We Don't Sell Diet Pills

No one teaches much truth about what's healthy in your diet.

Exercise gurus claim to be a source on what's natural... but they're usually selling diet books and pills.


Even mainstream organizations like the American Diabetes Association regularly get confused about the science. When I was in medical school, they still recommended things like white flour buns, white rice, and a couple of packets of sugar in coffee on hospital dinner trays.


Fruit is a food group that is occasionally villainized because of sugar. So I wasn't surprised when some readers asked why I keep telling people to eat more fruit. As I've written many times over the years, moderation is key. Blueberries are an incredibly healthy food packed with nutrients. Just don't eat too many at once...


Today, I'll talk more about my No. 1 superfood, ways to supplement your retirement income, why there's no substitute for floss, and transportation alternatives for seniors.


Q: What would be a daily recommended portion size [of blueberries] to eat? – J.V.

A: I like to have blueberries throughout the day. In the morning, I'll eat blueberries in my cereal, oatmeal, and yogurt. And in the evening, I keep some fruit – including blueberries – close by for snacking. In total, I eat about a half-cup of blues per day.

Q: We have taken your advice and have started eating our blues with active culture yogurt – Fage and Latta Russian Kefir from Wegmans. We do rinse our blues (a pint at a time) when we get them home and store them in a glass bowl with a plate on top. We also rinse the ones we freeze. But before putting them in freezer bags we dry them on a cookie sheet. Your thoughts on our methods please. – J.S.

A: Your method is just fine. The key is to not rinse too many at once. As I mentioned, washing berries makes the skin soggy and speeds up the pace of mold growth. If you freeze the berries right after rinsing them, you should be fine. Instead of letting them sit around for too long, just use some paper towels to give them a quick dry.

Q: Can you please do a series on income supplementation for retirees?

There are a lots of things posted, much of it on options – puts and calls, which seem to be appealing, but many seem not to give full information on what and how they do what they do. I believe you have or had such a service.

How can one find out what is genuine or fraudulent? Google isn't a lot of help. Are there other reasonable money-making ideas out there? HELP! – G.M.

A: That depends on how you want to make that extra income. We've talked about how to collect income through dividends, options trading, and retirement accounts. We've even mentioned less-conventional ways of making money likegetting paid to eat potato chips.

I have several newsletters that detail how to generate income. Much of that information is geared toward retirees or those near retirement. (But there's plenty for people who aren't ready to retire yet.)


In each of these letters, we offer a period of time to get your money back if you realize it isn't for you. So you can try the strategies out for yourself, risk-free.


In my high-end service
Retirement Trader, we use option selling to collect income on companies we love. If you're not familiar with option selling, don't worry. Each issue explains exactly what trades you need to make. And there's lots of supplemental material, like educational videos, to get you started. You'll likely need to fill out an extra form with your broker to be able to make these trades, but the extra effort is well worth it to acquire an extra investing skill set to generate income in retirement. If you're interested in this letter, you can learn more here.

Income Intelligence is solely dedicated to income investing. I cover investing in stocks, bonds, and alternative investments. Again, you get a good dose of education and easy-to-understand investments. I think this is one of the most valuable letters we offer. To learn more about one of my current favorite income opportunities, and how to join Income Intelligence, click here.

Retirement Millionaire is my flagship letter. While I focus mostly on stocks and fixed-income investments like closed-end funds, I also include other ways of generating income. We have a full report on legitimate ways you can earn money working from home without any of that envelope-stuffing nonsense. To view that report, click right here.

When you're looking for income schemes online, bear in mind that if it sounds outrageous, it probably is.


Q: I never floss. It is a very frustrating experience for me. I have VERY tight teeth. The floss just breaks when I try to get it between my tweets. My dentist has the same problem when he tries to floss me. The "plackers" that one subscriber mentioned were no better, the floss just breaks.

About a year or two ago I discovered the Water Pik, and have been using it twice a day ever since. It is amazing what comes out from between my teeth even after brushing! Anyway, the question is, are there studies comparing the Water Pik to flossing? – J.J.

A: The studies we found comparing the Waterpik and flossing were sponsored by Waterpik. So unfortunately, there's a lot of bias there that we can't ignore. (Of course, the conclusion was that the Waterpik performed better than floss.)

It's generally accepted among dentists that there's no substitute for flossing. And right now, there's no solid evidence disproving this. Waterpiks are able to get rid of plaque and food debris, but you might not be getting the plaque that sits where your teeth are tightest.


I know that flossing can be difficult for some people. If you haven't tried it yet, waxed or glide floss can often get in between tight teeth. Threader floss might also be an option for you. It's commonly used for people with braces or permanent retainers who can't easily get floss between their teeth.


If you're really having trouble with flossing, go see your dentist. He might have suggestions for you. And he can see if your current teeth-cleaning methods are really getting the job done.


Q: My Council on Aging has a coupon program in conjunction with a local taxi company. Seniors can buy off-price coupons for in-town (Boston suburb) rides and for a little more money, coupons to surrounding towns.

These are great for medical appointments, entertainment, and visits with friends. We also have FISH which provides volunteers who drive to medical appointments. There are also some retired people who drive to the airport, etc. – P.R.

A: Thanks for the suggestions. There are lots of great resources for seniors who want to get around, some of which vary from state to state. Here in Maryland, we have the MTA Mobility/Paratransit Program, which is for people who are unable to use public transportation on their own.

We've had a lot of great feedback on the options available to seniors who can't drive. We're compiling everything, so keep your eyes out for more on this topic.


Make sure you send your suggestions to
[email protected].
 
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