It’s essential to look ahead with optimism and a positive outlook as you age.
With advance aging, you should adopt an optimistic and positive mind-set and focus on new discoveries and experiences. It’s more important than ever as you age to follow a healthy lifestyle, remain positive and passionate about life, stay connected with family and friends, and look forward to better days ahead.
You must consistently attempt to find things that continue to be meaningful and engaging. These meaningful activities can include traveling around the world, spiritual pursuits, hobbies such as reading or painting, lifelong learning, or spending more time with loved ones. Experts suggest planning for purposeful activities before transitioning to retirement, and to embrace this change and follow where their passions lie.
Try to keep the mind active by challenging yourself to learn something new every week or month, or try something you’ve always wanted to.
Embrace thoughts such as, “As I age, I’ll keep learning,” says Vonetta Dotson, an associate professor of psychology and gerontology at Georgia State University. Feeding yourself a rich diet of positive messages can in itself brighten your outlook.
“Anytime we do something and try new things, it helps to reinforce this feeling of positivity,” Dotson said. “And keep those social connections. When you socialize, your focus is diverted. When you’re by yourself, you may ruminate” about your current and future physical and mental deterioration.”
Better yet, learning something new enables your brain to form new pathways. This helps you stave off gloomy thoughts about the aging process.
“By engaging in rewarding and meaningful activities and staying mentally active, we can retrain our brains,” said Kevin Manning, a neuropsychologist and associate professor of psychiatry at UConn Health. “These activities can enhance our self-efficacy, lessen fears of decline and sharpen our cognitive functioning.”
Ideally, passion drives you to take action. Why sign up for a course on current events or foreign affairs if you find the state of the world dispiriting and you dread consuming the news?
To channel your activity in a more uplifting direction, set short-term goals. If you’re learning a musical instrument, aim to perform a simple piece in one month.
When you embrace a purpose that gives you something to do that’s meaningful,” it focuses your efforts and displaces fears of aging. It’s one of several keys to healthy aging.
The key to healthy aging is a physically, socially, mentally and spiritually active lifestyle and mindset.
“Making a plan to eat healthy can keep you healthy and active for longer.” National Institute on Health
“Aging—not cancer or heart disease—is the world’s leading cause of death and suffering. In spite of this, we accept the aging process as inevitable”, writes Dr. Andrew Steel, longevity expert and author of “Ageless: The new science of getting older without getting old“.
Dr. Steel suggest a list of proven life-extenders, such as don’t smoke, exercise, get vaccinated, take care of your teeth.
Strauss Zelnick, author of Becoming Ageless, and who successfully rejuvenated his metabolic health believes that, “You can eat to be younger.” He implores his readers to focus on what He calls “Forever Fuel.” He suggests that you do not have to forego eating your favorite foods; you’re just getting the best versions of them.
Unlimited Foods—Lean Protein, Salads, and Vegetables—eat as much as you want. I love bison, light tuna, chicken, eggs, grass-fed beef.
Limited Foods—Some fruits and dried fruits, nuts, and cheese—in moderation.
Highly restricted foods—no processed foods, fried foods, or added sugars. Processed foods account for 70% of the calories that Americans take in. They don’t just make you fat; they age you.
While humans wither and become frail after a mere seven or so decades, capturing the trait known as ‘negligible senescence ‘ has become the holy grail of aging research. A 2015 study, published by the Mayo Clinic, found that using a combination of existing drugs reversed a number of signs of aging, including improving heart function”, according to the Guardian.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN, adds that, “During medical school we were taught that aging is a natural process and that people can simply die of old age. The thinking was that age wasn’t just a turning of the clock but an accumulation of mutations, cancer, arthritis, heart disease and dementia. Have you ever wondered, however, if it was possible to address those diseases not just individually, but collectively, by addressing the underlying process of aging itself.”
The role of carbs and added sugars
When you have sugar molecules in your system, they bombard the body’s cells like a meteor shower—glomming onto fats and proteins in a process known as glycation. This forms advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which cause protein fibers to become stiff and malformed. The connective-tissue damage and chronic inflammation resulting from sustained high blood sugar can lead to debilitating conditions, such as cataracts, Alzheimer’s, vascular tightening, and diseases of the pancreas and liver.
