The Glow Code

April 1, 2024
Journalist McIvor presents a comprehensive and chatty guide for “aging gratefully” that addresses such topics as skin care, body acceptance, sleep, creativity, and makeup application. When turning 40 brought wrinkles, back pain, and “burning questions about aging,” the author sought out “experts, trailblazers, and maverick thinkers” for advice tailored to women in midlife. An exercise psychologist’s recommendation to prioritize muscle health spurred her to adopt a high-intensity interval training routine that “added two pounds of muscle” and increased her energy. Other experts recommended she conduct a friendship “audit,” motivating the author to reconnect with a long-lost friend, let go of an unhealthy relationship, and prioritize existing bonds. McIvor has a journalist’s curiosity and a penchant for the nitty-gritty, which proves an advantage in the detailed lists of skin-care products and step-by-step instructions for such tricky matters as comforting someone who’s grieving, and a detriment in her exhaustive exercise diaries—not everyone will be interested in the daily accounting of breakfast, mood, and muscle mass percentage. Still, her message that women need not have it all figured out by the time they hit 40—and that they’re not vain for caring about fashion, beauty, or creative passions—resonates. Middle-aged women will find this a valuable resource.

May 1, 2024
Who wouldn't want to ""glow""? Canadian journalist McIvor interviewed more than 40 people about how to age gracefully. After all, she's just found her first gray eyebrow hair. She is funny and serious about how it's possible to be "proud, strong women" who improve the world and still want gorgeous skin and a fashionable wardrobe. She discusses exercise; she feels the best following the LHS (lift heavy shit) advice of Stacy Sims, PhD. Other advice: avoid wearing eye makeup on or below lower lashes, cultivate friends, and cut back on alcohol, which accelerates the rate at which the human brain shrinks. Identify your triggers, try to remove them from your life, and establish a detailed plan on how you'll behave when faced with them. Trouble sleeping? Set a timer for 20 minutes of "worry time." When it goes off, no more fretting allowed. Sex, with lubricant, is good. So is comforting someone who's grieving and being a good listener. "I am so sorry" is always a winner. So are pleasant emails with closes like, "Warmest regards." You glow, girl!

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July 1, 2024

Aging is often viewed as a negative phenomenon, especially in today's youth-obsessed society. Canadian health and wellness journalist McIvor has written a manual that encourages women, particularly, to grow older with pride, rather than reacting to their advancing age with negative or mixed emotions. Her research included contacting various experts and scientists to create a "cheat sheet" that offers advice and tips on positive aging that she put into practice. McIvor candidly shares the results of her own experiments with this expert advice and the other knowledge she gleaned in areas like exercise, skin care and beauty, friendship, sleep, body positivity, libido, and creativity. Each chapter concludes with a cheat sheet that assists readers in putting that section into action. These cheat sheets include brief chapter synopses, suggested actions, and links to other helpful resources or apps. McIvor presents these topics in an open, witty style that renders the many issues women face as they age more relatable and uplifting. VERDICT A number of the skin care and makeup products recommended by here will be too expensive for some readers. However, this book also offers actionable advice and helpful tips on aging with grace and gratitude.--Erica Swenson Danowitz

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