The art of accidental beekeeping sleep and other things to do in lockdown

On 23rd March ,when the UK entered into a form of suspended public life, in all homes across the land, millions of us pondered first to know how and then scrambled into actions designed to survive whatever the unseen threat of Covid-19 might throw at us.At the start, I took to heart some self care tips I discovered from busy Mum and not-for-profit entrepreneur Beth Kanter. For me, the key questions became: how to ensure a supply of vital food and paper products and, how to maintain at least our current level of physical fitness and mental health.How were we going to survive what for most of us looked like being an indefinite period of staying at home?It made us look at a significant adaptation of the way we were accustomed to live everyday.

Eat well.Exercise appropriately.Sleep well

8 Tips for Nonprofits To Boost Resilience During A Pandemic

Many of us will have watched the daytime TV offerings with keep fit and cooking guru Mr Wicks, or perhaps preferred for those with longer memories ,the Green Goddess,Diana Moran.Perhaps then we turned to platforms like Zoom or Skype to keep in touch with loved ones from whom by edict we had been summarily parted.As the weeks went by, we may have looked to revive long abandoned hobbies – the long spell of warm dry weather has caused the bee populations to work the harder but more of that later- or brush up on old skills, or even taken-up new ones. Behind all of this we will have realised, I most certainly did, that a strong routine to back our resilience was essential.It became important to eat and sleep well, and to exercise appropriately.This still applies even as we face a slow return out of lockdown.We will all have learned more about ourselves and will be able to carry forward the positive aspects of our enforced isolation.

Resilience Pandemic or No

It occurred to me that for many of us over the last months life may not have changed all that much. In laterlife, often after retirement, adaptation to a different way of life has always been important health and wellbeing.It has often been thrust upon us and surprises us even when expecting it.With fewer family members, friends or work colleagues around, a greater degree of self-sufficiency is required to manage a degree of isolation.Obviously some of us are better equipped to deal with these challenges than others.What has hit me forcefully is that resilience is therefore not only required for lockdown but for always.Many older people were challenged in life before the pandemic struck and will likely live with many of the same challenges later when hopefully it has passed.Maybe the takeaway is that what we have learned to cope with through the threat of covid-19 will stand us all in good stead in the future laterlife.

Disturbed Sleep

Some breaking news comes from Kings College London about the effects of lockdown on our sleeping habits.Researchers there report that we are all experiencing a worsening of our sleep patterns with one half of the people covered by the study saying that their sleep had been more disturbed than usual.

Good refreshing sleep is one of the three key essentials mentioned in my opening comments.Sleep isn’t just a way to refresh your body and mind and prepare for the next day. As something that takes up approximately one-third of your entire life, your body and mind both take advantage of this large amount of time to help repair and restore the body to its normal functioning.

Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night is a solid start, but you also need to guarantee that the sleep you’re getting is of high quality. This will allow your brain to optimise the body’s condition to provide the greatest benefit in the long term.

Here are some body processes that your brain can more effectively initiate when you’re getting enough sleep, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

● Removal of toxins from within the body
● Reduction in the development of chronic conditions (heart disease, diabetes, depression)
● Repair of cells in the brain and body
● Improvement in memory and brain functioning
● Energy production

When you lack the appropriate amount of sleep, you’re severely limiting what your body and mind are capable of doing. Unfortunately, the importance of sleep is often understated, and many fails to recognise just how much sleep can impact your health.

Lack of restful and revitalising sleep is not a new phenomenon at any age as recent reports have pointed out.You can try some sleep tips and keep in mind my favourites:

keep a temperature you are comfortable with in your bedroom
settle down with the minimum of distractions. TV and other electronic devices should be switched-off
use bedding you feel most comfortable with

The bees have it

Ah, yes the bees I mentioned earlier. A bunch of bees has taken over my bird box in the garden adding adding accidental beekeeper to my list of lockdown interests!

But finally…

…as we continue to abide by and make the best of lockdown I leave you with a mantra which inextricably links the three key essentials to help keep you in best of health in these and all times :

eat well – exercise appropriately – sleep well.

Do tune in again next time.

The truth about stress in later life and how to deal with it

message from Nungwi beach in Zanzibar,Tanzania.This is paradise for no Stress!

“It has been verified through scientific exploration that more than 80 percent of all diseases are due to stress and strain that originate in the mind and reflect on the body.”

– American Medical Association

This stat looks bad.It must be said ,though, that not all stress is the same.We will all have benefited from positive stress at some time in our lives and also suffered to some degree from negative and corrosive stress.Working with the positive stress and binning the rest is good for your mental and physical wellbeing.We need to be mindful both of the dangers and of the solutions that are available to us.There are things we can do.

When we were younger the challenges in life tended to be far different from those which we experience in older age.As we age our bodies cannot deal with these as well as they once did. This change may also come at a time when we are least prepared for life challenges previously unfamiliar to us.

Stress factors.According to the Harvard Health Watch team there are health factors which can reduce our mental ability to cope with stressful events. They report that stress may also be caused by different factors that could be more complicated than the issues you faced in your younger years. For example, losing family members, leaving a career, changing financial circumstances, or perhaps moving home, for example, may hasten on physical effects of which we are often not immediately aware. Some of these effects may include raised blood pressure, suppressed appetite, and increased and prolonged muscle tension.

The researchers at Harvard say these problems can result in signs of stress which mimic symptoms of memory loss or dementia or include appetite changes, headaches, anxiety, irritability, or trouble concentrating. They suggest we can help manage stress by

using relaxation techniques
getting involved in community activities
taking care of yourself
eating right and
getting enough sleep

Now for the good stress. At healthline, Clinical psychiatrist Dr. Michael Genovese refers to eustress which works as a positive force and is good stress causing a nerve response in our bodies from for instance the excitement of challenging and realistic goals.It gives a good feeling of wellbeing.

Some further articles on stress for information are to be found at

Stress management is more difficult as we age

Relieve stress anxiety

5 Ways older adults can reduce stress

16 Ways to relieve stress anxiety

Wishing you a good stress only day today!

Why sense of purpose in older age is seen as so important

The inhabitants of the Japanese island of Okinawa have long been known for their healthy lifestyle and longevity.They live longer than any other people in the world.This is largely attributed to having a sense of purpose, and therefore a reason to live, which is focused on a concept the Japanese call Ikigai which they believe to be deep seated within everyone of us. The big secret is to find it and so benefit from longer and better quality of life, by finding meaning to your life and happiness.

So do we all really have a sense of purpose in life?

Continue reading “Why sense of purpose in older age is seen as so important”

How to keep your memory fit as you get older

How to keep your memory fit as you get older

Without taking appropriate action the avoidable debilitating effects of getting older may catch-up with the inevitable passage of time.We are often preoccupied with the physical decline in our bodies but what is possibly worse is when our mind begins to show signs of failing.Forgetfulness and becoming slower in our thinking can give rise to great upset and a feeling of isolation, even if the cause is not the result of any specific condition such as dementia. There is good news. According to The Harvard Medical School decades of research conclude that certain strategies will help protect and sharpen our brains.With some time and effort put in the brain can be strengthened by certain training just like a muscle, preventing some of age-related cognitive decline so as to keep your brain sharper.

Exercise

What is not often appreciated is that exercise can help strengthen your brain as well as keep your body strong and healthy.Short-term memory improvement is one of the main benefits noticeable in older people who have started an exercise regime and particularly one involving lots of cardiovascular work.

brain training

Use

Regular use of your brain in creative ways can avoid it deteriorating.The saying ‘use it or lose it’ applies here.

Experts at Harvard think that advanced education may help keep memory strong by getting a person into the habit of being mentally active. They say that challenging your brain with mental exercise is believed to activate processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate communication among them. Many people have jobs that keep them mentally active, but pursuing a hobby or learning a new skill can function the same way. Read; join a book group; play chess or bridge; write your life story; do crossword or jigsaw puzzles; take a class; pursue music or art; design a new garden layout.That said though, anything will help – even just reading occasionally.

Diet

Although healthy eating lowers your risk of diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, it’s not yet clear if that’s true for Alzheimer’s disease as well. It’s not a lost cause though. Here are 9 foods that researchers think will keep your whole body, including your brain, healthy.

The right diet can do wonders for looking after your brain and helping to prevent the onset of various neurological diseases or general deterioration. Particularly useful are fatty acids such as omega 3 which you can get from fish and supplements, vitamins such as B9 (also known as folic acid) which can be found in fruits and veg and amino acids (proteins) which you can get from meat or from supplementation – from ‘Age Slower’ by David Jones

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle can also impact on your mental health. Your sleep regime and fresh air can affect your brain, and alcohol consumption can also have a big impact.

Some easy steps to a better quality of sleep

Staying Active

In Japan, particularly in Okinawa, always keeping busy is seen as giving a sense of purpose in life and supports a concept known as Ikigai. Having something to get up in the morning to do is central to their way of life and is credited with giving the Okinawans a long life expectancy such that they tend to live much longer than those in the rest of the world’s population.What is more they enjoy enviable levels of vitality and health unthinkable for people of advanced age almost any where else in the world.

“One surprising thing you notice,living in Japan, is how active people remain after they retire .In fact, many Japanese people never really retire – they keep doing what they love for as long as their health allows”

– Ikigai – The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles

Best fitness exercises can delay or prevent illness in later life

An image of some people doing yoga exercises -dollarphotoclub credit

One of the abiding myths as we age is that illness and loss of physical ability are inevitable, and much reduced quality of life must follow.The good news is that this is simply not true.Although,when you grow older, keeping energy up, your independence intact and staying free of illnesses and pain does become more difficult.