From a dietary standpoint, forswearing white sugar, high-fructose corn syrup—which studies have shown increases the rate of glycation by 10 times, compared with glucose—and simple carbs is a no-brainer. “Even though all carbs get converted into sugar, when you eat the good ones, like brown rice and whole-grain bread, you get less glucose, and you get it more slowly,” Karcher says.
Carbohydrates (Carbs) — like fiber, starches, and sugars — are important for your health. They are your body’s main source of energy and are a basic nutrient your body turns into glucose, or blood sugar, to make energy for your body to work. But eating too many carbs can cause your body to store the excess as fat.
The fruit, vegetables, dairy, and grain food groups all contain carbohydrates. Sweeteners like sugar, honey, and syrup and foods with added sugars like candy, soft drinks, and cookies also contain carbohydrates.
You should try to get most of your carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, dairy, and whole grains rather than added sugars or refined grains.
Nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fats can help you stay healthy as you age.
Many foods with carbohydrates also supply fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that your body cannot digest. It is found in many foods that come from plants, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains. Eating food with fiber can help prevent stomach or intestinal problems, such as constipation. It might also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar.
A very low-carb diet, like keto, triggers your body into nutritional ketosis. This stored energy is released in the form of chemicals called ketones. Your liver starts to make ketones — a fuel that kicks in when your body uses up glucose and glycogen, and doesn’t have enough sugar to run on. It does this by breaking down the energy reserves stored in fat.
These chemicals, ketones, help cells—especially brain cells—keep working at full capacity. Some researchers think that because ketones are a more efficient energy source than glucose, they may protect against aging-related decline in the central nervous system that might cause dementia and other disorders.
Ketones also may inhibit the development of cancer because malignant cells cannot effectively obtain energy from ketones. In addition, studies show that ketones may help protect against inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. Ketones also reduce the level of insulin in the blood, which could protect against type 2 diabetes.
But too many ketones in the blood can have harmful health effects.
While there’s insufficient evidence to recommend any type of calorie-restriction or fasting diet. A lot more needs to be learned about their effectiveness and safety, especially in older adults. In the meanwhile, there’s plenty of evidence for other actions you can take to stay healthy as you age:
Eat a balanced diet with nutritious food in moderate amounts. Avoid or limit consuming refined sugars and carbs, and processed foods.
Engage in regular physical exercise (150 minutes per week).
Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all.
Don’t smoke or take illegal drugs.
Maintain an active social lifestyle and build close relationships.
Get a good night’s sleep.
Finally, older adults may have different vitamin and mineral needs than younger adults. Find recommended amounts and information on calcium, sodium, vitamin D, and more.
“People are living longer, staying healthier longer and accomplishing things late in life that once seemed possible only at younger ages.” –David Brooks, The New York Times
The American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day. The sugar found in whole foods like fruits and veggies, says Kimber Stanhope, PhD, a nutritional biologist at the University of California, Davis. “These naturally occurring sugars come packaged with good-for-you vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients.” Eliminating or reducing your intake of added sugar and carbs can result in you gaining some significant healthy aging benefits, according to the American Heart Association.
“Exercise is the most important activity we can do to keep our brains healthy, it’s important to simply move, whether that be casual walking or a workout.” Sanjay Gumpta
It important to understand that you can proactively take steps to avoid, delay, and mitigate dementia and mental decline as you age. Just thirty minutes daily of moderate physical activity, such as walking around the block, can make a significant difference in improving your brain health.
In the process of neurogenesis, creating brain cells does not stop when you age and get older. Neuroscientific research shows that the brain can make new brain cells, and forge new neural connections, at any age.
Additionally, adequate sleep also has a major effect on brain health. Recent research has shown that your brain remains very active while you sleep, because it can make full use of the energy that is diverted elsewhere when you are awake.
When you sleep, the brain turns information into knowledge, consolidates your memories, and cleans itself. This is why everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep, states Gumpta and you shouldn’t convince yourself that you don’t.
