fictional story of a woman who said, “I’m going to bed now.”

On her way to the bedroom, she does 25 things that need to be finished or prepared for the next day.

Then her husband says, “I’m going to bed.” And he does.

When he gets to the bedroom he calls out, “Hey, where are you? I thought you were going to bed?”

Well, maybe that isn’t actually a fictional story.

~~~~~~~

Women are smart and strong but sometimes we get into habits, thoughts and patterns that deplete our

energy, sap our strength and make us feel old way before our time. And it's not your fault!

No one told you and you didn’t know. (Actually, your doctor probably doesn’t know, either.) Do you

know that most times when women go to the doctor complaining of pain the doctor will say, “You have

arthritis.”?

Well, maybe.

Or maybe not. Everyone has stuff show up on x-rays but everyone does not have pain! When a doctor

sees something on an x-ray, she assumes that’s the problem.

The truth is that muscles and other soft tissues are responsible for most of our physical midlife

discomfort.

But the good news is that it’s almost all fixable and you can feel younger, stronger and healthier as well

as happier.

That’s what I want for you.



Your Body is Logical While helping clients and studying with brilliant instructors in the bodywork field, I discovered how to

correct my own painful conditions--including scoliosis and migraines and a few other miscellaneous

dislocations, aches, pains and injuries.

Your aches and pains may be different from those that I had but our bodies are the same logical

wonderful machines and they follow the same natural laws. I know, first hand, how a body responds

when it gets what it needs.

I also know that physical pain is interwoven with emotional pain and day-to-day living.


Emotions Cloud Logic Minds are logical, too, but emotions can cloud logic. That’s why you sometimes need a nonjudgmental

person to help you feel what it would be like to move toward the highest and best use of your life.

Sometimes you just need to talk to put things in perspective.

When we get the thoughts that are tumbling around in our heads out through our mouths, those

thoughts become smaller and more manageable.

My goal is to help you discover what YOUR body and soul need. When you understand why you have

emotional and physical discomfort–the real reasons–then you will know how to get rid of it, naturally.

I’m not a doctor or a psychologist but I understand how people get into pain. I don’t know everything

but I know a lot. And since I didn’t go to med school, I was free to discover things that aren’t taught

there.

Although I love doctors and surgeons (they saved my life twice!) I know things that most doctors don’t

and I love sharing them.

I want you to be able to enjoy living for the rest of your life.

May I join you on your journey?

I hear the music starting.


"The dance is strong magic.

The body can fly without wings.

It can sing without voice.

The dance is strong magic.

The dance is life." - Pearl Primus


“Probably the happiest period in life

most frequently is in middle age,

when the eager passions of youth are cooled,

and the infirmities of age not yet begun;

as we see that the shadows,

which are at morning and evening so large,

almost entirely disappear at midday.”

-- Eleanor Roosevelt


Common Myths about Aging Here are six common myths about your health as you age:

Aging Myth #1 You will feel old, tired and sick.

(Not necessary.)

Aging Myth #2 You will have stiff, creaky joints, aches and pains.

(You don't have to.)

Aging Myth #3 You will have less energy and be too tired to have fun.

(True, if you don't do the right things.)

Aging Myth #4 You will gain weight.

(Could happen but doesn't have to.)

Aging Myth #5 You will have to take lots of medicine and your doctor will be your best friend.

(Do you really like your doctor that much? Would you rather "go natural" instead and hang out with

other healthy people?)

Aging Myth #6 You will end up in a wheelchair or nursing home.

(Most of us don't.)


The Truth About Aging Those are the myths and here is the truth:

You can actually recreate your body and your life in a year or less if you are willing to invest your time

and energy into applying the key principles offered in this book.

~~~~~~~

Karen was an executive secretary who really wanted to be a nurse. “But,” she said, “If I start now, I

won’t be done until I’m forty!” She made “forty” sound like a bad word.

But you know what? She was going to be forty either way. Might as well be forty living the life she

wanted to live.

Are you living the life you dream of?


“Create your future from your future,

not your past.” –Werner Erhard


Secret Keys that Matter Here are twelve of the "secret keys" to a long, healthy and happy life. I have many more keys to share

but these will get you started on the road to where you want to go!

Each key by itself is beneficial but each additional one you add will boost the benefits.

It took a lot of years for you to get to where you are now. We want things to get better but things don’t

usually improve overnight. Frequent , small alterations to your habits or thoughts can snowball downhill

to huge benefits.

Secret Key #1. Knowledge matters

All you know is what you know. Or what your doctor knows. Or what your mother or friend or the

newscaster tells you. And a LOT of this knowledge is incorrect when it comes to health, wellness and

happiness.

Your body follows natural laws as all bodies do.

Muscles and soft tissues are the primary and most overlooked causes of physical pain. (Pssst—that is a

serious secret that most doctors don’t even realize! It’s not something they typically learn in med

school.)

When your body hurts, it is really often because of something you are doing–or not doing--or doing in

the wrong position.

Because your body follows natural laws, if one thing happens then something else will happen. For

instance, if you continually place your body in a specific position for long hours, there’s a good chance

that you will get pain. And the pain will be pretty much in the same place on your body, my body, Sally’s

body or John’s if we do.

