Tangled Silver Magazine - Embrace 2022 Feb|Mar|Apr

EMBRACE You. CELEBRATE Her. BE Inspired.

W ELCOME t o Tangled Silver Magazine

A Magazine BY and FOR Silver SIsters Around the Globe!

TangledSilver.magazine.com

WINTER 2022

Tangled SILVER Magazine Founder & Edit or Robin Salls robin@tangledsilvermag.com Cont ent Assist ant david@tangledsilvermag.com Copy Edit or David Salls Beaut y Edit or & Phot ographer Tina Pirozzoli tina@tangledsilvermag.com Cont ribut ing W rit ers Tina @grye.grace.andgrit Mel @silver_styling Joanne @jobo_silver-linings Katie @katiegoesplatinum Joli @quicksilverhair Leah @leahrachel66 Stevie @silverilocks Lisa @katz9132 Jineen @jineenmariesilvery Jill @jillkirshcolor Mina @breakingdailybreadwithmina Jill @jillyjaeger Helen @doc_femme_vitale Julie @thefiftyist Layout Designer Robin Salls

TS Magazine is published quarterly featuring articles on embracing the silver lifestyle.

All annual subscriptions in print, digital or print/digital are for four issues. (February, May, August and November) Single Print issues are available for $15.99 USA Single Digital issues are available for $6.99 USA One year/four issues print -$49 USA One year/four issues digital -$20 USA & Countries where available One year/four issues print - $58 Canada One year/four issues print - $66 International Airmail to select countries.

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HOW TO CONTACT US Tangled SIlver Magazine | Girls Gone Grape, Inc. PO Box 503, Johnstown, CO 80534 Phone: 970-880-1636 tangledsilvermagazine.com SUBMISSIONS | iNQUIRIES | ADVERTISING Please see the submission guidelines on our website at tangledsilvermagazine.com, or write to the editor at the address above or email sales@tangledsilvermag.com

Tangled Silver Magazine - ISSN (Print ) 2768-4407, (Online) 2768-4415 . W int er 2022. Print ed in USA. Tangled Silver is published quart erly (4x per year) February, May, August , November by Girls Gone Grape, Inc. Tangled Silver Magazine. All right s reserved. Reproduct ion of any cont ent or art work is prohibit ed in any print or elect ronic form wit hout prior writ t en permission by t he publisher.

Photography by Tina Pirozzoli

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Not e Fr om Robin Dear Silver Beauties, I write to you with a heart full of gratitude for each and everyone of you. I never could have imagined three years ago where ditching the dye would lead me. A simple color choice has changed my life immeasurably and brought forth amazing connections and inspiration that I hope you'll find just as inspiring .

We're starting this year with the addition of French and Spanish versions of our digital magazine to align with our goal of being a magazine by and for Silver Sisters around the globe. It's a bit scary stepping outside the comfort zone, but exhilarating at the same time. We're also adding new voices filled with silver wisdom to speak to this beautiful community ranging from topics on beauty, health, wellness, food, fashion, mid-life, married , single or divorced life and anything else that hits our spirits. Embracing our silvers is like Diana Prince embracing her Wonder Woman. It's a beautiful new adventure that leads us to where ever we let ourselves go!

Speaking of new voices, bare with me... I'm going to declare right now that we've got the best SHE-PACK of sisters and we're only getting started! Join us on our weekly She-Pack lives on Instagram @tangledsilvermagazine where you get to know us beyond these pages. We're real women with real experiences from around the globe. Some experiences have us laughing, while others have left us crying, but that what makes life so full. Our weekly lives are a chance to share a bit and connect with you. And, for those wondering why I'm calling our team the She-Pack, I've got a crush on wolves and their relationships within their packs. If you look closer, they teach us lessons on family, loyalty, teamwork, protection, playfulness, instincts, endurance, curiosity and freedom. They form deep relationships with their pack members and they put the pack first, above their own interests. Members all have a role within the pack based on their gifts and they protect each other, wanting the pack to thrive as a whole. Sound familiar? Personally, I believe the Silver Sister community is about uplifitng each other and celebrating as we thrive in today's society while stomping out the notion that gray is old and boring.

Silver for the win,

Robin Robin Salls | Founder & Publisher | robin@tangledsilvermag.com WINTER 2022

TangledSilvermagazine.com

The Big It ch Writer

Tangledsilvermagazine.com

Helen Sange

EMBRACE | You 13

O

ccasional vulvar and vaginal discomfort is something most women experience at least once in their lives as it covers 10% of all gynecological consultations. Women during hormonal transition phases tend to have more problems than others.

Unfortunately vulvar/vaginal itching and burning is often associated with infections. Therefore women are often hesitant to address the situation and prefer to self-therapy with over-the-counter medication. Unfortunately even when medical professionals are consulted, it can lead to a spiral of antifungal and antibiotic treatments.

But are genital infections the only reason for vulvar & vaginal discomfort? The answer is: No. As women hit perimenopausal age the levels of estrogen start to decrease and this can not only lead to hot flushes, etc. but also to frail and dry genital tissue - which is prone to discomfort and infections.

This situation can also occur during longer periods of breastfeeding, long- term contraception with progestogen or after chemo / radiotherapy affecting the ovary function or anti-hormonal treatments.

The key to improvement is estrogen. The chain of cause and effect ? simplified is the following: Estrogen promotes plump and hydrated tissue. And the glycogen from the exfoliated vaginal cells encourages the growth of Lactobacilli (good bacteria) which keeps the vaginal pH in an acidic range. Meaning the pathological bacteria (bad bacteria) cannot thrive. Many menopausal women suffer from reocurring vaginal infections due to a lack of good bacteria and not because of bad hygiene.

Nothing to be ashamed of, dear ladies!

Dry and t hin t issue is prone t o an it ching , burning sensat ion and can even t ear or bleed. As well as cause pain during sexual intercourse. Further a lack

of estrogen can also be the reason for mild incontinence or recurrent urinary tract infections.

As estrogen plays such a great role it seems logical to substitute estrogen as ? figuratively speaking - it kills two birds with one stone. Sometimes it is enough to apply estrogen vaginally. In other cases, if other (peri)menopausal symptoms exist , a systemic application makes more sense.

Further a good vulvar skin care regime is necessary: water is more than enough as harsh soaps can dry the sensitive vulvar skin. Fatty , fragrance-free cremes improve dryness and water-based lubricants can help during sexual intercourse. Cotton undies instead of synthetic garments can also be helpful.

Certain tumors or cardiovascular diseases can be contraindications for estrogen and need to be discussed during a personal consultation with a medical health professional of your choice.

Reduced estrogen levels can also trigger a condition named ?Lichen sclerosus?, which often surfaces in postmenopausal women. Children, younger women - and even men - can be affected. The ultimate cause is still not clear, but hormonal changes, trauma, an overactive immune system may play a role.

Typical for this skin disorder is redness, frail, smooth white-ish skin in the sign of an?8?around the vulva and anus. If left untreated it can not only cause a shrinking of the smaller labia and vaginal entrance it can also cause the inner labia to stick together and cover the clitoris, urethra or even the vaginal entrance. And most importantly 5% develop vulvar cancer. The treatment is a topical cortisones and fatty, fragrance-free creams. Further an annual vulvoscopy is recommended, to check for possible cancerous growths. A colposcope is used for this examination which resembles a microscope , often attached to the gynecological chair. The doctor can look at the vulva,vagina and cervix closely with or without the help of acetic acid. Sometimes a punch WINTER 2022

without the help of acetic acid. Sometimes a punch biopsy needs to be performed to confirm the diagnosis or to rule out (pre)cancerous conditions.

Did you know that any chronic itching/bleeding/soreness that is medically treated and does not improve needs to be checked for signs of (pre)cancerous growths?

I have already mentioned Lichen sclerosus and the

risk of developing vulvar cancer, which tends to affect older women. But throughout the last 20 years we have witnessed an increase of HPV related precancerous conditions (VIN) and vulvar cancer, especially in younger women.

So ? summarized - any chronic discomfort needs to be followed up on, as vulvar cancer is a sneaky tumor and can appear in multiple forms: from itching patch, TangledSilverMagazine.com

to raised bump, to ulcer.

This was written to empower you and not to scare you! Thankfully vulvar cancer is more of a rare gynecological tumor but still needs more attention and awareness.

As a sex therapist I would like to address one more reason for vulvar discomfort : Vulvodynia.

Something which along with vaginismus (strong pelvic floor cramp making vaginal penetration impossible)- is one of my main focuses of interest. Vulvodynia is defined as genital pain be it occasional or constant ? localized in one area or generalized.

The cause of vulvodynia is still not entirely clear.

Women with vulvodynia often have a history of consulting many doctors, receiving a lot of medication with no improvement of their situation. 20% of all chronic pain patients have a history of trauma (sexual assault, medical procedures, births, etc.).

In these cases medical treatments treating physical conditions do not help much. But often a multimodal therapy does - including sex therapy, physiotherapy and if needed short-term pain medication. As you can see vulvar/vaginal discomfort does not necessarily mean a lack of hygiene. Vulvar discomfort can be a symptom of many different issues and I encourage you to talk to your attending gynecologist about it.

Yours , Helen

EMBRACE | You 15 MEET THE W RITER Helen Sange is a German board certified and British board registered consultant for OB/GYN and sex therapist from Berlin, Germany. She recently opened her own practice and specializes in chronic pain (vaginismus, vulvodynia),gynaecological endocrinology (hormones) , dysplasia (precancerous growths) and sexual dysfunctions.

Helen started her transition to grey hair back in 2017 and many silver sisters already know her alter ego: Ondine Rumer. She has empowered ot hers t o embrace t he grey wit h her creat ivit y and challenging t hought s. If you would t o learn more about female healt h, please free t o follow Helen @doc_femme_vit ale on Inst agram

W hy did you choose t o go grey, Helen?

I was 14 years old, when I was rudely exposed by my classmates due to a few silver strands . By the age of 16 I started dyeing my hair due to the stark contrast to my dark hair and wanting to fit in with the normal teenagers. With increased hair-dye frequency the allergic reactions intensified. As a young qualified doctor I had easy access to anti-allergic medication and prepped with antihistamine and later with cortisone tablets before each hair-dye application. I then switched to Henna and at the age of 34 I reached a turning point. I had just left a toxic working environment I decided to embrace ME? And I have not looked back.

W hat has going grey t aught you?

A few may remember my post back in 2020 where I state that my hair growth has accelerated my inner growth. Embracing all aspects of my character and physical flaws has given back the innate and natural ability to self-love. Something every young child is equipped with, but often gets lost on the way due to cruel standards set by society. I went from hiding my grey hair to flaunting it. From feeling insecure to appearing on television. This is an inner transformation that not only I have experienced. I love watching my fellow silver gals bloom and reach for the stars.

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W hy would you like t o cont ribut e t o Tangled Silver Magazine?

I love my job as an OB/GYN/sex therapist and would like to share my expertise. My truest talent is that I accept people for who they are and believe that anybody can understand medical issues - you just have to ?see?the patient and make the effort . So, that is why I happily accepted Robin?s kind invitation to contribute to the magazine.

Be sure to follow Helen on Instagram @doc_femme_vitale and join the journey with us as she brings insight and information to women's health issues that aren't always easy to discuss.

Tangled Silver Magazine is thrilled to have her as part of The She-Pack!

Personal Photos: Stefanie Tenner with @mon_couer_sauvage_wedding

TangledSilverMagazine.com

EMBRACE | You 17

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?The moment in bet ween what you once were, and who you are now becoming, is where t he dance of life really t akes place.?