“There is a rinse cycle that happens in your brain when you sleep,” says Gumpta. “You are basically clearing out metabolic waste. That happens when you are awake, but the process is close to 60 per cent more efficient when you are asleep.
Key takeaway is that staying physically active, proper diet. adequate sleep and social interaction are all key to longer life.
Calculating net worth involves adding up all your assets and subtracting all your liabilities. The resulting sum is your net worth.
The value of your primary residence is not included in your net worth calculation. In addition, any mortgage or other loan on the residence does not count as a liability up to the fair market value of the residence. If the loan is for more than the fair market value of the residence (i.e., if your mortgage is underwater), then the loan amount that is over the fair market value counts as a liability under the net worth test.
Further, any increase in the loan amount in the 60 days prior to your purchase of the securities (even if the loan amount does not exceed the value of the residence) will count as a liability as well. The reason for this is to prevent net worth from being artificially inflated through converting home equity into cash or other assets.
The following table sets forth examples of calculations under the net worth test for being an accredited investor:
“Retirement is like an iceberg, where 90% of what’s really taking place lies below the surface, absent from traditional financial plans and conversations” Robert Laura
For a long and fulfilling life in retirement, you need much more than financial resources and financial security. Consequently, there are more valuable retirement assets than financial.
Retirement planning is typically related solely to financial planning, all about numbers. It centers around one question: Do your financial assets — pension, 401(k)s/IRAs, Social Security, property, sale of a business, etc. — provide enough income to fund your desired retirement lifestyle?
You’ll need enough money to get by, of course, but you don’t have to be super wealthy to be happy. In fact, life satisfaction tops out at an annual salary of $95,000, on average, according to a study by psychologists from Purdue University. Enough money to never have to worry about going broke or paying for medical care is important. But financial freedom is not the only or even the most important piece of a fulfilling retirement.
Once you have a retirement plan in place, it is essential to focus on all those things money cannot buy. There are non-financial assets that studies show can improve life satisfaction in retirement. According to Kiplinger Magazine, they include:
Good Health (Health is Wealth) – Good health is the most important ingredient for a happy retirement, according to a Merrill Lynch/Age Wave report. Studies show that exercise and a healthy diet can reduce the risk of developing certain health conditions, increase energy levels, boost your immune system, and improve your mood.
Strong Social Connections (Emotional Well-Being) – Happier retirees were found to be those with more social interactions with friends and family, according to one Gallup poll. Further, social isolation has been linked to higher rates of heart disease and stroke, increased risk of dementia, and greater incidence of depression and anxiety. A low level of social interaction is just as unhealthy as smoking, obesity, alcohol abuse and physical inactivity.
Purpose – Retirees with a sense of purpose or meaning were three times more likely to say “helping people in need” brings them happiness in retirement than “spending money on themselves.” Purpose can fall into three buckets, which means getting involved with your place of worship or spiritual pursuits, using your talents in service to others, and doing what you’ve always wanted to do.
Learning and Growing – Experts believe that ongoing education and learning new things may help keep you mentally sharp simply by getting you in the habit of staying mentally active. Exercising your brain may help prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia.
Optimistic Outlook – Optimistic people tend to expect that good things will happen in the future. A fair amount of scientific evidence suggests that being optimistic contributes to good health, both mental and physical and may lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other chronic ailments and a longer life, and people with higher levels of optimism lived longer. Optimism is a trait that anyone can develop. Studies have shown people are able to adopt a more optimistic mindset with very simple, low-cost exercises, starting with consciously reframing every situation in a positive light. Over time, your brain is essentially rewired to think positively.
Gratitude – People who counted their blessings had a more positive outlook on life, exercised more, reported fewer symptoms of illness and were more likely to help others. Gratitude enhances people’s satisfaction with life while reducing their desire to buy stuff.
Dog Ownership – Older dog owners who walked their dogs at least once a day got 20% more physical activity than people without dogs and spent 30 fewer minutes a day being sedentary, on average, according to a study published in The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Research has also indicated that dogs help soothe those suffering from cognitive decline, and the physical and mental health benefits of owning a dog can boost the longevity of the owner.
