To think my body is rotting as I get older? (TMI)

[MrDarcysMa]

Sorry this is a bit gross. I was just thinking.... not that I'm planning to, but if I ever end up single, I'd be in trouble. Aside from the weight slowly creeping up which I'm ok with really .... everything else just feels a bit gross as I'm getting older !
-I fart more, get constipated more, body hair is spreading and more difficult to manage. I get dry crusty skin on my feet, morning breath is worse and takes a lot of flossing and hygienist visits to keep on top of (o swear it wasn't an issue 20 years ago ! My periods feel messier and (sorry) smellier and I have to shower more regularly during this week.

Has anybody else noticed this type of thing? AIBU to think my body is rotting ? (I'm almost 40) it's taking a lot more effort these days to keep on top of!

[Silvercatowner]

Seriously, you aren't 40 yet and you are feeling this? How will life be for you when you are 60/70 or (heaven forbid) 80?

The menopause sorts the yukky period stuff. Its a bit shit going through it but from the other side, I can confirm life is vastly improved.

And my life is hugely better for me for never, ever, having had an urge to immac my bum hole.

[justanotherneighinparadise]

@SchadenfreudePersonified

It’s what you’re eating OP. Honestly. I am always much more prone to all those things if my diet is high in sugar and processed foods. Directly I clean my diet up the morning breath disappears, you won’t be prone to so much plague, your constipation will go, the body hair is caused by the sugar increasing your androgens/hormones etc etc.

That's interesting about sugar and androgens - I've always been a hairy lady (and at 67 am furrier than ever) - but until comparatively recently I consumed a lot of sugar - very sweet tooth plus am a comfort eater. I cut my sugar right back when I developed a thyroid problem and found myself gaining a lot of weight.

I almost (ie within days) saw an immediate improvement in my skin (not only acne, which I still had in my 60's, but skin became softer and smoother). I got fewer headaches, fewer cold sores, fewer mouth ulcers, less prone to cystitis, and definite passed a lot less wind (I could have farted for England at one time!) and what I do produce is much less unpleasant. I don't get the stomach aches I used to get either and have more energy and am less prone to depression.

I could kick myself for not realising that I was causing all of my own problems with my umpteen-bars-of-chocolate-a-day habit. And now it seems that it could have been contributing to my being hirsute as well.

Bollox!

I've lost a lot of weight without even trying (not surprising) and am also have less trouble regarding my thyroid - I don't take they thyroxine any longer.

NB - ANYONE READING THIS DO NOT UNILATERALLY STOP TAKING ANY THYROID MEDS! SPEAK TO YOUR GP. (I still have low levels and am carefully monitored to ensure I am safe)

I still have the occasional biscuit or bar of chocolate, but not much - and I experience the effects (especially re: cystitis, mouth ulcers and cold sores) very quickly.

Refined sugar was described as "white death" by one scientist - and I can't believe how detrimental it has been to my own health. And it's in a lot of foods - even savoury ones.

I think possibly my body'd response may have been extreme, but I'd definitely recommend to anyone to cut down. One thing that has surprised me though. looking back - I've never even been pre-diabetic. If I had I'm sure one of the hundreds of blood tests I've had over the years would have picked it up. Bit strange that.

Strange, and very, very lucky!

I have one stray hair on my boob. When I’m eating sugar and refined carbs regularly it grows quickly. When I stop and eat clean it stops growing. I can literally see the effect sugar and refined carbs have on the hormones that regulate this stuff.

[vanillandhoney]

My parents are in their sixties and they're the healthiest they've ever been. They're certainly not "rotting" - they're healthy, happy, fit and have great lives. No health afflictions apart from very mild asthma for my mum.

I'm 31 and certainly hope I don't feel like you do in eight years! Have you been to the doctor to rule out any hormonal issues or imbalances?

[JinglingHellsBells]

I exercise a lot. It just seems to take soooo much more effort to look like I did 10 years ago!

Oh stop being daft :)

No one can expect to tumble out of bed and look as good as they did at 25 with zero effort.

Just get into a habit of doing your feet, nails, body hair, etc once a week- takes about an hour.

Get the constipation sorted because if that is a new thing it can increase the risk of bowel cancer long term- poo likes to come out regularly, not lurk around .

And stop moaning- biggest ager of all.

[Poetryinaction]

Well yes, we do deteriorate as we age. That's ageing. Sad, but natural.
If you want to look and feel fresh you need to be as close to newborn as possible.
I find I get more moles and blemishes, saggier and marked skin. Greying hair. Less fit. I think my nose it growing too.
I think your digestive problems are probably your diet though.

[cardibach]

have you read any of my posts? Of course I shower daily
@MrDarcysMa in your OP you wrote have to shower more regularly during this week. This definitely suggests you don’t shower daily normally, and possibly not even during your period week. It’s how I read it, so I suspect that’s how @JinglingHellsBells read it too.
What did you mean?

[TwentyViginti]

@SchadenfreudePersonified

It’s what you’re eating OP. Honestly. I am always much more prone to all those things if my diet is high in sugar and processed foods. Directly I clean my diet up the morning breath disappears, you won’t be prone to so much plague, your constipation will go, the body hair is caused by the sugar increasing your androgens/hormones etc etc.

That's interesting about sugar and androgens - I've always been a hairy lady (and at 67 am furrier than ever) - but until comparatively recently I consumed a lot of sugar - very sweet tooth plus am a comfort eater. I cut my sugar right back when I developed a thyroid problem and found myself gaining a lot of weight.

