Copyright (c) 2009 Lin Schreiber

“How much money is enough?” is a great question to ponder in your journey to an encore career. And, it is even more important if your retirement nest egg has taken a serious hit in the current economic climate. Money is a common concern at this time in every woman’s life. However, don’t let the answer paralyze you into taking no action but rather let it propel you into your new encore life.

This question first came to my attention when I read “Your Money or Your Life” by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez over 10 years ago. I’m personally not wild about their financial advice, and some of the suggestions are a bit too stringent for my taste. But, they really helped me come to terms with the idea that, at the time, I was “making a dying” (meaning my work left me depleted and demoralized) instead of making a living. Their helpful wisdom enabled me to simplify my life in ways that made me feel not deprived.

So before you leap into your encore career, take this one important step:

Define exactly how much money (stuff, lifestyle, etc.) is enough for you, and, then figure out how much you “have to” make. You may discover you need far less than you think. Why? Because you’re at a new stage of your life, living your encore life in a completely different way than the life you’re leaving behind.

As with many of you, money is often an issue at Retire Retirement Boot Camp. Interesting how many participants are stuck in “I like my current lifestyle exactly the way it is, thank you very much!” And, equally interesting how that conversation shifts after they’ve defined their top values.

Many participants realize that what they thought was delight in their current lifestyles, was more like zoning out in an all-too-comfortable comfort zone. When they get in touch with what is most important to them right now in their lives, they’re amazed at how much of their current lifestyle no longer fits. Then, they’re able to let go of some of their old ideas about what they really want and need, and started to get excited about the kind of encore careers that would align with their values, and give them a new, happier, simplified version of their current lives.

Ask yourself “What do I really need and want?” The answer may surprise you.

Encore Careers: How Much Money is Enough for Your Encore Life? is a post from: Healthy Life

One of the most attractive things about purchasing property in Florida is the fact that oceanfront views are available from so many different locations. At the height of the real estate bubble, this meant that oceanfront properties were often very expensive and well out of the range of most buyers. Today, the situation is a bit different and even less-than-affluent individuals may be able to find a deal on an oceanfront property that will represent a huge move upwards in lifestyle. These properties are most often condominium establishments and some of them offer numerous luxuries.

Hallandale is one of the most desirable areas in Miami for oceanfront property. There are several different developments in the area and, despite the desirability of the area, there are generally good deals to be found in these developments. Beach Club and other establishments afford their residents a very luxury lifestyle without the extravagant prices demanded by some other developments. There are still other incentives to buy soon rather than waiting to see if prices drop still farther. In fact, waiting is, in many ways, the worst move to make while market conditions exist as they do at present.

Currently, the incentives to buy in areas such as Hallandale are many. Along with the reduced prices, there are federal tax credits available for first-time homebuyers. These tax credits can be as much as $8,000, quite a lot considering how low prices are at the moment. Mortgage rates are also at lows, which means that the cost of money is far less than it was at the height of the real estate speculation and investment frenzy. These incentives, along with an increase in home sales over the last year, mean that the time to purchase is now, not later when these incentives may disappear.

Hallandale and other developments around Miami have long been associated with the upscale market. Today, there are opportunities for a much wider swath of individuals to get in on this lifestyle and these markets. Living on the oceanfront has long been a dream of many people, and justly so. Today, with the market being at an historic low where prices are concerned and with the cost of money being less than it was in the past, one can get the house of their dreams at a price that is not only feasible, but which represents a good deal.

Getting an Oceanfront View is a post from: Healthy Life

Install an outdoor kitchen to your specifications so that you get exactly what you want. At Lifestyle BBQs they provide an Australian Made lifestyle modular outdoor kitchen range where you design your own outdoor kitchen by making a range of selections.

In eight easy steps you can create your ideal outdoor kitchen.

Not only will an outdoor kitchen enable you and your family and friends to enjoy your very own great outdoors it will also add value to your property. So not only is an outdoor kitchen an investment in your relaxation time but also an investment in your home.