Retirement is major transition made up of many financial as well as life decisions. This is why it is important to create and to adhere a retirement plan as early as possible. That way you can spend more time focusing on everything else that equally matters.
Across America, people are struggling with mental health issues. Nearly one in five Americans are living with a mental health condition, and the number of people seeking help for anxiety and depression is skyrocketing, reports Mental Health America. According to the organization’s 2021 State of Mental Health in America Report, “suicidal thoughts are increasing among both adults and children, and 9.7 percent of youth is experiencing severe major depression compared to 9.2 percent last year”.
Accumulating scientific research shows that a standard American diet rich in refined sugar and highly processed foods may increase the risk of developing or worsening various mental health conditions. But a nutrient-based diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables; omega-3 fatty acids; nuts, seeds and legumes; whole grains, fresh herbs and spices; fish and olive oil, may help to support and enhance mental health.
A Harvard nutritionist and brain expert implores Americans to avoid 5 foods that ‘weaken memory and focus’, and increase the likelihood of depression and mental health issues. Dr. Uma Naidoo, a nutritional psychiatrist, brain expert, and faculty member at Harvard Medical School, studied how gut bacteria can trigger metabolic processes and brain inflammation that impact memory.
In her book “This Is Your Brain on Food”, Dr. Naidoo explains which food contributes to our mental health and “how a sound diet can help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues, from ADHD to anxiety, depression, OCD, and others”.
Refined sugar is well known for creating chronic inflammation in the body which can cause dysfunction of the immune system.
Existing studies indicate that you “may be able to reduce the possibility of dementia by avoiding foods that can compromise our gut bacteria and weaken your memory and focus”.
The standard American diet (SAD) foods “to avoid or cut back on to fight inflammation and promote brain health, sharp thinking and good decision-making” are:
Refined sugars – a high-sugar or ‘high fructose corn syrup’ diet can lead to excess glucose in the brain, which studies have linked to memory impairments and less plasticity of the hippocampus — the part of the brain controlling memory. Consuming unhealthy processed foods like baked goods and soda floods the brain with too much glucose. And, be aware that refined sugar is “secretly added” to many popular food items like fast food french fries. Furthermore, sugar consumption triggers a cascade of chemical reactions in the body that promote chronic inflammation, according to Psychology Today. A little inflammation can be a good thing, since it can increase immune activity and blood flow to a wound. But in the long term, inflammation is a big problem. It disrupts the normal functioning of the immune system, and wreaks havoc on the brain.
High-glycemic-load carbohydrates – your body processes high-glycemic-load carbohydrates in much the same way it does with refined or high fructose sugar. That means they can also raise your risk for depression. “Better-quality” carbohydrates were defined as whole grains, foods high in fiber, and those ranked low on the glycemic index (GI). The GI is a measure of how quickly foods convert to glucose when broken down during digestion; the faster a food turns into glucose in the body, the higher its GI ranking. Researchers discovered that people who were eating better-quality carbs, were 30% less likely to develop depression than those who were eating high-GI carbs. Low-GI carbs include green vegetables, most fruits, raw carrots, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils.
Fried foods – for brain health, it pays to reduce the amount of fried foods you eat. In fact, one study found that a diet high in fried foods was linked to lower scores in learning and memory. The likely reason is that fried foods can cause inflammation, which can damage the blood vessels that supply the brain with blood. Another study found that those who consumed more fried foods were more likely to develop depression in their lifetime. If you’re eating fried foods, try enjoying them just once a month.
Alcohol – Archana Singh-Manoux, a research professor and director at the French Institute of Health and Medical Research, and her colleagues reported in the British Medical Journal that “people who had abstained from alcohol completely or who consumed more than 14 drinks per week had a higher risk of dementia compared to those who drank alcohol in moderation”. Thus, the key is moderation.
Nitrates – nitrates are used as a preservative and to enhance color in deli slices and cured meats like bacon, salami and sausage. Nitrates may be also connected with depression.