Why? Because bodies are logical.

When your body hurts, it makes you feel old and tired. It’s talking to you!

Unless you had an accident, when you say to me, “Kathryn, I have knots in my back.” I will probably say,

“Great! Let’s work on all of the muscles on the sides of your ribs, the tops of your shoulders and the

front of your upper chest, neck and arms. Let’s look at your posture and your feet.”

If you haven’t worked with me before, you might say, “Wait. That’s not where it hurts!” And I will

smile. (Smiling boosts the immune system.)

And I’ll explain.


Knots are only symptoms and there are reasons for symptoms—something CAUSES symptoms. We have

to get rid of the REASONS in order to get rid of knots or any other painful symptom.

That’s how all of your life is.

If you have any type of uncomfortable symptoms--not moving ahead, low back pain, unhappy

relationships, procrastinating--it’s important to uncover the reasons and implement a plan to correct

them.

Or at least, leapfrog over them while you dance.

“The indispensable first step to getting the

things you want out of life is this:

decide what you want.” –Ben Stein


Rosalie spent all of her days at a desk in an office as many professional women do. She sat at work and

sat in her car for the ride to and from. She heated up dinner and sat on the sofa.

She sat so much that she got to a point where she couldn’t even walk up the stairs to go to bed because

her hips hurt too badly. She had to crawl up like a puppy or kitty.

Rosalie had a lot of health problems.

One day at a doctor’s office, Rosalie was just making conversation when she asked the doctor if he

thought she should start walking. He said, “Why Rosalie, that’s a wonderful idea!”

Rats. That wasn’t the response she expected.

When she visited another of her doctors, she asked him the same question and he also said, “Why

Rosalie, that’s a wonderful idea.”

Double rats.

At first, she walked in her home, because that’s all she could do, and then in her yard. After a few

weeks, she walked down the street a couple of houses and back home. Eventually, she was able to walk

around the block.

Now, Rosalie does cross country Nordic walking—fast—with poles!

Her hips don’t hurt anymore.

When Rosalie went back to the pulmonary medicine doctor (lung specialist) he said, “No one who comes

to see me ever gets better. But you are getting better!”

When she saw the doctor who treated her diabetes, he also said she was improved! Rosalie’s diabetic

neuropathy in her feet became less. Her body was responding to getting what it wanted all along—

movement. And the movement was as simple as walking.

Rosalie beat The Sitting Disease!

And she was already in her late 60’s! Rosalie’s body had been talking to her but she wasn’t listening so

it complained by giving her symptoms.

If Rosalie had started listening much earlier she would have had an easier, happier, healthier life.

That’s why I suggest educating yourself with trustworthy coaches, mentors, websites, courses and

books. That’s why I do it, too.

Knowledge matters and so do thoughts.


Secret Key #2. Thoughts matter

Visualizing the good things that you want in your life can have a positive effect on actually getting them.

When you envision your goals in your mind, your brilliant mind starts working on plans to make them

happen.

Your thoughts can move you forward or hold you back. Thoughts create energetic charges that pull

good things toward you—or push them away.

If you are critical of yourself or have negative feelings about yourself, the universe will struggle to

support you but if you think lovingly and highly of yourself, the universe will support you in a much more

positive way.

“Whether you think you can,

or think you can’t, you are right.”

- Henry Ford

We all make mistakes. There is no mistake about that! It’s okay. It’s part of the human experience and

we learn from our errors. In fact, most often we grow from our mistakes even if we don’t see it at the

moment.

Failure is part of success. It’s just a learning process.


“While we may not be able to control all

that happens to us, we can control

what happens inside us.”

--Benjamin Franklin

Old Ben had it right. We can learn to control how we respond to situations. Our response to an event

can create and outcome that we want…or not.

The only time reacting instead of responding may be really helpful is (a) during an emergency, when we

have to move fast, (b) when your favorite song comes on, or (c) breaking out into spontaneous laughter,

which will lead us to Key #3 in a moment.


Have you ever been disappointed? It almost seems to be unavoidable but have you thought about why

it happens? It’s because of expectations.

If you are secretly (or not secretly) hoping for a special gift, and the time passes but you didn’t receive

the gift, how will you feel? Disappointed? But if you didn’t attach any expectation or hope to the desire

of that gift, you won’t be disappointed or sad or mad.

And if you really want it, you will find a way to gift it to yourself in a loving way with no strings attached.

When I was in my twenties, I really, really wanted a ring with a giant diamond. It wouldn’t have been

practical for me to wear (because I always had my hands in clay or paint or diapers) but I thought I really

wanted it until I told my friend about my desire. She said, “It’s not the ring you want. It’s what you

think the ring represents.”

She was absolutely right. I wanted the romance, the flowers, the symbol of undying devotion, yes! The

diamond! I wanted the dance and I didn’t realize yet that it’s okay to dance alone.

“Change your thoughts and you

change your world.”

– Norman Vincent Peale


Gratitude is a tremendous prayer.

Most of us are so fortunate to be where we are and to have what we have but many times we forget.

