Life After 50 Expo

Quick and Easy Appetizer Recipes !

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Let’s say you have a get together at your place. This means that you have to prepare some food to feed to the guests. If you want to impress them during their visit, here are some quick and easy appetizer recipes that you can use.

The first is tortilla chips. To do that, you will need some corn tortillas, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder and salt.

Since you will be baking this, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while you cut the tortilla into 8 wedges similar to what you would do for a pie or pizza and then arrange the wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

If you have mister, good because this will make it a lot easier to mix the oil and lime juice. If you don’t, you will have to work with a spray bottle. When the mixture is ready, spray this over each chip wedge until it is moist. Next, combine the cumin, chili powder and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle on the chips by hand.

Bake the chips for about 7 minutes and then rotate the pan and bake for another 8 minutes. Make sure this is not too brown and then serve this with your choice of garnishes, guacamole or salsas.

For those that have done this before and want something different, they can try and serve buffalo or chicken wings. The ingredients you will be needing for this include a few pounds of chicken wings, black pepper, salt, vegetable oil, butter or margarine, Tabasco sauce and white wine vinegar.

First, chop off the tip of each chicken wings and get rid of it. Then chop the wing in half so you have 2 pieces. Next, grind on fresh black pepper and sprinkle with salt if desired.

Since this is not yet cooked, put these into the deep fryer until it is golden and crisp while you are stirring or shaking occasionally. When ready, remove and drain using paper towels.

Now melt the butter or margarine over medium heat in a heavy saucepan, add the hot sauce and a tablespoon of wine vinegar. When ready, put the chicken on a warm serving platter and pour the sauce on top.

If you want to keep things simple, you don’t have to bake or cook anything. The only thing you have to do is bring out different kinds of cheese so everyone can try them out. Such an activity is known as a cheese tasting party. To make it interesting, put the cheese varieties with some crackers but be sure that it does not dominate the flavor.

The cheeses that are ideal for such an activity include Bel Paese, Boursin, Abbaye de Belloc (a rich French cheese), Fontina, Gouda, Havarti, Mozzarella, Port du Salut, Scamorze, and Swiss. Of course, there are others out there you can try if these are not available so have fun buying different kinds from the store and serving this to your guests.

These are just a few of the quick and easy appetizer recipes you can serve to your guests when they come over so read up on new ones and then experiment a little so it is not the same each time. If you enjoyed the appetizer during your visit in another house, get the recipe and learn how it was done.

Dealing with Stress in Marriage!

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Stress is in your marriage along with lots of very good feelings. But how do you deal with it?

Have you been married more than five years? Do you find that the tension between you and your spouse has been on the rise? Stress in the marriage is more common than most will think, or want to believe, but you can put an end, or at least ease up on the stress in marriage by following a few common things. You want to work on how you think about things, how you come across in the marriage, and in what you say, and you want to change the time that the two of your spend together.

Change how you talk to lessen the stress in your marriage
Think before you blurt anything out in a marriage. You may feel very comfortable in your relationship, and you may feel you can say just about anything aloud, but the truth of the matter is when you call some one stupid, or idiot, even in a joking manner it is going to hurt the relationship. Take the stress out of your long-term relationship by thinking about what you are saying before you are saying it.

Change how you act, and how you are around your spouse
Remember back in a time when you were dating, you were happy to see your spouse? You were happy to spend time doing your hair, picking out your clothes and such? Put that feeling back into your life by thinking of how you are going to make your spouse fall in love with you again every day. This is going to put the spark back into your relationship and will take the stress out of your relationship.

A lot of stress involved in a relationship is the lack of trust. Stressing out about where your spouse is, why they are working late, or just where they are in general will eventually put a major strain on the relationship. Take the stress out of your relationship and out of the marriage by putting trust back into the equation. It is going to be difficult if not impossible to not trust your spouse. Trust is going to put all the strain and stress behind you so the two of you can work on being together for the rest of your lives.

Stress in your marriage is going to appear not only after you have been married for a few years, but also when children appear in the family, and when money matters are tight. Take your stress and focus your energies on something constructive in the situation. If you are find you are stressed about money, find ways to save money. If you are stressed about the children, find a sitter for the night and unwind a little bit. Every problem, every stressful situation does have an answer and you can work through it.

Dear Marci,

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Dear Marci,

I’ve been receiving a lot of mail lately from Medicare Advantage plans, with information about joining their plan. I’m not sure that I want to switch my coverage, and I would rather that these plans do not contact me. Are there any rules that Medicare Advantage plans have to follow when marketing their plans?

– Joel (Chicago, IL)

Dear Joel,

Yes, there are guidelines that insurance companies have to follow when marketing their Medicare Advantage orPart D plans to you. These guidelines are meant to prevent plans from misleading you about how much a plan costs or what it covers. Understanding the ways that insurance companies are allowed to contact you will help you to spot Medicare marketing fraud.

Remember, both Medicare Advantage plans are stand-alone Part D plans are always run by private insurance companies. Insurance companies are allowed to mail you marketing materials without your permission. They also can place advertisements on the radio, in the newspaper, and on television. However, insurance companies and brokers must get your permission before directly calling, emailing or visiting for an appointment. Cold calls are not allowed. A broker cannot visit you in your home or nursing home unless you request that they do so. You can schedule an appointment to meet with a plan representative, and meet them in either your home or a public place such as a library or coffee shop.