I almost (ie within days) saw an immediate improvement in my skin (not only acne, which I still had in my 60's, but skin became softer and smoother). I got fewer headaches, fewer cold sores, fewer mouth ulcers, less prone to cystitis, and definite passed a lot less wind (I could have farted for England at one time!) and what I do produce is much less unpleasant. I don't get the stomach aches I used to get either and have more energy and am less prone to depression.

I could kick myself for not realising that I was causing all of my own problems with my umpteen-bars-of-chocolate-a-day habit. And now it seems that it could have been contributing to my being hirsute as well.

Bollox!

I've lost a lot of weight without even trying (not surprising) and am also have less trouble regarding my thyroid - I don't take they thyroxine any longer.

NB - ANYONE READING THIS DO NOT UNILATERALLY STOP TAKING ANY THYROID MEDS! SPEAK TO YOUR GP. (I still have low levels and am carefully monitored to ensure I am safe)

I still have the occasional biscuit or bar of chocolate, but not much - and I experience the effects (especially re: cystitis, mouth ulcers and cold sores) very quickly.

Refined sugar was described as "white death" by one scientist - and I can't believe how detrimental it has been to my own health. And it's in a lot of foods - even savoury ones.

I think possibly my body'd response may have been extreme, but I'd definitely recommend to anyone to cut down. One thing that has surprised me though. looking back - I've never even been pre-diabetic. If I had I'm sure one of the hundreds of blood tests I've had over the years would have picked it up. Bit strange that.

Strange, and very, very lucky!

I'm 65 and have always been hairy too! also a sugar junkie.

I vaguely remember a book in the 70s about white sugar as a poison - John Yudkin?

[Wishimaywishimight]

@SerenDippitty, I think it's just that I way overplucked in my 20s & now they're grey/white! I have a great eyeshadow palette though so I colour them in pretty well.

[Fluffycloudland77]

You do need to use soap not shower gel as you get older.

I’ve bought a shampoo brush and my hairs so much cleaner now. I feel salon fresh.

[MrDarcysMa]

@cardibach ah ok my apologies. yes I shower daily but for example this week when I had my period I just felt a bit sweaty and whiffy (I use a moon cup of that matters) when I got home from a long day at work so I had a bath too after work x

[SerenDippitty]

If you stink 2 mins after getting out of the shower you need to proceed as follows:
Review your showering technique. Are you one of the weirdos on here who won’t use a flannel or shower puff and don’t actually wash anywhere but armpits because ‘the soap runs over everything else’.

I don’t use a flannel or puff but I do actually wash myself.

@Wishimaywishimight yes Pilates really is good. Wish I’d started it years ago. I have weak ankles and was prone to twisting them and falling over but am much better now.

[MrDarcysMa]

Yes @poetry I have more moles/ skin tags etc too.
My skin is fairly good because I exercise a lot and drink loads of water but I've also got a wary bump thing on my scalp that my doc said is fine/ natural/ part of ageing 😩

[MrDarcysMa]

Ok I'm going to switch to soap from shower gel! I've got some pears- would that work or does it have to be Unscented ?
There's probably a soap thread isn't there....

[Wishimaywishimight]

*I meant eyebrow palette not eyeshadow palette.

[FortunesFave]

if I ever end up single, I'd be in trouble

That's probably your main issue right there. Why would being single be such an issue?

I know loads of happily single women of all ages. One of my best friends is 52, single and very happy like that.

She's had lots of relationships, been married and divorced and since she hit 40 had a lot of dates but in her words "Men just start to irritate me after about a month..."

So she's decided that she doesn't need a man. Others with similar tales.

I'm 47 and married but if DH died or left me, I'd not bother dating again. Not interested. I'd be ok on my own.

[UnaCorda]

Are you one of the weirdos on here who won’t use a flannel or shower puff and don’t actually wash anywhere but armpits because ‘the soap runs over everything else’.

I discovered my ex was applying this principle and consequently not washing his feet in the shower. Gross.

[Temp123999]

I'm 50 and although I look really young (black skin no wrinkles) l can sympathise with the smelliness if I don't shower twice daily

[wildone84]

I'm late 30s but don't have any of those problems, apart from slightly heavier periods as I get older.

Are you overweight? Do you eat well?

[1forAll74]

Oh dear, that is an awful way to describe your body and health, and feeling that way about things,can make you depressed,and less likely to tackle your health problems. If you do not have any serious medical health problems, you can try and start anew,with a better diet and all the rest of the things that can improve everything.

[wildone84]

If I don't shower once daily I feel a bit gross though.

[Dinosforall]

Blimey, I thought you were old enough to be my mum...you're only two years older than me. Ok I don't look 21 any more but nothing's fallen off yet.

[DullDullWeather]

55 and have no such issues
Ok I have no more periods so that is out but I have less body hair, not more (one of the big plus points, to me, was the sudden loss of all leg hair. Not had to wax legs in years). Not sure re breath but had no complaints . I do have aches and pains though, this must be said, but managable right now .

[nettie434]

@justanotherneighinparadise

Laughing at the plague typo, rather than plaque smile

Sorry 🤭

Our bodies just aren’t as good as detoxifying as we age. We are less efficient, hence the importance of making sure we feed ourselves correctly.

Justanotherneighinparadise I should have added that what you and others have said about sugar is interesting. I find it easy to 'forget' about hidden sugar in alcohol etc.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I wonder is odorous menstrual blood is significant?.

Any soap is fine, we use Waitrose own brand as it’s cruelty free.

Tbh ageing is playing whack a mole.

[Gogogadgetarms]

I now make the ‘omph’ noise when I sit down. The noise I used to take the piss out of my parents for making. Sitting down feels good.