We forget to be grateful for our health, for the carpet or floor under our feet, for the blue sky and wispy

clouds, for the stars and the moon. We forget to be grateful for the water we drink and bathe in, for our

family members and friends, for the job that clothes and feed us and provides shelter, for opportunities

that occur, for our body and vision and hearing, for feet and shoes.

Even little tiny things are worth gratitude: Butterflies, dew that sparkles like diamonds, tooth brushes

and tooth paste. You get the idea.

A young woman who thought her husband was “ok” decided to appreciate something about him every

day for a year. She found something to be grateful for about him for each of 365 days. At the end of the

year, she could really see him for the gem that he was and she was much more grateful.

What’s the rest of that story? At the end of the year, he told her, “I finally feel like I am enough for

you.”

When we realize all that we have to be grateful for, our life becomes easier.

Right now, what are 13 things that make you grateful?

And what else?


Secret Key #3. Laughter matters

Laughter boosts your immune system! If you’ve forgotten how to laugh and have fun, try hanging

around a playground for a while and watch the kids. When you laugh fully, like they do, your whole

body shakes and every part gets happy, healthy movement.

Laughter kicks in the “feel-good” hormones. Even just watching laughter can help.

I lived by a nursery school and every day when I drove by, I just wanted to park and watch all the cute

little kids running and playing and laughing. It warmed my heart to see them having fun. But I decided

that it might not be a good idea for a lone adult to park on the side of the road and stare at the children.

Um, kind of creepy maybe? So I just enjoyed seeing them swirling and twirling in their beautiful child

dances as I drove past the play yard.

Did you know?

Laughter is a type of dance.

“Happiness is an inside job.”

-- William Arthur Ward


Although laughter is wonderful exercise, sadly, some people stop laughing.

An elderly client told me that when he was a young teen he hung around his sister and her girlfriends,

trying to be cool and impress them. One day when he laughed out loud in front of all of these girls, his

father told him he sounded like a jackass. He decided he would never laugh again and he didn’t.

It’s important to know how to ignore hurtful people and hurt feelings.

“In the absence of suffering,

happiness is all that's left.”

--Byron Katie


Sometimes we choose our suffering. We replay the same old story and suffer every time. We keep a

piece of artwork from an unfaithful lover and let our heart break every time we view it.

But we don’t have to suffer. We can overcome.

Because the music is starting.

It’s time for you to dance!

“Only do what your heart tells you.”

-- Diana Princess of Wales


Secret Key #4. Movement matters

Brains and bodies like movement!

It turns out that people who are physically active can slow their brain’s aging process. Depending on the

research, the best activity can be dancing, chorale singing, yoga, tai chi, swimming, walking or playing

basketball!

No one cares as much about your body as you must and no one can take as good care of it as you. It’s

actually one of your most important assets.

No one can do your pushups for you. And no one can dance for you. So, dance!

You don’t want to get the dreaded Sitting Disease, right?

You might not remember, but when you were a little kid you most likely danced. And ran and jumped

and climbed and skipped and tumbled. You did all that fun stuff that children do.

But then you started growing up.

You stopped moving.

You went to school and sat in chairs that were too small or too big for too many hours. You grew

breasts and started slouching because you thought you were too busty or too tall. Or too short. Or too

thin or too heavy.

They told you to sit still and you did. If you weren’t an athletic kid, you forgot that you used to move

and that you loved it!

Maybe you got a job that caused you to work in the same positions or postures all day long and your

body started talking to you—and it wasn’t very polite, either.

It’s time to fine-tune your engine and get it purring again.

Some women literally run themselves ragged and into the ground when they exercise but exercise

doesn’t have to be like that. In fact, it’s hard on your body when you keep pounding. Unless you truly

love aerobics, there are kinder, gentler, more enjoyable ways to get movement into your life.

And fun! You want to pick an activity that you enjoy!

Sign me up! Oh. I already did sign up.

Yoga, Tai Chi, stretching, swimming or water movement, dancing, walking and ballet are some of the

beneficial gentler ways to get your body moving again.


Yoga creates long, strong muscles and bodies love long, strong muscles! Tai Chi aids with balance and

we need strong legs and good balance to stay youthful. Many doctors recommend Tai Chi to their older

patients to improve balance.

The benefit of water movement is that the water supports you. As you move your limbs through the

water it provides resistance, supports and “massages” your body. I call it swimming but I don’t really

swim.

I finally learned to be comfortable floating and moving in water that’s over my head when I was in my

fifties. I can walk through the water faster than I can swim.

I also love a fun at-home dance program called Body Groove because I don’t like feeling my bones

jangle. The hugely successful aerobics instructor was overweight, bulimic, unhappy and in pain so she

changed her life. She loves to dance and created these easy, stretchy dance movements to cool music

that use all the parts of your body, even your eyes!

Did you know you have muscles that move your eyes?

If you need to build up gradually (always a very good idea) and can do one minute of movement, do one

minute. If you can do three minutes, that’s cool. Build up to half an hour when you’re ready.

Always start slowly when you start a new movement program. No, you won’t make a big change

immediately but tomorrow you won’t be sore and you can do a little bit again. And the next day, a little

bit again. And then you can add a bit more.

And your body is going to speak nicely to you as it starts to reawaken!