Also, each Lifestyle Modular Outdoor Kitchen comes with a 25 year warranty which means 25 years of outdoor entertainment and enjoyment, 25 years of outdoor kitchen eating with your family and friends, 25 years of added value to your home and life.

An outdoor kitchen will also save you money as you will choose to stay home and enjoy your investment instead of going out. In these economic times people are more cautious with their spending and choosing to stay home and make purchase for the purpose of home entertainment. The outdoor kitchen does just that. Enjoy your garden, your pool and the environment and start planning your outdoor kitchen today.

Your Ideal Outdoor Kitchen in 8 Steps is a post from: Healthy Life

Thousands of hypertension sufferers have proven that you can naturally lower bloodpressure quickly simply by modifying lifestyle.  The American Heart Association endorses changes in lifestyle as a treatment for high blood pressure before resorting to medication.

Unlike blood pressure medication, natural remedies focus on the cause of hypertension not just masking the body’s response to the condition.  Natural remedies address diet, exercise and stress management and when followed carefully, can reduce your blood pressure reading by 20 points in as little as three weeks.

So how big a change in lifestyle is required?  The good news is even if you only make small changes in lifestyle they will have a positive effect on your pressure.  You can evolve into a natural cure; you don’t have to do it all at once.  It is important though, that you make changes in all three areas or you will lose the maximum benefit.

Diet is a huge part of any natural blood pressure cure and it is recommended that you follow the DASH diet as closely as you can.  DASH is loaded with fresh foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals and powerful antioxidants and vasodilators.  Fast food, fatty food and of course salt are to be avoided.  Red meat isn’t entirely out of the menu but there is a lot of poultry, cold water fish and lean white meat as well.

Exercise is essential.  The idea is to get your heart rate elevated for at least 20 minutes a day to not only tone the heart muscle but flush out the blood vessels as well.  If you’re not in the best of shape today no worries.  The objective is simply to elevate the heart rate and that can be accomplished by a brisk walk.  Your pressure will actually go up during the exercise but will drop below where you started when you cool down.  This is the fastest way to lower blood pressure.

Lowering stress through breathing exercises, meditation or simply listening to calming music is also very important.  Your brain views stress as a threat to the body and dumps adrenaline and cortisol into the system which elevates pressure.  If you can calm your brain down and turn off the “threat” switch, stress will no longer be a problem.

Using a natural remedy to cure your high blood pressure is by far a better solution than having to rely on expensive and dangerous medication.  It’s your body and it’s time for you to take responsibility for living a healthier longer life.

Naturally Lower Bloodpressure Quickly And Safely is a post from: Healthy Life

To help you overcome chronic pain here is some few lifestyle tips to help out control persistent pain.

1. The first thing you need to do is to try avoiding stressful situation. Stress is one factor that could trigger chronic pain. If you know some of the things that are causing you too much stress, then let it go. It is not worth the pain that you are currently experiencing. Although, some things are just cannot be avoided, like unexpected situation. The best things to do when it happens is too simple relax. Sometimes the mind could a very powerful weapon, so use it to your advantages.

2. A good and healthy diet is also another way to ease the pain. Getting unwanted calories out of your system and through following a good nutrition diet plan, your body’s immune defense can cope with chronic pain. Imagine this, if you are not eating the right kind of food, your immune system will weaken, making you more susceptible to other illness that could add to your problems and would augment the pain.

3. Regular exercise can aid in building a good body and sound mind. Exercising is very important in keeping the body from deteriorating rapidly, making it part of your daily activities can strengthen the body and at the same time assist in reducing chronic pain.

4. Ample sleep is another factor to consider in reducing your pain. Irregular sleeping pattern can make you feel more tired, making you more prone to the pain. A person body needs sufficient rest to cope with the stress of everyday living.