Every season is here for a reason ? we can look back fondly and look forward with hope but it?s so important to dance NOW because that?s where we can hear the music for real.

TangledSIlverMagazine.com

EMBRACE | You 19

I don?t know about you but I?m in a season that?s highlighted so many changes ? in mind, body, skin, spirit and lifestyle. Are you seeing those laughter lines and hoping there will be more laughs making even more lines or do you wish you could smooth them away? What about the ?wisdom wrinkles?as I like to call them? I?ve said it before - you will never hear me being ANTI anything. Stay positive and curious about health, habits, ageing ? the more we know the more we grow and the only constant is change. Who?s ready for the ride?

Right here right now though, I am having conversations DAILY with friends, Instamates, Facebook friends and WINTER 2022

even strangers in queues and cafes about this transition time known as menopause? It?s important you know I?m only an expert in my own experience and as we are all different we all need to seek our own best path but here are some thoughts on this season?

So. Meno? pause. Have you ever wondered what exactly we are pausing? ?! The past few months (years?!) have been quite a challenge but this is what seems to be helping ? It's all part of my journey with silver hair, healthy ageing, acceptance and looking forward with faith that the best is yet to come ? even if it feels like hard work getting there! (please say it?s not just me!) We are juggling so many balls with family, careers, life - and if you aren't coping well with life, chances are there may also be women YOU know who could also do with some extra support.

TangledSilverMagazine.com

Helping you grow a sustainable life - being YOU .

I work with wholehearted women who dare to dream the best is yet to come... and together we make Midlife and beyond the best time of our lives ... pop me a message, I?d love to say hello!

EMBRACE | You 21 Here are a few M E N O things that seem to be working to keep a balance and stay positive in the present...

M - Move Well - you don?t need to run a marathon or be in the gym every day but keep moving, mix it up with flexibility, strength & core work and find something you love so you keep doing it.

Make Up ? I wear makeup for ME, whether I?m showing up online or #inreallife. Are you also noticing that these days often less is more? Moisturised skin with bakuchiol for a healthy glow, a light tinted base with SPF every day for protection plus some colour in my cheeks and lips (more of a difference maker since having silver hair), mascara and defined brows can take just 5 minutes but makes me feel good!

E - Eat Well - we really are impacted by what we eat. Keep your gut happy with a variety of healthy whole foods (cook FRESH) and a good prebiotic. The gut is our second brain & our immune system mostly lives there ... and stay hydrated! Our skin LOVES a drink!

N - Nurt ure Yourself - the above are part of this but especially at Night ... treat yourself to a nourishing skincare routine, cleanse well, use a good night cream and prioritise good sleep (yes, it?s easier said than done). Switch off the screens with their distracting blue light at least an hour before bed (I?m terrible for just checking in with the #silversisters late at night but the truth is, we?ll still be there for each other in the morning!)

How often do you take time for just you? It?s OK to say NO ? you can do anything but you can?t do everything! Sometimes we have to let the NO Go so we are able to Bless the YES! We can find renewal in different ways ? stillness, solitude and silence. Maybe a combination of two such as a silent, solo walk in nature or a still time with music. We can resist embracing all three at the same time (ever find you mind wandering or feet jiggling?), so make time to take time out with the intention to boost your feel good factor, it works even in short bursts.

O - Oest rogen OK so that?s just a part of the HRT picture but talk to your GP, do the research & be open. I spent a lot of time trying holistic treatments as I didn?t want to be on ?medication?until I realised HRT really was naturally replacing the hormones my body needs to function well ? find what works for you and give it time, it?s likely your body has spent around half a century getting to this place so treat her with kindness as she adapts. And YES my body is ?she?not ?it?? notice the difference this change in language makes to your attitude.

Thanks here go to @jenhatmaker and @hillaryliannamcbride Let?s keep talking - menopause is something 51% of the population goes through 100% of the time so it?s brilliant that more of us are sharing about it!! This is the HOTTEST (get it?!) topic of conversation with my friends at the mo... we ARE the new HOTNESS! I?m learning every day too? What are your top tips, what?s helping you through this?! Let?s keep this conversation going in this fabulous Tangled Silver community. Stop pausing and let?s embrace this new chapter together! xoxo

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WRITER

KatieEmery

TangledSilverMagazine.com

EM BRACE | You

23

In my lat e 40s, aft er decades of dyeing my hair, I brought up t he idea of dit ching t he dye and going gray wit h my st ylist . She was young and hip and known around town as an expert colorist. She seemed pretty cool and open-minded, so I figured she?d be open to my idea about going gray.

Boy, was I wrong. When I broached the subject of going gray, she rolled her eyes. ?You?ll look old,?she snapped.

I insisted that I didn?t mind and that I wanted to leave one long section of hair (that framed my face) undyed. A friend had done this, and it looked great. It also made her eventual transition to gray easier.

I explained this to my stylist, made it clear that this was what I wanted, and figured that was the end of the discussion.

But it wasn?t. She made it pretty obvious that she was displeased with my decision by sighing heavily throughout the procedure.

And she, who had always been so careful, made a very sloppy job of coloring my hair while leaving that one strip undyed. She barely spoke to me for the rest of the visit.

And what did I do?

Instead of complaining, finding a new hairdresser, or standing up for myself, I paid and left.

And the next month, I went back to her salon again and colored my hair? and I kept doing so for another year or so.

Like an idiot!

I?m usually a pretty self-confident person with good boundaries. But I let her extreme reaction provoke me into continuing coloring against my wishes.

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By age 50, I knew I?d had enough.

to go gray.

I made the decision to finally ditch the dye, and I knew that meant I had to find a hairdresser who wouldn?t make me feel unsupported or judged for going gray.

Or you can say ?screw it?and start looking for a stylist who doesn?t need to be cajoled to support you through your gray hair transition.

Luckily, I was able to find an Aveda salon in my area, and I?d read that they were known to be gray-friendly. My new stylist not only supports my gray hair transition, but she also encourages it! She makes me feel beautiful while I?m in her chair.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I don?t want you to make the same mistake! You are a paying customer, and when you are sitting in that chair, you are in a very vulnerable position.

The last thing you need is to pay someone to make you feel bad about yourself! Find a stylist who will support you. It will make all the difference.

HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR CURRENT STYLIST IS ANTI-GRAY Before you go looking for a new stylist, broach the subject of going gray with your current stylist. You might be lucky and get a very positive and supportive reaction.

Yay! You can stick with your current stylist.

A supportive hairstylist will make sure you always look amazing, no matter what color your hair is.

But what if your stylist reacts to your desire to go gray with horror and/or disgust?

You can try to change her/his mind if you feel up to it. You can explain all the reasons you want to go gray, and explain which method you want to use TangledSilverMagazine.com

One who finds the prospect of gray hair exciting would be ideal!

Ideally, you will let your old stylist know why you are leaving. I know not all of us like confrontation, but if enough women speak up, maybe these anti-gray stylists will start to think twice.

HOW TO FIND A SUPPORTIVE STYLIST FOR YOUR GRAY HAIR TRANSITION The first thing you should do is check out my list of gray-friendly salons at kat iegoesplat inum.com (If you already have a supportive salon, make sure to contact me so I can add them!)

Don't see a gray-friendly salon near you? If you live in America, Aveda salons are known to be gray-friendly.

Try them first!

If that doesn't work, it's time to go the social route: Ask friends and family with gray hair for salon recommendations.

Do you belong to a Facebook gray hair support group? If you do, make a post and ask the other members if they know of a salon in your area.

QUESTIONS TO ASK A NEW STYLIST FOR YOUR GRAY HAIR To avoid any potential awkwardness, before your first visit to a new salon, call ahead and tell the receptionist point blank, ?I?m going gray. Does this

Photography by Allison Jonez Hair

salon support gray hair??I did this when I booked my new Aveda salon, and the receptionist enthusiastically asserted that they were very supportive.

Have you decided to go gray cold turkey or do you want to use salon methods to go gray? Ask your stylist how she will support you with each method. Some stylists are anti-cold turkey, but going gray with salon methods isn?t for everyone, so you need a stylist who will support you whichever met hod you choose. Remember, you are the customer. You need a stylist who understands your needs and is willing to meet them. Once you?ve made the decision to go gray and found a supportive stylist, you

are all set for a wonderful transition to naturally silver hair. The sky?s the limit!

Gray Hair Blogger who went cold turkey! katiegoesplatinum.com Silver since 2018

THE SILVER DIARY WRITER Jillian Jaeger

Single & Silver

The doorbell rang and I froze. Sitting up straight in my vanity chair, I took one last look in the mirror studying the 1?of silver rootsI disguised with strategically placed bobby pins. I took a deep breath. To my keen eye, there wasno disguising the fresh silver growth. Am I really doing this?

I washeaded out with a new suitor and my hair isgoing gray. At thispoint in my journey, I wasunsure of myself and my decision to go dye free cold turkey. Unsure of my commitment level to the process. Nervousabout being a single woman and growing my hair natural. Will he think I am ?letting myself go''?In a sense I certainly was letting myself go. But not in the way a large majority of society stereotypesa dye free woman. My hair at thispoint had a strong resemblance to the colorsof Neapolitan ice cream.

The new silver being the vanilla, the outgrowth of highlights the strawberry and the deep dyed brunette color being the chocolate. The thoughtsof the Clairol commercial raced through my mind where Eva Longoria quickly and conveniently spraysher rootsbefore taking a selfie to send to a man. I almost caved to color. I had a root cover up kit still available in the closet I had to passon my way to answer the door. The debate within myself wasraging. With one more deep breath, I passed the hall closet and headed to the door to greet my suitor.

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Previous to this moment, my hair had been professionally colored prior to any date with a man.

Previous to this moment, I was mortified if I saw one silver strand in the mirror. I would have begged my hairdresser to get in earlier if a date had preceded my next color appointment. This moment was a monumental first and very unfamiliar territory. Would he say anything if he noticed? How could he not notice?

EM BRACE | You

My hair was in total three distinctly different colors. I literally thought this date might end before it began. I figured a pair of tight jeans might distract him from looking too much at my hair. They are simple creatures really. Very primal in their needs. From the time he picked me up for our first official date, I had two more months of dye free growth. Most certainly a different look from our initial meeting. I was entering the single

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dating scene with silver roots. My strategy was to not discuss my bold choice of hair color with this new man and carry on with my camouflage updo covering as much as possible while still looking presentable. The evening?s conversation flowed as easily as the dessert wine the waiter was pouring. With a clink of our glass and a final toast, the distinguished gentleman confessed, he almost did not approach me to ask for my phone BodyWINTER 2022

number. ?Why?I asked. He explained he thought I might have been too young. He figured me for thirties. I paused and glanced away, forgetting to take a sip from his toast.

The feelings were not of flattery for the comment. I almost felt robbed. Robbed of my actual age. Could this hair coloring now be backfiring? How can hiding my natural hair color to appear younger in age benefit me in the dating world? I am a woman with experiences that can only come with time spent on Earth. I have a glorious amount of life lessons which translates into interesting conversations. I have stories to share. The silver was starting to make sense. As I was savoring the sweet caramel sauce of the last course, I knew it would be fine to set myself apart from others in the dating pool and not try to blend in or appear younger than I am.

What an interesting man this natural hair will attract! He will know without one spoken word I bring life wisdom and knowledge to the relationship. I left the table confident in my choice to continue with my silver journey.

I felt validated in my pursuit for natural hair as a divorcee seeking to attract a male partner.

I never did discuss my hair over dinner or volunteer any information on my personal choice to go natural. And he never asked. It was really no one?s business at this point. A journey I kept close to heart at this time. I didn?t want to confess too much to many because I was sure of how far it would go.