I have a mini-trampoline and an inversion table in my home office. The trampoline is good for getting

the lymph flowing and the inversion table creates space in the joints and good stretches. These tools

are in my line of sight all the time so I have no excuse to use them daily!

I know that if I slid my movement equipment under the bed or into a closet, I wouldn’t use it. I’m an out

of sight, out of mind kind of person (except when it comes to food.)


Did you know:

A weak back causes pain and “old age.” A strong back is a necessity for good posture to avoid pain,

shortness of breath, and compression of your internal organs. Poor posture even causes constipation.

And constipation can cause headaches! (It’s all attached!)

It might be your back that hurts but it’s just complaining. It’s “talking to you.” The real problem is

probably the muscles in the front of your body that have shortened and that pull you into poor, forward

head posture.

Movement and exercise will boost your “feel good hormones”. Those are the hormones that kick in

when athletes are doing their thing. Pick one or two activities that you enjoy and…enjoy!

And remember to treat your body kindly and gently. It’s the only one you’ve got.


“Working out at home with

minimal equipment would be awesome!

I’m lazy.

I know I won’t make it to the gym.” -- Star

I love working out at home with minimal equipment and I’m lazy, too! Beds, couches and floors make

great workout tools because it’s so easy to do resistance moves against them. We can strengthen and

stretch--in bed!

“You must take personal responsibility.

You cannot change the circumstances,

the seasons, or the wind, but

you can change yourself.” –Jim Rohn


Secret Key #5. Nutrition matters

“Be careful about reading health books.

You may die of a misprint.”

-- Mark Twain

Once upon a time, everything humans ate came from the ground, trees, animals or fish. It didn’t come

from factories. It grew naturally.

Our bodies knew what to do with food then.

But now, “food” that comes out of factories is much different than what we were designed to eat.

Bodies don’t like it so we get sick. And old.

Did you know there is a whole chemical industry devoted to developing new flavors and scents so we

will buy more products? Chemicals and additives are added for “taste,” color and shelf life.

I was seated in the window seat on a plane and began talking to the woman sitting in the middle. We

were both middle aged and got on the topic of food. We each had stories about how our health had

become so much better when we altered our diets.

A young man was sitting in the aisle seat and joined in our conversation. He was actually a food

chemist. His job was to create flavors from chemicals that people would like so the “food company”

could sell more product.

He believed that (1) people want to eat things that taste good, rather than things that are good for them

and (2) that bodies can handle anything we put into them.

(Did I mention he was very young?)

The woman in the middle seat and I both knew he was wrong because we had figured out the health

issues that we were causing our bodies with our respective diets. And we had both altered our health

by eating in a more natural way.

But did you know that you can eat your way to better health? Your body will love you for it.

Your body will talk nicely to you.

Maybe even ask you to dance.


In a nutshell (nuts are good food!), feed your body wholesome foods and avoid fake foods and

unhealthy additives. Just because it is sold in a grocery store does NOT mean the thing on the shelf is

food! There is no fooling your body.

Wholesome foods are things that grew, as close to natural as possible, and with a variety of colors.

And Froot Loops are colorful but they don’t count!

If your body doesn’t get the nutrition that it requires, you will eventually have one type of disease or

another. Your muscles won’t be able to function as they were designed and neither will your brain or

other organs.

If you eat a Standard American Diet (SAD) you are NOT getting all of the essential minerals and all of the

vitamins you need. If your diet is high in unhealthy fats, highly processed foods, fast foods, lots of sugar

and table salt, it will lead to deficiencies and poor health.

But the end result of a poor diet is fixable!

One big problem with the SAD is that a lot of ingredients in pre-made “food” are actually bad for you

and sap the nutrients that are in your body. This plays havoc with your thyroid and other important

glands.

I was in the checkout line at the grocery store and the woman in line ahead of me was obviously a

business woman on her way home from work. She had two pretty children with her and a half-cart full

of groceries. But there was not a single real food item in her cart.

Everything was boxed, highly processed, artificially colored, sweetened and fake-flavored.

It made me SAD.

When you give your body everything it needs to be healthy and to heal, you will have less pain and

better health. Much, much better.

And, remember, bodies heal all the time. Sometimes they just need a little support, a little help, and a

little love.


“You, yourself, as much as anybody

in the entire universe,

deserve your love and affection.”

-- Buddha

John Lennon said, “We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it

and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it.

You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.”

Your body is the same as that precious plant. It needs you to care for it, to look after it and nurture it. It

needs your love.


“She who takes medicine and

neglects to watch nutrition

wastes the skill of her doctors.”

-- Chinese Proverb


Secret Key #6. Stress matters

There is good stress and there is bad stress.

Good stress is when you feel you are in control. You are flying a fighter jet. You are a strong, powerful

pilot and you know what you’re doing.

Bad stress is when you feel you have no or little control. Someone else is making all the decisions--your

boss or parent or the prison warden.

Both kinds of stress cause uncomfortable stress reactions in the body but, naturally, the bad stress

causes the most damage.

There are lots of good techniques to help you reduce your stress. It’s important for your health and

well-being to take some time on a regular basis for a stress-buster like breathing, awareness,

meditation, yoga or petting your dog or cat.

