Along the way, there are some of us who have lost a love, or are looking to start a new life, or maybe are just looking for a little excitement in our lives.

Online dating may hold the answer. Here are some sites that we recommend... sites where you  can meet other Boomers... or just about anyone else.

Sites for Mature Singles

Senior Singles Meet
SilverSingles.com
Senior Friendfinder
Senior Singles at Metrodate.com
SeniorMatch.com
LavalifePRIME

General Dating Sites:

e-Harmony
Perfectmatch.com
Match.com
Singlesnet
FriendFinder
Lavalife
Metrodate.com
Spark.com
2 Of A Kind
HurryDate
 

Smart Links

These links will take you to some useful, helpful, and informative websites where you'll find a large selection of goods and services... just about everything from soup to nuts.

Buy.com
ShoppersChoice.com
Click here for eBay!
SHOP.COM

We've got some helpful advice and information  that we hope you can use.

You may be saving for retirement, but not sure whether you will live long enough to retire. What a waste of your money!

To keep healthy you need a plan. Not just any plan, but a health plan. One that involves a healthy diet and exercise. If you have a family, the plan should include everyone, not just you. You need to exercise, and to eat healthily.

If you do exercise routines - it could be cycling or another activity - then each person will help the other. And you know everyone is getting some exercise - no slacking. Children will exercise so long as the exercise is interesting - make it a game, or roller skating, or football or whatever - but make sure it is fun and goes on long enough to be real exercise.

How long? Well, if it is true aerobic exercise, raising the heartbeat by about 40%, 10 minutes is enough. If it is lighter exercise you will need at least 30 minutes - or 2 hours a week.

What about food? Don't eat junk food like McDonalds or KFC - and don't allow your children do so, either. They are full of fat. Now some fat is good and some is bad but they have lots of saturated fat - that's bad and puts the weight on in no time. On the other hand, olive oil, nuts and seeds are among the foods that have plenty of the good fats, the sort your body needs to keep going.

To improve your diet, eat less red meat and chicken and more fish, nuts, seeds pulses - these are beans mostly. Also, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. And make it part of your plan. Cookies? Throw them in the bin now, and learn to make tasty alternatives.

As you get closer to retirement, you will need to eat less because you are not burning up the calories. The way to do this is more of the same - don't eat red meat, and do eat more pulses, while grains, vegetables and fruit.

With a plan like this you will enjoy your retirement.

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By the time seniors are considered “seniors,” they usually have a nice little retirement nest as well as health and life insurance policies to fall back on. Maybe they are widows or widowers who have pension plans from their deceased spouses. Of course, this is the ideal situation for the senior.

Many seniors in American do not have enough health care insurance to adequately cover their medical needs and prescription drug medications. This is where health care supplemental health care insurance for seniors comes into play, and aside from Medicaid and Medicare, there are ways to get affordable health care supplemental insurance for seniors.

Consider these four tips when looking into affordable health care supplemental insurance for seniors:

Those who join at an early age get the best rates. However, that doesn’t mean seniors aren’t eligible. Actually, seniors are probably the most common health care supplemental insurance policyholders.

Don’t lie about your current health condition. Stretching the truth may seem like a way to get more affordable rates for your health care supplemental insurance, and yes, it’s true that premiums are usually based on past and current health conditions, but lying will always catch up with you in the end, especially if there comes a time when you need that supplemental insurance and the insurance company refuses to pay because you gave false information when applying.

Think of any groups or associations to which you belong. These organizations may be able to help you obtain affordable health care supplemental insurance for seniors.

Once you have a plan, stick to it. You may end up purchasing a health care supplemental insurance plan for seniors that doesn’t quite fit your needs or your budget. That doesn’t change the fact that you need supplemental insurance, though. Stick to it until you’ve found a better, more affordable health care supplemental insurance for seniors. In other words, never cancel until you have a back-up plan.

For more information visit: www.ezquoteguide.com/health

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When you think about the fact that about half of those who quit smoking return to it at some point, and even those who haven't smoked for years still get the odd craving - it's not difficult to understand why staying off the weed can be harder than quitting smoking in the first place.

Nonetheless - if you're really serious about looking good as you get older and want to make sure your skin stays supple and toned - stay off the weed you must!

Without a doubt, the first two weeks after you quit smoking are when you're at your most vulnerable so don't be shy about seeking help during this difficult time. But remember – just because you don’t succeed in quitting smoking the first time you try definitely does not mean you're a failure as a human being.

Nicotine is a strong drug and it may take several attempts before you successfully quit smoking.

Feeling a failure can be one of the reasons a temporary lapse becomes a more or less permanent return to being a smoker. "Well you've gone and done it now" – you say to yourself - "you may as well have another one". No doubt about it - if you're a smoker trying to quit you are up against a whole army of obstacles that could so easily trip you up.