In health care settings, plan representatives can provide sales information in common areas like conference rooms, cafeterias, or community rooms; they cannot provide plan information in hospital or doctor’s waiting rooms. Representatives also cannot approach you in public areas such as parking lots or malls.

If you put your name and contact information on a list at a promotional or marketing event, this may give the plan permission to contact you. Be wary of providing contact information if you are not interested in follow-up contact from the plan. A plan cannot insist that you provide any information if you are attending a promotional or marketing event.

In addition, plans cannot call you and imply that they are calling on behalf of Medicare; Medicare will never ask these insurance companies to contact you. No one from Medicare or a private plan should call you asking for private information, such as your Social Security number, Medicare number, or a bank account number. If someone does call asking for your personal information, it is fraud. Do not share this information with people besides your doctors and health care providers.

Finally, insurance companies and brokers cannot offer gifts for signing up for a plan. They can give small gifts worth $15 or less only if they are made available to everyone, not just people with Medicare. These gifts cannot be given as a reward for signing up for a plan. Gifts cannot be benefits, such as a free checkup or health care procedure. At promotional or marketing events, the insurance company can offer light snacks or refreshments. They cannot provide a full meal, or market their plans in places where free meals are served, such as senior centers.

If you suspect that an insurance company has broken any of these rules, you can contact 800-Medicare toreport the issue. You also can call the Office of the Inspector General at 800-447-8477 to report fraud. It is helpful to write down as many details as possible, such as names, dates, and locations. Medicare will not use your name without your permission when investigating fraud. Remember, in many cases, Medicare will be unable to investigate fraud without your help so always report suspected fraud.

-Marci

 
Health Tip
A recent study in Sweden found that daily exercise may significantly lower the risk of heart failure. Nearly 40,000 adults of all ages participated in the study since 1997. Adults who got an hour of moderate exercise or half hour of vigorous exercise every day were 46 percent less likely to experience heart failure than those who did not

Got Stress – Get Answers!

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Is stress a problem in your life? Let’s make a list of things that are stressful and see what can be done to lower these stress points.

If you are trying to figure out what is causing all of the stress in your body, you may want to do some research. This is something that you can do on your own to find a way to pin point the problems and to get started with the treatments of them. You should sit down and think about the problems that you are having in your life and what you can do to change the situation.

Make a well thought out list of all the problems that you are facing in your life. Think about these problems and what you are worried about. When you are thinking about what is disrupting your life, you may find the answers to the questions of what is causing all of your problems and your stress.

Think of all the people that are adding to your stress. This will include all relationships both at home and at work. Figure out what the problems are with these people and if you need to have them in your life or if they are someone that you should distance yourself from. There is nothing wrong with ending a relationship that is in turmoil. You should be prepared to do this if it is relevant to your health and well-being.

Think of things that you can do to improve your lifestyle. If you are eating the right things, taking the time to exercise and get the proper nutrients for your body. Are you talking about your feelings with others? Do you need to find a different career path? These are examples that you need to think about when you are trying to define your life and what is causing you the most problems with stress

Do not forget about the humor and entertainment in your life. You have to include these things into your life so that you are taking a break from the stress that can build up. You should jot down the things that you like to do and what makes you happy. Make sure that you are applying these things to your life so that you can become a better and well-rounded person.

Make sure that you are going over your lists on a regular basis. Make the necessary changes where they are needed and take the time to enjoy things. You need to stop and smell the roses once in a while to maintain a healthy outlook on life. You will find that once you apply this list, you will watch your stress disappear for good.

Healthy Shopping for Healthy Eating!

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Healthy eating starts with one key activity—healthy shopping. When you head to the grocery store, it is easy to pick up lots of foods that are bad for our bodies without even realizing it. Shopping for a healthy diet can be difficult if you do not know how to do so, but with these tips, you should find it easier to do so the next time you head to the grocery store.

First, have a plan before you ever leave your house. Use the sales fliers to check out the great products that are on sale and take an inventory of your pantry and refrigerator to see what foods you need to purchase. Make a list of all of the foods you’ll need and stick to that list. Allow yourself one or two compulsory buys, but otherwise stay to the ingredients you’ll need to cook healthy meals for yourself and your family for the rest of the week. Before you leave, review your list and take out any unnecessary junk food.

Another great shopping tip to go along with making a list is to shop for a week at a time, or even longer if you have a large freezer. When you have to run to the grocery store every day, you are more likely to pick up junk food items every time you make a trip, and before you know it, your snack supply will be overflowing. You can shop for a week or two in advance by taking a day to plan meals for the week and packaging fresh product to be frozen.

When you’re shopping, it is also important to read the label. Try to avoid purchasing brand name items simply because they are brand name or store brand items simply because they are less expensive. Actually look at the product’s nutritional value and try to get the most nutrients for your money. When you eat higher quality foods, you’ll feel more full and, in turn, eat less, so this really is the best way to bargain shop.

If you are just shopping for yourself, you should also consider picking up a basket at the door instead of getting a shopping cart. The biggest problem with health and grocery shopping is grabbing junk food items that you don’t really need. If you have a small basket, you simply won’t have room for chocolate brownies and ice cream with your load of other foods, so you’ll pass them by.

Last tip, don’t forget to consider drinks into your healthy shopping plan. Most people don’t realize it, but sodas, punches, and beers can have many empty calories and are generally bad drink choices. Instead, look at the labels and choose diet drinks, water and sports drinks, or natural fruit juices, like apple juice. With these tips, healthy eating—and shopping—should be much easier!