How Do I Prepare for Retirement?

How do I prepare for retirement?  That is a question that millions of people in the United States are asking themselves. These people are not just boomers like myself, but people in their twenties, thirties and forties, as well. And no, I'm not talking only about how you must save so many dollars a year so that you have enough to last until you are 96 (although that is certainly part of the preparation process). There are many websites and blogs that deal with that issue. What I am talking about is how do you prepare yourself not only financially, but also mentally, physically and psychologically. What this blog does is to provide you with the paths you can take that will ease  your mind.

When you retire, you suddenly have a lot of time on your hands. How you use that time will determine how successful your retirement will be. But the secret is how you prepare to use that time and resources well in advance that will determine whether or not your retirement will be a success.
So search this blog and see if you get some ideas that will work for you. Here are a few posts that may be of help to you: http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/07/where-is-best-place-to-retire-part-2.html;http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2012/12/how-to-save-for-retirement-easy-way.html. We will, of course, continue to add information that will help you achieve the retirement you want and deserve, whether now or 20 or more years from  now.

Green Beans: The Latest Superfood

For years, my wife has been urging me to eat green beans. She says "they are good for you." My wife  just loves green beans. When we are in the supermarket and she suddenly disappears, I always know where to find her: in the produce aisle, loading the shopping cart with--you guessed it--green beans.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not opposed to green beans. I happen to like them from the can and mixed with a little French salad dressing. But raw or barely cooked (or blanched as the cooks like to say) just did not appeal to me. That has all changed now that I have read Dr. Weil's Daily Tip.  He cites three reasons why everyone should eat fresh green beans: it promotes strong bones; protects against heart disease; and it can help prevent colon cancer. In addition, he says that green beans contain anti-inflammatory aspects that produce a stronger immune system.

How do green beans do all that? It turns out they are a good source of Vitamins K,C and A.  In addition, they are also a good source of manganese and fiber.

So if the next time you are in the supermarket, check the green beans aisle.  I may be there loading up my cart with green beans.

For a complete discussion of the topic, please see Dr. Weil's tip, "3 Reasons to Eat Green Beans." http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP04898/3-Reasons-to-Eat-Green-Beans.html

How to Get Money from an ATM while Abroad

Are you traveling to Europe this summer and worry you might not have enough money with you while there?  The simple answer, of course, is to use an ATM if you need immediate cash. Whoa! One problem you will probably encounter is that the machine may not take your standard ATM card (and no, it is not necessarily because you don't have any money in your account).  Most European ATM machines use a different method for reading the card you use. The standard bank card in this country is swiped when using the machine and the machine reads the magnetic strip. European cards, called EMVs, also use a magnetic strip but, in addition, they contain a microchip that provides an extra level of security against fraud and scammers.

This should give you an overview of the problem in getting money from an ATM while abroad. It just might be a good idea to get an EMV card before traveling internationally. For a more complete discussion, see the Nerdwallet blog. 
http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2012/traveling-emv-credit-card/

Hot Chocolate Can Prevent Dementia

A recent study of a group of individuals over the age of 70 has suggested that drinking two cups of hot chocolate each day may improve your brain's memory skills. The Harvard Medical School study showed that drinking two cups of hot chocolate for thirty days resulted in improved blood flow to the brain. The participants in the study showed an average increase in blood flow of about 8 percent by the end of the study. This translated to a substantial decrease in the time necessary for the individuals to perform certain memory tests from an average of 167 seconds to 116 seconds.

While the researchers and others who have seen the research have cautioned that the results of the study are still preliminary and that further research is necessary involving control groups, it seems to me drinking a couple of cups of hot chocolate a day may well worth doing. Who knows, maybe those cups may help you find those keys or eyeglasses you are misplacing or maybe even help you to  avoid dementia or the mental decline everyone is worried about as they age. Let me know what you think.

The study was performed by Dr. Farzaneh Sorond, an assistant professor at the Harvard Medical School.  For a more complete discussion of this study and comments from the Alzheimer's Association, see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2386257/Drinking-hot-chocolate-prevent-ALZHEIMERS-boosting-blood-flow-brain.html

Best and Easiest Way to Lose Weight Without Dieting

I recently wrote about Interval Walking as a way to lose weight. http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/07/interval-walking-to-lose-weight.html My wife and I started the program just about two weeks ago. Since we started the program, we each have already lost about two pounds. Now, that may not sound like a lot, but a pound a week without following any special diet seems pretty good to me.

The program we have been following is to do the interval walking one day, followed by a day in which we try to walk for at least 45 minutes.  Depending on where we are walking (sometimes we walk on the high school track and others, on a "rails to trail"), we usually log about one and half to two miles, sometimes more.

We are obviously going to continue to follow this program and we will keep you posted. In addition, in a future post, I will explore some of the science behind the benefits of interval walking. For now, though, I think it is the best and easiest way to lose weight without dieting.

The Fly Creek Cider MIll and Orchard

The Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard is located just a few miles outside of Cooperstown, New York, the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame.  If you are visiting the Hall of Fame or just enjoy good food, especially anything to do with apples, you will want to stop here if you are in the area.

Fly Creek is a combination of an old-time general store and miniature theme park.

 

 

The store features fine food products from the Cooperstown area. It was built in 1856 and its apple cider is renowned throughout the area.

Each year, it is said that over 100,000 people visit the mill . Inside the store are a variety of products, including, of course, apple cider, apple butter and just about anything made with apples. One surprise is the various types of apple wines that are available. These, like everything else in the store, are available for sampling. And believe me, you will certainly enjoy those!

Another treat available at the store is the New York cheddar cheese. It is smooth, sharp and extremely enjoyable by itself, with a glass of apple wine or on some of the delectable crackers available at the store.

Inside the store, you will also find on the second floor, the actual cider press that is still being used today to make the apple cider. Unlike most cider mills, the cider is not pasteurized but rather it is exposed to the sunlight to kill any bacteria.  It is supposed to make the cider taste better and it sure did to us.

Everything in the store can also be shipped to your house and you can also buy through a catalog.

If interested, the Fly Creek Cider Mill and Orchard is located at 288 Goose Street,

Fly Creek, NY 13337 and can be reached through its website, www.flycreekcidermill.com.

How to lose weight walking

I have written several times about the many health benefits of High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/04/high-intensity-interval-training.html For the most  part those have dealt with the use of a stationary bicycle and how you can increase your oxygen efficiency and decrease  your blood sugar and blood pressure by alternating periods of intense cycling with periods of rest or at a much slower pace.  What we have decided to do is to see if those same principles apply to interval walking. In addition several studies have shown that following a program of interval walking can result in significant weight loss over time.

We started a program today at our local high school track. We began walking at a fast pace for 440 yards followed by another 440 yards at a relaxed pace.  Most tracks are probably set up with lines on the track so it is fairly easy to measure the distance. The fast pace is about twice the usual walking speed.  We started with a mile and will build up to several miles in the next few weeks.
I have seen recommendations that this program be alternated with days of walking at a normal pace for 30 minutes. Some articles suggest that following this program can result in a weight loss of about a pound a week. We'll let you know if we find any success in this approach. Join Amazon Prime - Watch Over 40,000 Movies