These four tips are designed to help you ease chronic pain. Every day we are faced with new set of situation or condition that could make us liable to all sort of unpleasant circumstances that could affect out mind and body. People who are experiencing chronic pain because of illness are more sensitive to all issues; it is best if they avoid all stressful condition at all cost.

In addition, changing your lifestyle is another way to cope with the pain, a good exercise, proper diet, and regular sleep. All these are your weapon to fight this horrid illness. Nobody wants to experience any kind of pain, so if you or any of your family is experiencing chronic pain. It is best to give them support and more understanding. Following these simple tips will give you the strength to manage and live with chronic pain.

Four Tips You Must Know to Lessen Chronic Pain is a post from: Healthy Life

There are several you need to consider and carefully plan when your goal is to look for a friendly neighborhood for relocation.  Most of aspiring homeowners have several reasons why they transfer to a new house or location.  These include looking for better career opportunities, new houses in various cities and other issues related to family or business.  However, whatever your reason for relocating, you actually have to prepare things in your list and one of these is the community that you will be living in to.

Your daily routine and the environment where you are staying will identify on how you will deal with all the issues around you.  Your lifestyle will deeply rely on the kind of neighborhood that you have and also the character and mindset you have established and get accustomed to.  If you have young children, keep in mind that your community can greatly affect and influence their life since this is the environment that they will be spending most of their life until they grow up.  Hence, if you want your kids to improve their lifestyle and maintain the type of life that you have instilled in them, find a community that is kid-friendly and conducive to the lifestyle that you want your family to have.

To help you look for a community that matches your preference, you can start by looking for a place that is safe and free from any crime related issues.  It is totally a mess everywhere but it will all rely on you on whether you avoid it or not.  You can carefully check the environment of the place by looking at their crime statistics and other related problems that happened for the past five years.  This can help you achieve the peace of mind that you long been dreaming for.  Making sure that your place is far from any burglary, theft, pranksters and other law-breaking problems is surely something that you must achieve before you transfer.  If you have enough resources, you can choose to stay in gated communities that follow strict security service and surrounded by devices that will protect all the homeowners in their community.

You also have to look for a place that is accessible to almost everything that you need.  A place that will give you enough comfort and convenience for you and your family is definitely a good one.  Consider something that is near to schools, hospitals, department stores, police stations and maybe even your work place.  Living in an area that is accessible to transportation and will save you from being caught up in traffic is also advantageous.  Some communities offer excellent facilities for the homeowners to use anytime they want.

Aside from that, you also have to take a look at the market value of the property in the future.  Make sure that the property you bought is located in a community that can enhance its market value in the future.  This is very important if you have plans on reselling it in the future.

Your community has a major role in helping you decide where to get or buy a property.  This will identify the quality of lifestyle that you will be having when you decide to live in a certain community.  If you have young kids, then it is best to consider this and make it as your top priority.

Consider your Neighborhood when Relocating is a post from: Healthy Life

A strong Immune Response is a fantastic way to experience good health. What if strengthening your immune system was as easy as putting the right nutrients in your cells? It’s a big challenge for most of us to eat the right kind of foods all the time, so what’s the solution? What if you could find some simple easy-to-do nuggets to boost your immune system so you don’t get sick this holiday season or here after? 

Your lifestyle is the single most important factor affecting your immune system. Some common lifestyle habits can have a detrimental effect on your ability to fight off viral infections like colds and flu – even more serious is your overall resistance to chronic lifestyle diseases.

One great way to boost your immune system is having enough fish in your diet, or substitute it with salmon oil plus omega-3 fatty acids. This latest scientific research not only continues to validate the important roles of EPA and DHA in human health, but it also shows that there is a whole family of omega-3 fatty acids, a total of eight in all, that contribute to optimal human nutrition. This critically important chain of dietary omega-3 fatty acids starts with ALA (alpha linolenic acid) and ends with DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), taking six important steps along the way 

A healthy Immune Response can be increased with daily moderate exercise! if I could bottle exercise as a product, I would be richer than Bill Gates and Warren Buffett put together. You have heard the wonderful benefits of exercise for tuning up your body, losing weight and maintaining good health, yet most people do little or no exercise at all.