According to the nihseniorhealth website – staying physically active and exercising regularly can produce long-term health benefits and even improve health for some abler people who already have diseases and disabilities.That’s why health experts say that older people should aim to be as active as possible
Continue reading “Best fitness exercises can delay or prevent illness in later life”

Simple mindfulness fundamentals

If you have visited a good bookshop recently you will probably have noticed the groaning shelves straining to support the great number of books written about the simple meditative state of awareness which is called mindfulness.Largely unknown in the West until the 1970s, Asian religions have been been practising meditation techniques,including mindfulness, since around 5th and 6th BCE.

What is mindfulness? Continue reading “Simple mindfulness fundamentals”

The great myth of advancing years

If you are not ready to contemplate retirement having reached a certain age you’ll find the book “Smashing the Age Barrier: The Ultimate Survival Guide to Success and Happiness” a useful point of reference and the road map you may have been looking for to help further your aims.It may not have all the answers for you personally, but it has an abundance of strategies and resources to think about and act on. The author, clearly himself not ready to retire to the golf course, sets out to blow away the great myth about advancing years.If you do not wish to you do not have to retreat from life, change your lifestyle, slow down,and live out the rest of your life in slow motion. The purpose of his book is to provide a step by step guide to achieving your purpose,aims and ambitions in life, regardless of your age. Continue reading “The great myth of advancing years”

The Best of the60life in May

via dollarphotoclub - the good life — via dollarphotoclub – the good life

Nearing the end of a busy month. The following are the Best of the60life in May which you may have missed: Continue reading “The Best of the60life in May”

Why the way we breathe is so important to our health

Who says so?

It seems a great many people do. A current google search using a keyword such as “breathing” will produce many tens of millions of references, many pointing to advice and information, much of which is clear It and helpful in our daily lives. It is clearly an important subject.So why add to the many millions of words already swirling around the internet, and elsewhere in books and magazines? Some messages are so important that they cannot be reinforced in the general population too often, one such is : Breath is Life. Continue reading “Why the way we breathe is so important to our health”

The short guide to dealing with stress in later life

Boredom in retirement -that'll be the day! — Boredom in retirement -that’ll be the day!

Of course stress has no respect for age.We know it’s part of life.Its destructive nature can affect anyone at any time, and the long term effects can creep up like a shadows in the night inflicting their damage to our health, catching us unawares.The natural ability to withstand the persistent onslaught of stress is much degraded,as we grow older, but succumbing to ravages to health is not inevitable. Continue reading “The short guide to dealing with stress in later life”

Why changing some habits can benefit you in older age

How's this for a good habit? — How’s this for a good habit?

Breaking old habits of a lifetime is just what the doctor ordered if,for your health’s sake,you take for inspiration that you’re never too old to adopt new healthful habits. The rewards: In the Johns Hopkins-led Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis,which tracked more than 6,000 people ages 44 to 84 for over seven years, those who made good-for-you changes like quitting smoking, following a Mediterranean diet, getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight decreased their risk of death in the time period by 80 percent. The following changes not only keep you healthy, they can help slow down the ageing process, inside and out. Continue reading “Why changing some habits can benefit you in older age”

9 of the best websites for walking events in the UK for all ages

Regardless of the growing success of the month of May as National Walking Month, the appeal of gathering and walking in groups has risen apace in many other months of the year.This can only be to the general benefit of the now large number of people who look to walking in groups as a fun and healthy thing to do. Continue reading “9 of the best websites for walking events in the UK for all ages”

How to be physically flexible at any age

Flexibility is something we all need in our everyday lives in order to function properly and with relative ease.It provides a range of movement in a joint or joints, and muscles across joints.Without this ability, everyday activities, even simple personal ones, become more difficult to carry out. Also a person’s balance can be seriously affected leading perhaps to being prone to falls resulting in further injury.The problem is that as we age our flexibility tends to deteriorate,and also this resultant lack of function has often become worse over time because of a sedentary lifestyle.Many of us take take flexibility for granted until we begin to lose it. Part of the problem is therefore unconsciously self-inflicted.So what to do if afflicted, say, with back pain or loss of mobility? Continue reading “How to be physically flexible at any age”

5 mythbusting articles you may have missed at the60life blog about your health in later life

There are many misconceptions about getting older.One of these is that older people inevitably will suffer from significant age-related decline in health.This is what many parents and grandparents of those now in their 60s and 70s were led to believe.With a lower life expectation they also seemed to be condemned to a short retirement in ill-health before death. Society and culture did not expect any more from older people. The stereotypes were out there with ‘pipe and slippers’ often the onlyreward at the end of a working life. Nowadays so much has changed and with good reason.Apart from people wanting more out of life the realisation has surfaced that in reality something can be done to prolong an active life.

Myth 1: Trying to improve fitness in older age is pointless Continue reading “5 mythbusting articles you may have missed at the60life blog about your health in later life”

The really simple way to walk for health in later life

Happy senior couple hiking in the park (dollarphotoclub)

INTRODUCTION

The problem for many of us today is that we just do not exercise enough. This can have dire consequences as we age.

According to the Lancet medical journal,about two thirds of the adult population in the UK does not take sufficient exercise and are endangering their health.The British Heart Foundation 2015 physical activity survey revealed that only 30% of over 75s meet a reasonable physical level of activity. These are astonishing statistics,and if we don’t use our physical ability to take reasonable levels of exercise we will eventually lose it.

In the UK and the US health authorities tend to agree that we should strive to achieve 10,000 steps each day equivalent to about 5 miles.The average person in the UK reaches around 3000-4000 steps daily according to the NHS( in the US this figure is said to be around 5,200 -5,900)

There is a simple way we can individually deal with this problem of low activity, and that is by walking for health in later life. Continue reading “The really simple way to walk for health in later life”

Top March event Sport Relief 2016 discovered Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em still

Simple Life Reunion 2057 — Gruhn creative commons

Sports Relief 2016 gave a platform for Michael Crawford to reprise his Frank Spencer character last played on TV 42 years ago.With an hilarious ten minute sketch Frank has several hair raising adventures on bicycle or roller skates in his typical physical comedy style.Although the sketch was widely acclaimed much comment has been made about the fact that Michael Crawford is 74 years old and, of course,considered to be a pensioner.What’s he doing all this for at his age? Many might say :Is he up to it?Wasn’t it all a long time ago when the series he starred in finished?

Apparently, this sketch was to be a ‘one-off’ in aid of charity.It took many weeks to bring to the screen.Michael might be a little stung by the age remarks.It seems he is not concerned.As in his earlier career, he did all his own stunts.Which brings us nicely to a wonderful web page featuring other senior people acting in most unexpected ways. Is it not time that the ‘old person’ stereotype was buried once and for all? Times they are a changing in our senior classes.Many people are not settling for retirement from life.They are embracing later life with both hands,working enthusiastically at remaining fitter for longer, and enjoying active and fulfilling lives.

So do spend a few moments here being entertained and amazed by a veritable ‘troupe’ of impressive people who are destroying age stereotypes.

Oh…and you can still donate to Sport Relief 2016 to support its work on projects for people in essential need in many places around the world.

5 Tips to Give You Time to Enjoy Your Healing garden

Over many centuries monasteries and hospitals have valued the restorative benefits of having a garden in close proximity to people who are suffering sickness. A garden setting provides calmness, a path to creativity and a new appreciation for everything that surrounds us. It transports us from the stress of the world to a place of peace and tranquility and restores our minds and bodies like nothing else can do.You can benefit from the healing properties of nature by planning your own healing garden. Continue reading “5 Tips to Give You Time to Enjoy Your Healing garden”

How to Lift Your Health, Balance and Strength Using Light Weights

As we age, most people notice a range of changes in their health. One change might not seem like such a big deal, but more than one can add up to poor health long-term. For example, we might notice we are not as strong as we once were. We might discover that our balance isn’t what it used to be. As a result we may be prone to losing our balance and injuring ourselves due to slips, trips and falls. Continue reading “How to Lift Your Health, Balance and Strength Using Light Weights”

The 17 health benefits you can hold onto in later life

17 Health Plus Benefits

7 strength training benefits for older people

17 Health Benefits
Following an earlier article on the 60life.com, this article introduces a major series to be posted on this site about the numerous benefits of strength training at any age.

Until recently, loss of muscle was generally believed to be inevitable as we progress into later life.This discouraging belief has now been firmly dispelled by the findings of new scientific studies which show that an increase in frailty with age is not inevitable and can be controlled to a significant degree through lifestyle change, particularly through taking more exercise. Continue reading “The 17 health benefits you can hold onto in later life”

If you must spend time on the sofa do this for your health and wellbeing

sofa so good - @ dollarphotoclub — sofa so good – @ dollarphotoclub

This piece is about spending less of our waking day sitting down and using more time throughout the day improving your wellbeing and fitness. The importance of exercise at whatever age for longer life has been bandied about a lot in the media recently.It seems we are not listening.But scientists confirm exercise is the answer to keeping fit and well.
Continue reading “If you must spend time on the sofa do this for your health and wellbeing”

Youthful strategies for Boomers and beyond

As we age, changes occur in our bodies and minds, but there are certain ways you can resist the downside of ageing and take steps to prevent diseases which prey on older bodies. This report gives you guidance on steps to take to help you feel spry and live longer as the years pass.

No matter what your age or level of fitness, you can begin an exercise programme to help you overcome the many detrimental changes which make you look and feel old. For example, certain exercises can help your balance – so you don’t fall as easily and risk broken bones and a long term recovery period.< Continue reading “Youthful strategies for Boomers and beyond”

Why you can profit from being over age 65 if you are older active enough?

