- A Forum for Men over 40

SO, you pay more attention to what you put in the tank.

ow many times has your doctor told you, that you need to change your intake of food and the types of food. For many that is all the time.

So why would we put so many things into our own body and yet if you were talking about your prized car or truck you would never think about putting junk in that tank.

To keep your car running at its top performance you can choose from good, better and the best high Octane fuel and some additives to improve performance. If you have a diesel you are not putting dirty fuel in the tank either.

So why do we do that opposite of that when we put so many types of food in our system. Some have no nutritional value and some foods that don’t rev up your own internal engine to burn calories and to control weight should be avoided all together.

Some of these foods just increase our size, slows us down and long term can cause diabetes and coronary disease.

I am not advocating one type of diet over another, I am just asking that you treat your own body as well or better than you would your car.

Can you imagine what happens when you put sugar in your tank. Bang your engines toast. the same with your own personal tank, your body.

Btw….. get off the couch and go for a walk dude.

Have a thought, comment or willing to share your experience? Save us as a favorite in your browser (www.thebacknine.us) or send in your comments to our https://back9.us/contact-us/ link on the bottom of our home page. Also visit us on our Facebook page and click on Like us and follow what we are doing for you.

Important Facts to Remember

1) Death is the number 1 Killer in the world
2) Life is sexually transmitted
3) Good health is the slowest possible rate at which on can die
4) Give a person a fish and you can feed them for a day. Teach a person how to use the internet and they won’t bother you for weeks or maybe even months.
5) Health enthusiasts are going to feel foolish one day, lying in the hospital dying of nothing.
6) All of us could use a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism
7) In the 60’s people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prosaic to make it normal
8) Don’t worry about old age. It doesn’t last long.

Five day ‘fasting’ diet slows down aging and may add years to life

By Sarah Knapton,

The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) improves longevity while cutting the risk of cancer and diabetes by half, scientists have found

A new diet could add years to life by actually slowing down the ageing process, scientists believe Photo: Getty Images
Sarah Knapton By Sarah Knapton, Science Editor5:00PM BST 18 Jun 2015 Comments271 Comments
A five day diet which mimics fasting could slow down ageing, add years to life, boost the immune system and cut the risk of heart disease and cancer, scientists believe.

The plan which restricts calories to between one third and a half of normal intake has been developed by academics at the University of Southern California.
Last year the same team discovered that fasting can regenerate the entire immune system, bringing a host of long-term health benefits.
But now they have found that a calorie-restricted diet comprising of vegetable soups and chamomile tea has the same affect. And dieters only need to follow the Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) for five days a month, eating what they like for the rest of the time.
“Strict fasting is hard for people to stick to, and it can also be dangerous, so we developed a complex diet that triggers the same effects in the body,’ said Professor Valter Longo, USC Davis School of Gerontology and director of the USC Longevity Institute.
“I’ve personally tried both, and the fasting mimicking diet is a lot easier and also a lot safer.
“I think based on the markers for ageing and disease in humans it has the potential to add a number of years of life but more importantly to have a major impact on diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other age-related disease.”
Day one of the diet comprises:
10 per cent protein, 56 per cent fat and 34 per cent carbohydrate, making 1,090 calories
Days two to five:
Nine per cent protein, 44 per cent fat and 47 per cent carbohydrate making 725 calories
When humans tested out the regimen, within three months they had reduced biomarkers linked to ageing, diabetes, cancer and heart disease as well as cutting overall body fat.
For 25 days a month, study participants went back to their regular eating habits — good or bad They were not asked to change their diet and still saw positive changes.