Petting an animal or loved one activates touch receptors in your hands and sends “feel good” messages

to your brain. So does receiving a relaxation massage. Can you imagine floating without a care in the

world? That’s a good massage!

That’s a lovely place to be—without a care in the world—so your body can relax and heal.

Yoga has the additional benefit of making long, strong muscles which are exactly what we want!

So we can keep dancing.


“Your work is going to fill a large part

of your life, and the only way to be

truly satisfied is to do what you believe is

great work. And the only way to do

great work is to love what you do.

If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.

Don't settle.

As with all matters of the heart,

you'll know when you find it.”

--Steve Jobs


If your work is stressful and you’re not enjoying it, perhaps it’s time for you to consider a change.

Perhaps it’s time to look at other options or other locations. There was a time when people held life-

long jobs but now the average worker changes positions several times in her life.

I told you my story. Except for being a mom, I did many things but never felt truly satisfied until I started

doing what feels best for me.

“I can't change the direction of the wind,

but I can adjust my sails to always reach

my destination.”

--Jimmy Dean


Secret Key #7. Posture matters

The cute television exercise expert from Canada moved to the left and hiked her left shoulder so I did,

too. And I heard and felt a “ping” on the left side of my breastbone. That…was strange. And then she

moved to the right and hiked her right shoulder and I did, too. I heard and felt the ping on the right side

of my breastbone.

At the time, I didn’t understand what was happening but here it is:

I was 40 years old and my posture was so rounded forward that the ribs which attached to my

breastbone were starting to fuse to my breastbone. The “ping” was the fused juncture breaking apart.

That was actually a good thing—it allowed that area of my skeleton to start moving again.

This sometimes happens when a person is having manual therapy to correct their posture. Boney

bridges that have formed may break apart and free the joints. Of course, a great idea is to not get the

boney bridges in the first place!

Here’s how your body works: Muscles move your body. That is their job.

Your bones support your muscles and other soft parts. That’s their job.

When you get a spur or fused joint, it’s because your skeleton is trying to do its best to support you even

though it’s doing the wrong thing.

Posture matters a LOT. Middle-aged and older people with good posture appear more youthful and,

even more importantly, they feel better and function better!

Slouching causes you to look and feel OLD.

When your heavy head is “forward” gravity grabs it and pulls it down. It rounds your upper back and

strains your back muscles. It compresses your lungs, heart, stomach and other internal organs and they

don’t like to be squashed.

The worse your posture gets, the worse you feel and look.

Poor posture—collapsed, forward head posture—causes all kinds of pain and dysfunction from back

pain, migraines and headaches, carpal tunnel symptoms, constipation, and hammer toes.

The good news is that there are easy ways to help your body—muscles, soft tissues and skeleton—relax

and get back to neutral.

Sometimes a physical anomaly like a short leg or flat foot will cause you to be off kilter but those things

are correctable, too.


Secret Key #8. Sleep matters

It’s important to get enough sleep. People in research situations who are not allowed to sleep develop

all-over muscle pain. Seven to nine hours a night can do you a world of good.

“Sleep is the golden chain that ties

health and our bodies together.”

--Thomas Dekker

Naps count as sleep, too. Many of the great thinkers didn’t sleep much at night but took one or more

naps during the day.

Maybe they were able to take naps because they were men and had someone else to tend the fires?

Not only does your body regenerate during sleep, so does your brain! There are a lot of tips and tricks

to attain a better night’s sleep including turning off electronic devices an hour before bed time, creating

winding-down activities like a warm bath or shower or reading or meditating.

Certain snacks help bodies to calm down, too, like a cup of cottage cheese. I suspect that works because

of the protein and calcium. Some people swear by chamomile tea as an aid to relaxation.


“When sleeping women wake,

mountains move.”

-- Chinese Proverb

Have you been asleep?

Have you been ignoring things that will make you happier?

Have you been avoiding change that feels necessary?

Are you ready to move mountains?

Are you ready to dance?


Ernest Hemingway had a different take on the importance of sleep: “I love sleep. My life has the

tendency to fall apart when I’m awake. You know?”

“A good laugh and a long sleep

are the two best cures

for anything.”

– Irish Proverb


Secret Key #9. Water matters

Your muscles, brain, other soft tissues need water to function and feel their best. I’m talking plain old

water not soda pop, juice, or other drinks. Your body is composed largely of water and every single cell

needs it to function optimally.

“Empty your mind,

be formless, shapeless,

like water.”

– Bruce Lee

Doesn’t that feel like a peaceful thought? No thoughts, no stress, in your body or your mind. You are

gentle, warm water. You can just “be.”

If you are like water, you are also strong. If there is a small crack, water will enter without being invited.

Did you know that water always wins?

Water has a dance of its own.

Have you ever watched ripples spread from a tiny drop into a pond? It’s a very soothing thing to do—

just observe.

When I’m in the pool alone, I swish my arms to move the still water. I watch the tiny droplets flying

through the air when the wavelets clap together. I am mesmerized by the ripples spreading across the

pool.

Water helps keep your skin hydrated and prevents wrinkles. It keeps things moving through your

intestines. (We want things to move.)


“Drinking water is like taking a shower

on the inside of your body.”