Exercise is also a powerful component for building the body’s natural immune system as well. Moderate exercise for ten minutes three times a day, will turbo charge your health, making you look good and feel great. Working out even during flu and cold season can boost your immunity level and help you feel better quicker. 

You first line of defense to fight all viral infections like colds and flues is a strong immune system. Not only does it save medical costs but it helps your body to be on the winning side against invasions on your health. Building your immune system naturally is one of the best ways to cut medication from your lifestyle and to enjoy healthy living, feel good and look great.

Immunity: Immune Response and Lifestyle Change is a post from: Healthy Life

There has been a 500% increase in Type 2 Diabetes in the last generation with the cause being Insulin Resistance in over 90% of these cases. In the United States we are experiencing an Epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes. In 2004 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) made a forecast that children in the US, born after 2000, would have a 30% likelihood of developing Diabetes during their lifetime.The likelihood of becoming diabetic increases to 50% in children that happened to be Black, Hispanic or Native American. This trend will cause a catastrophic affect on our nation’s health and on our healthcare system. To illustrate this point one has to take into consideration the effects on an individual’s health as a result of developing Type 2 Diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes is the Leading Cause of:

• Adult blindness
• Amputations
• Kidney Failure
• Neuropathy – nerve damage in the extremities
• Cardiovascular disease
• Premature death

Is prevention or even reversal of Diabetes possible?

People who develop diabetes have a 90% chance of developing type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes mellitus. This does not happen overnight, in fact it takes decades for this condition to develop. Due to poor lifestyle choices: improper eating habits, lack of aerobic exercise and poor nutrition, we become less and less sensitive to our own insulin. Next we develop Insulin Resistance which in turn develops into Diabetes and if left uncontrolled will develop into Type 2 Diabetes. In fact, 90% of the individuals that develop Type 2 Diabetes did so because they had a lifestyle that caused them to become Insulin Resistant. The effects of this progression is devastating to our health and will hasten several degenerative diseases, destroy our quality of life and will result in premature death. That’s the BAD NEWS, now for the GOOD NEWS.

It is important to note that Type 2 Diabetes is also the most preventable of any type of diabetes. Not only is it preventable but it can be naturally controlled and even reversed. More Good News is that the lifestyle choices that caused this condition to occur, can be reversed and the body will respond naturally to your new lifestyle changes. More of the Good News is that this devastating process is reversible at just about any stage in this process, even if the individual is already diabetic.

Dr. Ray Strand author of Healthy for Life, calls these lifestyle changes the Triad of Healthy Lifestyle:

1. Heathy eating (diet) – not a starvation diet but health eating choices,

2. Modest and consistent aerobic exercise,

3. Nutritional Supplements – what is referred to as Cellular Nutrition,

Note: The Triad of Healthy Lifestyle will be covered in detail in a future article or you could purchase and read Dr. Strand’s book, Healthy for Life.

Dr. Strand along with many other medical professional and nutritional advisors have all experienced the same results when these lifestyle changes as they are put into practice by their patients and clients. Over a period of 18 to 24 months there is a huge improvement in the quality of life and health. Everybody experienced an improvement in the conditions and effects of their diabetes. Many individuals were even able to reverse the insulin resistance, thereby reversing their diabetes.

Understanding Insulin Resistance

It is critical that you have a clear understanding about Insulin Resistance: what causes it, the results from developing it, how it is linked to Diabetes and can it be reversed. There is much to understand about this subject and it needs to be addressed in another article to do it justice. I will be submitting an article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. The Good News is yes, it can be reversed.