Camomile tea and vegetable soup were highlighted as foods to eat in the new regimen
Feeding mice the equivalent restricted diet elevated the number of regenerative stem cells in the organs, including the brain where it encouraged the creation of new neurons which improved memory and learning.
When fed to middle aged mice, the diet also reduced the incidence of cancer, boosted the immune system, reduced inflammatory diseases, slowed bone mineral density loss and improved the cognitive abilities of older mice tracked in the study.
The researchers think it works by slashing a hormone which encourages growth, and has been linked to cancer susceptibility. Essentially it tricks the body into ageing more slowly.
“It’s about reprogramming the body so it enters a slower aging mode, but also rejuvenating it through stem cell-based regeneration,’ Professor Longo added.
“It’s not a typical diet because it isn’t something you need to stay on.”
• Statins save fewer lives than exercising and eating sensibly, say scientists
• Eat within 12-hour window to lose weight, say scientists
• No link found between saturated fat and heart disease
Previous research has shown that cutting calories not only prevents weight gain but also prolongs good health and longevity.
However British health experts said that people may find it easier to just alter daily calorie intake rather than embarking on the intense five-day diet.
Naveed Sattar, professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Glasgow said: “The best way to alter weight trajectory or to lose weight is to make permanent and sustainable changes in ones dietary composition so that less high density calories like cakes, biscuits, crisps.
“This way, folk can eat three meals a day and still have total less calorie intake than they had previously. This, for me, is better for mind and body, and critically, more sustainable.”

The Fasting Mimicking Diet brings a range of health benefits as well as weight loss
Prof Lynne Cox, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, said the results look promising.
“ For many years, caloric restriction (cutting out 30-40% of your calories each and every day) has looked the best bet for improving health outcomes during ageing, but this new diet appears much easier to stick to than caloric restriction – in humans, it involves taking low protein plant-based meal replacements that provided a third to a half of normal calorie intake for five days every month over a cycle of three months,” she said.
“What is noteworthy here is that the study incorporates a whole host of experiments from model organisms as simple as yeast cells, through mice and into a small controlled clinical trial in humans. All of the results point in one direction: periodically mimicking fasting leads to marked decreases in risk factors for diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and, in mice, improved short and long term memory were observed.
“Yes, it needs more tests and in some cases different ways of measuring outcomes. But the trends look interesting. If over a longer time human findings match up to the results in mice then this type of intervention has the potential to improve health – though it is likely to be more relevant to young and middle-aged people as drastic metabolic changes may not be well-tolerated in older people.”
Professor Longo believes that for most normal people, the FMD can be done every three to six months, depending on the abdominal circumference and health status.
For obese subjects or those with elevated disease risk factors, the FMD could be recommended by the physician as often as once every two weeks.
His group is testing its effect in a randomized clinical trial, which will be completed soon, with more than 70 subjects.
‘If the results remain as positive as the current ones, I believe this FMD will represent the first safe and effective intervention to promote positive changes associated with longevity and health span, which can be recommended by a physician,’ Longo said.
Despite its positive effects, Longo cautioned against water-only fasting and warned even about attempting the fasting mimicking diet without first consulting a doctor and seeking their supervision throughout the process.
‘Not everyone is healthy enough to fast for five days, and the health consequences can be severe for a few who do it improperly,’ he said. ‘Water-only fasting should only be done in a specialized clinic and can increase the incidence of gallstones in women at risk if done improperly.”

The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism funded by the National Institute on Aging.

Have a thought, comment or willing to share your experience? Become a Contributor! Save us as a favorite in your browser (www.thebacknine.us) or send in your comments to our https://back9.us/contact-us/ link on the bottom of our home page.

Bounce Back Financially

The Back Nine Staff: We know many of us on The Back 9 that have suffered financial loss after retirement and quickly slipped into depression, illness, loss of the relationship and worse. We thought this article is a good introduction to the subject and the quiz at the bottom from Rutgers University just might be worth your time. Let us know your thoughts after taking the quiz. After all, you are the real experts!

Financial Recovery in Later Life: Increase Your Resilience
By: Barbara O’Neill, Ph.D., CFP®, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, [email protected]

It is more difficult to recover from financial setbacks as one gets older. There is less time available to invest for retirement, recover money lost in the stock market, or receive “payback” from investments in human capital (e.g., job training or a college degree). Therefore, it is wise to consider ways to cope with traumatic life events, in case something goes awry and to increase one’s financial resilience.

What is “financial resilience”? It is the ability to withstand life events, both negative (e.g., loss of a job) and positive (e.g., birth of a grandchild), that impact one’s income and/or assets. Some financially stressful events, such as increased family size, unemployment, widowhood, disability, and health problems, affect people individually. Others, such as layoffs, plant closings, corporate scandals, recessions, stock market downturns, and acts of terrorism, affect large groups of people or society as a whole.

