I am holding it in…dammit

But with all of the neighborhood barbecues, pool parties, and vacations come a slew of dubious dietary intruders — it’s like the world has become one big surf shack, and we’re all grabbing the large fries to go with our crispy clam strips. (And oh, we’ll have the small chocolate milk shake with that, to save room for a double scoop waffle cone later. Yes, with the crushed peanut butter cups on top!) Problem is, there couldn’t be a worse time to lose control of your diet; showing a little skin is one thing, turning into a jiggle juggernaut quite another.     

To combat the nutritional chaos and the extra poundage that comes with the rising mercury, we’ve chosen the eight best foods to eat every day. Beyond being packed full of disease-fighting, life-extending nutrients, these foods will also help keep your belly full, because they’re loaded with fiber and protein, the sultans of satiety. 
  
Find a way to work these potent superfoods into your diet every day, and you’ll curb cravings before they hit, crowding out much of the junk we turn to when hunger calls. The result? Well, it could mean saving 600 calories or more a day. Couple that with 30 minutes of moderate exercise, and you can shed as many as 12 pounds in six weeks — just in time to strut your stuff on the sand!
  
1. Spinach 
It may be green and leafy, but spinach is no nutritional wallflower. This noted muscle-builder is a rich source of plant-based omega-3s and folate, which help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. Bonus: Folate also increases blood flow to the nether regions, helping to protect you against age-related sexual issues. Aim for 1 cup fresh spinach or a half cup cooked per day. 
  
SUBSTITUTES: Kale, bok choy, romaine lettuce 
  
FIT IT IN: Make your salads with baby spinach; add spinach to scrambled eggs; drape it over pizza; mix it with marinara sauce and then microwave for an instant dip.
  
2. Yogurt 
Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of reinforcements for the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body. That helps boost your immune system, provides protection against cancer, and even does duty as a cavity-fighter. Not all yogurts are created equal, though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.” And watch out for high-fructose corn syrup; stealth sugars are worth avoiding in yogurt and everywhere else.
  
SUBSTITUTES: Kefir, cottage cheese 
  
FIT IT IN: Yogurt topped with blueberries, walnuts, flaxseed, and honey is the ultimate breakfast — or dessert. Plain low-fat yogurt is also a perfect base for creamy salad dressings and dips. 

3. Tomatoes 
There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: Red are the best, because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene, and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, breast, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Aim for 22 mg of lycopene a day, which is about eight red cherry tomatoes or a glass of tomato juice. Plant some now for a health harvest in July and August. This Men’s Health video will show you how.

SUBSTITUTES: Red watermelon, pink grapefruit, Japanese persimmon, papaya, guava 

FIT IT IN: Dress sliced heirloom tomatoes with torn basil and olive oil; guzzle low-sodium V8 and gazpacho; roast cherry tomatoes and serve over grilled fish or chicken.

  
4. Carrots 
Most red, yellow, or orange vegetables and fruits are spiked with carotenoids — fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as a reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis — but none of them is as easy to prepare, or have as low a caloric density, as carrots do. Aim for a half cup a day.

SUBSTITUTES: Sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, yellow bell pepper, mango 
  
FIT IT IN: Snack on baby carrots; grate raw carrots into salad; toss a carrot into a breakfast smoothie with frozen mango and OJ; roast carrot chunks with olive oil, salt and cumin.
  
5. Blueberries 
Host to more antioxidants than any other North American fruit, blueberries help prevent cancer, diabetes, and age-related memory changes (hence the nickname “brain berry”). Studies show that blueberries, which are rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, also boost cardiovascular health. Aim for 1 cup fresh blueberries a day, or a half cup frozen or dried. 

SUBSTITUTE: Açai, an Amazonian berry, has even more antioxidants than the blueberry. Mix 2 Tbsp. of açai powder into OJ or add 2 Tbsp of açai pulp to cereal, yogurt, or a smoothie.

FIT IT IN: Mix fresh blueberries into plain yogurt; blend with ice, yogurt, banana, and OJ for a 60-second smoothie; toss with baby spinach, red onions, goat cheese, and raspberry vinaigrette for a summer salad.
  