Summary:

Well, that’s the Bad News and the Good News when it comes to Insulin Resistance and Diabetes. It is my goal to increase your understanding on this critical healthcare issue. I urge you to continue your research and increase your knowledge on these subjects. Then with your new found knowledge I hope you will make lifestyle choices that will have a positive impact on your health and well-being.

Remember that this article was an overview on this subject. I will be submitting a followup to this article titled: Does Insulin Resistance Cause Diabetes. This article will go into more detail on understanding Insulin Resistance and how it is linked to Diabetes. I also will be writing more articles in the near future that will go

Diabetes, Your Lifestyle and Insulin Resistance – How They Are Linked  is a post from: Healthy Life

There are a lot of ways of enjoying a swingers’ lifestyle and all you have to do is look for it. With its increasing popularity, swinger couples are starting to grow in numbers and this particular lifestyle is starting to get some following all over the world. Especially in UK and Ireland, swinging is becoming a way of life for most couples who are looking for some adventures for their sex life. These can prove to be really interesting since you will get a chance to interact with other couples while you enjoy the same activities together.

For starters, you can visit some online sites in the internet who are hosting this particular activity and from there you can start pooling profiles that have the same interest as yours. Another way is to join some local swinger parties in your area to get to know couples who are also in the same boat as you. Although this can be a little daunting at first, but as soon as you get the vibe, you will able to cope with conversations and other activities and before you know it, you have already made friends with some local swinger couples.

But to fully enjoy the benefits of a swinging lifestyle, try becoming a member in one of largest swinging site in the internet. Swinging Paradise, as the name suggests, offers a real paradise for swingers who are in the lookout for UK couples who are just too willing to share a swinging moment. This is a great advantage for UK swingers to find couples in their nearest area or to interact with other overseas swingers via their video chat rooms offering a lot of hot topics you can choose from.

Swinging Paradise contains a lot of interesting activities and once you become a member, you will be given access to their full features like swinging photo ads, updates on the latest swinger clubs and a swinger parties, irresistible UK couples with plenty of hot swinger stories to tell, and a vast database of swinger personals you can use when looking for swinger couples, singles, or groups which has the same interest as you.

Swinging Paradise can serve as your meeting point on the internet and with its vast collection of swinger profiles; you will never run out of fun and excitement being a member of Swinging Paradise. So whether you are a soft swinger just starting to learn the ropes or you are an extreme swinger who is ready for a full swap, Swinging Paradise can offer you great adventure at the click of the mouse.

Membership is easy and you can even get a few frills when you register now. Visit their site at http://www.swingingparadise.com to learn more on how you can enjoy the swinger lifestyle today.

Getting Your Lifestyle into a Swinging Mood is a post from: Healthy Life

Many people today are suffering from an unfavorable health condition called heartburn or acid reflux. This ailment is generally characterized by a bitter taste in the person’s mouth, as well as pains from his abdominal region. Basically, this is caused by stomach acids which find their way back to the esophagus. This is mainly because of the high acidity within the stomach which cannot be tolerated by the said organ; therefore, it forces its way back to the esophagus. It is also known as heartburn because this complication is also characterized by the burning feeling somewhere in the chest region.

In preventing acid reflux, the best thing to take note of, and even prescribed by the physicians before taking any action, is to know the possible culprits for having this condition. Generally, there are two things that can lead to this disorder. First is of course the things that one eats (since these are what directly go into the stomach) and second, the lifestyle. However, when it comes to lifestyle, this also boils down on whether the patient has smoking habits and therefore can be categorized into what enters the stomach and esophagus.

The kind of food taken in by the patient everyday can only be remembered by the patient (or perhaps a companion), and thus, the physician must know this first before the latter can prescribe anything. Once the patient knows the pattern or the food that prompts him to experience acid reflux, it will then be the best time to consult the physician and ask for his/her opinion so that ways of preventing acid reflux will be easier to carry out.

Preventing Acid Reflux: Know what Causes the Ruckus is a post from: Healthy Life