Phot ography by St eve Bit her

I felt proud to be embarking on this journey under the watchful eye of the universe. It was between the two of us. At this moment, I found solace in embarking on this personal journey single.

Follow her on Instagram @jillyjaeger TangledSIlverMagazine.com

EM BRACE | You

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MEET THE WRITER Jillian Jaeger | 48 | Sales Professional in the Interior Design Industry - self described Mid Century Modern Architecture with Traditional Interiors | Spent 20"s & 30's living/working in Los Angeles. She loves fashion, photography and travel | Silver Sparkler since 2021 | Method to silver - cold turkey

Hello Beauties!

When I embarked on the journey of going natural, I relied heavily on the silver community who had gone before me. I was thirsty for their stories. I learned what worked and what didn?t work from other strong silver sisters. This brought me to Tangled Silver Magazine. I was hooked. What an incredible forum for woman to share. My decision ended up being cold turkey.

My family was less than encouraging of me going silver as a single woman in pursuit of lasting love.

Many saw it as an unnecessary obstacle I was creating for myself.

I?m successfully navigating the graying processes in both the dating arena and the business world. I feel I have a unique story to share. I hope to bring to the community lighthearted insight on going natural in the dating arena. Busting open stereo types has given me a fresh perspective on men & relationships. You will be surprised.

I also was inspired by the women who changed their hair and didn?t want to stop there. I plan on offering approachable fashion ideas to the community. Living in Hollywood for two decades and working both in Movies and Modeling, I have developed an eye for fashion. With the transition, a fresh look is also being craved. I can help!

As unique as each of our hair color, is our own individual story of the transition. I would love to inspire others to live authentically and give back to the community that helped me so very much in my own journey!

Xoxo JJ WINTER 2022

TangledSilverMagazine.com

EM BRACE | You

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WINTER 2022

Declar e Your

#I AM SILVER BEAUTY TangledSIlverMagazine.com

EM BRACE | You

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Beaut y Now

Soul happinesscomes easily once YOU believe you are beautiful! And, SIlver Sisters, you are sillver beauty!

Robin Salls, Founder

#iam silver beau t y WINTER 2022

THE

5

St ages of SILVER

Wr it er JulieKneafsey

EM BRACE | You

35

It?s the start of the year and you?re inspired ? I can tell. You?re itching to ditch your hair dye and start a full grow-out to silver.

I started mine in August, 2018. It took me just over two years and I have to say, I?m totally in love with the results. It?s not, however, a walk in the park.

Transitioning to a whole new look requires you to rebuild your relationship with yourself, and to achieve this you must go through the stages.

So, here are my Five St ages of Silver, sharing what t wo years of t ransit ion really feels like?

Stage 1. The Honeymoon Phase

Meet Julie in our "Celebration Section" as she's a spotlight silver this quarter & joining the She-Pack!

You?re totally in love with the idea of transitioning without having been through any of it yet. It?s like those wild days at the start of a new relationship when your emotions are rampaging.

You have that twitchy, anticipatory, elastic-band-about-to-twang feeling because you?ve made the huge decision to stop dyeing but haven?t yet reached the point where enough silver has appeared to signify a transition. You are delusional, have no understanding as to how long this will take (I thought mine would be completed in less than a year) and are totally infatuated with your brave decision ? nothing will stop you!

This is a tense and dreamy time ? what will your silver be like, you wonder. It could be salt and pepper, gunmetal grey, silvery white or a combination of all three. Sometimes it?s a complete surprise to see what you?ve been hiding from the world all these years, but any day now you?ll find out what?s been happening beneath that last hair colour. You imagine your beautiful silver hair, and how you?ll look at the end and this is what will spur you on ? you just know you?ve met your perfect match. It?s simultaneously the most exciting and terrifying moment ? you?re about to let go!

Stage 2. Cultivating Your Inner Rebel

Eek! Is this really happening? Once your silver peeks through, your relationship with your hair changes. You see the difference between what you expected and what?s coming through and this can seed some doubt. It?s not just a dream now, these are real grey hairs, and they are really showing and

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other people are noticing.

The brain games start: ?What will everyone think???Will I look old???Will people stare??

These torturous but completely normal fears arise daily, in fact, just about every time you look in the mirror or see yourself in a shop window. These aren?t ones you can answer either ? there?s too much conflict. Your self-esteem is veering wildly between ?I?m doing something amazing ? screw society?s ideals ? girl power!?, and ?OMG what am I doing ? am I mad?? I look like my granny?and you have to fight yourself to stop reaching for the packet of dye. You alternate between moments of genuine ego-destroying horror at what you are doing, and times when you are so proud of yourself it fills you from your heart to your boots.

From others you hear (sometimes bluntly): ?What are you doing with your hair???It?ll age you?, ?Why don?t you just dye it??and the classic: ?You?ll look 10 years older? (don?t you just love that one?). I?d suggest most women who step on the silver staircase hear these. I was luckier than some because my family loved the idea, but (as I?ve realised from Instagram messages) some families and friends can be less supportive. You may also feel grief at the loss of the colour you?ve been used to for [insert number] years and miss it greatly. This is to be expected. Letting go of the image you presented to the world hurts.

So now is when you must be strong and care for yourself. It?s when your mettle is challenged the most, and let me tell you, the key to it all is confidence ? even when you feel like crying. Are you going to hold your position, look people (and yourself) in the eye and tell them ?No, I?m growing out my natural hair colour?or will you be too embarrassed?It?s difficult to take a strong stance, but my goodness, if you do! That?swhen you grow, that?swhen everything changes. The pretence, the mask, the shield comes down and you start to own your decision for the first time. You?re creating a new you and learning to accept her.

Despite the doubt, at times you?ll love the feeling that you are doing something avant-garde, and anti-societal.

TangledSilverMagazine.com

Some days you?ll be motivated, others you?ll cry into your porridge. Without realising it, you are cultivating your inner rebel.

Stage 3. Disenchantment Now starts the long winter of discontent: the months when you feel like your hair is growing inwards. You know the watched kettle?

The one that never boils?

Well, it?s the same with silvers. You scrutinise the transition line against your ear almost hourly for signs of growth and it?s torture. You focus on all negatives. Your relationship with your silver hair becomes strained from the boredom. You are severely in danger of falling out of love with the whole idea. The honeymoon enchantment is most definitely over!

Dull days, wearisome weeks, snail-like months go by while you watch that line creep oh-so-slowly lower. It?s mentally painful. Your hair isn?t long enough to feel properly silver. You feel drab, scruffy and old one day and a vibrant, glowing warrior fighting for your right to be openly grey the next. You?re neither one thing nor the other; you?re in the Twilight Zone ? the No Woman?s Land of Hair Colour.

So, what can you do to bring back a little of the magic?

Well, here?s where accessories come in. You get to play.

Put it up, wear a hat, add a scarf, clips, bandana, anything to distract the eye from the line between sparkles and dull dry dyed ends. Stay confident. Make it as fun as you can and hold firm ? there?s no easy way through; you?re in the doldrums, the still Sargasso Sea of hair growing.

If you aren?t an Instagram Silver Sister by this time, now is when you most need the support of others going through the same experience because this is when you?re most likely to give up. Grab your phone, join Instagram and search #silversisters where you?ll get help. Silver Sisters are like Glenda the Good Witch ? showing you the way and encouraging you while knowing you already have it within.

EM BRACE | You Stage 4. Confidence Calls Over halfway. This is a great part ? the end is in sight, the ribbon is across the gate and the crowd is waiting to cheer, even if it?s only in your head.

If you?ve got this far, you are amazing because that last stage really takes its toll. You?ve withstood the looks, questions, eye rolls, your self-esteem dropping through the floor, having no clue what to wear to go with the two-tone collage on your head and more, but you feel good. You?ve let go of the idea that youthfulness or beauty can only be seen in women who dye their hair (what a relief that is), and you do an inward celebratory silver goddess dance because, for sure, you are one!

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the back of. You feel such closure it?s remarkable, and even, possibly, a little sad. You?ve been waiting for this moment for two years and I can tell you, it?s absolutely worth the wait. You walk out of the salon, swish those silver locks with joy and revel in your sense of freedom. Congratulations! You?ve done it ? you see things differently now. The constraints are broken ? you can breathe and be you.

Every silver sister will tell you that this journey is life changing, and they are right. The long silver hair I grew over two years is a joy ? a permanent pro-age reminder of my break with societal expectations. I?m different, but ?great?different. It?s changed more than my hair colour, it?s changed my life and I?m sure it will change yours.

So, there you have it ? The Stages of Silver ? not a quest for the faint hearted. If you are just starting or are currently at any of the stages, I implore you to stay strong. I encourage you with all my heart to keep going and to nurture your inner silver goddess ? she?s in there! Historically, this road has been one less travelled, but it?s such a worthy one.

Here?s to silver!

You meet your new confident you. She?s been whispering in your ear for the past difficult months, and now she?s shouting how much she loves you.

You joyfully try out different clothes and colours, make up and accessories because you have a new blank canvas to work with. You choose colours that haven?t suited you for years, and it feels brilliant.

You take advantage of a new beginning. You can almost taste the end?

Stage 5. Silver Love and Freedom It?s the day.

That final trim, when the remnants of your former self hit the floor with the tired dry, weary old ends you?re glad to see

Julie is an eternal optimist, silver advocate, kitchen-dancer, ex-literacy teacher and a twice over breast cancer survivor who is keen to defy age-related expectations. She is excited to write about health and fitness, ethical beauty and fashion, menopause issues after cancer and having a blast in your later years and beyond!See more on her blog launching early 2022.

Silver since 2018.

WINTER 2022

Do you pr efer blow dr ying or air dr ying your silver s?

I haven't used any heat of any t ype since going silver 5 years ago.

Lisa R. I've t ried bot h ways, but air drying leaves me pret t y frizzy, so I t ypically blow dry my hair.

Leslie P. AIr dry hands down because I live in a dry st at e as is, so don't want t o add t he drying effect of blow drying.

Neena L. I use bot h depending on if I'm going somewhere or just hanging around t he house. W hen I blow dry I use a heat prot ect ant by Lange t o help limit damage.

Kerry S. I can't remember t he last t ime I blow dried my hair!

Gina M. My curls prefer blow drying wit h product and a diffuser. Somet hing I learned following Mindy Gale on inst agram.

Robyn R.

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EM BRACE | You

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THOUGHTS...

Always blow dry as I can't st and wait ing on my hair t o dry.

Tina G. Depends on my mood. I like t hat I have some nat ural waves happening in my salt & pepper when I air dry t hat I never use t o have. W hy does are hair come in wavy?

That 's a quest ion I'd love t o get an answer for here.

Mary M. I blow dry, but keep t he heat on a lower set t ing because someone t old me higher heat is more damaging.

Trina B. I'm only like 2" in at t his point , but does it really mat t er which way I dry my hair?

Just asking for newbies like me?

Tess G. In t he beginning I didn't t hink much about how I dried my hair because I've always done a lit t le of bot h. The past couple years of doing "silver" research have really opened my eyes t o t he difference heat t ools and product s can make in our silver journey. The key is finding what works best for your hair t ype. Just as our shades are different , so are our hair needs. I prefer a blow out most days, but I also only wash and dry my hair 4 t o 5 t imes a mont h, so t he heat doesn't cause t oo much damage wit h t he limit ed amount of heat .

Robin Salls, Founder

WINTER 2022

SilverFit RESOLUTIONS Writer Leah Rachel Friedman

TangledSilverMagazine.com

EM BRACE | You

After two years of upheaval it?s time for a reset! Reset your goals!

