The last several months, I noticed a shift in chatter at eclectic Baby Boomer-aged holiday gatherings. No longer were kids, parents or even grandchildren the focus of conversation. Feeling our age despite our active lifestyles, we listed our aches and pains while receiving resounding empathy, compassion and potential solutions from the rest of the group.

One friend dubbed these gatherings “organ recitals.” At one recent gathering, I tallied two broken femurs, multiple back surgeries, a plethora of arthritis and bursitis, one ruptured Achilles tendon, and several cases of ocular migraines, joint pain and neuropathy.

But contributors to this party talk weren’t seeking pity. Conversation quickly transformed into dialogue supporting healthy, healing options. Opioid and pain killer talk was taboo. Success stories of better alternatives flew freely: yoga, acupuncture, essential oils, reflexology, massage, aromatherapy, chiropractors, nutrition and vitamin supplements, power walks, power naps and even marijuana.

My friend Charlie Post, 68, is an active hiker, biker and downhill skier. He talked about how he was taking a boatload of Tylenol to get him through rehab pain after a femur injury until he discovered a topical cannabis balm at a DeBeque pot shop. He reported relief within minutes of applying it.

“I’ve found that a combination of the pot salve and [Doterra] Deep Blue essential oil rub was even more effective,” he said. “I have idiopathic neuropathy in my feet, and this combination has stopped its progression when the neurologist offered no options.”

Deb Cockroft, 63, was also getting little relief for her stiff, arthritic hands until she started using a hemp CBD salve from Mesa Lavender Farms. Not only are there no side effects, but she said the salve allows her to care for her yard and home without pain—even her handwriting is more legible.

Lastly, Sue Springer, 68, didn’t know what to expect when she visited a Palisade pot shop for the first time, but she was excited for the pain-relief possibilities.

“They were very professional and efficient,” she said. “A greeter checked my ID, then I sat in a waiting area until my name was called. The staff talked to me about the different options—it was a comfortable and pleasant experience.”

Springer, active in yoga and racquet sports, now uses a topical salve that gives her knee and hip pain relief for a full day with one application.

Baby Boomers are looking for our Zen through a combination of natural healing methods vs. mounting medications. Active, natural, healthy lifestyles has shifted our conversations in a new, positive direction.

It’s exciting to be surrounded by friends who, despite the physical trials that accompany maturity, remain active. We live by the mantra, “When you stop moving, you stop living.” We’re not “someday people”— we’re people who get out there and do it today.