What you eat does matter. Thus, by avoiding or eliminating these 5 foods from your diet, and by serving healthier, nutrient-rich food options, you can help to alleviate anxiety and depression, stabilize mood and promote mental health and wellness.
“The gut/brain connection helps us understand the food/mood connection,” explains Dr. Naidoo. “The enteric nervous system—that is, the nerves supplying the gastrointestinal tract—totals over 100 million neurons and communicates directly with the brain, or central nervous system, by way of the vagus nerve, which is responsible for our ‘rest-and-digest’ response.
“It’s also vital to note that the gut contains the highest number of serotonin receptors, and the gut itself produces all the neurotransmitters that are also made in the brain, including serotonin, often called the happiness hormone. In turn, these neurotransmitters are implicated in sound mental health or potential problems when they are deficient.”
Bottomline, cleaning up your diet and eating healthier, nutrient-rich food, in most cases, will only help your mental health and emotional well-being.
Healthy diet, exercise, mindfulness, gratitude and sleep are all holistically important for your brain and mental health.
“As you get older, the days go by quicker and you need to make the time count.” Mary Peachin, Octogenarian
As you age, it becomes more important to “live each day right to the limit”, states octogenarian Mary Peachin, in Costco Connection magazine, September 2021, Members Connection. Peachin has “walk the talk” and lived her life as a self proclaim world-traveling, deep sea diving adrenaline junkie. “If your body aches, you ignore it and keep on trucking”, she preaches.
When it comes to going after what you love in life, do not take no for an answer. You should expect and intend to live a life well lived and always believe the best is yet to come
“Life is too short not to enjoy it.”
Make your life happen and take action today. Be amongst the few who dared to live their dreams. Live your life in such a way that there is no regret.
Time is short; live every day for a higher purpose. Let’s invest the limited time we have on your life’s purpose and mission. Do not focus on your problems and challenges; instead focus on purpose and destination.
Life is brief and it passes quickly. The average American male lives to be 70 years 4 months. The average American female lives 70 years 4 months. To live life to its fullest, it is not the quantity of your life, but the quality.
Time is running out for all of us.
“Your job will not take care of you when your elderly and sick, your friends and family will.”
Select a few friends to be close to in your life and communicate and strengthen your relationship with them
Get over those who disappoint you and refuse to let those people steal your joy
Lift up and encourage those who are recovering from failure. Treat people with Grace.
Ignore your critics. Decide to see the good in the experience and growth, the lessons you learned and the relationships you made.
Stay fully focused on your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Believe the best! Christ teaches us to believe the best…faith, hope and love. Remember to rejoice and be glad. If God is for us, who can be against us!
The most effective way to live life on the edge is to “find an edge and Live there”, states Peachin. And, you can start to “find an edge” by writing down your dreams and priorities in life, and then focusing on fulfilling those written dreams and priorities. It starts with knowing what you want, and it ends with getting what you wanted. It’s often that simple.
Save for and invest in the things that matter most!
In every positive or negative situation, there are always options. Remember you are the one pulling the strings, and when things look hopeless, it’s because you’re choosing not look at the things that truly matter. You’re choosing to see the the bad stuff, and they have little to do with your ability to change your circumstances. The trick is that you have to see the ocean of opportunity, not that little bucket of water (problems) that you tripped over.
We must decide to see the good and not dwell on the failure, but instead focus on the positives from the experience. Limits do not exist. You have weaknesses of course and we all do, but focus on your strengths. Remember if you’re feeling scared and fearful, it means you’re trying something new.
People don’t run marathons because it feels good.
When you feel bad about your situation, you’re thinking about the mistakes of yesterday, and not the opportunity of right now and the hope for tomorrow. You’re thinking about what has and what can go wrong, and not what can go right.
When you’re feeling defeated and discouraged, ascertain what you’re really focusing on. It important to focus on how far you’ve come, the opportunities that lie ahead, and the resources available you have to go forward.
“What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it.” Oprah Winfrey
Always think bigger and focus on your purpose. Build the world as you want it to be.