Financial resilience is essential because “stuff happens” in life, often unexpectedly. Below is a description of four common financial challenges that are especially difficult immediately before or during retirement:

Unemployment– Older workers faced with “involuntary retirement” (read: unemployment) in later life must take stock of their financial resources, marketable job skills, and emotional readiness for retirement. Often, job retraining is necessary if one’s prior job was in a declining industry sector. In addition to losing income, many workers also lose their health insurance at a time in life when health “issues” often surface. The federal COBRA law provides an opportunity to continue health insurance for up to 18 months, at group rates plus a 2% administrative fee, until an individual policy (or new group coverage) is obtained or a worker is eligible for Medicare. Those who leave a job at age 63 ½ can use COBRA benefits to tide them over until they are eligible for Medicare at age 65. However, only workers covered by employers with 20 or more employees are eligible for COBRA benefits and the cost is expensive, especially for those out of work.

Poor or Uncertain Health Prognosis- A life-threatening disease or chronic, debilitating illness prior to or during retirement is a financial wake-up call. Some people choose to accelerate their retirement date to enjoy unstructured time while they can. Others may reduce their work hours because they have to (e.g., fatigue or disability). A revised retirement savings analysis that incorporates the health prognosis is in order. Life expectancy estimates and retirement savings plan contributions may need to be adjusted. A poor or uncertain health prognosis may also prompt the drafting of estate-planning documents that, ideally, should be in place regardless of health status. These include a will, living will, and durable power of attorney.

Death of a Spouse- Few events can turn a person’s financial life upside down as the death of a spouse. In addition to shock and/or grief and loss of a spouse’s companionship, there is often less household income than before. There are also many decisions to be made (e.g., investing life insurance and retirement savings plan proceeds), forms to be completed, and suggestions from “helpful” family members and/or financial salespeople. Most experts advise surviving spouses to take their time and not make any major financial decisions immediately. Survivors who receive an insurance settlement or other payment can place the funds in a certificate of deposit (CD) or money market mutual fund until they have time to explore longer-term investment alternatives. Another important step is to identify and secure available resources such as life insurance policy proceeds, employee benefits, and veteran’s benefits.

Investment Losses- Prolonged market slumps can significantly erode gains made during previous bull markets. Not surprisingly, many investors, at all ages, discover that their investment risk tolerance isn’t as aggressive as they thought it was. Financial experts generally preach patience and a long-term perspective. After all, even people who are 55 or 60 might have an investment time horizon of 30 more years. Investors who try to “time the market” (i.e., try to catch the highs and lows) often miss the best trading days that inevitably follow days with large losses. For investors who are already retired, limiting withdrawals from investment accounts is often required during market downturns to reduce the risk of outliving one’s assets.

There is no way to be fully prepared for any of these traumatic life events that are especially difficult in later life. There are however, some time-tested strategies to increase financial resilience. Financial resiliency is enhanced with monetary resources, such as emergency savings, health insurance, and a good-paying job or retirement benefits. Another resource for financial resiliency is one’s human capital. Economists define human capital as all of the knowledge, skills, experiences, and other personal qualities, including one’s health status, that people have available to “sell” to potential employers. Social capital also increases financial resiliency. This includes a support system of family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and others that can provide financial assistance, not to mention emotional support, during hard times.

Many frequently cited expert recommendations increase financial resiliency by enhancing resources and/or reducing expenses during a time of crisis. Consider the following examples:

• Maintain a Low Debt-to-Income Ratio- Monthly consumer debt payments should be 15% or less of monthly take-home pay. Ratios of 20% or above are dangerous. Example: $275 of debt payments divided by $2,500 of net pay equals a consumer debt-to-income ratio of 11% (275 divided by 2,500), which is considered acceptable. Raise the month debt payments to $450, however, and the ratio increases to 18% (450 divided by 2,500), which is just bordering the danger zone.

• Maintain an Emergency Fund- Set aside at least three month’s expenses. In severe economic downturns, consider saving even more (e.g., six to eight month’s expenses). Keep this money in liquid cash equivalent assets such as a bank or credit union savings account, money market mutual fund, or short-term certificate of deposit (CD).

• Keep Your Skill Set Sharp– If you are currently working, or plan to keep working in later life, never consider your education or job training finished. Continue to develop new marketable skills to increase human capital and remain employable in today’s competitive labor market.