Derrick Evans, better known as "Mr. Motivator” with aerobics team, Harry Nash, Nigel Iskander, Anthony Shorter, Hi Chu Yap, Judy Hill, Mangala Harris, Green Park, London — Derrick Evans, better known as “Mr. Motivator” with aerobics team, Harry Nash, Nigel Iskander, Anthony Shorter, Hi Chu Yap, Judy Hill, Mangala Harris, Green Park, London

Calling all you older actives who follow active lifestyles and love to keep fit!

If you are over 65 and think you are able and fit enough you can enter a national competition sponsored by Ateronon to find the 2015 Older Actives Champion.There will be prizes for the the winners of nine regional heats who will go on to the national final to be held later this year.Each of these winners will receive a medal together with £500 worth of Ateronon products and £100 of Marks and Spencer vouchers. In addition to the prizes won at regional level, the 2015 Champion will receive a trophy and £1,000 worth of UK holiday vouchers. Continue reading “Why you can profit from being over age 65 if you are older active enough?”

How to harness the vast health benefits of the tomato for later life

tomato motif — by courtesy of dollarphotoclub

Almost 200 years ago, the tomato as part of the nightshade family was considered poisonous. It is therefore hard to believe that this fruit has been rehabilitated as a wonder food. Tomatoes are a rich source of vitamins A and C and folic acid. They contain a wide array of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including alpha-lipoic acid, lycopene. The consumption of tomatoes has been credited with beneficial health qualities including the prevention and alleviation of a number of serious health conditions including Continue reading “How to harness the vast health benefits of the tomato for later life”

How you can take charge and simply reverse ageing

Getting Older Doesn’t Mean You’re Finished!

Are you concerned with the quality of life as you age? Do any of the following resonate with your experiences?

The thought of sliding into infirmity leaves you frightened and depressed
On more than one occasion you struggled to find the words to complete a thought
You fear losing your independence and ability to take care of yourself
The thought of just fading away in loneliness and isolation is downright depressing
It seems that worrying about growing old is constantly nagging at you

You aren’t alone.

There are almost 40 million people over the age of 65 in the United States. That is nearly 13% of the population. By 2030 there will be more than 72 million older persons making up 19% of the population.

The trend is similar for European countries. It is estimated that during the period from 2013 to 2080 the percentage of the working age population will shrink, while people over 65 will account for an increasing share of the total population. Continue reading “How you can take charge and simply reverse ageing”

7 Easy Tips to help you sleep better at night

Resting - (Oksay Mark @ dollarphotoclub) — Resting – (Oksay Mark @ dollarphotoclub)

At any age lack of sleep is damaging to your health.Enjoying a restful night’s sleep is an essential prerequisite for preserving your health.If you are suffering from insomnia you are not alone. According to report of the World’s largest online sleep survey held in 2016 three quarters of people in the UK failed to wake-up refeshed.In an earlier national sleepio survey held, it was reported that almost one half of the over 60s will suffer insomnia sometime. The best way to make yourself sleep better is the natural way. Without drugs you can train yourself to sleep.Here are some quick tips for a more restful night. Continue reading “7 Easy Tips to help you sleep better at night”

Reverse the effects of inflammation in the arteries with the Mediterranean Diet

Italian food ingredients on wooden background (dollarphotoclub)

Enjoy the benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.

You may worry about inflammatory disease such as arthritis or hardening of the arteries which can cause heart problems, many cancers and even Alzheimer’s disease. It’s very important that you discuss with your doctor any treatment that’s right for you. But, the good news is that you can help prevent or reduce the symptoms of these chronic diseases by adhering Continue reading “Reverse the effects of inflammation in the arteries with the Mediterranean Diet”

Why with exercise being over 60 does not mean over the hill

According to recent a medical research study at King’s College, London carried out to determine if there is a relationship between age and physiological function, we would be advised that appropriate regular exercise taken as we grow older is beneficial to Continue reading “Why with exercise being over 60 does not mean over the hill”

Why leaving your chair could add five years to your life

It perhaps should no longer be necessary to remind people that physical activity is essential for health and longevity.Medical research into reducing the risk of heart disease,diabetes and cancer in older people continues to support this truth.The results of recent large studies by the Oslo University Hospital, Norwegian School of Sports Sciences, confirm a strong association between physical activity and Continue reading “Why leaving your chair could add five years to your life”

How to apply the 80/20 principle to gardening in a small space

vegetable garden Alix Marina @ dollarphotoclub

No space for a garden?

Over thirty years ago, Mel Bartholemew devised a system of gardening which enabled him to yield over 80 percent of his crops of vegetables and flowers from 20 per cent of the area normally required for traditional gardening methods.This gardening example (loosely applied) of Pareto’s 80/20 principle,like so many things of genius, was derived from a simple concept.Mel has continued to experiment and improve his way of gardening in a limited space using small square foot plots to the present day.

Continue reading “How to apply the 80/20 principle to gardening in a small space”

Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: A Quick Start Guide to Heart Healthy Eating, Super-Charged Weight Loss and Unstoppable Energy Book Review

Introduction

The title of Gina Crawford’s most recent book says it all. For an introduction to an exciting new lifestyle you need an easy to read quick guide delivering “no fluff,no filler, and going straight to the point” as Mrs Crawford would put it. This book is just that.

Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: A Quick Start Guide to Heart Healthy Eating, Super-Charged Weight Loss and Unstoppable Energy was released in January of 2015, and reveals the “healthiest, most well respected and scientifically documented diet in the world.” Continue reading “Mediterranean Diet for Beginners: A Quick Start Guide to Heart Healthy Eating, Super-Charged Weight Loss and Unstoppable Energy Book Review”

What Food Choices Make up a Mediterranean Diet?

When you think about Mediterranean food do you think of pitta, lasagna, plenty of white bread, lamb and pizza? If so, you are missing the point.

The Mediterranean Diet, proved time and again to lead to less disease, a healthier heart, better brain function and a multitude of other health benefits, has been misrepresented in recent years. A true healthy Mediterranean Diet is based on the eating habits of Greece, Crete and Southern Italy of around 1960.

That diet is based on whole foods, plants and vegetables. To these basic essentials small portions of lean, healthy meat can be added, as well as seafood 2 or 3 times a week. The idea is that good fats replace bad ones, and you should always eat a breakfast rich in high-fibre foods, fruits and whole grains.Though allowed,daily products, are used in limited amounts.

Below are a few popular food choices which make up a healthy Mediterranean-style diet.

Whole wheat, whole grains and oats
Good fats like extra-virgin olive oil, sunflower seeds, nuts and avocados
Fish like salmon and sardines, tuna and herring
Shellfish, such as clams, oysters and mussels
Herbs and natural spices
Fruits and vegetables of all kinds
Whole foods (foods that are as close to their natural state as possible)
Foods you should avoid or eat less

An understanding of your eating options also means knowing what foods you should avoid, or simply cut back on. If you limit your intake of the following food items and components, and you will be making smart Mediterranean food choices.

Fast food and fried food
Processed and red meat
Products made with white flour
Refined sugar
Bad fats like hydrogenated oils, saturated fats and trans fats
Butter, margarine and lard
Salt
Monosodium glutamate (MSG is found in up to 80% of all processed food)the
Isn’t this rather too strict a diet?

It doesn’t have to be.You can see the above are foods to avoid or eat less of and are not all strictly forbidden. Eating red meat a few times a month is considered alright. And sea salt can be used in limited quantities since it is not processed like table salt. Essentially, it is important to focus on eating more fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, and less processed and refined food, salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.The wide variety of foods available and good for you means that the diet is not boring.

Gina Crawford has written a comprehensive guide to the real deal Mediterranean Diet with many delicious and easy to produce recipes.

Making smart food choices is the basis of the Mediterranean Diet. Before you prepare your next meal, be honest with yourself. Is your diet primarily whole food, plant and vegetable-based? Does it substitute healthy fats for bad fats? Will it ensure that you eat fish 2 or 3 times each week, and red meat no more than 2 or 3 times a month? If so, you are well on your way to choosing the foods found in a Mediterranean-style diet that lead to fewer diseases and better overall health.

Ease into the Mediterranean diet today

cestino di pane con verdure - dollarphotoclub — cestino di pane con verdure – dollarphotoclub

Media headlines often tell it all:

Sensible diet cuts heart attack risk within weeks (The Times)

Obesity threatens chronic ill health in older age

Dire warning of [adult] obesity as [youngsters] pile on the pounds(The Daily Mail)

but many of us still don’t respond to the headlines, or even read the rest of the article,news item,or report we maybe reading.

Despite the sheer volume of scientific evidence written today about the likely consequences of poor diet Continue reading “Ease into the Mediterranean diet today”

Walking really works for your health

Standing-up for your health really works

Scary headlines jostle daily in the media to attract our attention.Many do not deliver on the message and become just so much unnecessary distraction in our everyday lives.Now, where our health maybe concerned most of us will always prick-up our ears and take notice for fear of missing something of importance. Standing-up for your health is a theme that has gained traction in the last few years, but does it work? Sitting is killing us? Continue reading “Standing-up for your health really works”

Are you still stepping-up your exercise in 2014?

So how is it going for you this year,so far? Did you start the year with a resolution to exercise more?Maybe you bought a pedometer, or some such aid, to help you set targets and measure your exercise levels.Just maybe, though, you will have followed the over 80% or so it is reckoned fall away from achieving their resolutions.

Well,I did make a resolution to achieve a daily average of 10,000 steps a day within the first three months of the year. I bought the pedometer and I have tried to build-up my daily step rate.At the moment I am achieving around 6,000 steps on average. So some days, I do more than 6,000, other days more around 5,500. My current rate is classed as just above a sedentary lifestyle, an improvement, but I must do much better in the coming weeks.