-- My Spa Water

The water in fruits, soups and whole juices counts, too.

When you give your body the water it needs–your body is largely composed of water–all of the cells will

function optimally. Your kidneys will be able to flush out metabolic wastes and other unwanted

materials. The biochemical reactions that are supposed to occur with sufficient water will be able to

occur.

The ocean naturally contains salt. If you taste it, it’s salty. Animals like deer are attracted to salt licks

because salt supports their health. Sea salt or Himalayan salt has minerals that occur naturally in the

sea.

Bodies like minerals. Minerals make strong bones and help cells function well.

“Water is the only drink for

a wise (wo)man.”

-- Henry David Thoreau


Secret Key #10. Caring matters

When you make others feel better, it makes you feel better, too.

If you volunteer or donate money for worthy causes you help other people. And that, in turn, will

activate your feel good hormones again!

It’s just as important to care for yourself as to care for others. It’s good for you and you deserve it!

If you don’t take care of yourself, who will?

“To fall in love with yourself

is the first secret of happiness.”

-- Robert Morley


Many women came to me over the years because they came to this realization: They were taking care

of their husband, their children and their job but who was taking care of them? This light bulb usually lit

up for women between the ages of 40 and 50 but it could happen anytime.

It was time for them to take care of themselves.

“Speak kindly to yourself as though

you are your own best friend.

Because you are.”


Self-massage, a luxurious aromatherapy bath, a professional massage, taking classes or reading books or

watching movies you enjoy just for the fun of it, stretching and strengthening are all feel-good things for

a happy body and mind.

Can you give yourself fifteen or thirty minutes of pleasurable activity each day, just for you?

If not, why not?

You are worth it.

I hear the music starting…


Self-love is so important!

We women tend to be way too critical of ourselves. When you think you are not as good, too fat, too

old, too wrinkled or whatever, that shows in your behavior. And it shows in your mirror, dear heart.

It’s important to look at yourself with love and see your beauty. And it’s there!

Do you know how to look into your own eyes and see your beauty?

Do you know that you are perfect?

Do you know that you are worthy of good things and of having the goals that you dream of?

I know you are perfect and worthy and beautiful and powerful.

It’s time to start your dance now.


“The best and most beautiful things

in the world cannot be seen or even

touched - they must be felt with

the heart.”

--Helen Keller


Secret Key #11. Breathing matters

Breathing has tremendous health and relaxation benefits! It gets oxygen in and moves waste products

out of your body. It can be so rhythmic and gentle. It’s a wonderful stress buster when there is nothing

in the world except you and your breath.

“Breath is the link between

mind and body.”

–Dan Brule


Breathe deeply. Pay attention to the air passing in and out. There are many ways to breathe for

relaxation but, right now, just breathe. In and out. In, hold, out, hold.

Repeat. Repeat…

When your posture is tall and strong, your lungs can fill fully. When they expand they move and, in

effect, exercise all of the muscles around your ribs and spine. Without doing anything new or special,

you are exercising!

“Breathing and thinking are the two

most important processes,

one for sustaining life and the

other for giving it a purpose.”

– Tasneem Hameed


Secret Key #12. Space matters

Your living space can cause peaceful feelings or it can cause stress.

Some people like neat, spare living and working spaces but others like their cozy space filled to the gills.

Either is fine but if you have a little (or a lot) too much “stuff” to maintain, it’s stressful. You will feel

better if you clean up the odds and ends of your life.

Getting rid of clutter actually makes space and time for you to enjoy activities and people instead of

cleaning things, storing things, dusting things, insuring things and worrying about them.

On one Christmas, I bought three books for my collector mother. Two were pretty garden books and

one was about getting rid of clutter. It was called, “How to Lose 500 Pounds in a Weekend.” She

unwrapped that one first and laughed and said, “This must be a joke book.”

“No, it’s actually about how to get rid of clutter,” I admitted. She was not pleased. “The other two had

better not be about this, too, or I will be really mad!”

Retail therapy and auctions filled a gap in her life. She even called TJ Maxx by its first name—TJ. When

the house overflowed, possessions moved into crawl spaces, attics and porches, covered with tarps.

I thought the book would be helpful. She didn’t. And that’s okay because it was her space and all of the

things, piled and buried, made her happy on some level.

Have you ever walked into a home or business that just exudes calmness and settled you right down?

There’s a good chance that space was designed or decorated using the principles of a placement system

called Feng Shui. I use it in my own home and office and they are my favorite places to be!

Having a peaceful sanctuary for creating and relaxing can actually improve your relationships and health

with less effort and create more ease and fulfillment in your life. It can lower your stress level and

improve your comfort.

One of my offices had such a quiet peaceful atmosphere that people actually began whispering when

they entered.

What do you feel when you walk into your home?

What would you like to feel when you walk into your space?


"Clutter is not just physical stuff.

It's old ideas, toxic relationships and

bad habits. Clutter is anything that

does not support your better self."

— Eleanor Browan

Clutter doesn’t include only possessions. Noise clutter causes stress, too. News casters want to rent

space in your brain on a permanent basis and you don’t need them!