6. Black Beans 
All beans are good for your heart, but none can boost your brain power like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. A daily half-cup serving provides 8 grams of protein and 7.5 grams of fiber, and is low in calories and free of saturated fat. 

SUBSTITUTES: Peas, lentils, and pinto, kidney, fava, and lima beans 
  
FIT IT IN: Wrap black beans in a breakfast burrito; use both black beans and kidney beans in your chili; puree 1 cup black beans with 2 Tbsp olive oil and roasted garlic for a healthy dip; add favas, limas, or peas to pasta dishes.

 
  
7. Walnuts 
Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much muscle-building protein as chicken, the walnut just needs a cape and we could call it a superhero. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts — about 1 ounce, or seven nuts — is good anytime, but especially as a postworkout recovery snack. Keep a can of Planters Nutrition Heart Healthy Mix in your desk drawer or glove compartment, and use them to lead you away from temptation.
  
SUBSTITUTES: Almonds, peanuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts 
  
FIT IT IN: Sprinkle on top of salads; chop and add to pancake batter; mix 1 cup walnuts with a half cup dried blueberries and a quarter cup of dark chocolate chunks.
  
8. Oats 
The original wunderkind of health food, oats garnered the FDA’s first seal of approval. They are packed with soluble fiber, which lowers the risk of heart disease. Yes, oats are loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because oats also have 10 grams of protein per half-cup serving, they deliver steady muscle-friendly energy. 

SUBSTITUTES: Quinoa, flaxseed, amaranth, pearly barley   
  
FIT IT IN: Eat granolas and cereals that have a fiber content of at least 5 grams per serving; sprinkle 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed on cereals, salads, and yogurt; sub quinoa in for brown rice.

 

Want to shed a few extra pounds in record time? Commit to knocking off 200 calories of liquids from your diet this summer. (After all, the average American sips more than 400 calories a day!) Start by swapping out these egregious offenders we’ve dubbed the 20 unhealthiest drinks in America. You’ll be blown away.

Have other suggestions for quick weight loss? Please share them with all of us here.

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Want more from David? Subscribe to Men’s Health with this special holiday offer: 50% off the cover price.

You can also check out “Men, Love & Sex: The Complete User’s Guide for Women” and “Eat This Not That” on Yahoo! Shopping.

2007 Men’s Health. All Rights Reserved. 

Boomers ready to launch: METLIFE mature market institute takes first look at the baby boomers turning 62