If you have never measured your walking steps, it does require some application to achieve the higher step rates for beneficial exercise. There is no doubt I feel much better for the challenge.

The thing about going for a good walking habit is that if you falter, you can quickly step it up again without too much loss of benefit. I find now that I think about how to step-up my effort during the day.So,for example, instead of driving the car short distances, I will take that 10 minute walk.I will take the stairs in a public building rather than a lift.

Would you feel better for that extra exercise? Well,don’t just take my word for it: research studies in Brazil and the US have concluded that taking 6,000 or more steps daily can decrease the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.They found that typically an adult male walks 5,117 steps in a day, equivalent that is to a walk of about two and a half miles and, apparently adding a further 1,000 steps to this tally may be just enough to lower this health risk by reducing abdominal obesity.

The research also indicates that your daily quota of steps does not have to be concentrated in an exercise programme.The health benefit can be gained if the physical activity is spread throughout the day.

Daily there is much talk about the growing levels of obesity throughout many parts of the world. You can help yourself by keeping to this simple daily exercise plan to walk more each day. Set yourself a reasonable and effective target.

Have you planned your New Year Resolutions?

The old year has nearly gone

and many of us will go through that timeless ritual of seeing the New Year in with one or several resolutions. We will be in earnest.But how many of us will manage to keep any of those promises to ourselves or others?According to some estimate as few as 1 in 10 of us will manage to achieve this self inflicted goal.

So why do we fail? It seems straight forward enough when the idea of self improvement,or perhaps a worthy cause, is born on the wave of a rush of blood when the sentimentality of the waning year is upon us. Why don’t our resolutions work out?

These key questions, and others, are answered in an excellent book which also provides an easy to follow blueprint based on 12 good habit types…to read more

Life is such a bore so pensioners say

Life is but a bore so pensioners say

According to a recent survey carried out by the Skipton Building Society, one half of a group of retired people canvassed said that within ten months of retirement they were bored with life! Having spent most of their working lives dreaming, scheming and saving for a life in retirement they found the freedom to do whatever they wanted with their time had not given them the happiness they had hoped to have.

Retired people, it seems, feel there is a stigma attached to their new life, and they resent being termed ‘old’.

For some,the extra lie-ins and the opportunity of watching daytime television had quickly palled in appeal.No longer did they feel useful or able to rely on a structured work life to offer meaning to their everyday existence. Sometimes loneliness had replaced the comfort of camaraderie in the workplace. Also of course, for some, the cause of dissatisfaction was a shortage of disposable money to indulge themselves, or at best to maintain their standard of living on a reduced income.

Work to remove those retirement blues now

If you are like a rudderless ship, you should look to find a new structure for your life, and one which will utilise transferable skills employed prior to retirement. Of course your health may dictate what you can and cannot do but your future activities can be tailored to your abilities. There is an opportunity to learn new skills and acquire new interests.

Essentially, you need something to get out of bed for in the mornings.

I hope that you will regularly return to these pages where we will be offering solutions to help drive away the hopelessness many feel when faced with the challenges of a new life beyond work – work of another nature, paid or unpaid, may also,of course, be a part or the whole of the solution to this dilemma.

The opportunity for beneficial retirement covers a wide field…

… but offers one wherein everyone will find something that will help improve their lives. For now, I leave you with this thought : during a busy work life the successful order of things rested heavily on acts of behaviour or routines very much driven by habit, like buying a newspaper on the way to the bus stop, or cutting-up for your lunch box,simple things which you did without much thought or extra learning, but if you missed out doing them it mattered to your general wellbeing. The number of these good daily habits was large, and probably ranged from the trivial to the vital,but all together played their part in keeping your life together and moving forward with some meaning.

Develop good daily habits

In retirement,or any new life, we need to develop a new set of good daily habits some of which we may or may not have incorporated in our previous life.It is a time to sort through and retain what is useful from the past for the future.

The good habits may help us in retirement to:

eat well and exercise for health;
likewise sleep better
take on new learning, doing something each day in which we excel utilising our experience or skill;
reduce stress;
socialise, or at least make yourself known;
do things that make you feel better, this might be for instance helping someone else through a problem;
have a routine when you first wake-up

Many of these interact,and there are many others, which will be covered in detail soon in future posts on this site, and in my newsletters.

Having a happy and fulfilling laterlife is the very essence of what this site is all about.

You can read a Skipton Building Society report on aspects and attitudes relating to retirement

UK helpline for lonesome older people launched

Believing that there is a serious need in the UK for a new service to help pensioners who suffer from loneliness, Esther Ranzten of That’s Life! fame has recently launched Silver Line. In these days of potential information overload, help in making the right links to appropriate resources for a disadvantaged section of our society would seem to be great idea.

0800 4 70 80 90

Silver Line with some founder sponsors and ongoing public donations has set itself-up to act as a ‘befriending’ organisation which those in need of its services can access by telephone 24/7. Trained advisors will be on hand to provide free and confidential advice, and of course a comforting word.

0800 4 70 80 90

Of course, many older people of pension age are not lonely, in the sense that living alone they are unhappy with that condition. But for others, there will be that constant debilitating feeling of being left adrift from mainstream society.This feeling of no longer having purpose in life with no tangible contact with other people may arise from from many causes. Perhaps the sudden lack of camaraderie provided by an active and busy workplace, little social interaction from enforced immobility from accident or illness, the lost contacts as family members move or pass away.

0800 4 70 80 90

The helpline advisers will help to point callers in the right direction for resources specific to a caller’s needs. That might be locating services in a local area provided by say, ageUK or the Royal Voluntary Service which can give further advice and offer companionship.

0800 4 70 80 90

Many elderly people are not be prepared to admit they are lonely.They maybe too proud,or they may fear the prospect of inviting someone to ‘befriend’ them. Trained advisers will attempt to break down these issues,with security of the individual very much in mind.

The service of course requires public financial support, and there are opportunities to become a volunteer and an adviser to the cause. This may be just for you, if you now find you have more time to spare and would like to help people in need.

0800 4 70 80 90

It these times, it seems to me that another such help link is to be welcomed. Some may feel they are being patronised. But from the TV and press coverage, and public reaction, to the announcement of the new service, it has been generally well received.

The founder,Esther Rantzen, was successful with the child line she set-up 27 years ago which now forms part of the NSPCC.

If you can bear the jingle when you go to the Silver Line website you will find the contact telephone details if you haven’t spotted them already in this post! Do let me have your views.

Short walk to a longer healthier life

Apparently, we in Britain are some of the most inactive people in the world. One third of us cannot manage even a 30 minute walk every week.Result: 37,000 lives are lost that might otherwise be saved from premature death. Many of us succumb to diabetes and heart disease, and assorted cancers. So what to do? We can schedule 20 minutes a day for a walk , and do it! Can’t we? A good walk of this short duration can boost our natural disease killer cells, help curb inflammation within our bodies,and privent damage to our ‘energy battery cells’. I’m in. Oh, and by the way, a good daily walk can actually be, well, fun relaxing and fun. If you are up for a healthier life-style do have a look at this recent report from the Daily Mail.

A short walk of just 20 minutes could be a life changer for you. Others who say so are:

Ramblers

MacMillan Cancer Support

Walking back to health and happiness

Walking has been described as the most underrated of human activities, and yet, when I last searched on Google there were 499 million entries for this one word alone! Clearly there is a vast interest in walking but are we reaping the full benefit of this most natural of skills? In health matters and particularly in terms of preventable serious illness, it seems we are not. Insufficient physical activity and an overly high intake of calories in food and drink are causing widespread chronic diseases in the general population of many developed countries.

Should I do this?Will I benefit?

People of all ages can greatly benefit from walking for exercise. And the fantastic news is that it is never too late to start taking advantage. From the outset, you should listen to your body and only do what is comfortable for you. If you are not a walker for fitness you should build-up your level of activity introducing walking into your daily life until it becomes a habit you enjoy and don’t wish to lose. Importantly, it should become fun,and you should feel better for it.

The benefits of walking are :

– More active life

– Losing weight

– Having fun

– Gaining a purposeful habit

– Saving money

– Expanding social life

– Providing protection against serious illness

Many of us need help later in life to sustain the level of physical activity required to ensure we give ourselves the best chance of living long and healthy lives. Significant changes in our lifestyles can affect our attitude to exercise. Often,when we reach a certain age and move away from busy family and business schedules to finding more time on our hands, we can tend to slow down. The equation we need to guard against this:

High calorie Intake + Low Physical Activity = Obesity,diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

So what will help? A good habit of taking exercise regularly and within our individual ability can pay high health dividends. In order to acquire this habit most of us need to see the measurable results of our efforts indicating clearly our progress towards incremental and reasonable improvements in our fitness. We need targets to aim for and the ability to measure easily how we are doing. The answer is to use a physical activity monitoring device everyday.

Activity Measurement

I recently bought a pedometer. This I believe will help me to build-up my daily walking activity. Already I have noticed a significant change in my daily walking activity. I will let you know how I get on. Over the next few weeks, I would also like to bring you some tips and related information about the benefits of the free at the point of action gift of walking to help ourselves sustain or improve the quality of our lives.So, if you don’t want to miss out,you can sign-up for my regular newsletter, in the box at the right of this screen- no obligation, and certainly no danger that your details will ever be used elsewhere.

Continue reading for details about the Omron Premium Digital Pocket Pedometer…pedometer review

5 ways to harness the exercise habit for a better life

The exercise habit can lead to a healthier life.

Keeping physically fit is universally acknowledged as a ‘no brainer’ so far as leading a healthier lifestyle is concerned. So why do so many of us not bother, or almost as bad, like a New Year resolution vow to exercise more and regularly but fall away after after a short time?