Reset your connections! Reset your priorities! Beginning with this winter?s 2022 issue, it is my plan to educate all of you as to how to maintain your health and fitness throughout the year.

All the core elements such as: cardio, strength, flexibility and how to balance fitness and life as menopause approaches and beyond.

Muscle tone begins to deteriorate in your 20?s. Most 20 somethings don?t realize this is beginning because their life and vigor has reached its peak. For those who are actively engaged in sports or any kind of physical fitness, there is no need to worry. However, for those who sit at a computer all day and don?t take time out to move, stretch or strengthen, the soft tissue in your bodies will begin to decline. It happens slowly, but it does happen. Even more so, after all the hormones that keep us young have declined, our need to keep moving becomes amplified. It is never too late to begin. Regardless of your age, muscles respond to stimulus.

Increasing flexibility through stretching will help sustain muscle tone.

Stretching lengthens muscle fibers enabling more force with each contraction. It is possible to stretch tendons and ligaments also; however, tendons are not as flexible as muscles.

In fact tendons and ligaments, if overstretched, can be easily injured.

Recovery from this type of trauma takes time to heal and can be quite painful. A way to guard against overstretching a tendon or ligament is to make sure you feel a stretch in your muscles, not joints. It also matters how you stretch. For instance, if you stretch your quadricep, you don?t want to feel a strain or pull in the knees or hip joint. If you do, you can be certain you are stretching the ligaments and/ or tendons. This could potentially weaken the joint which might cause an injury.

Be sure you feel each stretch in the

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muscle group targeted.

The main t ypes of st ret ches include: 1. St at ic st ret ching which is useful for lengthening muscle fibers without invoking the stretch reflex. To perform this stretch, simply hold a limb at length for a minimum of 15 to 30 seconds.

2. Ballist ic st ret ching is not usually recommended because it is easier to injure oneself with bouncing and pulling the muscle past its stretch limits.

3. Dynamic st ret ching puts the muscle through the range of motion particular to a sport. Athletes often use this when training for an event.

4. Propriocept ive neuromuscular facilit at ion or PNF, enables stretching to reach a further limit with the use of breath. Each breath takes the static stretch a bit further to enable a safe, effective lengthening without activating the stretch reflex. Both static stretching and PNF are safe and most effective.

A 3-5 minute warm-up before stretching will ensure the safest, most effective muscle tone.

Stretching can reduce overall feelings of pain or stiffness. Each time the muscle lengthens, the distance it can contract becomes greater. This will keep the fibers strong. Long, strong muscle fibers will noticeably reduce the risk of injury. Also a muscle that has a longer distance to contract has more power than a shorter one. If you think of a rubber band, this is essentially how muscles work.

When you pull back slightly, the band won?t contract with much force, but when pulled to a greater length, the retraction has more movement potential.

WINTER 2022

Yoga is a great way to attain long lean muscles. There is a pose to stretch every muscle group and bring life force back to your heart.

Focusing on the mind/body connection is a great transition for

also engages the mind/body for similar results.

Chi Gong is another practice for similar physiological reactions. It is important to note that if you know anyone who has suffered a stroke, it is in their best interest to stretch all muscles that have spasm or contracted.

It will aid in their pain relief and atrophy.

Stretching is elemental in the recovery of a neurological event.

Additionally, the person who suffered such an event would be wise to use their other limbs to facilitate the stretching. This process will stimulate the brain.

Any questions related to this article or others are invited and welcome!

the menopausal woman. Especially as you experience some of the more emotional elements of this process.

We all acknowledge the need for self care. The moderation of Yoga conditioning is a dedication to oneself. Through focusing the mind, and expanding the body/soul connection, the poses become edifying.

Tai Chi is great for utilizing dynamic stretching as your body moves through positions. This intentionally active slow movement TangledSilverMagazine.com

Leah@tangledsilvermag.com

Health & Fitness Expert Leah brings her expertise to help us navigate the process of self-effficacy.

Be sure to check out her Q & A Article too!

EM BRACE | You

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Tan gledsilver m ag.com | Jan u ar y -M ar ch

MEET CARLA 49 | Graphic Designer | Silver Since 2014

?Oh my God, you want to look 30 years older. With what it costs us to try to look younger and you want to look like a 70-year-old lady. Amazing! Do you really think you're better than before?I see very well, like a woman of 70 or 75 years old, well carried away.?

Let me begin by presenting myself. My name is Carla Martin, I?m 49 years old. I was born in Mexico City where I´ve lived almost all of my life. I´m a graphic designer, I'm married and we have two amazing kids and two cats.

I started having grey hairs in my teens, I never felt ashamed but I didn't want them to be seen either. I started coloring my hair when I was 18 just for fun. In my early 30´s my hair was 50%grey and I went blonde trying to disguise my greys. My hair had no shine, it was always damaged and if I wanted it to look good I had to style it.

@silvergirlmx | MEXICO I started looking for women with grey hair that were younger, that's when I found Sarah Harris and fell in love with her long grey hair. It took me a year to convince myself. I bleached my hair to the lightest color, it got extremely damaged and had to cut it. That was my last hair dye.

7 years dye free, I usually get many compliments and others like the quote on top. Grey hair doesn't make us look older, the association of grey=old has to change. I'm so tired of seeing grey haired women only as the grandma in ads, or the couple looking for insurance, health care, etc. I opened my Ig account to share about my hair, beauty, hairstyles, haircare and I´m always trying to show everyone that grey hair is normal.

Grey hair is my superpower, I f eel f ree, love myself and do what makes me happy. There are no rules to f ollow, I do things f or myself , I don't need to f it into ?beauty standards?.

If people think I look older I don´t care, I know it's their own insecurities and not mine.

I´m not afraid to shine.

TangledSilver.Magazine.com

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CELEBRATE | Her 47

COVER MODEL

WINTER 2022

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Photo Credit: Kymon O. @kyndredstudio on Instagram

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CELEBRATE | Her

MEET TRACEY 53 | Educator | Silver since 2020 My name is Tracy Reed, I?m 53 years proud, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and I am an educator.

However, I also consider myself to be a fashion enthusiast, frequent traveler, yoga lover, and a lifelong learner.

When I decided to stop coloring my hair and grow my silver out, it was a simple choice for me because I was truly exhausted with the process of having to dye my silver roots every other week. I value my time and I absolutely love my stylist, but I grew tired of having to sit in the salon so often.

What really pushed me to embrace my silver hair was my late mother, Barbara, who was the original silver fox and the epitome of a lady with style and grace! I remember when I was younger I watched her transition to its final stage of silver-white hair and when Mom

@t raysgoinggray | ILLINOIS walked into rooms? it always appeared as if she floated in and her gorgeous silver hair was always the center of attention. I now have the honor and privilege to do the same. Being able to embrace my beautif ul ever changing hair is something I take pride in. I get the joy of being the topic of discussion everywhere I go.

Men, women, young, old, etc. all stop me on a regular basis and compliment my silver hair. Since I work in education, my students are always the most intrigued.

They definitely give me the most confidence, as they tell me how much they love my hair daily!

All the love and support eventually led me to becoming more involved on Instagram, as well as the help of my daughter for encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone. It was by complete accident that I happened to find the silver sisters community. Once I started communicating with the sisters, so many of them reassured me that I was not alone in my journey. and I?ve been continuing my silver transition ever since!

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MEET JULIE 55 | Writer | Silver Since 2018 If you had suggested I let my hair go grey at 22 (when my first silver appeared), I'd have been horrified at the thought.

To show a grey hair (even one) was unacceptable. Like other women of my generation, I was conditioned to link grey hair with age and invisibility. So, no greys for me! I used semi-permanents from 13 onwards and when they stopped covering the greys at 28, permanently dyed my hair every six weeks until I was 51- virtually my whole adult life.

By 51, the allergic reactions I was having to the dye were worsening, so in August 2018, I dyed my hair for the last time, took a huge breath and let go. In one move I st opped st riving for yout h via my hair colour and reject ed societ y's expect at ions - it felt amazing, scary and exhilarat ing, like st epping off a cliff wit hout a net and learning t o fly.

And what a journey. I loved the whole thing from the

@t hefift yist | UNITED KINGDOM appearance of the first line of grey to the moment the last snip of blonde, dyed hair hit the floor. If you take this journey, I'm positive you will meet yourself on the way. I certainly did. I met a new me, one who began to value her health and well being properly for the first time. With that came a huge boost of self-confidence which was supported by an amazing community of women - the Silver Sisters. Feeling accepted has been amazing - this is my tribe!

Career wise, I've always loved words and writing. I gain a first-class honours degree in English Language and Literature and worked with children who have special educational needs for 17 years, teaching them and supporting a great team of assistants. I edited a local newsletter and have several writing projects on the go. Earlier this year I took a career break to focus on writing, but less than a month later I was diagnosed with a new primary breast cancer (in the same breast as one I had 20 years ago) and have spent the last five months recovering from the resulting double mastectomy and reconstruction. It's been an interesting year.

Now, I'm well, I'm excited to be writing and using my creativity again. As a proud Silver Sister, I'm most definitely NOT invisible, and I plan to keep it that way!

TangledSilverMagazine.com

CELEBRATE | Her

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Photo Creds: @silverhairloveaffair

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CELEBRATE | Her

MEET ANITA 58| Entrepreneur | Silver Since 2019 I distinctly remember finding my first gray hair while getting ready for high school one morning at age 17. I thought it was strange, but surprisingly it didn?t bother me too much at the time.

In my 20?s, I experimented with the at home non-permanent hair dyes and then I graduated onto permanent dyes and even had a few fiascos trying to dye my hair blonde with a box dye! Not a good look I might add!

By the time I hit my mid 40?s I started going to a salon every 6 weeks, my grays became more and more noticeable and my stylist kept adding highlights until I was a really light blonde, but my roots would still show within a week or two. Eventually I asked my stylist to try to match my silver roots, by going a cooler platinum

@silverhairloveaffair | FLORIDA blonde, but nothing we tried ever really matched.

In the summer of 2019, my 17 year old daughter was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. She was not a smoker.

Due to the location of the cancer she had to have major surgery in which they removed two lobes of her right lung. Not knowing exactly what caused the cancer made me go into anticancer mode.

Hair dye chemicals were always something that I had worried about and I wanted to be free of them. Besides, I already had 2 autoimmune illnesses; Hypothyroidism and Ulcerative Colitis, so I was ready to make some big changes.

My decision to ditch the dye kind of coincided with the beginning of the Coronavirus Epidemic and Quarantine. So, at age 56 and 36 years of dyeing my hair, I was more than ready to ditch the dye and I knew there would be no turning back f or me. It?s a decision that I have never regretted. My hair is healthier than it has ever been and I am now truly Silver and Free!

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MEET ESTER 35 | Engineer | Silver Since 2018

I remember seeing my first gray hair at 18. At first, I used to tear them out, but when I realized that if I did that with all the new grays I saw, soon I would become bald. I started dyeing.

That was until my 31?s, when, after years of dye, I was so tired that I asked myself if I wanted to live the rest of my life worried about dyeing every 3 weeks to be comfortable with my hair.

Then, for the first time, I entered on Instagram the words ?grey hair?and suddenly it appeared to me the community of #silversisters, women who have faced the stereotypes and glow with their shiny silver hair.

That was the turning point, ?I want to be like these women?I thought, so I bleached my hair and started the transition to grey.

@silvercurlygirl | SPAIN The transition is tough, it faces yourself but also teaches you a lot. I?m a dif f erent person now, I am more conf ident and empowered, more than ever. I?ve understood that grey is just another type of color and attitude is the key.

In the transition I finally felt ready to share my experience on Instagram, so I created my account ?Silvercurlygirl?to help other people that were in the same situation.