Turn off the news (lots of it’s just speculation designed to upset us and get viewers, anyway.) Avoid

movies that distress you. Go to a quiet place where you can get in tune with your own thoughts. If

necessary, get ear plugs or turn on some white noise.

The only sound around is the swirling of the dance.


Summary

Congratulations! Now you know the “Secrets” to creating your very own happy, healthy life!

Before closing, let’s review everything you learned from this book and then leave you with some action

steps.

Bodies can heal and improve if we provide them with what they need. Lives become happier and

healthier when bodies become happier and healthier.

Thoughts make a difference. When your mindset improves, your happiness level improves.

We learned six lies about aging which are commonly believed and a dozen secret keys to help us grow

older without getting old. Every key you practice will improve your health and happiness but the more

“secret keys” you use, the less you will feel tired, achy or old.

These twelve keys will allow you to start unlocking your version of Happy Healthy Midlife Mastery.

KNOWING these keys is a great first step and I applaud you for investing your time and energy to read

this book. Many people don’t even get this far.

The next step is to USE the keys.

Attaining good health and happiness is an enjoyable lifelong adventure. It’s part of a self-care package

that doesn’t end. The real magic happens when we take action.

Our goal is to live until we die rather than dying while we are still alive. The point is to create a life filled

with more comfort, ease and happiness so don’t stress yourself. Let it happen while taking easy action.

Can you hear the music?


Continue to Invest in Yourself

You are worthy of your goals and happiness.

It’s not always easy to take action. Sometimes it’s much easier to just stay where you are and to assume

your aches and pains are just signs of “old age” and that “nothing can be done.” Sometimes change is

scary.

But you didn’t read this book because you want to stay stuck and let your life pass you by.

Remember: You deserve to feel well and to enjoy your life and you can do it! What you do and eat, the

thoughts you think and the knowledge you attain, even the way you move your body will all play a part

in your best life.

Surround yourself with people who lift you up. Invest in a coach who can support you every step of the

way in creating your own happy healthy life. Invest in yourself because the rewards are far greater than

any other investment you could possibly make.


Is It Time To Dance?

My mother and father actually met when they were both professional dance instructors. I’m a kind of

“dance instructor,” too. The steps I use are as flexible and fluid as theirs were but the end results are

different.

I love helping people make their whole life a dance of joy and wellness.

A good “dance instructor” will help you unlock your potential so you can start being the person you

want to be. She will lift you up when you are down, inspire you and guide you to clarity, as easily as

possible. She will help you become happier, healthier, more fulfilled and more successful.

Is it time to start your dance?

If you’re ready to “meet me in person” please take a moment now to visit my website.

www.Coach.KathrynMerrow.com

I would love to be your guide so you don’t have to dance alone.

If you’re ready to have:

fewer aches and pains so you feel better and can do more without distraction

more energy to do the things you love and to enjoy life more

the ability to take action and move forward

the ability to feel and look more confident and younger and less like an "old person" who looks

(and acts) like an "old person”, this is your chance.

If it’s time to design and enjoy a life that you truly love now, let’s do it!

Explore options for working with Kathryn directly at


Do you hear the music?

It’s time for your dance.

http://www.coach.kathrynmerrow.com/



About the Author

Author Kathryn Merrow loves empowering and inspiring women to have a life they enjoy and the health

to do it fully.

She enjoys the changing seasons of Michigan but suspects that having gardens all year round would be a

very good thing. She believes that Christmas lights should stay up until at least the end of February

because we need more color and sparkle in the darker days of winter.

Kathryn employs simple, easy to understand language and steps to transform the experience of aging

into a comfortable and healthy one.

She says: “Let’s get rid of the reasons for your discomfort. I don't know everything but I know a lot. I'm

not a doctor but I understand how bodies get into pain and how to feel better naturally."

Kathryn has provided over 25,000 manual therapy sessions, written hundreds of natural pain relief

articles, provided pain relief to people all over the world, hosted dozens of podcasts and created

programs to get rid of the miserable knots in your back; to get rid of carpal tunnel pain; and walking for

pain relief.

She’s the author of Head Pain Natural Relief, an easy-to-use self-help book that explains the causes of

headaches and migraines and how to get rid of them. You can hear her at PainReliefRadio.com and

CarpalTunnelRadio.com

Discover more about Kathryn at




Acknowledgements

Thank you to all of the beautiful clients who have allowed me to coach, mentor, touch and guide them

to healthier lives while treating their physical bodies over the years. Thank you for all of your questions

and concerns, for allowing me to relieve your discomfort and distress.

Huge appreciation to the brilliant bodywork instructors who taught me how bodies truly work and

enabled me to learn and develop simple corrective steps that allow more ease and less pain for people.

I’m grateful to and in love with all of the generations of children who kept me active, engaged, learning

and having fun! I’m always grateful for my family and their love and support.

I’m grateful to all of the hospice patients who allowed me to discover how to truly touch a body and

how to support them as they transitioned.

I’m in love with all of the authors and developers of all the terrific books, classes, courses, and programs

I’ve taken over the years who continue to share amazing information that has helped me create my own

happy healthy life and trained me to help others do it, too.

I appreciate my healthy, beautiful body, inside and out, for bearing with me all of these years while I

learned to care for her properly.