Let us take five affordable and effective ways to exercise, first. These are:

1. Running for your life and enjoyment

2.Walking Even a mere 15 minute walk can be so beneficial

3. Swimming Acknowledged by medical people to provide excellent but not over taxing strength training

4. Cycling Age is no bar for this activity

5. Gardening. Even gentle pottering around the garden has been shown to aid balance and make for greater flexibility

The benefits of regular exercise doing one or more of the above activities will reward you with greater :

flexibility
muscle strength
balance and co-ordination
stamina

Now, the above activities can be done in short programmes to suit yourself and your physical abilities. You can go to the above resource links against each activity ( gardening will be dealt with in a later post ) for further information to help you.

And there’s the rub. In our heads most of us know what is good for us, but many of us do not persist long enough to receive the sustainable rewards. So we fall down. This is where we all need some help. After working out what we can and should do, we need to change our daily pattern of behaviour to include our chosen

activities – often, in order to receive the benefit, we may only perhaps need to exercise every other day. But it must become a regular feature in our lives. Yes, it should become a habit.

A habit has been described as: ” a regular tendency or practice.It’s something you do almost without thinking.In some cases,our habits even come to to define us as people.” S.J. Scott –77 Good Habits To Live A Better Life

Powerful stuff ! We need the habit to keep us exercising.

To acquire a good exercise habit it helps to have the support of others. We can join clubs and associations, or a group of like-minded friends. In this way we can encourage and be encouraged in what we are doing.

In a series of posts to follow, we’ll go in more depth into these activities to increase our fitness and wellness . Also we’ll look into how exercise can become an indispensable part of our lifestyle. Hope to see you next time.

7 strength training benefits for older people

According to the authors of a report published in Mature Fitness for the American Senior Fitness Association adults of all ages can benefit safely and effectively from strength training activity. Here,though,I would always caution with the need to consult a medical practitioner before embarking on unaccustomed exercise.Not everyone at any particular age is of course capable of safely achieving, without detriment to health, the same levels of physical activity. The main benefits of a professionally supervised program of resistance training for senior fitness are claimed as :

an increase in muscle strength and size
reduction in resting blood pressure
enhancement in glucose utilization
easing of lower back pain
an increase in bone density
an easing of arthritic discomfort
the relief of depression

To read the full report on strength training

Other related resources of interest are eldergym and Huffington Post 50

How To Help Avoid Losing The Meaning Of Life Visit The Over 50s Show

Are you over 50 and at a loose end? Don’t know what to do next in your life? Well, the Over 50s Show could help you find your way.

Billed as the biggest show for active Over 50s, The 50+ Show hits town again for the seventh time with a three day event taking place in July at the Olympia’s Grand Hall in London.Following last year’s successful event, the organisers are determined to make this year’s show even better and expect 12,000 people to attend. As an added attraction this year, celebrities have been drafted-in to help the full and varied programme go with a swing.

On the main stage area during day two consumer champion, Esther Rantzen CBE,will be introducing her new charity The Silver Line. On the Saturday,day three, it will be the turn of journalist and TV broadcaster Angela Rippon, who will be giving ‘an audience’ and host a question and answer session.Opening the show on day one, Thursday, will be comedian and actor, Brian Conley, who will entertain with his particular style of stand-up comedy.

The main focus of the Show is ‘Making the Most of Life : Positively, Actively and Creatively.’

Sponsored by the Prudential, the show will have something of interest for most people covering a range of practical skills, including craft work, cookery, gardening, fashion, and keeping fit. Making the most of ourselves is what it will all be about as you visit the many exhibitor stands.

The 50+ show will be joined by the 50+ Travel and the Health Tourism Shows to provide a packed programme of activities including:

fitness sessions and a climbing wall
free health checks
cookery demonstrations – led by Beer Chef Richard Fox
wellness-based travel
holidays for mature travellers
fashion shows
flower arranging workshops – run by the national Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS)

If you would like further details you can visit the official 50+ Show website

If you can’t make the London venue don’t worry! There are other venue dates to choose from for later in the year at Birmingham,Manchester and Glasgow, and there maybe others.

Good habits can help in times of stress

Research findings in the Psychology Department at the University of California suggest that our habits grow stronger under stress, whether they be good or bad.

The considered view is that when we are under stress ,this could be from a life event bereavement or perhaps a personal illness, for example,our longer term decision making ability is much reduced and we tend to go for short term comforts. We may fall back on bad habits ,say, of eating.The guilty pleasure of fast food may perhaps become our focus, once again; or we may default to an habitual behaviour of eating more healthily. When we are under stress we have less self- control, and we look for the ‘easy fix’ where longer term planning is not involved. If that is a good habit to fall back on, it will be reinforced.

Wendy Wood the research professor at the University of California says, ‘ getting enough exercise,eating right,getting enough sleep, not smoking, all of this should become an automatic part of your day.’ Enough said.

If you develop good habits now, you can rely on them to see you thorough the tough times – it is never too late for any of us.They will be part of an automatic response. You will benefit strongly in health terms, for instance, by eating sensibly,having good sleep patterns, and so on.

You can continue reading: stress can lead to good habits too, here.

Don’t let your laterlife ruin your health

Life expectancy is increasing significantly for many of us as a result of medical breakthroughs, and general improvements in living standards. Why then do many people over 60 feel they are entering an age of fear? Losing the meaning of life, they can succumb to a declining spiral resulting in greatly reduced physical and mental powers. While growing older does, of course, create challenges for us all, perhaps leading to loss of purpose and self-worth, it is not an inevitable part of the ageing process.

The seeds of a problem

These may have been sown much earlier in our lives, when our lifestyles were dictated by different pressures than now from work,family,personal ambition, fashion, or a more youthful culture. There are also poor habits and activities which we may have practised in our earlier daily lives that are inappropriate for sustaining the wellness we hope for as we grow older. Unfortunately, there are also arbitrary stages in our lives, retirement age being one of them, family leaving the home, when change is forced upon us which can affect our view of the future and ability to cope.

So what to do?

There are steps we can easily take to make daily progress towards halting the degradation of our lives, and actually going some way to improving them, raising our enjoyment and enabling us to reach greater fulfilment.This in turn will make us feel better about ourselves and better able to take on new interests and challenges if we need them.

At the heart of a revitalising process for a better and less fearful life are what may be called good behavioural practices, or habits, in our daily lives. We can either do nothing and allow the spiral of decline to claim us,or we can take positive actions. According to writer and entrepreneur, Steve Scott, daily habits are what help define us as people. He has written a book called : 77 Good Habits To Live A Better Life. Although probably written more with younger people in mind, who wish to grow in their lives in terms of work, and success, many of the Habits covered apply to all generations. They are powerful and can significantly help 60lifers improve the quality of life, particularly, in the matter of health. Some habits are ones we may have lost over the years, or may never have had. This is knowledge many of us already have but often we never put it into practice. Just a few small and easy steps introduced as part of our every day lives can transform them.

One of Steve’s easy habits which can benefit the over 60s is : Eat within 30 minutes of waking. He says, even a very light breakfast of ,say, an English muffin smeared with a little peanut butter is sufficiently nutritious to ‘kick-start’ your body for the day. A banana can also suffice. Another half-breakfast ,after an hour or so continues to give the right signals to our body’s metabolism.

If you like me, as a younger person, allowed little or no time for this habit to form because of a busy work life, you have absolutely no excuse in laterlife to find the time to keep this habit. It is never too late to improve your health, to help you reach your maximum potential.

It is not true that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

In future posts,I will cover more easy lifestyle habits to keep – so don’t miss anything.You can sign-up for my brief emails on this page.

As inspiration to us all, Sir Bruce Forsyth, the British entertainer, recently celebrated over 70 years in show business. By all accounts he is fit and well, and continuing his career.He has recently been a co-host for the highly popular British TV show: Strictly Come Dancing . In celebrity interviews, he puts down his longevity and physical flexibility – he can still show many young’uns how to dance- to daily exercise routines carried out as soon as he wakes in the morning, and before he rises, including body stretches,hand and finger exercises, and for toes and ankles. He is clearly a man of good habit.

Go Brucie! Wishing you many more years beyond your current 85 years of age.

Before I go please let me know your comments on not letting your laterlife spoil your health.Perhaps you also have some good habits to share.

The age of fear for the over 60s?

One third of people in their 60s experience a ‘later-life’ crisis

The other day ,The Daily Mail reports, the Harrogate conference of the British Psychological Society heard from Dr Oliver Robinson, a lead researcher at The University of Greenwich, that in a survey of 282 people aged 60 or over, 32 per cent of men and 33 per cent of women said they had had a crisis since the age of 60.

At the centre of this later-life crisis for many over 60s is the big question : What is the meaning of life?

Why particularly at this time of life? Is it not stating the blindingly obvious, you may say, that as we become older we fear more, and feel more vulnerable? Illness and isolation become the enemies to be feared, and very often actually endured. There may be loss of family members and friends, or of gainful employment or occupation; physical or mental disability may restrict activity, and a break in connection with the world outside. This is said to be different from the ‘mid-life’ crisis of younger people.

The survey’s findings may perhaps not surprise. For some over 60, the figure of a third may seem rather low. What is there left to do, and where is it all going?

The questions are hugely important,so too is helping to find some answers. The experts conclude that unless the ‘triggers’ of a crisis, for example, bereavement or illness of a loved one, are properly addressed, then a spiral can often develop leading to and accelerating personal decline into physical and meant suffering.

It seems that two or more stressful life events, and the subsequent sense of loss, are likely to raise an acute awareness of mortality and frailty.

In Dr Robinson’s words: “It was important for people in their 60s to recognise the signs and for some to seek help.” It was not something to be ashamed about, either having these experiences or seeking help.”