WEBWIRE – Friday, December 28, 2007

A Profile of Their Finances, Retirement Plans, Relationships, Political Leanings and More Westport, CT .– The majority of baby boomers to turn 62 in 2008 report that they are retired or will be fully retired by age 65, that they’ll collect Social Security by age 65, that they’ve been married only once and that they have 2.4 children on average. Of those who have children, 78% have grandchildren (66% of total). Conservatives outnumber liberals by two to one. ”Contrary to what most of us have believed about the baby boomers who came of age in the turbulent 1960s, the group is very much like the ‘Silent Generation’ that preceded them” said Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature Market Institute, which conducted “Boomers Ready to Launch” a profile of the first baby boomers as they turn 62. ”This is the first time that the oldest baby boomers, including their lifestyles, perceptions and plans have been examined in such detail” said Timmermann. “Despite the social and political turbulence of their youth, these leading edge boomers have established very traditional lifestyle characteristics. They were married once, had two children and feel they’ve done a decent job of caring for their family, their community and themselves. They really are more like Ward and June Cleaver than we may have thought and they might be classified as ‘conventional.’ Just 2% say they attended the Woodstock Festival of 1969″ ”They’re comfortable being identified as a baby boomer, and contrary to claims that they’re not ready to retire, only 18% dislike the term ‘retirement’ to describe their next transition. They have not, however, lost their connection to the youth culture they ignited. On average, as far as they’re concerned, they’re not really going to be ‘old’ for another 17 years. All in all, this is a fairly affluent group who remain in good health with a lot more left to give” The survey reports that the majority (77%) of boomers born in 1946 say they are in good to excellent health; their net worth, (excluding home value) is an average of $257,800 and their average annual income is approximately $71,400. They are empty nesters; of those who have children very few have children living with them (fewer than one in five). Of those who have grandchildren, 8% have grandchildren living with them. On average, the age at which they believe they’ll be ‘old’ is 78, with their health status being a deciding factor. Those in excellent health say they’ll be old at 83, while those in poor health put that number at 74. The most popular words they use to describe the best things about being 62 are ‘retirement,’ and ‘not having to work,’ and the words used to describe the worst things are ‘old age’ and ‘health problems.’ Forty-five percent like the term ‘baby boomer’ outright and another 38% are somewhat in favor of it; 17% don’t like it. As for the term ‘retirement,’ 52% like it, 31% like it somewhat and 18% don’t like it. Politically, 44% of these baby boomers report that they were and remain conservative; 20% say they were more liberal when they were young, and have become more conservative since their 20’s. Twenty-two percent say they have remained liberal, while 15% say they were more conservative and have become more liberal since their younger days. As a group, these boomers feel they have done a good to excellent job contributing to their communities and 83% say they were good to excellent at providing for their spouses’ and children’s needs. Fifty-four percent acknowledge doing only a poor to fair job of ensuring that they have adequate coverage for their own long-term care needs. As for education, 45% have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. Only 5% have both parents still living; 27% have one parent. The fact that the remaining sixty-eight percent have neither of their parents living indicates that caregiving for an older relative is no longer a responsibility. Eighty-seven percent say neither they nor their spouse are caregivers to elderly parents or relatives right now. Of the 14% who are caregivers, 16% of them are providing care for more than 20 hours a week – the average number of hours is 9.5. Thirty-eight percent are expecting an inheritance of an average of $210,000. Thirty-five percent have already received an inheritance of an average of $113,000. When asked to use one word to explain the best aspect of being 62, respondents answered: retirement or being close to retirement, being alive, freedom, health, Social Security, wisdom and independence. As one person put it, “I’m glad to be on the planet, rather than in it” As for the worst aspects, respondents answered: illness (overwhelmingly), disability, wrinkles, aches and pains, discrimination, under-appreciation, memory loss, mortality and generally getting older. Members of the group who say they will take Social Security at age 62 reasoned that they feel they’re entitled and would rather have the money than let the government have it. Respondents reported that they believe it’s in their financial interest to take Social Security sooner. Other reasons reported were: they need the money right now and they fear there will be nothing left in the system if they wait. Additional data that Boomers Ready to Launch reports about boomers born in 1946: * Thirty-one percent plan to apply for Social Security when they turn 62 and 32% say they will wait until age 66 or beyond when they can receive full benefits. * Sixty-eight percent say they have employee or retiree health insurance. * Forty-seven percent are covered by a defined benefit plan, 50% have a 401K, 50% have an IRA. * Thirty-eight percent have stocks and 38% have mutual funds. * Twenty-two percent have long-term care insurance. * Eighty-five percent own their own home. * The average value of their homes is $297,900. * Sixteen percent would consider a reverse mortgage primarily to take care of their own long-term care needs and costs; 74% are aware that they are eligible at age 62 to apply for a federally backed reverse mortgage. * Twenty-five percent say they plan to move to another area for retirement. A look at the group shows that those born in 1946 were 17 years old in 1963 when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated and turned 18 the next year, the start of the conflict in Vietnam. Their 21st birthdays were in 1967, the year of the ‘summer of love,’ and just before the political turmoil of 1968. Well-known Americans born in 1946 are: President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush, President Bill Clinton, Cher, Diane Keaton, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Liza Minnelli, Reggie Jackson, Sally Field, Sylvester Stallone, Donald Trump, Suzanne Somers, Susan Sarandon, Jimmy Buffett, presidential candidate Fred Thompson and the late Gilda Radner. The MetLife Mature Market Institute survey, Boomers Ready to Launch, takes a first look at the leading edge of the baby boomer generation – the first 2.9 million representatives of the 77 million-boomer cohort as they arrive at their first opportunity to officially ‘retire.’ Age 62 is considered a ‘legislative birthday’ because it is the first milestone at which participants in the Social Security system can apply for regular retirement benefits. Boomers Ready to Launch was conducted by GFK Custom Research North America on behalf of the MetLife Mature Market Institute during November 2007. The study consisted of a 15-minute telephone survey of 1,000 participants, from multiple survey panels, who were age 61 in 2007. The survey results were weighted to be representative of the population of 61 year olds in the United States. The margin of error was +/- 3%. Staffed by gerontologists, The MetLife Mature Market Institute, part of the company’s Retirement Strategies Group, has been providing research, knowledge management, education, and policy support for over ten years to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, its corporate customers, and business partners. MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), a leading provider of insurance and financial services to individual and institutional customers. For a summary of the Boomers Ready to Launch, please write to the MetLife Mature Market Institute, 57 Greens Farms Road, Westport, CT 06880, call (203) 221-6580 or e-mail:MatureMarketInstitute@metlife.com. The profile can also be accessed online athttp://www.maturemarketinstitute.com/ under ‘What’s New.’ 