Also, I discovered ?the curly girl method?which I adapt to my current life, but I take care of my curls in order to enhance them.

Now, with 35 years old, 4 years dye free, I can say it?s the best I have done for my hair, and the only thing that I regret it is not to have done it before.

TangledSilverMagazine.com

CELEBRATE | Her

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Photo Creds: @silverozwi_nz

CELEBRATE | Her

MEET NANNETTE 55 | Office Administrator | Silver Since 2020 I?m Nannette, living the real and finding the joy. Born in Australia, living in New Zealand with my family. I am a woman, wife, mother, step mum, noni (Grandma), sister, sister-in-law, daughter and friend. I love all those roles, but being a #silversister is something else. I?ve been turning silver for years however I was never brave enough to see it or allow the world to see it until I made the decision when our world went into a Covid lockdown. I took this time to reflect and commence my journey, it was the beginning of the Silversister phenomenon and I was there. My original plan was to go cold turkey.

I had spent months researching the lightening process and was reluctant to go down that pathway due to the damage incurred. I have long hair so the thought of it breaking off and having short hair was not the answer for me, nor was the cost, the projected thousands of dollars it was going to cost was definitely more than I

@silverozwi_nz | NEW ZEALAND could justify spending on correcting years of self inflicted abuse. How I looked has always been important to me. Without being obsessive, I have always looked after my skin, hair and makeup, they are my armour ? but it was time to acknowledge that I was no longer in my extreme 30?s and in my opinion my coloured hair was starting to look unnatural. I was tired of the 3 weekly session with the dye box. Time to stop, look and listen and embrace the older, life experienced me.

I am a joy seeker finding the positives. Every milestone pushed me forward to the next...the biggest surprise has been how the ends of my hair have lightened by themselves. To think I started this journey as a brunette! I?m braver now. I live in a small town and I now have people stop me in the street to talk about how it looks. I?m determined not to have short grey hair, for me that is a step too far? .My plan was to grow it until I could have the coloured ends cut off in one go ? BOOM look at me, but that would be the end of the journey. I?m not ready for that, I still have internal personal growth going on, I still have many more plans and lots more joy to pursue.

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MEET ASHLEY 37 | Hairstylist | Silver Since 2017

Hi fellow silvers, my name is Ashley Lovelace! I live in a small town in the Midwest. I?m a 37 year old hairstylist that specializes in , of all things-color, I find that pretty ironic!

You see, I could have any hair color - I CHOSE silver!

Back in August of 2017 I was grey blending my mother?s former strawberry blonde to a beautiful silver to match her outgrowth. While spending hours together she asked if I?d grow mine out with her. I had previously tried to grow it cold turkey back in 2015 and made it 6 months only to color it red on a whim! So at this point I was now a platinum blonde with severe breakage , I figured it could be fun to see what?s really hiding under there!

Even though I was a pro at coloring my greys, I was so sick of chasing them. I was obsessed with it! I colored my roots every 7-10 days! For me , the cold turkey, grombre option was my best bet. At around the 6 -9 month mark I started

@rainydayjames3611 | Illinois coloring just my bleached ends, bright neon colors! That made my grow out so fun and funky!

In spring of 2018 I started Rainy Day James on Instagram as a fun fashion page. I had zero clue there was a fun, kind and accepting group just waiting to find me! I credit the page Grombre for sharing a silver selfie of mine that really got my page some attention.

I had almost completed my transition and I had hundreds of messages pouring in from woman all over the place asking for tips, advice and support! I was baffled there were others like me! I realized at this point this journey was about way more than hair! It was a rebellion against society?s view of what they deem beautif ul. An aging grey haired man is referred to as sexy and ?distinguished?, while a woman is an old hag, witchy, or lazy for letting her natural beauty shine. We silver sisters are slowly but surely proving society wrong, and Mother Nature right.

My only advice would be DO IT! Listen to your gut, forget the haters , and give the process time. You may be surprised at the friendships and bonds you develop along the way to finding your silvers!

TangledSilverMagazine.com

CELEBRATE | Her

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Photo Credit: @silvergirlmx

Hi there! My name is Mireya, and I?m a commercial actor & model at the age of 51!

As far as I can recall of my earliest childhood memories, both my parents, especially my father, have always had some degree of gray. Gray had always been normal to me, so the first time I plucked one out of my head, I was 7 years old. I remember vividly, I was on the playground and noticed a long strand shining amongst my long dark hair.

Moving forward, I was married at 18, had my son at 19, then my daughter at 22. It was then, soon after my daughter was born, I started to notice lots of gray in my hair, however, I did not mind it. It wasn?t until I was 24 and my then female boss was looking over my shoulder at work, and commented ?hmm, for such a young woman, you have a lot of gray.? I just laughed it off, but inside I was embarrassed and ashamed; I did not want to llook like an old lady with young children. That was the turning point to start dying it to my ?natural?color.

At first it was every month and a half the first few years, until turning one month shy of 42, I was dying it every TangledSilverMagazine.com

Photo Credits: Left Top & Right Full, Mireya Olmos | Middle - Matthew Tyler Priestley Photography | Left Botom - Taylor Lewis Photography

I don?t believe in luck, however I believe that my higher power (GOD) my story was written before I was even born. Never in a million years did I ever fathom being an actor, much less a model. I?m the daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico; I was brought to the U.S. at the tender age of one and half years old. My first language is Spanish, and I was raised in East Los Angeles.

BE | In spir ed

Meet Mir eya Olmos Commer cial Act or & Model

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week and half! I hated it. I was a slave to the bottle. But I was also mortified if anyone ever knew that I had gray.

Anyhow, one month short of turning 42, I decided to go cold turkey for 12 months. In my mind, I was like ?who am I kidding, who am I trying to impress?Stop this madness, accept who you are, accept your age, gray and all!?

At first it was hard, REALLY HARD. There was never a day that I did not think about the white skunk line on my head. I felt as if the world was watching me. But I plowed through it, and little by little I started to fall in love. The worst part of growing it out were all the uninvited comments, advice, jokes, and remarks about my gray, mostly from family.

Many trims, and 3 years later, I was fully transitioned. I loved it! I could not be happier. Also, in that time, I had lost and maintained weight loss..

TangledSilverMagazine.com

BE | In spir ed It was a friend/acquaintance from church, who took interest in taking my pictures; he is/was a lifestyle photo stock photographer. I agreed, but thought to myself, ?why me??I did it out of enjoyment and the experience of being photographed.

This was in 2017. Little did I know this decision would lead me to where I am today, commercial actor and model.

Mind you, I was a church secretary, 56 lbs. overweight (I?m still obese at 200), and felt invisible for many years as a mom, breadwinner, wife, etc. Nothing glamorous, just a woman who wore many hats, but not seen. It was not my time to shine, I had a different role, motherhood; and it was good.

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What I once considered a curse, issincerely a blessing. ~Mireya

I was recently signed with ENVY Model Management in July 2020; I got connected with my agency through a school that teaches and trains people in the entertainment industry. I love what I do, how I represent my Latino community, the silver sisterhood community, beauty over 40, and plus size women. I?m very active: I walk, bikeride, lift weights, and swim.

So far, I?ve been in several commercials: Target, Nissan, Starbucks, Lifetime Channel, NFL Shop, Sephora, Athletic Greens, Jardiance, just to name a few. My agent, Russel Frank, who has rallied for me since the beginning, is nothing but awesome. I?ve been runner up for Estee Lauder on several occasions, and even though I have not gotten the spot, I know I?m very close!

Being a silver model/actor is not an easy job, nor is it a nine to five career either.

However, having a spouse who truly believes in me and is my biggest fan and cheerleader makes me work harder and pursue bigger things!

I love being silver.

What I once considered a curse, is sincerely a blessing. I am grateful for how God made me, flaws and all!

WINTER 2022

WRITER Stevie Weisend

TangledSilver.com | Winter 2022 TangledSilverMagazine.com

BE | In spir ed

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I used to think that to qualify as a self-confident woman, I needed to believe that I was perfect in one way or the other, or at least be the most at something.

Perfect at what? Most at what? You ask. Well, I wouldn?t know until I assessed my environment like a predator looking for weaknesses in other people in areas where I imagined I had strengths, so I could show off my strengths and hopefully cast a shadow across them. Total mean girl stuff.

Because of this, people often perceived me as confident and independent, or at least that?s what I believed. However, truth be told my social sense of self was almost entirely determined by others. I didn?t copy them verbatim, but I was their photo negative.

I was out for myself only and yet ironically I had no sense of self at all, since my entire personality was just a reaction or reflection of others.

I had a cultural upbringing where superlatives mattered, beauty mattered, intelligence mattered, confidence was mandatory, and wallflowers went unwatered. Perhaps you did too. Are you from Earth?

The Guinness Book of World Records was kept on the back of every family toilet, prom royalty was every girl?s goal, and every young woman imagined her own pleasure occurring within a supermodel?s body instead of her own.

I was not a horrible person. In fact, I was naturally curious about others, open minded, and interested in friendship. But, I feared being vulnerable and discoverable, so my initial defense was to compare, contrast, and cultivate a facade of confidence.

And the only thing I knew about selfconfidence was how it was supposed to

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look and that only some people deserved the real thing. I also believed that it was necessary if you were to even be taken seriously. So, I faked confidence and I faked myself.

worth to whomever owns it whether it is put into circulation, or kept in a bank. If you put it to use, you benefit from its value, and if you don?t....it still has value, you just don?t have the benefit.

It took me several years to figure out what confidence really meant and when that happened, it changed my life. In fact, I don?t even think I would have grown out my natural silver hair otherwise.

The funny thing is my new knowledge of self-confidence came to me just out of the blue while I was cleaning house and I stopped to write it down: ?Self-Confidence is knowing that you will be okay no matter what you do.

What is self-confidence really?

Merriam-Webster defines self confidence as: confidence in oneself and in one's powers and abilities.

I have to disagree with this old definition, or at least I find it to be lacking depth. In fact, I, rather audaciously, no longer take for granted that every definition in ?the dictionary?is true. Nothing should be above questioning if we are to protect ourselves from tyranny, even if it?s the dictionary.

Now, let me redefine self-confidence.

Self confidence is knowing that your value is stable and equal to others and that it cannot be changed by others opinion of you, or your personal failures or successes. It?s like a coin, it has the same present

If someone doesn?t like what you are doing, that?s okay, because there will always be someone who needs what you are doing. And failure is okay too, in fact it?s necessary. I have never seen a recipe for success that did not contain a heaping cup of failure.

And...you are okay even if you don?t believe you are okay. Uncertainty is part of your creation story, it?s curiosity?s best friend, and as long as you don?t allow it to paralyze you, it will enrich your character.

We are all expressions of the truth, love, God, the universe....whatever you want to call it, so have faith in yourself and be self-confident.

Redefining the beauty narrative & reclaiming power & purpose.

Authenticity over 50

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Writer Robin Salls

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MEET

Melissa Joiner @meljoi_lifest yle Healt h + Wellness Coach I recall vividly the day I realized my gray hair was inevitably here to stay. By my late-thirties I had spent a few years prior putting rinse into my hair to cover the gray. Eventually, transitioning to semi-permanent dye because the rinse was not holding to the gray strands. In 2009, I would eventually make the decision to ditch the dye and go gray due to the unrelenting gray at my entire hairline as fast as I would dye it. I could not keep up. The gray would appear within days of dying.

Transitioning in the beginning was really difficult as I had spent my entire life feeling defined by my long and thick brunette hair. Being a plus size woman having dabbled in modeling it was the one area I had control of that I looked to as a sign of beauty and acceptance. If I am being completely honest, I spent years in my twenties and thirties not valuing myself and feeling validated by others? perception of my hair.