Withdrawal from the nicotine hit is one of the major reasons for failure to quit smoking but sheer force of habit plays a major role. Even years after quitting, ex-smokers can find themselves in a situation where they would once have smoked and without even giving a thought to what they're doing, they reach out, take a cigarette from a friend's pack and light up.

Of course, if there are no regular smokers in your immediate social circle, quitting will be much easier. Research shows that failure to quit smoking is also more likely if:

• you're a woman (nicotine dependency is stronger for female smokers)
• you were a heavy smoker
• you've been smoking for a long time
• when you smoke you inhale deeply
• you experience severe withdrawal symptoms

Tests have also shown that those of us who cheat during the first six months after quitting smoking - even if it's just a few puffs on a cigarette - are highly likely to be smoking again by the end of those six months.

In contrast, those who don't cheat - who are honest about their lapses - are most likely to still be cigarette free after six months.

So - if you really want to quit smoking then be totally honest with yourself. If you have a lapse, admit it and resume your quit smoking program immediately. Start your count of smoke-free days from when you resume.

But don't beat yourself up either just because you gave in to the craving. You're human after all and it doesn't represent the end of your efforts to quit smoking - it's simply part of your journey to get there.

Remind yourself of all the reasons you want and need to give up. Think of the way you'll look if you carry on smoking. Think of the damage smoking is doing to your looks and the aging effects of smoking on your skin. Talk to someone about your temporary lapse - that way you're not fooling anyone - least of all yourself.

Remember successful quitters are honest about their progress - with themselves and with the people helping them to quit. Successful quitters don't use a temporary lapse as a reason to start smoking again.

So do yourself a favor - stay honest, resolve to quit and you will.

About the Author: Eileen Gravelle is an author and web publisher who writes extensively on health, beauty and fitness. Her website www.simplyantiaging.com offers a complete anti-aging resource for women in their forties and beyond who want to look younger and feel great about themselves as they get older

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Baby boomer health is a big issue for today's seniors. Fortunately the focus isn't so much on which of the many ailments people will be stricken with and how soon. With all of the advances that have been made in the field of medical science, people are living longer and they're spending their later years healthier, too. That's why much of the talk about Baby boomer health revolves around keeping mentally and physically fit.

Perhaps that's because the one thing that has set the Baby boomer generation apart since its beginning has been the focus on the self. As this generation grows older past behaviors that may have been considered selfish or self-indulgent are being replaced with behavior that's focused on self-preservation. And that's a truly beneficial change, especially when you consider the impact that this generation has had on trends.

Which senior health issues matter most?
With a lifetime of focusing on the self, today's Baby boomers place much emphasis on maintaining a youthful appearance. Fortunately they are smart enough to understand that looking and feeling good are totally within their control. That may even explain why so many older people have finally started replacing their bad habits with good ones such as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Eating right and exercising can help the body perform optimally and perhaps even more importantly, it may help reduce or eliminate the need for costly prescription medication.

Another Baby boomer health issue that has grown enormously popular is anti-aging. Baby boomers realize that they cannot stop the clock from ticking but they're also not willing to sit back and do nothing about it either. That quest for eternal youth is what's fueling the market for new products that promise to stop or reverse the effects of aging. Baby boomers are buying up nutritional supplements, creams, lotions, ointments, elixirs, spa treatments and more almost as fast as these products come to market. It's a billion-dollar industry that shows no signs of slowing.

Baby boomers know too that many of their worn out body parts can be replaced, but unfortunately the costs of replacement surgery is high. Interestingly, figuring out how they're going to afford to pay for all of the surgeries, the prescription medications and the anti-aging products that they've been led to believe they need is another of the big Baby boomer health issues seniors are facing. It's easy to lose track of the fact that the quest for eternal youth and longevity is coming at a very high cost for many.

What's the answer?
While science and technology can do a lot to enhance Baby boomer health, there's a lot you can do without having to resort to such extreme and expensive measures. For example, you can reap tremendous rewards just by making the right choices when it comes to diet and exercise. But even protecting yourself against the sun's damaging rays, quitting smoking and reducing stress can takes years off your appearance. So don't wait any longer. Start taking better care of yourself today!

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Dental health is an important part of everyone's lives. We receive nourishment from food that must pass first through our mouths. A healthy mouth can mean a healthy person in many ways. However, every mouth is different. There is no exact set of rules that everyone can follow to get the same results. Depending on what food you eat, what medicine you take, what genes you were born with, and your oral hygiene, your mouth can greatly differ from someone else's. This is why it is very difficult for some to take care of their mouth, while it may be very easy for you.

We probably all know of someone who brushes three times a day, flosses regularly, but still have cavities when they go to the dentist. You may be lucky enough that you only brush once a day and you always have a good checkup. Developing a routine that works for you is essential to your dental health. Here are five important tips that if followed, can result in great dental health.