Aging Reversed Interview

Here’s an interview for you!

Wendy and I talk about aging, pain, movement, diet, how to be a child and more. She invited me to this

interview because of her own pain issues that were relieved after consulting with me.

Wendy Owen, Author of "Aging Reversed"

Wendy Owen: One area of aging which particularly interests me is chronic pain. Mainly because I was a

victim of it for over seven years. It’s only recently I’ve managed to put this behind me, mainly by

improving my posture. I’m no expert when it comes to treating pain, so I’ve invited someone who’s been

treating clients for many years, and knows everything there is to know about human anatomy.

I’d like to welcome Kathryn Merrow, the Pain Relief Coach. Kathryn, could you tell us a bit about how

you became interested in physical therapy? What started you on this journey?

Kathryn Merrow: Hi Wendy, I’m so glad to be with you today! I’m not actually interested in physical

therapy. I do specialize in manual therapy. I work with muscles, helping them get back to being happy

and healthy. Primarily, I do this by looking for the physical causes of someone’s pain and getting rid of

those causes.

Wendy: We seem to have an epidemic of chronic pain, particularly back pain, these days. Ruling out

injury, do you think there’s anything we can do to prevent this? Is it our lifestyles that are causing all

these aches and pains? Do we need to move around more?

Kathryn: Oh, Wendy, if you watch little children move you will know the answer! In fact, I know that

YOU already do know the answer. Little children move all the time! It’s hard to get most of them to

slow down and stop moving. They use ALL of the muscles. They climb. They run. They hop, jump,

wiggle, and move almost every waking hour!

But then we grow up. We go to school. We get a job. We stop moving and start sitting or standing for

long hours. We get into pain because we get out of muscular balance. Most pain is caused by overuse,

abuse or underuse of muscles.

Be a child!

Wendy: There’s been a lot of talk lately about sitting, and how dangerous it is. A lot of people really

don’t have much choice though. They sit in their car to get to work, they sit all day at a desk, then back

in their car again.

They’re so tired in the evening, all they feel like doing is sitting in front of the TV. What advice can you

give people whose jobs almost force them to be sedentary?

Kathryn: It’s called The Sitting Disease. Dis-Ease. Your body is no longer at ease. It happens when we

get stuck in those sitting positions. I love telling the story of Rosalie. She had the sitting disease. She


did just what you said, sat all day, sat at work, in the car, at dinner, and when she watched television.

She had pain in her hips and many health challenges.

How did she get better?

She started walking. And at first, all she could do was walk in her home. Eventually, she walked around

her yard. Soon she was able to walk a bit down the street and back. The distance and her speed

continued to expand and she continued to feel better and her health challenges became less.

One of her doctors said, “Rosalie, no one who comes to see me ever gets better but you are getting

better!” I talk about her more in my Walking Smart program. I love to share stories about people

healing naturally. Bodies heal all the time!

I am not saying that movement or massage or a healthy diet can cure everything. Unfortunately, a few

things aren’t fixable naturally, but most of our pain problems are caused by muscles and muscles ARE

treatable!

Wendy: What tips would you give an older adult who has never exercised much in her life, but now

wants to start?

Kathryn: Start slowly! I have a colleague who used to be a competitive body builder. When she would

talk with groups of chronic pain patients, she would tell them to start with one repetition. And someone

would always say, “One? One repetition won’t do anything!”

And she would reply, “That’s true. But tomorrow you won’t be sore and you can do one more. And

after a few days of doing just one, you can do two.”

A big problem with exercise programs is that people go overboard trying to get back in shape all at once.

It doesn’t happen. Do you know how many women I have seen who could hardly walk because they did

the Buns of Steel program all the way through on the first try?

And there was the woman who came in with pain and couldn’t figure it out because all she did was take

a walk. I asked her how far she went. Oh, 5 miles. She said, “But I always used to walk 5 miles.” I asked

how long it had been since she walked last. Well, it had been several years. And that’s why she hurt.

So, start slowly. It’s not a race. And move consistently.

Did you know that when you are watching television or sitting at your desk you don’t have to be still?

Be like that little child. Wiggle your toes and fingers, spread them.

Circle your hands, stretch your fingers. Lift your leg and twirl your foot in one direction and then in the

other. Flex your calf muscles. Lift your toes. Squeeze your buttock muscles so that you bounce up and

down a bit in your chair. Do that at traffic lights, too.


You don’t have to work hard to move your muscles. Some people get confused looks on their faces

when they are trying to contract a specific muscle. They used to be able to do it and they can learn to

do it again, it will just take a little practice.

When you sit so much, your posture tends to slump. That causes weak back muscles so one of my very

favorite moves in the whole world is to sit with your breastbone lifted, shoulders relaxed, and squeeze

your shoulder blades toward your spine. That movement strengthens your back muscles and we need

strong backs.

We need strong backs and strong legs. They support us. We have to support them so they can support

us throughout our whole life.

Wendy: Kathryn, do you have a website where you dispense all your wisdom?

Kathryn: I have several natural pain relief websites, Wendy. ThePainReliefCoach.com links to most of

them.

Wendy: Thanks a lot for speaking with us today, Kathryn. You really do know your stuff!

Please visit Kathryn at



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