Once I ditched the dye and kept it up, I eventually grew to love my gray and I wore it as a sign of moving into my forties with a positive mindset. People would comment that gray looks good on you or if my gray grew in like yours, I would ditch the dye. I recall a number of times saying to women my hair does not define me ? I am so much more. Over the years when women comment on my gray I still to this day give a positive response on my journey to let women know that you can be happy with your gray. I believe the more we normalize women aging and embracing their gray the more they will think positively.

Becoming a grandmother in 2017 at age 52 I did not realize it at the time but there was a shift happening within me of wanting to embrace my next chapter. Having gone back to college in 2015 earning my degree at age 48 ignited a desire to be more, do more and give more. At the time I did not know what more was, however, as a child of God I knew my path would be revealed in time. In 2019 restlessness was settling in and a tugging in my heart to change things up. Having worked in corporate wellness for over a decade I had reached a point where I was ready for a change, in 2020 I gave my early retirement notice and in April 2021, retired from a 29-year career in health insurance.

By June 2021, MelJoi Lifestyle, an online boutique wellness company launched. Originally a hub WINTER 2022

for all things wellness to all people Melissa quickly realized she was advocating increasingly for positive aging for women entering or in midlife. She was that woman as well, she recalled ? she had been preparing over the last 20 years to be an advocate within the positive aging communities.

Feeling the angst at times of being salt and peppered haired, I use positive affirmations and self-talk to remind myself of my unique journey and finding what I love about my gray hair and not dwell on what I do not like. I recognize through self-reflection the pros outweigh the cons.

Taking my positive aging advocacy one step further I enrolled in an integrated nutrition and health program to become a holistic health coach and graduated in the fall of 2021. I coach women entering or in mid-life who are seeking to focus on positive aging and define their next chapters to live healthier, happier and more fulfilled.

MelJoi Lifestyle?s mantra Bloom: Beauty Beyond Age serves a beacon of inspiration to women that you are beautiful as you are at any age.

IG: MelJoi_Lifestyle | FB Group: Bloom: Beauty Beyond Age | Website: MelJoiLifestyle.com To book a complimentary coaching call email: info@meljoilifestyle.com TangledSilverMagazine.com

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Getting reccomendations is a great start to discovering products that fit your lifestyle.

But, keep in mind we're all as individual as raindrops, so it's just a start... Get to know your skin type, hair texture, etc. Then play around till you find what works for you Check out this quarter's pick's from real women sharing the products they love.

PRODUCT LOVE

Real Women Tina's pr oduct pick s

Red Gloss is AMOR by Vapoour Beauty vapourbeauty.com

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Euphoria Lipstick & Foundation by Kjaerweis available at kjaerweis.com In Your Face Serum available at inyourface.com Renew Serum & C E + F by DRMTLGY available at drmtlgy.com Hyalurenic Marine Hydration Booster by Dr. Dennis Gross available at drdennisgross.com

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Diamond Lilac Lip color & lip pencil in Bourgogne by Jill Kirsh Color available at jillkirshcolor.com QuickSilverHair Clay & Oil available at QuickSilverHair.com Satin Lined Beanie available at silversistersstudio.com

Intensive Growth Drops by Kerotin Hair Care kerotin.com

Robin's pr oduct pick s

Real Products WINTER 2022

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We're excited to share this new collaboration between Tangled Silver Magazine and Jill Kirsh Color in hopes to inspire your silver journey while playing in color.

It's a quirky thing, color. One day the shades are perfect, then you start going gray and color seems to betray you. Enter Jill Kirsh and her theory on your hair color, rather than your skin tone, being the color code to rock your silvers.

This issue we're going to introduce you to Jill and her Q & A section with our Founder, Robin Salls asking the questions. Let's get started...

ROBIN - Welcome Jill! I'm so excited to introduce our Q & A with the Guru of Gray section this year! Color plays such a vital role in embracing grays with confidence and we're honored to have your expertise to answer our questions.

But, let's address the elephant in the room, so to speak...you're NOT silver, gray, salt and pepper, etc. So, why should silver women take your suggestions?

JILL - I t ot ally get t his considerat ion, which is why I want ed t o address it , get it out of t he way & t hen have some fun sharing t ips & answering quest ions. So here?s t he t hing: I?ve been working wit h women & men from all over t his planet for over 25 years & have curat ed all t heir best shades of every color based ent irely on t heir present hair color, be if it ?s gray, red, salt & pepper, golden blonde et c et c et c. Over t he past few years, t here?s been what I call an evolut ion/revolut ion of women & men let t ing t heir silver locks shine, which is fabulous! Yet so many of t hem have reached out t o me because even t hough t hey?ve embraced t he gray, t hey are finding t hat t he colors for fashion & makeup t hey previously rocked are now making t hem look dull, washed out , flat & are cast ing a yellow/green t one over t heir hair. And I can absolut ely help t hem sort it all out . Having gray or salt & pepper t resses frame your face opens you up t o a complet ely new color palet t e for fashion & beaut y t hat is on t he ot her side of t he moon from t he shades you previously sport ed wit h reddish brown or golden hued hair. And I?ve curat ed all t he shades t hat will make your silvers shine & allow you t o look your most beaut iful, vivid, fresh & alive.

Robin - There are many shades of gray. No two of us ever have the exact same shade, so how have you come to classify the colors you feel work best with the different shades?

JILL: - There are definit ely different shades of gray. But t he t wo groupings I find most prevalent are: - a t aupey brown light gray, a soft solid gray or whit e, which all share t he same color palet t e for fashion & beaut y.

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COLOR QUESTIONS? EMAIL US AT COLOR@TANGLEDSILVERMAG.COM for Jill to answer in future issues! Can't wait that long?

Visit JillKirshColor.com and check out her color swatch books matched for your hair color today!

- a salt & pepper or silver shade, bot h which have a bit more cont rast , & dept h and which share t he same color palet t e.

Robin - So, for example this time of year red plays a big part in our colors, but with all the varying shades of gray how are we suppose to know which red to lean into? Can you breakdown what shades of reds might be preferable based on our silvers?

JILL - If your hair is a soft light gray, whit e or a cool t aupe gray, t hen a rose red is fabulous. If your hair is salt & pepper or a deep silver t one, t hen a clear t rue red is spect acular.

Robin: - I guess I need to try a rose red based on that! I think many are going to find it interesting as they play with their tones of red based on their current shades of gray. The positive news is if we get stuck, we've got you coming to us regularly to answer our questions with this column. Thank you Jill Kirsh, our Guru of Gray!

Jill - I can't wait to see everyone's reds!

Mel Tickel's SILVER LONG HAIR STYLING IGTV @silver _st ylin g

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Hair & Make up Tips @SILVER_STYLING

What to do with your silvers between hair washes, tends to be a theme among long haired sisters. .

Mel Tickel offers fabulous and simple style instruction through her IGTV @silver_styling. She breaks down her tricks in quick video content, with most under 4 minutes of your time.

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L I P S T I C K Makeup is soft er and more nat ural in t his pict ure. You don?t always have t o wear a red lipst ick wit h red if you want t o do a more nat ural look. -JineenMarie

Shades of Red with Jineen Marie Silvery TangledSIlverMagazine.com

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Here I?ve creat ed more of a dramat ic look and added a t rue red lipst ick and a lit t le eyeliner inside t he wat erline. Also a fancier earring makes t he look pop! -JineenMarie

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This red has a bit of a cranberry shade t o it . I went wit h a darker lipst ick and added a t ouch of silver wit h t he drop earring for a soft but classic look. -JineenMarie

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Makeup is soft here and no eyeliner. I went wit h a soft er red lipst ick t o creat e a warmer, more down t o eart h look wit h t his bright er red dress and a feminine silver earring. -JineenMarie

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In t his look I decided t o do a classic winged eyeliner on t op and t rue red lipst ick. I also added an earring t hat feels more vint age and has different shades of pink and red in it for a bit more of an old school vibe. -JineenMarie TangledSilverMagazine.com

BodWINTER 2022

Photo Creds: Tina Pirozzoli Photography

& Stories to Soothe the Soul

New Thoughts, Ideas, Reviews,

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Ringing in t he New Year wit h t hought s, ideas, reviews and st ories t o soot he t he soul, repair t he hair and refresh your skin.

Slipping into the cooler days from the colorful season our skin is facing harsher weather.

Blasts of air, heated showers, and risen room temps all have an effect on our skin. Skin can become sensitive even if we are not prone to being reserved with product choices and procedures. After a trial with Dr. Gross products and DRMTLGY this sensitive texture was impressively resurfaced and resurrected with a new and stronger surface. The Vitamin C and Needles Serum from DRMTLGY was a great addition to my routine. The line that was a game changer for me was Dr. Gross. This line offers a rigorous experience but with results that are non-damaging with professional results. This past season also brought out the masks and probably one of the best products on earth is Caire. I can honesty say I understand 'plump' skin when I use this.

I found the small desert like lines on the apples of my cheeks completely disappeared. Not an easy claim but literally a gem of a find.

After the feeling of stripping down to a new canvas, yet being an oiler girl at heart, I had to replenish that healing touch. A few of my favorite oils are In Your Face, Josie Maran and mostly homemade concoctions with a carrier oil and Young Living. I am always on the search for innovative oils partnered with other ingredients for added benefits although, I do love a 'plain jane oil most. Adding to the oil rub learning about the face stones like gua-sha I have come to love this technique on a daily basis. This helps alleviate headaches while maintaining skin suppleness. This is exercise for

WRITER Tina Pirozzoli WINTER 2022

the face. Don't forget the neck and décolletage. I have never considered a separate team of products for this area until I found the other lines I used sometimes caused funny little bumps and so I tried Prai and recommend this becoming a separate routine from your face care if you experience a skin issues with your regular lineup.

If you are conservative with your products and expect versatility from them you may be one to wipe lotions or oil from your hands to smooth the ends of your hair. The winter months work for or against your silver locks depending on your space on the globe or hair texture. Dust off the blowdryers because leaving our hair to air-dry is not an option for some. Leave-in conditioner and hair oils will be your bff during this time to lock in moisture but this is the time to reevaluate your hair line and if it is heat protectant. yellowing will most likely happen with irons and hot rollers should you be old-schooled, like me ;) Hair masks are just as important as face masks but wrap your hair in plastic wrap to turn up the natural heat and penetration of that mask will have you in delight. Top the wrap with a towel to double down on keeping that heat in is even better. The skin takes a whipping from the dry air during this season but your hair doesn't have to with tlc.

Roses are red and silver sister's lips are too. Who doesn't love a new red lipstick?The variations are endless and can be frustrating when the base color does not compliment your skin tone. A true red will have a blue hue to it. Back in the day 'Cherries in the Snow' was the iconic go to red. It become so popular there were two slots of it on the shelf in the drug store.

So what made the color so popular? Many think it was the skin tone collaboration the two played but what made this color so popular was that it made teeth look white as snow!! That is the key to a fantastic lipstick!! The only other line that use to carry specially formulated colors for teeth was Vichy'. Sadly, they are now discontinued.

Do you have a favorite red and will you join in the #tangledsislipsinred challenge this issue?

Red is simple and can be worn all year but really experimented with the seasonal rich deep winter reds during Christmas until Valentine's Day. As soon as you are done reading this article you can join the #tangledsispuckerup with your favorite color of the season.

Don't forget to exfoliate those lips, too. Mizzi Cosmetics is one of the best non-toxic lip scrubs out there.