Health Plans Boom for Early Retirees 

DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Special to the BBM 

Making it to Medicare has become one of the biggest challenges for baby boomers who retire or are laid off before 65.

Individual health insurance can be expensive. More than half of the pre-65 boomers on such policies spend at least $300 in monthly premiums for single coverage, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a Washington policy institute.

And those with a chronic medical condition may be denied coverage related to that condition or turned down altogether.

But hope may be on the horizon. Lured by the baby boomer generation’s size and affluence, a number of insurers have begun to market policies specifically geared to ages 50 to 64.

Consumer advocates are cautious about the new individual plans, wondering whether they will do any good for older adults who have not been able to buy affordable coverage because of preexisting conditions.

Prices will remain high, the advocates predict, and many chronic conditions will still be excluded.

But other industry observers predict the emerging competition will make health insurance more affordable and therefore obtainable for at least some of the seven million Americans in that age group who are without coverage.

Help cannot come too soon for Lon Orenstein of Dallas, who is 58 and runs a computer-software-design business. His yearlong search for a “reasonably priced” policy has forced him to change his expectations of health insurance.

“I started by looking for a comprehensive plan similar to what I had when I worked for someone else,” he said. “Now, after suffering sticker shock, I’m just trying to find something to cover me in case I ever cross paths with a truck.”

Early retirees without employer-subsidized coverage can expect to spend an average of 40 percent of their preretirement income on medical expenses, the Commonwealth Fund said.

“For the pre-Medicare crowd, one serious illness or injury could wipe out their savings and drive them into bankruptcy,” said Sara Collins, a health insurance expert with the group.

It was not always so.

Early retirees once could depend on employer-subsidized health plans until Medicare began at 65, but companies hit by new accounting rules and escalating medical costs have scaled back retiree health coverage.

Only 35 percent of big employers offer retiree health benefits, down from 66 percent 20 years ago, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

Drawing the most attention among insurers has been Aetna Inc., which recently signed an agreement with AARP’s business unit to offer a range of plans for members.

The Premier plans, for example, have been designed to provide coverage resembling employer-subsidized plans, though the insured individuals must bear the full cost and go through an underwriting process. The cost depends on the beneficiary’s age, address, sex, medical history and coverage. A 52-year-old Dallas man in reasonable health will pay $295 a month for a plan with a $2,500 deductible.

Though Aetna will continue to review an applicant’s medical history to determine eligibility, John Wider, vice president of health products and services for AARP Services Inc., predicted the company will be “more accepting” of certain medical conditions.

Jan Foster of Duncanville, Texas, is an AARP member who is 60 and has struggled to find affordable insurance since becoming an independent contractor in 2000.

Foster reads the sales brochures that come in the mail from AARP Services and said she would be interested in one of the Aetna plans if the cost fits her budget.

“For eight years, my only insurance has been the flu shot I get at the drugstore,” she said. “I don’t know how much longer that’s going to work.”

Another provider, Humana Inc., said it was promoting its Portrait plans to the pre-Medicare market because they come with unlimited doctor’s visits, a feature the insurer believes will appeal to boomers accustomed to group plans.