And the Good News…Overcoming, the crisis can often make life seem even better than before.

Where to go to for help? Obvious immediate answers may be : your general medical practitioner, at first instance, or close family members and friends. In these pages ongoing, we will try to offer some regular and helpful information to help fill the knowledge gap, in what is a large and complex area to cover. If you see in the near future, on the side-bar of this page, an opportunity to sign-up for regular updates and news about what you have just been reading – Do sign-up! There is no cost, and no obligation, your details are treated as strictly confidential and will never be passed on elsewhere.

Health Disclaimer! The information provided on this site should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. No action should be taken based solely on the contents of this site. Readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being. The information and opinions provided here are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors, but readers who fail to consult appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions.

You may wish to follow full reports covered in this article and related articles:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2307843/One-60s-hit-later-life-crisis-meaning-life.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

One in three over-60s are hit by a ‘later life’ crisis about the meaning of life

Keep an eye also on updates to Your Health here>>

Stand up for your health

Over recent years,there have been academic studies which have concluded that sitting down too much during each day is bad for us, and may significantly reduce our lives, perhaps by several years.

Standing too much,too, may also not be good either. What seems to be important from all these studies is regular physical movement. So if you are inclined in the day to sit a great deal for whatever reason, it is beneficial to move about say every 20 minutes,or so. Why not programme into your day, if you are stuck at home for instance; a regular cup of tea(which you get up and make yourself), or make a bed ;or perhaps potter in the garden if the weather permits; or do that small fixing job you’ve been meaning to do for a while.

Taking regular light exercise, whether at home or at work which breaks up otherwise lengthy sedentary periods during the day may help ward off long term health issues which can arise from excessive sitting. Now it is easy to read these academic reports and terrify ourselves with the long words and dire consequences described, the easy bit though seems to be a truly simple solution – we just need to get off our butts more each day.

The sooner we start the better, but it is never too late too tweek our lifestyles a little – small adjustments make a big difference according to most of the studies on the dangers of excessive sitting.

How long do you sit down on average each day? Apparently, according to the Daily Telegraph some figures show some of us in the UK spending up to 14 hours per day sitting down!

So let’s MOVE IT!

Looking at the wider opportunities for taking regular appropriate exercise, may I leave you today with a great link to exercise tips you can consider building into your lifestyle practice. For those who don’t swim there is a great section on swimming. It is never too late to learn.Let me know how you get on.Maybe you have tips to benefit others.

Revealed the 6 food types to cut your cholesterol

The old cliche, you are in health what you eat is as true today as it has ever been,according to a recent report in the Daily Mail. There are ,for example,food types which can effect our health in a positive way by helping to lower high cholesterol levels. As high cholesterol is frequently blamed as a key factor in developing heart disease.To me, this is encouraging. Eat well, stay well.But how?

Information overload…?

…The information out there is confusing.There is a lot of it.The clear message coming through is that you can protect yourself with simple changes in diet and lifestyle. So let’s take the diet and food angle. This alone can significantly reduce cholesterol levels. The trick seems to be to use specific types of cholesterol-busting foods in certain daily amounts. The Daily Mail features expert advice received , including guidelines on changing your daily food diet, and recommended consumption of the following six foods to introduce into the diet mix:

1. Smart Foods

2.Fibre

3.Nuts

4.Soya

Also de-mystified,is the question: What is good and bad cholesterol all about?

And before you go, there’s more useful information provided by the British Heart Foundation which is currently running its Love Your heart Campaign bringing tips and expert advice to change our lives. It’s never to late to benefit from simple changes to diet, and also give us further benefit from appropriate (for our time of life) exercise routines and lifestyle changes.

Austerity diet rules?

No.Not okay. This is not in the message. Lowering your cholesterol is also about working within a low-fat diet. In following a balanced heart healthy diet,total deprivation from all those things you love to eat like cheese and chocolate is not the name of the game. Eggs, too, are good for you.

2 Types of physical activity to help make the most of your laterlife

How is your year going ,so far? All those resolutions you made, a distant memory? Like I am going to get myself fitter this year to reap the benefits of a fuller and more active lifestyle. I for one can confirm, it isn’t easy.But it is worthwhile.Even small, incremental, improvements to flexibility,balance and energy levels are within all our reach,and it is never too late to pick-up on what we need to do.So if, like me,you need a reminder every now and then,and some encouragement, this page is a good place to visit regularly.

There are two types of activity strongly recommended for older people: aerobic exercise, and exercise to strengthen muscles.Exercise routines using these two types of activity will help protect you in your current and laterlife.

Good aerobic exercises can be derived readily from walking,jogging and biking. Muscle strengthening exercises involve light weight resistance activity for muscles, in all areas of the body including the arms,legs,chest and abdomen. Both types should form part of a weekly quota exercising habit.It is important, however, to know your physical limitations ,and not overly sap your energy or overstrain. If you have not taken regular exercise of this nature for a while you should check out with your medical practitioner that your intended exercise plan is appropriate for you and your future health.

When starting any exercise, it is always important to gently warm-up your body with some light stretches and balance exercises, in comfortable loose clothing in a dry, warm, and ventilated room. The big question I hear you ask is: how much exercise should do? Some useful guidelines for taking aerobic and muscle strengthening exercise, depending on age and physical condition, are provided on the NHS website. So let’s get that heart pumping a little more. More information coming here soon with tips and advice on looking after yourself.Do let me know how you’re getting on and what works for you.

Towards a healthier later life : walk to live

By staying physically fit we can both extend our lifespan and age healthily.Fact. This message is the clear conclusion of an extensive study carried out by researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Cooper Institute.

Today, there is such overwhelming medical evidence out there from many of the best research centres in the world that we can greatly improve our chances of living not only much longer, but without many of the chronic diseases that often beset people in their later life. It has been long known that adjusting our lifestyle -even a little- can be good for our health. We are advised to exercise more; reduce alcohol intake; stop smoking; and maintain a normal weight. We know it’s right. It’s just that we treat these lifestyle changes much like new Year resolutions, and frequently fail to act. What the above study report tells us is that even a little exercise – just 150 minutes a week – can make so much difference to our longevity and our quality of life.Even regular light walking as on a gentle stroll, is good.

It is never too late to improve for the long term our fitness and our lives. Although the Southwestern study reported on the beneficial effect of being physical fit in your 30s,40s,and50s when reaching 65 and over, the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, as reported on the British Medical Journal website,has produced research results which point to a benefit of an extra 6 years in people over 75 who have reduced some or all of the above risk factors causing chronic ill health. Activities seen as particularly beneficial include walking and swimming.

Debate on Statins for all over 50

In these pages we shall inevitably cover ‘burning’ health issues of the day. One such is the taking of statins to help to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and stroke and seems to flare-up occasionally in the press to rekindle a raging topic for debate. According recent reports in the Daily Telegraph and other newspapers, everyone over the age of 50 should be given statins because the “cholesterol-busting” drugs reduce the risk of a heart attack even in healthy people. This latest conclusion is based on studies by researchers from Oxford University and the University of Sydney, funded by several institutions including the Brotish Heart Foundation,the UK medical research Council, and cancer Research UK.

The use of the ‘bad cholesterol-busting (known as LDL cholesterol)’ properties of statin drugs is suggested by the research findings for the medication of all people over the age of 50 whether considered at risk from vascular problems or not. Currently,guidelines for prescribing statins are based on a number of risk factors including age, cholesterol levels,blood pressure, and lifestyle issues like smoking.The benefits of taking statins are seen as outweighing ‘any known hazards of taking statins.’ For a full and rounded report you can read the article published by the UK NHS website.The debate does seem set to continue to rage. One or two people have commented at the website on concerns that statins may impair cognitive ability in those with dementia.

The NHS site says,”There is good existing evidence that a healthy lifestyle (including regular exercise, stopping smoking and a healthy diet) is an important factor in cardiovascular health.” We are told that the guidelines on statin drugs will be considered again soon.All the available information needs to be carefully considered.

How you can go to ‘pot’ and live more happily

Gardening is good for you.Yes, its official! Go potting and help your wellness.Gardening could soon be prescribed by your doctor if you are feeling depressed and under the weather.

Potting plants rather than popping pills may soon be the order of the day to deal with depression and related illnesses, with consequential health benefits to the patient ,and significant financial benefit to the UK National Health Service budget.

Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians, and a long time advocate of gardening as an important alternative therapeutic remedy for depression,has recently confirmed he is strongly in favour of gardening courses being used as an alternative to medicines in many cases. This was said by him recently in the context of greater choice likely to be made available under health reforms going through the UK Parliament.

Whether or not the NHS through the GPs support this development, the message from many quarters – Alan Titchmarsh is reported very keen on this-is : gardening is good for you , and it is free! You can also catch a news report from last year on gardening courses to help beat depression from the Daily Mirror.

How to stay alive and enjoy life more

This sound like something that would interest you? The benefits of keeping physically fit seem rather obvious at whatever age you are. So why is it that when we get older we feel the need to stop having an active life altogether? Rather than merely slowing down a little, but keeping body and mind in good running order commensurate with our age and taking into account our physical limitations, we settle for the ‘easy life.’The easy life begins to define the reality and limit of our abilities;it is not taxing, but comfortable. This can often result in a lethal spiral leading to feelings of unhappiness and lack of self-worth. In a Daily Mail Online report the stark warning to the over-70s from the medical experts is : Don’t suffer death by Armchair.

It seems whatever your state of health, you can improve it and gain a noticeably more active and enjoyable life. If you are restricted by disability,you should consult your GP to discuss what you would like to achieve, and you will probably be most surprised at what is possible, to achieve safely and reliably.