References:
Costco Connection, September 2021, Vol. 36, No. 9, pg. 119
“Those who are the happiest are not necessarily those for whom life has been easiest. Emotional stability results from an attitude. It is refusing to yield to depression and fear, even when black clouds float overhead. It is improving that which can be improved and accepting that which is inevitable.” ― James C. Dobson, Life on the Edge: The Next Generation’s Guide to a Meaningful Future
Research shows that intermittent fasting is a way to manage your weight and prevent several forms of chronic diseases.
Scientific studies are showing that intermittent fasting may help reverse chronic unhealthy trends of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses.
Intermittent fasting is all about when you eat.
With intermittent fasting, you only eat during a specific time. Fasting for a certain number of hours each day or eating just one meal a couple days a week, can help your body burn fat. And scientific evidence points to some health benefits, as well.
Intermittent fasting is based on choosing regular time periods to eat and fast. For instance, you eat only during an eight-hour period each day and fast for the remaining sixteen hours. Or you might choose to eat only one meal a day two days a week.
After hours without food, the body exhausts its sugar stores and starts burning fat. This is referred to as metabolic switching.
Intermittent fasting works by prolonging the period when your body has burned through the glycemic calories consumed from your last meal and begins burning fat. Glycemic is basically the presence of glucose (or sugar) in your blood.
Intermittent Fasting Benefits
Research shows that the intermittent fasting periods do more than burn fat, explains Mark Mattson, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins neuroscientist, who has studied intermittent fasting for 25 years. “When changes occur with this metabolic switch, it affects the body and brain.”
One of Mattson’s studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed data about a range of health benefits associated with the practice. These include a longer life, a leaner body and a sharper mind.
“Many things happen during intermittent fasting that can protect organs against chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, age-related neurodegenerative disorders, even inflammatory bowel disease and many cancers,” he says.
Here are some intermittent fasting benefits research has revealed so far:
Thinking and memory. Studies discovered that intermittent fasting boosts working memory in animals and verbal memory in adult humans.
Heart health. Intermittent fasting improved blood pressure and resting heart rates as well as other heart-related measurements.
Physical performance. Young men who fasted for 16 hours showed fat loss while maintaining muscle mass. Mice who were fed on alternate days showed better endurance in running.
Diabetes and obesity. In animal studies, intermittent fasting prevented obesity. And in six brief studies, obese adult humans lost weight through intermittent fasting.
Tissue health. In animals, intermittent fasting reduced tissue damage in surgery and improved results.
Autophagy and Anti-Aging
After 16 to 18 hours of fasting, you should be in full ketosis. Your liver begins converting your fat stores into ketone bodies — bundles of fuel that power your muscles, heart, and brain.
If you can do intermittent fasting for 16-18 hours a day, you’ll burn through body fat and fill up quickly when you break your fast, which makes it easy to stay in a calorie deficit and lose weight.
After a full-day fast, your body goes into repair mode. It begins recycling old or damaged cells and reducing inflammation. If you’re looking for anti-aging or anti-inflammatory benefits, a 24-hour or greater timeframe fast is required. .
When your body is under mild stress (such as exercise or an extended fast), your cells respond by becoming more efficient.
Intermittent fasting is a valuable and an effective tool to improve your mental and physical health.
“Just a walk around the block or a 10-minute online workout will not only improve your day but also benefit your brain in a lasting way.” Wendy Suzuki
What’s the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today? Exercise! says neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki. There is extensive scientific research behind the extraordinary, life-changing effects that physical activity can have on the most important organ in your body: your brain.
Get inspired to go to the gym or to go for a jog
Suzuki discusses the science of how working out boosts your mood and memory. “Every time you work out, you are giving your brain a neurochemical bubble bath, and these regular bubble baths can also help protect your brain in the long term from conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia”, she explains.
A single workout increases neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline, and these mood boosters can also improve your memory and focus for up to three hours afterwards.
Dr. Wendy A. Suzuki is a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University, an author, storyteller and fitness instructor. Her work has focused on understanding how aerobic exercise can be used to improve learning, memory and higher cognitive abilities in humans.