• Purchase Adequate Insurance- Protect dependents against the loss of a breadwinner’s income with life insurance and purchase disability insurance to provide continued income following an accident or illness. In addition, try never to go without health insurance through an employer, COBRA, public benefits, or an individual policy.

• Practice Good Health Habits (e.g., diet, weight, exercise, sleep, etc.)- Healthy people are less likely than unhealthy people to have “issues” that limit workplace productivity at work and/or result in high-cost illnesses and chronic conditions.

• Increase Your Knowledge of Financial Topics- This will help you make smart financial decisions. To learn more about basic investment principles and characteristics of specific securities, visit the eXtension Investing For Your Future home study course at http://www.extension.org/pages/Investing_for_Your_Future.

Resiliency varies from person to person according to the situation at hand, personality characteristics, and personal resiliency resources. Two people can experience exactly the same situation but handle it very differently. How easily could you handle some type of major life crisis, both financially and emotionally? Take the Personal Resiliency Assessment Quiz at http://njaes.rutgers.edu/money/resiliency/ to assess your capacity to handle financially stressful life events.

When you’re finished, check your score and the summary that tells how you’re doing. Then take action on areas of weakness. For example, if you are living “paycheck to paycheck,” increase your emergency reserves and decrease outstanding debt. Financial recovery in later life will be much easier when are financially resilient.

Have a thought, comment or willing to share your experience? Save us as a favorite in your browser (www.thebacknine.us) or send in your comments to our https://back9.us/contact-us/ link on the bottom of our home page.

Social Security: 3 Things to Know Before Taking Benefits Early

By John Maxfield

Deciding when to take Social Security benefits is one of the most important decisions you’ll make in retirement. Should you take them at the earliest possible moment — that is, at the age of 62? Or should you wait until reaching full retirement at 66?
While this is a personal decision that must be tailored to your own needs and desires, there are three factors every retiree should consider before making a final decision — and particularly if you elect to receive Social Security benefits prior to full retirement age.
1. The size of your monthly benefits depends on when you elect to receive them As you probably know by now, there are two major factors that influence the size of your monthly Social Security benefits.
First and foremost, your benefits are a function of how much eligible income you earn during your working life.
To determine this, the Social Security Administration adds up the income subject to Social Security tax, adjusted for inflation, that you earned during your 35 highest-earning years. It then divides the total by 420 — the number of months in 35 years. This yields your average indexed monthly earnings. The higher this is, the higher your benefits will be.
The second major factor that influences the size of your benefits is when you elect to receive them.
For workers retiring now, the full retirement age is 66. If you wait until then, you get your full benefit — or, in Social Security lingo, 100% of your “primary insurance amount.” However, if you elect to receive them early, then your monthly benefit is reduced for each month short of your 66th birthday. If you begin receiving them at 62, for example, then your benefit will be reduced by 25%.
By contrast, if you wait until turning 70, then you’re entitled to delayed-retirement credits, which increase your benefits by 8% for each year of deferment, topping out at a total of 32%.

2. For the average person, it doesn’t matter when you apply Given the fact that your monthly benefits are reduced if you elect to receive them early, then it seems obvious that you shouldn’t do so, right?
Not necessarily.
For the average person, it ultimately doesn’t matter when you elect to receive benefits, as the Social Security Administration has designed the average retiree’s lifetime payouts to equal out regardless of when they choose to receive them.
“The Social Security benefit formula adjusts monthly payments so that someone living to average life expectancy should receive about the same amount of benefits over their lifetime regardless of which age they claim,” explains a recent government report on Social Security.
At the end of the day, in other words, the average retiree shouldn’t suffer for the decision to get smaller checks for longer.
3. Deciding when to apply for Social Security is about quality of life With this in mind, the question of when to apply for Social Security benefits is less about some impersonal cost-benefit analysis and more about your needs and quality of life.
If you need income now, then you should take Social Security. If you don’t, then you should defer. Additionally, if taking Social Security early will facilitate an earlier retirement — which, in turn, will improve the quality of your life — then you should absolutely do so.
This is the reason 62 remains the most prevalent age for retirees to claim benefits. And it’s the reason you shouldn’t hesitate to do so yourself if you believe it’s the best option.
Remember, retirement is about you. It’s about comfort, leisure, and reflection. Those are the things to keep in mind when deciding whether to claim benefits early, not some break-even analysis that experts try to impose upon you.