The Best Of Pure Joy Wellness 2022

Can you believe that 2022 will be over in less than two weeks?! This year somehow crawled and flew by at the same time—did you feel that way too? There were moments when it felt like it would never end (by no coincidence, those moments were usually the tougher times) and ones that I wished could last forever (the days and nights spent with friends). Regardless of how your year was overall—amazing, awful, or, most likely, somewhere in between—I hope you’re able to take a step back and reflect on this year. I try to remind myself that every day is something to be grateful for, and that every year we live, we learn. 

As is tradition at PJW, this post will be our annual “Best Of” blog post, where we’ve assembled and curated our most-loved, most useful content into one article. Think of it as our greatest hits from 2022! If you’re new to the Pure Joy Wellness community, this is a great post for getting you up to speed on what we write about here, and even if you’re not new, this post is a stellar refresher. 

Also, it would mean the world to me if you shared this blog post with someone you think would be interested in the articles or products we mentioned! It’s a totally free way to support the women over 50 in your life, as well as the efforts of the Pure Joy Wellness team.

Now, let’s get into it. Here’s the Best of Pure Joy Wellness 2022. 

Every week for the past three years, I’ve written an article and published it here on the PJW blog. This year, we covered topics we’ve never breached before, from sexual wellness and the best foods for aging, to self-confidence, hair loss, and grief. These were our can’t-miss blog posts from 2022. 

1. 5 Ways To Maintain A Healthy Weight

We kicked off this year in the best way we know how: focused on eating for disease-prevention and longevity, not unsustainable, rapid weight loss. I doled out my five best recommendations for getting to your happiest, healthiest weight. If you haven’t found that weight yet, I recommend checking out this post. 

2. The 5 Best Vibrators For Women Over 50

This was one of the first posts we did this year about sexual wellness, and boy did we dive right in! I’m a firm believer in the idea that sexual wellness is part of overall wellness, and as women over 50, we should be part of the conversation. If you aren’t prioritizing your sexual pleasure, take this as a sign that you should and check out this post. (And if you feel so moved, add a vibrator to your cart. Pleasure is something we can, and should, give ourselves!)

3. My Top Book Picks For Summer 2022

I love to read all year round, but there’s something about the summer—the slower pace, the collective relaxed state of mind—that makes reading even more enjoyable. This was the first time I put together a book list, and I included five books I loved and nine that were on my list (for a total of 15). These aren’t just summer reads; if you’re looking for a new book, I’ve got you covered! 

4. Six Tips For Boosting Your Self-Confidence

We all struggle with confidence—it’s normal to some extent, but it’s something we can all stand to work on. The only way to live your fullest, happiest, healthiest life is to cultivate your self-confidence…it’s taken me decades to realize that. In this post, I shared six things I do to boost my self-confidence. This is a must-read for every woman, regardless of age—so share it far and wide!

5. 20 Benefits Of Walking For 30 Minutes A Day

It’s easy for me to say “walking is good for you,” but in this post, I spelled out 20 (yes, 20!) benefits you can reap by walking just 30 minutes a day. As many of you know, I host the Pure Joy Wellness Walking Challenge twice a year (spring and fall) where we walk 30 minutes a day for 30 days—and these benefits are why! If you're looking for another reason to get up and moving, give this post a read.

6. How My Diet Has Changed As I’ve Aged

As we age, our bodies change—our metabolisms tend to slow down, we lose muscle mass, and more. So if we want to remain healthy and prevent disease, our diets have to change our diets accordingly. In this post, I've outlined how exactly I've switched up my diet and how I eat now. If healthier eating is one of your goals for 2023, highly recommend this one.

7. How Worrying About Your Age Could Be Holding You Back

Aging can create a serious mental block for some women, and it makes sense! We're constantly bombarded with messaging that says getting older is a bad thing. In reality, that line of thinking only serves to cut us down and hold us back. If you're tired of not living your best life, and you feel like it's all in your head, I've got some advice for you!

8. Magnesium 101 - Why It's Important & How To Get It

The Standard American Diet (aka the SAD diet, oh the irony!) lacks nutrients in general, but especially magnesium. Unless you're making a conscious effort to eat magnesium-rich foods or take a supplement, chances are you aren't getting enough of it. Here's why you need it and the best ways to up your intake.

9. Antioxidants For Your Skin: The 411

We know antioxidants are good for the inside of our bodies…but what about the outside? Turns out antioxidants, like vitamin C and E, are amazing for your skin. This post gives you the 411 on using these ingredients to nourish your skin!

10. 3 Tips For Coping With Grief, From Patty Lennon

I know I'm not the only one who suffered painful losses this year. Grief is an extremely difficult emotion to cope with, especially in a healthy way. A dear friend of mine, Patty Lennon, spoke to me about grief, and this blog post was the result. An absolute must-read for all of us!

11. My Top Money Tips For Women Over 50

There's so much advice about money out there, but a lot of it is geared towards teens, twenty somethings…mainly people under 50, and mostly men. What about us? Get my top tips for money in this post! 

12. Your Hair—Before, During, and After Menopause

Hair loss is a super common result of menopause, and let's face it, it sucks. Fortunately there are ways you can address it, if it's something you don't like. I've laid out the options here!

13. My Top 10 Foods For Aging Well

This remains one of our most popular blog posts! There are certain foods out there that offer superior benefits for the body…and these are my top 10! For anyone who has ever thought "I want to eat healthier, but I don't know where to start"...here's where to start!

14. 7 Lessons I Learned This Year

I turned 66 this year, and honestly, it was a pretty emotional birthday. It felt like another major milestone, and it came on the heels of a hell of a year. From all the pain, joy, grief, and love I experienced this year came this blog post, with the seven big lessons I learned. This year totally changed my perspective on life, and I come back to this blog post when I need to snap out of a funk.

15. The PJW Holiday Gift Guide

Still have people on your list to shop for? Fear not, the PJW Holiday Gift Guide and our Amazon Storefront are here to save the day! Between the two of them, there’s something for everyone on your list!

Well…that's a wrap everyone! 2022 will soon be behind us, and ahead of us we have another beautiful, magnificent opportunity to live our lives to the absolute fullest. I can't wait to see what 2023 brings—for you, for me, and for the whole Pure Joy Wellness community. I know it will be amazing.

Happy New Year to all! See you in 2023.

Xo,

Renata