Other Long-term Benefits
Regular exercise and physical activity provides many other important health benefits for chronic disease prevention, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Heart Health – Lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes
Cancer Prevention – Lowers risk of eight cancers: bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach
Healthy Weight – Reduces risk of weight gain
Bone Strength – Improves bone health
Balance and Coordination – Reduces risks of falls
Exercise and Physical Activity Guidelines
Medical doctors and other health professionals recommend exercise and physical activity, based on the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines. Adults of all shapes, sizes, and abilities can benefit from being physically active.
All adults should avoid inactivity. Some exercise and physical activity is better than none, and adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits.
Aerobic activity of any duration may be included in the daily accumulated total volume of physical activity.
For important health benefits, all adults should do both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activities.
– For Aerobic:
At least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (i.e., brisk walking; wheeling oneself in a wheelchair); or
1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (i.e., jogging, wheelchair basketball); or
A mix of both moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activities each week. A rule of thumb is that 1 minute of vigorous-intensity activity is about the same as 2 minutes of moderate-intensity activity.
– For Muscle-Strengthening:
Activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week (i.e., working with resistance bands; adapted yoga) as these activities provide additional health benefits. (Source: CDC)
Regular exercise and physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your brain and overall health!
WAITING TO CLAIM SOCIAL SECURITY WILL MAXIMIZE YOUR LIFETIME BENEFIT
If you claim Social Security at age 62, rather than wait until your full retirement age (FRA), you can expect up to a 30% reduction in monthly benefits.
For every year you delay claiming Social Security past your FRA up to age 70, you get an 8% increase in your benefit. So, if you can afford it, waiting could be the better option.
Health status, longevity, and retirement lifestyle are 3 variables that can play a role in your decision when to claim your Social Security benefits.
You can start claiming Social Security benefits at 62 and it can be tempting to take the money and run as soon as you’re eligible. After all, you’ve been paying into the system for all of your working life, and you’re ready to receive your benefits.
But you will not receive 100% of your benefits unless you wait until your Full Retirement Age of 66 years and 10 months if you reach age 62 during calendar year 2021. And if you wait longer, like until age 70 years young, you can receive even more benefits.
If you start taking Social Security at age 62, rather than waiting until your full retirement age (FRA), you can expect up to a 30% reduction in monthly benefits with lesser reductions as you approach FRA, according to Fidelity Investments. FRA ranges from 66 to 67, depending on your date of birth. And your annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is based on your benefit. So if you begin claiming Social Security at 62 and start with reduced benefits, your COLA-adjusted benefit will be lower too.
Wait to Claim
Health status, longevity, and retirement lifestyle are 3 key factors that can play a role in your decision when to claim your Social Security benefits. Unfortunately, you can not predict your future health status, but you can rely on the simple fact that if you claim early versus later, you will likely have lower benefits from Social Security to help fund your retirement over the next 20-30+ years.
By waiting until age 70 to claim your benefits, you could get the highest monthly benefit possible over your lifetime than if you start claiming at age 62.
And if you are married, you may be eligible to claim Social Security based on your spouse’s earnings. This may mean a significantly higher monthly payment for you if your spouse had a higher income than you during his or her prime earning years.
Basic Benefit Rules
After you reach age 62, for every year you postpone taking Social Security (up to age 70), you could receive up to 8% more in future monthly payments. Once you reach age 70, increases stop, so there is no benefit to waiting past age 70.
Members of a couple may also have the option of claiming benefits based on their own work record, or 50% of their spouse’s benefit. For couples with big differences in earnings, claiming the spousal benefit may be better than claiming your own.
Social Security payments are reliable and should generally adjust with inflation, thanks to cost-of-living increases. Because people are living longer these days, a higher stream of inflation-protected lifetime income can be very valuable.
Social Security can form the bedrock of your retirement cash flow and income plan. That’s because your benefits are inflation-protected and will last for the rest of your life. When making your choice, be sure to consider how long you may live, your financial capacity to defer benefits, and the impact it may have on you and your survivors.