A website focused on encouraging older people to adopt a keep-fit mindset is run by Gina Jones who herself fought a debilitating spinal injury. She acknowledges that though not easy, keeping fit when you get older is so worthwhile for wellness. You can begin to enjoy life more ,and with greater confidence. Take a big step and find out more. For a start, visit the Home Exercise & Rehabilitaion website here…

Another useful source of health information can be found at spirehealthcare.com

The most important meal of the day at any age? Yes, that’s breakfast.

Staying on top of your game whatever your age can very much depend on your diet. The most important meal of the day is breakfast.This appears to be the universal fact wherever you look given by reputable experts on nutrition and wellness. So,how important is breakfast?

Eating a meal within 60 minutes of waking in the morning,comprising essential nutrients from three out of four certain food groups can help to keep obesity,diabetes, and the risk of heart attacks, at bay.

There is a mindset about breakfast. Often we are just too lazy or feel too time poor to eat breakfast. But really eating a breakfast well balanced with a selection of certain food groups is an easy to set-up process and can take little time at all. Just how difficult is it to shake cereals into a bowl and add skimmed milk, or to boil an egg for three or four minutes to suit, and perhaps pop a slice of whole meal bread into the toaster?These foods will help boost your day at any age, and help pace your food intake for the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast should consist of a variety of foods, easily prepared. It should contain complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Protein can come from eggs, beans, or soy. Fibre and carbohydrates can be found in whole cereals, grains or in fruits. A good example of a healthy breakfast might be something like a boiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with skimmed milk.What constitute’s a healthy breakfast? Here.

On remaining physically active as we age: 10 key benefits of swimming

That we should be reminded of the great benefits to us all of regular safe leisure swimming exercise is important. Swimming is safe and easy on the body.It allows full movement of the body without bearing weight and ,therefore, there is far less stress placed on joints and bones while exercising. Consequently,aging does not need to mean substantially decreased mobility as swimming can lengthen the number of years we can pursue vibrant lives with enthusiasm.

The Centers for Disease and Prevention extolls the benefits of regular swimming exercise on mental and physical health.

Water-based exercise can help reduce stress,improve cardiovascular quality and posture,tone muscle,and help in weight and diet control. For a full list of the 10 main benefits of swimming read on..

The gastric band question for the over 60s

Hi. In these times, we are everyday hearing of pioneering surgery and rapid developments in medicine ,unheard of even a decade ago.

If successful these are life-changing for the person whose wellness has been improved. But are these remarkable advances only for the relatively young, when factoring in the cost and the employment of scarce medical resources? Should a person over 60,for example, be given the chance to benefit? Is the risk worth taking, and should it be allowed? As food for thought and further discussion ,I give you today the link to a recent report posted at the timeswellness.com website:

‘Madeleine, who lives in Gosport, Hants, with husband, Bill, 68, is one of the [gastric band] procedure’s success stories. In the 14 months after her bypass she has gone on to lose an amazing 10 stone and is now a size 8/10 with a BMI of 24.9 (the ideal is 20-25).

She says,“I read the letter I wrote to my daughter recently and it was full of sadness and so far from the person I am now. I took great pleasure in ripping it up.

“The operation cost £12,000 and I had to take out a loan to pay for it but it has at last given me, albeit in my pension years, the life I’d dreamed of.”

But sadly, major weight-loss surgery doesn’t have such a happy ending for every older patient.’

For the full story you can go to:

Should-the-over-60s-be-banned-from-gastric-surgery?

Financial Fears in retirement

Article by Cathy Severson

Retirement income security is the number one concern of new retirees. Increased retirement cost, anxiety about retirees’ health contributes to the unease. When talking about retirement and money, there’s more than meets the eye.

Will I have enough money to last the rest of my life? The number one fear facing retirees is whether they are going to have enough money in retirement. Ironically, that fear exists regardless of one’s actual worth. In fact, people who report assets of million are more concerned about having enough money than people who have 0 thousand in assets. In fact, it is only when people report having in excess of 0 million do they relax about their financial future.

How could that be? The easy answer is Americans of all income levels spend more than they make. As your wealth increase so does your expectation of your minimal standard of living. What’s the point of having million in the bank, you ask, if you can’t enjoy it?

To answer the question of whether or not you will have enough money to last the rest of your life, you need to explore where the fear comes from. Is the fear base on an assessment of your financial situation or is it a psychological issue?

In order to understand the fear of not having enough money, you need to look at two things. The first is to assess your actual financial situation. The second is to explore the fear itself for psychological concerns.

The best way to minimize your fear about not having enough money to last the rest of your life is to spend less than you make. If you are retired and have income from investments, are you able to live only off the interest? (Financial advisors recommend not taking more than five percent of you portfolio every year. It’s assumed that the bad years and the good years will balance out, at that rate of withdrawal and you’ll have enough to last through your lifetime.) Do you need to tap into the principle on a regular basis? Ideally, you want to leave the principle alone and have it grow some every year.

If you’re going into do debt to pay for the lifestyle you want now, you have some legitimate concerns. If you aren’t willing or can’t cut back on your expenses, explore ways you can increase your income, by either working or starting a business. You may and may find that working fills time you would have otherwise used spending money.

Compile a budget so you know how much is coming in every month and how much is going out. The most important aspect of the budget is to explore your fixed and discretionary expenses. Your fixed expenses are what you spend every month on housing and any outstanding loans. Most everything else is discretionary.

Review your discretionary spending. Look at how much you eat out and unnecessary shopping. Many people, especially women, shop when they are bored. If your are bored and shop to occupy your time, explore other activities that would engage your time. You might volunteer to shop for shut-ins. (Spend their money, not yours.)

Many financial concerns are based on paying for healthcare and other old expenditures in the future. Based on your income, you may want to purchase additional medical and long term care insurance. It’s important to find a financial professional who can advise you on your current and projected financial situation and the best way to plan for your future as you age.

If you have done everything you can do to prepare for your future by seeking professional advice, understanding your financial situation. Cutting expenses and/or increasing your income, and you still have anxiety about money, you may want to explore it from a psychological perspective. Psychological money issues mean you use money to fix emotional needs. Examine your beliefs about money and possessions. Are you concerned about maintaining a certain lifestyle to impress friends or family? Do you believe you need to give your children money when they ask for it? Do you believe you need to be able to buy what you want when you want to have a sense of self-worth? Do you use money worries as a way to manipulate your significant other?

Another challenge facing retired adults is learning to live without earning money by working. Remember when you were child and asked your parents to buy you a toy. They responded with, “If you want the yo-yo, you’re going to have to earn the money to buy it.” Much of the identity of Americans comes from us being earners and providers. This is especially true for men. “If I’m no longer a provider, what value do I have?” It’s a different mindset to let your money work for you.

The transition to not working is a huge shift. Understanding the varied dynamics of your relationship with money will help determine the peace of mind you have in your later years.

(This article is not intended to provide financial advice, but only offer information to help you explore your economic situation.)

About the Author

Cathy Severson, MS helps you make the most of your retirement. Baby boomers understand this isn’t your parents’ retirement. Find out how to make the rest of your life the best of your life with the complimentary e-book 7 Ingredients for a Satisfying Retirement at http://tinyurl.com/8moymb

Baby Boomer Health – Advice About Baby Boomers And Retirement

The topic of baby boomer health is popular these days as more and more people from this age group are becoming senior citizens and approaching retirement age. This age group is well known for being in denial about aging and financial planning,

However, reality has begun to show it’s face. Thus, there are many issues that directly affect the baby boomer generation that need to be considered, especially with today’s economy being the way it is.

According to media RKR, which publishes a book about “Baby Boomers Health And Retirement” website — http://mediaRKR.com/baby-boomer-health/ — pointed out;

“..It has been often said that the mindset of a typical baby boomers is to avoid planning for their demise as well as long term financial planning. However, this mindset is quickly changing, as managing aging and end of life issues are becoming center stage…”

“…With the baby boomers rapidly approaching retirement, here are the top factors that are of major concern:

– Understanding The Process Of Aging
– Avoiding Alzheimer’s Disease
– A Plan For Staying Physically Fit
– Planning A Proper Diet
– Keeping The Heart Healthy
– Vitamin And Mineral Supplements For Anti-Aging
– Reducing Sugar Intake To Avoid Contracting Diabetes
– Improving Time Management Skills
– Stress Management Techniques
– Financial Management Strategies
– Starting A Second Career

…if you are, or someone you know is a baby boomer, then now is the time to get your hands on information that offers tips and advice about how to enjoy your golden years, in good physical and financial health.” …

Further information about Baby Boomer Health and Baby Boomers Retirement can be found by visiting:
http://mediaRKR.com/baby-boomer-health/

Media RKR is your source for a wide variety of informative books, reports and guides to help improve your lifestyle.

Do I Still Need Insurance in Retirement?

Article by ric dalberri

We all know that we could during our lifetime, become cash poor and insurance rich. So, now, during the ‘golden years’ of retirement,do I still need insurance in retirement? The answer is basically, yes and no. What I mean is, which type of insurance do I still needin retirement. Here are different types of insurances that you usually have in your personal (not mentioning if you are self employed for business insurances) portfolio:

1) Life

2) Health, dental, vision

3) Automobile, R.V., motorcycle, boat, etc.

4) Homeowners, flood

5) Disability

6) Long term care

7) Pet

8) Travel

So, you should now understand why I said yes and no to needing insurance. Let’s start and go through the list.