Co-payments are $35 for visits to primary-care doctors and $50 for visits to specialists, said Steve DeRaleau, chief operating officer of HumanaOne, Humana’s individual policy business.

Early retirees who are healthy and have a financial cushion should consider a high-deductible plan that has a lower monthly premium but still guards against a serious illness or accident, said Mike Smith, executive vice president of Brokerage Inc., an insurance marketer in Lewisville, Texas.

 
One of the biggest reasons why most of us think twice about buying eyewear online is you need to know what your pupillary distance is. That is the distance between the beads of your eyeballs. It gets to be a little tricky when you go to your brick and mortar store just the get your PD.  Come on, they know what the deal is.  If you choose this route to get your eyes measured you might want to bring some back up. Below is an alternative method I found at www.eyeglass.com. There is a LOT more to know than just what is included in the captions below…do a search in the box in the upper right hand corner to learn the ins and outs of purchasing online.  Again this is not an endorsement of www.eyeglass.com.  No one here has ordered from them. But they are worth checking out.  Leave a comment if you buy so others will know what the story is. Editor
 

Famous Baby Boomers with

Hearing Loss

Bill Clinton

Former President Bill Clinton, cited hearing loss as a medical challenge in his annual physicals. Then his saxophone playing, rock concert and marching band attendances, loud campaign rallies and screeching presidential helicopters caught up with him. During his second term in the White House, Bill Clinton sought treatment for the difficulty he was experiencing with high frequency sounds. In 1997, Bill Clinton was fitted with a pair of almost invisible state-of-the-art digital hearing aids. 



 Lou Ferrigno

Lou Ferrigno, the Hulk in the Incredible Hulk TV show, suffered an 85 percent hearing loss due to an ear infection at a young age. He says: “If I hadn’t lost my hearing, I wouldn’t be where I am now. It forced me to maximize my own potential. I have to be better than the average person to succeed.” At age 21, Ferrigno was the youngest athlete to become Mr. Universe, an achievement that has yet to be equalled. Lou Ferrigno has starred in over 15 movies, played professional football and won several body building titles, including Mr. America and Mr. International.

Barbra Streisand

Singing diva, movie star and political activist, Barbra Streisand has suffered from tinnitus (ringing ears or ear noise) since the age of seven. According to the Independent, a British newspaper, Barbra believes her volatile temperament stems from her hearing affliction, which disrupts her sleep and affects her balance.

Phil Collins

Former Genesis drummer and vocalist, Phil Collins, recently announced that the would cut back on his live concerts because of his hearing loss. The 51 year-old baby boomer stated that he will perform live only occasionally to avoid further hearing loss in his left ear.

Bono

U2 lead singer, Bono, describes his hearing problem in his lyrics. Bono derived his name from a hearing aid store in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland which had a sign that read “Bonavox Hearing Aids.”

Pete Townshend

According to the 57-year-old guitarist: “I have severe hearing damage. It’s manifested itself as tinnitus, ringing in the ears at frequencies that I play guitar. It hurts, it’s painful, and it’s frustrating.” Townshend is completely deaf in one ear as a result of an explosion Keith Moon initiated when he blew up his drum set live on stage in the early 1960’s, and loud amps. His tinnitus resulted somewhat from the band’s live concerts but mainly the loud volume in which he and Entwistle used to listen to playbacks over the studio “cans.” There are reports saying that he is unable even to hear his phone ring. Recently Pete said: “The recent return to touring and to me playing electric guitar - albeit more quietly than in the 1970s - led to further deterioration of my hearing. My right ear, which encounters my own edgy guitar and the machine gun strokes of the drums, has suffered badly. Luckily for me, I still have my left ear, which seems to be less xxxx up. When I’ve worked solo in the past five years I’ve not used drums. This has meant I could play more quietly I think. With The Who, there is of course no way to play the old songs without drums. I’ve no idea what I can do about this. I am unable to perform with in-ear monitors. In fact, they increase the often unbearable tinnitus I suffer after shows.”

 These hearing tidbit have been provided by a Hearing Aid company.  Naturally.

Go here to learn more…http://www.myhearpod.com/about_hearpod.html…do remember this is not an endorsement, just payback for using their stuff. Editor