Eat Vegetables To Be Happy?

For a variety of reasons depression appears to be more common as people age. Thus, it is of particular interest to note that a study in England suggests, controlling for other factors, the more vegetables a person consumes, the more likely he is to be in a good mood. However, the consumption of vegetables themselves may not be the cause of a good mood. Instead, the explanation may be as simple as the more fruits and vegetables one consumes, the less one is likely to eat other less healthy foods. Specifically, other research has also found a connection between depression and the consumption of fast foods, processed meats and high intakes of sugar.

Does a Reverse Mortgage Make Sense?

A reverse mortgage is a way of tapping equity in your home without incurring current interest payments.

Simply put, a reverse mortgage allows you to obtain a loan against your home with interest and payoff not due until you either leave the home or pass away.

The main drawback to reverse mortgages until recently is that upfront closing costs have been quite substantial. However, regulations have recently been changed significantly reducing those expenses and, hence, making a reverse mortgage more attractive.

If you need guidance in being directed to reputable firms offering reverse mortgages, let me know and I will do my best to help.

Be Careful If You Have a Will and Designate Beneficiaries on Financial Accounts

Many people do not realize that a Last Will and Testament only applies to assets and property that has not already been spoken for. What that means is that if you have a bank account, for instance, which names one child as a beneficiary (and you have 2 other children), that determines who gets the balance in that account at your passing. The language in the beneficiary designation in a financial account will override any distribution directions you may have given in your Last Will and Testament. The same principle applies if accounts are titled jointly or as tenants by entireties. Ownership of those accounts at your passing will be determined by who survives you. A specific beneficiary designation is not necessary.

What can you do?  There is certainly a convenience factor in using financial institution beneficiary designations and, as a practical matter, if you have no other assets outside of the financial institution, a will is not even necessary.  However, that is rarely the case. Thus, the solution is to make sure that your beneficiary designations with financial institutions match the wishes you have set forth in your will. An even easier way to solve the potential problem is to either leave the beneficiary designations blank on bank, etc., forms or to designate your estate as the beneficiary of your accounts.

Leaving your estate as the beneficiary can create problems of its own, however, if your estate is substantial. You would incur probate fees and potential tax consequences. Therefore, it is always a good idea to review your wishes with an attorney who can make sure that your documents are drafted properly and that your beneficiary designations are consistent with your Last Will and Testament wishes.

Don’t Overdo the Exercise

It has been gospel for many years that exercise is an essential part of maintaining good health and contributing to longevity.

There is no doubt that is true, however, it is important that you not overdo it.

You don’t need to train for a marathon to get benefits from exercise. In fact, one study from Iowa State University showed that people who ran for only 5 to 10 minutes a day at very moderate speeds received as much benefits in terms of life expectancy as those who ran much longer and at higher speeds.

Aristotle is once more proven right: Moderation in all things is the best policy.

Loneliness is Not Inevitable

Obviously, as we age, we lose friends to death, illness and different paths taken in our respective lives. That doesn’t mean that we will unavoidably become lonely. Interestingly, the key to fighting loneliness is to focus on the few people with whom we have close relationships either relatively new or over the years and spend less time with people with whom our relationships are more casual. In a way, focusing on fewer friends rather than on a larger network is the key to not being lonely. To put it another way, it is the depth of friendships, not the number of them, that counts. 

Loss of Mental Sharpness is Not Inevitable as We Age

Interestingly, recent research established that people can remain mentally sharp well into their advancing years as long as they keep mentally active.

Apparently, the key to maintaining excellent “cognitive function” (that’s a fancy term for keeping your wits about you) is to learn new skills, not merely engage in old ones. In other words, if you have a good vocabulary and enjoy crossword puzzles, that would not be considered a “new” activity and would have no significant effect on your brain’s functioning. However, if you were to decide to learn a new language, that would keep your brain sharp. Apparently, the key is to do something new that has a challenging aspect.