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GRATITUDE The #greygraceandgritgratitude project was a paramount transformation in me. The interviews were so meaningful and intimate. Women bared their souls and shared a piece.

To kick off the New Year our main focus is to be inspired to the point of change and improve our health mentally and physically. We will explore brands and products and most important pursue ways other Tangled sisters are living a healthy lifestyles and learn from them. #letsgetphysicaltangledsis #healthytangledsisters Cosmetologist & Conversations Hair Tip: Cutting your ends and requesting them to be cut 'blunt' help with having more of the appearance of shine, less frizzy ends, thicker looking ends rather than sparse looking sections, and may help with maintaining certain styles. This is not always the best option for all styles but is definitely a place to start especially through transition and ensuring a more sane routine at home through your journey.

Grey Grace & Grit

Cosmetologist & Conversationalist, Photographer and our own Beauty Editor.

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The ultimate in comfort food especially when it's cold outside and dinner calls for something cozy, familiar and just the right amount of fancy. My homemade Portobello and Purple Onion Stroganoff hits the spot, EVERY time.

and sour creamy (aka smetana) goodness!

Although I've never been to Russia, this dish definitely found its way to America and into our hearts and homes including mine and I'm thrilled to have this opportunity to share it with you in my Debut column Silver and Salt .

Photo Credits: Mina Ward

Mina

In case you've ever With wondered, this dish was not Made in the USA. It actually hails from Russia from the mid 1800s and was named after the influential and powerful Russian family - The Stroganov Family. Hence the name - Americanized and now featured in this Winter issue.

I've no doubt in my mind that the tales are true that its actual creation was born from French Chefs serving the Aristocrats back in the day. Once you take that first bite, your senses scream with delight from the delicious buttery

I was 10 years old when I first tasted Beef Stroganoff. My Mommy made it special for dinner one night and I remember so vividly, even to this day, how UHH MAE ZING I found this new dish to be.

I thought I surely had to be the luckiest little girl EVER to have a Mommy who could prepare something so "fancy smancy" for us!

I'm sure I inherited her creative, experimental side of cooking (international) cuisine because this dish screamed WOW and "Mother may I PLEASE have more?!" To this

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day, Stroganoff is still one of my most all time favorite comfort food dishes.

Even our family and friends look forward to having it whenever it makes it onto our Breaking Daily Bread Dinner Menu at home.

Only these days, I've since revised it, tweaked it and refined it to be my own, Momma Mina's homemade Portobello and Purple Onion Stroganoff recipe. I've even created various versions of it, depending on the mood of the day when I'm prepping in the kitchen or having fun experimenting and recipe testing like I did for this Winter issue.

Add to that, I no longer prepare the (mouthwatering) Beef Stroganoff version with chargrilled ribeye (however, if my memory serves me right that version was to die for too).

And, although I have since transitioned over (after adopting a plant based lifestyle) and created this Vegetarian version, in the spirit of full disclosure, you'll find that I do add four generous teaspoons of Better than Bouillon Organic Roasted Beef base into my recipe. Why? Simply put, to gain the mineral content that's often missing from Vegetarian lifestyles and to capture that rich robust flavor that the bouillon base lends to this dish. I've learned to listen to my body through my health and healing journey and just for the record, I'm actually not a plant based only zealot. I recognize the importance of nourishing our bodies with what it actually needs most so I feed it accordingly.

This homemade with love recipe is an equally buttery + sour creamy slow simmered (and equally mouthwatering) Portobello Mushroom "meaty" version of hearty and happy goodness.

As the Momma Head Chef to a Party of Six most nights (before we made

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the big move to the Philippine islands), you'll find that this version will generously feed your hungry brood of diners. Best part is, you can cut the recipe by a third for a more intimate dinner party of two if you choose OR just go for it and prepare it in its entirety because I guarantee, you'll be glad you did.

Say it with me, leftovers are always a good idea! I even prepared a simple Grocery List of things to buy so you can check off the items you'll need, the next time you're craving comfort food - cozy, familiar and just the right amount of fancy goodness.

Cheers to being healthy and happy my fellow Silver Sister foodies!

PORTOBELLO & PURPLE ONION STROGANOFF Serves 6 | Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 60 minutes

Mushrooms, thinly sliced -

1 - Large Purple Onion, coarsely chopped

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16 ounces - Sour Cream

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2 TBSP (leveled not heaping) - Unbleached all purpose flour

ORGANIC INGREDIENTS -

-

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(Reduced Sodium) Better

Oil (EVOO), divided plus

than Bouillon Roast Beef

extra for

Base or 2 large beef

4 - Large Portobello

bouillon cubes

Mushrooms, rinsed with

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gills removed, cut into 1/2" thick slices (or thick

-

-

8 tsp - Worcestershire sauce

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chunky stew like pieces) -

4 tsp (heaping) - Organic

8 TBS - Extra Virgin Olive

1 cup - hot water (not boiling)

6 - Fresh garlic cloves,

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4 TBSP - Butter

peeled and smashed

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1/2 tsp - Ground

5 - Fresh Thyme sprigs

peppercorns

removed from their stems

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Sea Salt, to taste

(or 1 tsp dried)

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1 1/2 pounds - Extra wide

10 to 12 - Cremini

egg egg noodles or your

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Grocery List: -

-

favorite short tubed pasta (Penne, Rigate, cellentani or campanelie, cooked al dente) -

1/2 cup reserved pasta

Continue to slow simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until Portobellos are shrunken in size and appear firm to the touch.

-

water, divided -

A glass of your favortie beverage

DIRECTIONS

In a large skillet on medium-high heat, add 6 TBS EVOO and smashed garlic, stir.

Cook for 30 seconds to a minute, just until aromatic.

Add Portobellos and thyme plus a smidge of salt to taste. Stir to combine. Lower heat to a simmer so that mixture continues to lightly sizzle and mushrooms are given time to release their liquids.

While Portobellos are simmering, prepare the secret Smetana (sour cream) sauce and boil a large pot of salted water for pasta.

Mix flour, sour cream and freshly ground peppercorns in a medium size bowl. Combine bouillon base (or cubes) in hot water and stir until dissolved.

Add to the sour cream mixture, followed by the Worcestershire sauce. Give it a good stir until smooth and well blended. Set

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Extra Virgin Olive Oil 16 ounces Large Portobello Mushrooms (approximately four large Portobellos) Garlic bulb with large cloves Fresh Thyme sprigs or dried Thyme 10 to 12 Fresh Cremini Mushrooms Large Purple Onion 16 ounces Sour Cream Unbleached all purpose flour Organic (Reduced Sodium) Better than Bouillon Roast Beef Base (make sure to buy reduced sodium) or large beef bouillon cubes (low sodium and no MSG) Worcestershire sauce Butter Whole peppercorns Sea Salt Extra wide egg noodles or your favorite short tubed pasta like Cellentani, Campanelle or Penne Rigate Your favorite beverage to sip

SILVER + SALT SIDEBAR: I use all organic ingredients in my Breaking Daily Bread Test Kitchen, as much as possible.

Additionally, it's very important to take the time to read the ingredients lists on boxes, packages, bottles and products that your family and you will be consuming. Let it become a good habit.

aside. Take a sip of your favorite beverage.

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Once Portobellos are firm and cooked through, remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate.

It's not necessary to wipe the skillet clean, as you'll want to have those yummy bits and pieces from the garlic and Portobellos left behind for added flavor for the next step.

This is also a good time to cook your pasta of choice. Cook to al dente. When pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain and lightly rinse pasta to remove the starch and prevent sticking. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Set aside. Now's a good time to take a sip of your favorite beverage.

On medium heat, add remaining 2 TBSP of olive oil and purple onions to the same skillet. Cook onions 7 to 10 minutes until translucent and slightly caramelized. Add cremini mushrooms, stirring to combine. Cook until mushrooms are tender, 5 to 7 more minutes.

Lower heat. Add back slow simmered Portobellos and smashed garlic to the skillet.

Stir until well combined. Add the secret Smetana sour cream sauce. Blend and heat through - a few minutes - to cook off the flour taste and until slightly thickened.

Add 1/4 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir to combine. For thinner sauce, add remaining 1/4 cup water and stir. This is where you get to decide how best to serve your homemade Stroganoff but first take a sip of that favorite beverage of yours because you've done it. It's almost time for plating!

I've plated it both ways - adding the cooked pasta directly to the skillet and tossing the pasta with the sauce (this method works exceptionally well for short tube pasta), as it soaks up all that goodness inside the nooks and crannies OR the traditional way of serving the plated egg wide noodles and topping it with the creamy stroganoff and Smetana sauce.

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Either way you choose, rest assured, it comes out delicious and delightful because you were pouring in that one cup of love - per person from start to finish and we all know that everything made with love is extraordinary!

Sip and cheers! Enjoy!

Mabuhay to you from my Philippine Islands Breaking Daily Bread Test Kitchen!

MEET MINA Culinary Road Advent ures t o Healt hy and Happy. What a wild and unexpected journey this has been for me. Like so many of you, the pandemic forced us to rethink our priorities and refocus our energy and good vibes on the things that truly mattered most, like our families, our health and making better life choices.

One of those better life choices for me, included jumping in - with arms wide open - to embrace and join the Silver Sister Journey. Ironically, like many of you, I too got a running head start because our favorite salons were forced to close their doors, leaving our stylists with their hands tied behind their backs and us figuring out what to do with those (air quotes) "pesky gray hairs."

Those very same grays that we had long been "programmed" to believe needed to be colored and covered up for a litany of, dare I say, ridiculous reasons.

Enter the Silver Sister community and the official beginning of my deprogramming. It was late April of 2020. I was three months shy of turning 56. Let's just say that the stars were perfectly aligned because soon after, I discovered the beauty - inside and out - of this amazing international sisterhood of women on social media who'd already made the conscious decision to ditch the dye and embrace the true and natural beauty of their silver strands. I was left speechless, inspired, in awe, hopeful, joyful and uplifted and I felt like I was finally home.

Little did i know then, the many magnificent

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Swoon! y the time my 57th birthday rolled around in July of last year, my silvery grays were here to stay - au naturale and organically grown.

And, if life wasn't grand enough, I was invited by Robin Salls, Publisher of Tangled Silver Magazine to join the ranks of Contributing Writers to focus on healthy and happy foods.

My column,Silver and Salt , will feature homemade plant based recipes - tested and perfected - from my own Breaking Daily Bread Test Kitchen, using farm fresh ingredients from the local market and our secret garden. I'll also share my soulful journey of how I went from illness to wellness with Graves' Disease and things you didn't know you could do to feel better, all thanks to healthier choices. I retired as a writer and Editor in Chief many moons ago so having this opportunity to write again feels so familiar and comfortable all at once because I'll get to focus on my most favorite topic of all time cooking and Chef'ing for those I love!

I suppose I should introduce myself since we're nearing the end of my intro (giggles). I'm Mina Grace Ward, wife to my Nate, Momma to four and Grammy to one. I am so humbled to be here. I hope you enjoy my column and feel the love that goes into every one of my recipes, when you give it a spin in your own kitchens. By the way, Nate and I took one of those "Once in a Lifetime" giant leaps of faith last Summer. We sold our home in sunny California, packed up our world and headed for island living in the Philippines! We're building our home sweet home in a beautiful and peaceful valley (think Napa Valley but surrounded by coconut trees and mango groves instead of vineyards) where Nate will plant us an organic and exotic produce garden and I'll get to create and experiment again so that I can bring you even more healthy and happy recipes!

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Leah Rachel welcomes your questions quarterly to help you find your optimum health balance. She's sharing her advice, but in no way is giving you specific direction regardig your helath choices. Please consult your Doctor or other health specialist before making nay adjustments to your lifestyle.