1) Life insurance. The purpose of life insurance is to fill the gap of financial loss, hardship, pay some debt and burial funds for those left behind. If the answer is no to the purpose listed here then, you don’t need life insurance. You may, however, want a charity to benefit or help a family member in need. The amount of life insurance depends upon the amount of money the individuals you leave behind will need not to experience a financial loss. You have to calculate your liabilities. Consult with an insurance specialist as to the various insurance policies available to you. If you now own an insurance policy, you may consider having the cash value pay your premiums or sell the policy (called viaticles) and set aside some for burial and blow the rest.

2) Health, dental, vision insurance. Do I still need insurance in retirement? For this, yes. If you leave your employee, there may be an option to continue your health insurance. Many municipalities and unions will allow this. You may consider to continue with Cobra for 18 months until you decide what you will do until you go for Medicare. Remember, even if you don’t want Medicare at 65 yrs of age, you still need to inform them that you decline because of other coverage. If you don’t and at a later date, apply for Medicare, you will be penalized and pay a higher premium. You may also need a supplement to this.

3) Do I still need insurance in retirement for auto, R.V., motorcycle, boat? Only you can decide this. For the most part, if you own any of these in this category, the answer is yes. You decide how much.

4) Homeowners insurance is a must. Some policies will cover you away from the home. Even if you don’t live in a flood zone, you may want to consider flood insurance these days. Just watch the news and weather channel.

5) Disability insurance. You probably have had this at your work, even if you did clerical duties and not being a laborer. You probably don’t need his in retirement, unless you are very active. Only you can decide.

6) Do I still need insurance in retirement? Long term care should be a definite. The earlier you start (age wise) the less expensive your premium will be. Check out the cost of medical care in and away from the home. It could be a very expensive premium. Can you afford not to have this?

7) Pet insurance is a personal choice. If you own a pet, you know how expensive vet bills can be. Can you afford this in retirement?

8) Travel insurance. When you decide to travel, you can take travel insurance for the trip you are considering. It can be covered for different reasons from cancellation, weather, medical. Some foreign countries will not accept our (U.S.) medical coverage. This probably is a yes when traveling.

Do I Still Need Insurance In Retirement?

About the Author

Ric Dalberri is a graduate of Columbia State University & has been involved in his own business (sold) employing over 100 people. As well as being a top producer as a Financial Specialist for over a decade with one of the largest financial institutions in the U.S., Ric has many years experience in sales and management. Ric was also a mentor in the financial arena as well as a volunteer teacher for Junior Achievement.

Health Perception

Health Perception

An important area to focus on as you transition towards retirement is in the area of Health Perception.

Health Perception measures how you see your health as being an important part of your retirement life. It reveals to you your own appraisal of your health. The retirement assessment can tell you if you have some health concerns (in your own opinion), that you do not believe you are in the state of health you would like to be in, or it can tell you that you believe you are in great health.

A low score in the area of health perception shows that you see this as less important for your overall retirement success, making your health an area of concern. What most people want in retirement living is dependent on health, so a low score automatically makes this become a critical area. The good news is that you now have this information at a time in your life when you can make some changes if you decide to.

Health can be affected by attitudes: by what we believe. Our belief about our physical state of health directly affects what we can do and how we feel. Our inner beliefs influences our body, these can’t be separated. This area of mindset is discussed more thoroughly in the The ‘Secrets to Retirement Success Home Study System™’, where an entire section is dedicated to Mindset.

A low score in the area of health perception indicates a strong concern about your health. Because health is such a critical item, this area needs to be considered carefully. If your scores do not meet with your identified plan then you need to consider changes in your life style and belief system. Your assessment will identify whether this is an area of concern for you or not.
Resolve to live a long and healthy life. If you aren’t already, become in tune with your lifestyle, making sure it includes healthy foods, exercise, and some form of relaxation and stress control. You need to be vigorous in finding better and healthier ways of staying fit and healthy! You have considerable control over your state of health by the health practices you engage in. Use these beliefs to motivate you to continue staying healthy.

When people believe they are healthy, they either continue working or move towards an active retirement lifestyle. When people believe they are ill, they want to retire as soon as they can so they can rest and remove themselves from an environment that seems stressful. Retirement becomes a solution to their condition. Often, you’ll hear phrases like, “getting out” or “needing some rest”. These are strong motivators that push individuals to retire early.

Seek an active retirement lifestyle or find a way to become involved again in a second career or job. Be prepared to be active and busy while enjoying the benefits of living a fun, healthy life! Your views and the actions you take are a part of the relationship you have with yourself. Life should be enjoyed!

Your Assignment:

What changes, if any, can you make to become more healthy? Do you engage in at least twenty minutes of vigorous exercise (such as fast walking, jogging, swimming) three or more times a week? Do you drink no more than one cup of coffee or tea or one can of caffeinated soda pop per day? Can you get seven to eight hours of sleep every night, eat meat or other fatty, high-cholesterol foods no more than once a day?

Each of these things you can do contribute to your health. Don’t feel that you have to start them all at once. Add in one new activity that you’re not already doing and do it consistently for a month before adding in a second area. Before you know it, your health will improve and your view of your retirement may change too.

Next week we’ll talk briefly about the area of Projected Financial Security and Planning
While you wait, if you’re looking for ways to figure out what your retirement will look like, and you know you definitely DON’T want to leave it to chance, contact me for a 30-minute ‘Get Acquainted Session’ to see if there are ways I can help you. Simply email me at [email protected] and we’ll set up a time to chat.

This information is based on the original work created by Richard P. Johnson, Ph.D. in his book The New Retirement and the training certification through the Retirement Success Profile (RSP).

Tracey Fieber is founder of “The Secrets to Retirement Success System™”, the most complete Retirement Transition program for executives and small business owners.

Using her own principles, Tracey went from a corporate executive to a retirement filled with adventure, passion and purpose, in less than 8 months!

Tracey is the celebrated author of the Retirement Success Home Study System™, and author of the upcoming book “How to Retire to a Life of Adventure, Passion and Purpose”. Get your free CD “7 Steps to Cracking the Retirement Code”, available on www.NewFaceOfRetirement.com.

Take Action Now to Protect Your Health in Retirement – Six Action Items For Retirees

Article by Burton Widener

There is probably nothing more important to the enjoyment of the retired lifestyle than good health. Poor health limits your retirement options dramatically. It may restrict where you can live. Your willingness and ability to travel are both negatively affected by poor health. It’s hard to enjoy seeing new places if you can’t get around, or are tied to medical support facilities or special medical devices.

Assuming you are currently enjoying reasonably good health, take action to maintain your health now.

Here are a six tips for maintaining your health:

Select a doctor who has experience in treating older adults if you can. They are much more likely to understand the aging process. It takes some experience to determine if your symptoms are just part of the natural aging process, or signify something more. Get regular checkups. Most experts recommend twice a year physicals for anyone over 65. Follow your doctor’s advice. Why spend the time and effort to visit a doctor if you are not going to listen to him/her? If you don’t like the advice, get a second opinion. Find a way to insure you take any prescribed drugs in accordance with the required regime. If you find you are having difficulty remembering the correct times or dosages, find some kind of a routine to help you remember. Don’t be proud, after the age of 60 or so we all find our memories getting less and less reliable. Stay physically active. Most experts recommend at least 20-30 minutes of exercise three or four times a week as a minimum. The exercise does not need to be all that vigorous. Even walking for 30 minutes every other day can really improve your overall conditioning. Important; you should always consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise program. Don’t delay unpleasant or costly tests or procedures. Again, if you question the need for a particular test or procedure get a second opinion. Nobody likes six foot tubes being pushed into places where the sun never shines, but it may save your life some day, so grin and bear it (no pun intended). Both you and your spouse need to be realistic when looking ahead. If either of you have a chronic medical condition that is likely to result in long term health deterioration, plan for it now. Don’t put yourselves in a position that does not allow you to meet evolving health issues.Pick your retirement location carefully. Often it is prudent to be located near a medium or large metropolitan center. This will usually give you more options in terms of medical specialists or medical facilities. Your health may also determine the type of living accommodations you will select. For instance, restricted mobility may mean you are limited to single floor residences. The need for specialized care may dictate living in an assisted care facility.

Who Is Going To Pay? – Probably You

Health care costs are rising at an alarming rate, and senior citizens are feeling the pain. Only the lucky few have health care benefits that they are not paying for themselves. And even those that do can’t be sure their health care retirement benefits will continue. Ask a retired auto worker or airline flight attendant how precarious retirement benefits can be. Private, full coverage health plans are quickly becoming out of reach to most retired persons. Realistically, most retired persons are going to be dependent on Medicare for their health care coverage. You need to spend some time understanding what your options are. It’s more than likely you are going to want so called “gap” insurance to supplement the standard Medicare coverage. The rules for switching from private programs to Medicare are also important to understand, as a mistake can end up costing you some big penalties.

The latest drug care program is so complicated it’s almost impossible to figure out exactly what to do. Spend some time to read and understand all you can before making any decisions. A good place to start is at the official government website. You might want to consider getting some professional advice as well. Most medical insurance companies have people who understand the complexities of the issue, so they can be a source. Check your local business directory. In some areas, there are companies that specialize in helping you select the appropriate coverage. A word of advice here; prices for standard coverage are regulated, so the major task is selecting the plan that is best for you, and then deciding which insurance company you want to use.

Don’t risk having failing health shorten your enjoyment of your retirement life. Following these six simple tips can help insure you enjoy your retirement well into your senior years. That’s the whole idea isn’t it?

About the Author

About The Author: Burt Widener writes extensively on issues concerning retirement. His website at http://www.allthingsretired.com offers a range of articles and other resources to aid retired persons find answers to common questions regarding retirement. The site is updated frequently to keep the content current. You can contact Burt at: [email protected].

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The old year has nearly gone

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Life is but a bore so pensioners say

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