When eating disorders or body image conflicts are mentioned, the face we imagine is one of youth. It may be a preteen, an adolescent, or a young adult woman, but seldom do we visualize the face of an aging woman. Yet, contemporary western culture consistently values women's bodies and appearance above other attributes, and sexualized images of female bodies saturate mass media, shaping the prevailing ideal. Of course, women of all ages who live in this culture are affected.
Adult women are on display; they are often criticized for transgressing that ever-shifting fine line between being too sexy or not sexy enough, and they often are completely dismissed when they no longer look young. It goes without saying that older female faces are not particularly popular images in film, fashion, advertising, print media, or television, unless the reference is breast cancer, menopause, or some other medical condition that predominantly affects older women. Moreover, this is an age when the female body can be "fixed" via medical technology, whether it be through laser hair removal, botox injections, chemical and surgical face/neck lifts, nose jobs, breast implants, surgery for "correction of the buttocks,"and liposuction. This is an age when cosmetic plastic surgery can even be purchased at a mall during a lunch hour (eg, botox injections, laser skin resurfacing, dermabrasion, chemical peels, permanent eyeliner). The point is that these procedures are now offered in retail centers, so it's like buying a new dress – it has been normalized, despite the potential risk and the meaning -- that is, chemically or surgically changing one's body.
Many women have come to believe that they can (and should) be in complete command of their bodies. In this era of body control and unrealistic beauty images, the rhythmic cycles of the female body, many of which are associated with weight gain, such as premenstrual bloating, pregnancy, and the slower menopausal metabolism, present great challenges. If a woman's power is still defined in terms of beauty and a youthful body, the 8 to 12 pounds she naturally gains at menopause can be a source of great distress and anticipated disempowerment. And the current reality is that more and more, older women who are approaching or beyond "midlife" are struggling with their bodies and their eating and are in need of professional help.

May 2, 2007— The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and healthcare professionals of the risk for obtaining counterfeit drugs when purchasing prescription medications online, according to a news release. The alert was based on information regarding 24 apparently related Web sites that appear on the pharmacycall365.com home page under the "Our Websites" heading, according to an alert sent yesterday from MedWatch, the FDA's safety information and adverse event reporting program. On 3 recent occasions, the FDA was informed that counterfeit versions of orlistat 120-mg capsules (Xenical; Hoffmann-La Roche, Inc) were being supplied by 2 of the Web sites. None of the capsules contained orlistat; one contained sibutramine (Meridia; Abbott Laboratories, Inc) and the others were filled with talc and starch. The latter were provided in blister packs stamped with a valid Roche lot number but displaying an expiration date of April 2007 rather than March 2005. The counterfeit products cannot be differentiated on sight alone as they closely resemble legitimate products (photos are available at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/photos/xenical.html).The Web sites involved in distributing the counterfeit orlistat capsules were Brandpills.com and PillsPharm.com, which appear on the same pharmacycall365.com page that is home to 22 other Web sites, 4 of which previously have been linked to shipments of counterfeit oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu; Roche Laboratories, Inc) and tadalafil (Cialis, Lilly ICOS, LLC).These include AllPills.net, Pharmacy-4U.net, DirectMedsMall.com, Emediline.com, RX-ed.com, RXePharm.com, Pharmacea.org, MensHealthDrugs.net, BigXplus.net, MediClub.md, InterTab.de, Pillenpharm.com, Bigger-X.com, PillsLand.com, EZMEDZ.com, UnitedMedicals.com, est-Medz.com, USAPillsrx.net, USAMedz.com, BluePills-Rx.com, Genericpharmacy.us, and I-Kusuri.jp.According to the FDA, the Web sites appear to operate from outside the United States. Consumers should therefore be wary if the company cannot be contacted by phone, if their prices appear to be extremely low, or if no prescription is required. Additional information regarding the purchase of prescription drugs over the Internet may be obtained online at www.fda.gov/buyonline/. Healthcare professionals are encouraged to report potentially counterfeit drugs to the FDA's MedWatch reporting program by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088, by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, online at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, or by mail to 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787.

If you only work the front of your body, you will not only have an asymmetrical appearance, but also put you at risk for injury. So make sure to balance out your opposing muscle groups – triceps and biceps, hams and quads, chest and upper back. This is especially true when it comes to your abs. You can do hundreds of crunches, but if you really want strong abs, you also need a strong lower back. Some people spend hours with exercise videos and gym classes that focus on abs, but hardly ever give a second thought to their lower back. But strengthening your lower back along with your stomach will create a balance between your front and back muscles, helping you to move gracefully. Having a strong midsection will also help you to lift heavier weights, which in turn will increase your lean mass and boost your metabolism. Daily activities, like bending and lifting, will be easier as well.

To get started, try the Superman:
Lie facedown on the floor, with your arms straight and extended above your head and your legs together and straight.
Simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling. Keep your limbs straight, but not locked. Your body will form a gentle curve. Hold for a count of 30, then lower. Repeat 3 times.