Q: I've had a complet e hip replacement done, so running and jumping-relat ed exercise has been discouraged. Can you recommend what I can do t o st ay fit wit hout running?

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water supports all the joints. In essence, you become weightless.

Underwater resistance is gained with speed and pressure. What this means is you have to move the water to get resistance. The more force you use to push, the more resistance you will have to work with. Light strength training will also produce gains.

Q: I love yoga, but lat ely have been t hinking about t rying or adding pilat es and was wondering if I'm going t o duplicat e what I'm already doing wit h yoga?

~ Susan R

~ Lisa R

A: After a surgery such as a hip replacement, the focus must be on strengthening the muscles supporting the hip joint. Those muscles include; all three glutes, hip flexors, and adductors. It certainly doesn?t hurt to work on core to maintain proper body alignment and legs to protect the balance between stressing a weakened hip joint and lower back.

Swimming and underwater training are perfect for you to begin again! The buoyancy of the

A: There is a fitness principle called specificity. This principle states that your training should match your goals. For instance, if you want to be a competitive swimmer, you must train for swimming. Please keep in mind that most swimmers are not runners because the training is different. Conversely, If you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness, it pays to train in every area that will strengthen your heart. In this case, swimming,

BE | In spir ed 101 running, biking, stair climbing, etc., would all build up the heart

Leah has decades of experience with her emphasis on exercise and keeping your body mobile. Send your questions directly to her at leah@tangledsilvermag.com. Be sure to check out this month's article on SilverFit Resolutions.

You can also send your questions to info@tangledsilvermag.com and we'll be sure to get them over to Leah.

CLikewise, ontribu tor Meet & Greet if you have a goal to increase your flexibility, improve core strength, in general, cultivate physical and mental conditioning, then cross-training in activities that lead to this goal will all help.

Both yoga and pilates are wonderful ways to strengthen the mind/body connection.

Q: Can you explain what has bet t er benefit s for my st rengt h rest days, cardio, or HIIT workout s? ~Ellen S

Leah | Texas

She's also available to reach out to her with questions over on her Instagram account if you can't wait between issues. Her goal is to answer your questions and help you create a healthy lifestyle that works within your current lifestyle.

A: There is so much discussion about which is better, HIIT or She's a firm believer that you can consistent cardiovascular still enjoy the things you love workouts. If you are not an with a little tweak to your Age 55 athlete training for the Olympics routines and keeping yourself or some other major sports moving during the holidays. event,Medical the mostExercise importantSpecialist, thing to focusGroup on here is that cardio Fitness Instructor You can find her on Instagram fitness will increase the oxygen @leahrachel66 , the pages of in your blood, strengthen your Heading into my next adventure Tangled Silver Magazine and heart, and burn excess calories. frequesntly on our blog pages. inofTexas joining the TS Mag Both theseand types of workouts amily. I went willf accomplish thissilver goal. Ifback it is abef ore there were communities great concern, I would suggest to alternating supportthereby women embracing their incorporating both into your grays. routine.

ilverhSince It is hS ealt t h at2011 is r eal w ealt h an d n ot pieces of gold an d silver .

~ M ah at m a Gan dh i

WINTER 2022

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BE | In spir ed

103

Look in t he Mir r or Think about t he last t ime you looked at yourself in t he mirror. I mean really looked at yourself. W hat did you do or say t o yourself? Did you like what you saw? Did you pick at your skin? Did you lean in close and st ret ch out your wrinkles? Did you fuss wit h your frizz and t ry t o smoot h it out ? Did you pinch your belly and cringe?

We have been indoct rinat ed t o pick ourselves apart : from our gray hair, our t hin eyebrows, our crooked noses, our t hin lips, our yellow t eet h, our crow ?s feet , our sagging breast s, all t he way down t o our kankles, and we have some insult ing t hing or anot her t o reinforce t hese self-loat hing t hought s.

We may not all focus on all of t hese t hings, it might be one or t wo, or maybe we have learned t o live wit h a few t hings and just let it go. But , what do we say t o ourselves while t his inspect ion is going on?

If you are considering resolut ions t his year, I want t o give you an idea: W hat if, when you see yourself in t he mirror, you say: Wow! I love you!

You are beaut iful!

If you did t his first glance at yourself every morning? imagine how t his could carve your day and you int o somet hing you love.

I post ed t his meme recent ly on my social media and had several posit ive comment s, but one st uck out , ?If only, I wish I could.? If t hat resonat es for any part of you, t his is for you.

Love Your self Fir st W hen I was a t een, my mom put a not e on my mirror, I don?t remember t he exact phrase anymore, it was short like, ?Love Yourself First ,?but I do remember how powerful it was t o look in t he mirror and see t his not e from my mom. It has t aken me many years t o accept t his t rut h, fully. Even at 40 years old, and well beyond my t een insecurit ies, I was st ill bashful when someone called me beaut iful.

Believe You Ar e Beaut if ul W hen I dit ched t he dye in January of 2015, I never imagined how t ransformat ional it would be beyond t he hair.

First , I made unexpect ed friends when I joined gray hair groups. I was amazed at t he kindness and realness of t hese beaut iful women. We all have a common goal, and we genuinely support t hose around us WINTER 2022

t o at t ain t hat goal. From t hese new friends, I learned somet hing so valuable: t o believe t hese ot her beaut iful women when t hey t old me I was beaut iful.

As women, we oft en have t o learn how t o believe people when t hey compliment us. You might know what I am t alking about here; we oft en t hrow out compliment s left and right t o ot hers and t hen crit icize ourselves.

?I look t errible, but you look amazing.? ?Oh no, you?re being t oo kind.? ?That color looks amazing on you, but I can?t be t hat bold.? ?Your hair is gorgeous, but my gray is mousy, I wouldn?t be able t o pull t hat off.?

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W hy do we do allow t his self-deprecat ion? W hy can't we just accept it when someone says, "You are beaut iful!" It probably st art s somewhere around t he realizat ion t hat a compliment can oft en be loaded wit h a hidden agenda or false flat t ery. I mean, advert ising doesn?t even hide t heir agenda. They flat out t ell us as women we will be more beaut iful wit hout gray hair, wrinkles, or yellow t eet h and heaven forbid you gained 20 pounds since you were

15 years old.

Back t o my point , I t hink, you have t o believe you are beaut iful in order for it t o be t rue for yourself and t hen you will nat urally st op doing t his self-deconst ruct ion in t he mirror.

Most kind people in t his world would

BE | Inspired 104 not t ell someone else, ?geez your t highs look flabby, and t hat belly is just gross!?Yet , we say it t o ourselves! The t rut h is we are beaut iful just as we were made, inside and out . It doesn?t have t o be about vanit y t o recognize t he beaut y of nat ure in yourself. There are infinit e versions of beaut iful.

There is somet hing beaut iful t o be found in everyone, including yourself.

The Power of Gr at it ude It doesn?t st op at believing ot hers when t hey t ell you you are beaut iful, or, even, when you are able t o t ell yourself t his. To complet e t he circle, we have t o learn how t o say honest ly, and wholeheart edly, ?t hank you!?

because I t hink an ideal weight will magically make me pret t ier. I have fat , yep, t hat ?s t rue. The difference now, for me, is realizing t he negat ive t apes can be st opped and I don?t have t o list en t o t hem.

W hen we hat e on ourselves our cells are list ening. Negat ive t hinking undermines your healt h? mind, body, and soul.

Before we make resolut ions, t o eat bet t er, t o lose weight , t o exercise more, t o dye our hair or not , t o fit int o t hose jeans? what if t he resolut ion was t o accept yourself as beaut iful right now, as you are.

I am not saying we shouldn?t st rive for a healt hy weight , or t hat we should st op exercising. The benefit s out weigh t he alt ernat ive.

I am saying consider t he beaut y of you as you are,

Grat it ude reinforces t he t rut h of t he posit ive message, even if t he message does have a hidden agenda. It is a moment , when your brain pauses and ret ains t his grat efulness as real and t rue.

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Repeat aft er me: My beaut y is not dependent on my size, shape, age, or hair color.

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I realized somet hing in t he middle of my gray hair t ransit ion, I was gaining weight , I was in menopause, and it was ent irely possible t he weight gain would st ay wit h me for a long t ime. I was right , it has st ayed wit h me, and it has been st ubborn t o get off. I will cont inue t rying t o st ay fit , eat right , and fit int o my favorit e jeans; however, I am doing it because I have a ?right ?weight for me, not

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Maybe your body brought life int o t he world and it changed, Maybe your hair is just like your beloved grandmot her?s and went whit e at 20 years old, Maybe you have survived a chronic illness and your body is keeping you alive, Maybe you have laugh lines because your spouse made it t heir goal in your marriage t o make you laugh every day.

you t o change t hat ? but you have t o love yourself before you can fix yourself.

Brené Brown asks you, ?How can you let yourself be loved if you can?t be seen??Look at yourself.

See yourself. Love yourself. It is a privilege t o be alive, wit h laugh lines, st riat ions of life, and silver st rands.

So writ e it on your bat hroom mirror: Wow! I love you! ? You are beaut iful! ?

Shine on you beaut iful crazy diamond, ~Joli

@quicksilverhair Founder of QuickSIlverHair, knit t er, phot ographer, paint er...

Silver since 2015

St op judging yourself every t ime you pass a mirror. St op comparing yourself t o ot hers; you are unique and gorgeous in your own special way. Even if you find you are not what you want t o be? it is all up t o WINTER 2022

Salut e To The Men of Silver They have st or ies t oo

Photo Credits: Douglas Gorenstein

I started to see the first signs of grey hair in my late 20s early 30s. It was definitely something that I wasn't prepared for and I was quite surprised to see them... although my dad had gray hairs, I didn't know when he started to go Grey but I thought it was much too soon for me.

My sister used to dye my hair for me along with my mother in law who also at the time use to dye it..until one day I got an allergic, very bad reaction to the dye and that was the end of it for me.

Meet ALI | @alisudani_ on Inst agr am 56 | Elizabeth Board of Education, Actor, Model, Music Producer

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I just embraced t he gray and let it come in. People started to notice it more as a joke or compliment whichever way you looked at it they started to call me the black George Clooney,which was funny to me.

People seemed to like it..the women seem to be more attracted to me because of my grey so of course as a Young Man that was cool to me lol.

Now that I'm much older and much more accepting of my grey I couldn't see myself without it.. it's become who I am and I love it..

Tangled Silver Magazine believes that age and experience are beautif ul things.

We believe women embracing their natural selves should be celebrated. We believe our daughters and granddaughters should be taught early on to tap into their creativity with wild passion. We believe that silver doesn?t make you look old or mean you?re letting yourself go. We believe f riendships are important. We believe sisters connecting together over shared passions is joyf ul. We believe aging gracef ully looks dif f erent f or every woman and there is no right or wrong way along the journey. We believe in encouragement. We believe that embracing your silvers goes f ar beyond just a color choice. We believe every woman has a story to share. We believe that everyday is a gif t. We believe in laughing loudly and living boldly. We believe that positive self -talk is not only essential f or our happiness, but f or the girls and young women around us who are developing their understanding of beauty and self -conf idence. We believe grey hair does not equate old age. We believe you are never too young or too old to start embracing your natural hair. We believe it is time to end the stigma surrounding grey hair and to celebrate who we are instead. We believe that supporting other women in their journey to acceptance and authenticity is of the utmost importance. We believe our encouragement and love f or one another online is leading to more positive and productive social media experiences f or women. We believe in loving who we are, laughing at ourselves, and inspiring those around us to do the same.