1. Visit your dentist regularly. Depending on what problems you've experienced with your teeth in the past, 'regularly' can vary. You may need to see your dentist every three months or so if you have to have your plaque and tartar cleaned out in the case of periodontitis. If you've never experience dental issues you may only need to go in every 6 months for a preventative checkup and cleaning. Consult with your dentist while there about a proper routine for your situation. Your dentist should be able to tell you what is best for your mouth. After all, they do see every angle of it during a checkup.

Some problems that your dentist will take into consideration are medications, if you sleep with your mouth open, if you grind your teeth while sleeping, or experience any other sleep conditions, etc. If you're on medication, there's a chance that you experience dry-mouth. This condition affects your dental health greatly. If you sleep with your mouth open, you're more likely to develop gingivitis. Many people have sleep conditions that only allow them to breathe through their mouth. All of these factors must be taken into consideration when formulating a routine for your mouth. Your dentist can help you sort through all of these things and find a plan that works for you.

2. Your diet also has a great deal to do with how healthy your teeth are. Sugar in any form, including brown sugar and the natural sugars found in fruit and dairy products, is a tooth's worst enemy. Starchy foods are also suspect and should be eaten only as part of a meal. Foods such as raisins and other dried fruits tend to stick to the teeth, enhancing the conditions for destructive acids. Hard candies, breath mints and cough drops also stay in the mouth longer than other foods. The more often you snack, the greater your risk for hosting enamel-destroying acids. If you tend to eat a lot of sweets, you obviously will need to take better care of your teeth than someone who doesn't.

Eating a healthy diet will help to ensure healthy teeth and gums. Some foods may actually help counter tooth decay. Research has shown that peanuts and aged cheddar, Swiss and Monterey Jack cheeses may actually inhibit or neutralize the acids that cause cavities. However, healthy teeth and gums depend greatly on the types of foods you eat, how often and the length of time the foods remain in your mouth.

3. Between visits to your dentist, you should inspect your mouth. You are, or should be the expert on your mouth. You see it and deal with it on a regular basis. Stay aware of what is going on in order to take any steps to prevent problems. Be on the lookout for several things such as chipped teeth, sores or cuts on the gums or tongue, discoloration of the teeth or any type of pain. If any of these signs show up, you should consult your dentist to see what they recommend.

4. Brushing and flossing your teeth frequently is a must. Brushing three times a day is ideal, but two times is sufficient. You should also floss everyday.
Find a toothbrush that has the American Dental Association (ADA) stamp of approval (found on the package). It should also be labeled "soft" and have round-ended bristles, which means it's sturdy enough to clean teeth and stimulate gums, but not scour them. An electric toothbrush may help those who have difficulty brushing their teeth, although it's not proven to clean better than a regular toothbrush. Additionally, replace your toothbrush every two to three months to keep it in good shape to do its job.

As for floss, it is really a personal preference what you use, so long as you use it correctly and regularly. If you find floss difficult to work with, consider using a floss holder or specially designed pick.

5. Another good activity to engage in is using fluoride. Fluoride helps teeth retain calcium, which keeps them strong and slows the production of acids that attack teeth. This is great for your teeth and can be found in toothpastes and mouthwash. After brushing and flossing, use mouthwash to finish it off.
With these steps, you, too, can have great dental health.

About the Author: Dr. Gerard DiFusco, DDS, is a leading dentist in Webster, New York. Dr. DiFusco specializes in Webster Smile Makeovers, Dental Implants and Sedation Dentistry. For more information visit the Webster Dental Center

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So stop right there. Take back control of your life. Some think it is easier said than done. Not so, take it one step at a time. Health over fifty becomes your own personal responsibility. What you eat is just as important (if not more) now than twenty years ago. Just because you strayed from eating properly until now doesn't mean you should give up and just rely on medicine. You can find better ways to eat, exercise for your ability and eliminate some of those bad habits. Turn your life into a new hobby and put the failure thoughts out in the trash.

Instead of trying to tackle all aspects of your life, try one step in each category per week and let your motivation to succeed take over. Each week do one more positive thing to improve the enjoyment of the age you are. If you sit and whine about where you used to be those moments of now will pass you by. You're not going to get younger in chronological aging but you can get more youthful in your movements, looks, thoughts and health issues. Here are 10 Simple steps you can do starting today.

1. Park your car 3 spaces farther away than you do now and walk.

2. Eat fish 1 more meal per week than you do already.

3. Do stretching exercises or yoga (lots of discomfort feels like bone but is tight muscles.)

4. Add 2 glasses of water per day to get closer to your needed body amount of at least 8 - 8 ounce glasses per day.

5. Eliminate the starch from one meal of your diet and exchange it for vegetables and fruits.

6. Drink 1 less alcoholic drink than you normally do.

7. Lower your cigarette smoking by 1 cigarette less each day until you can quit.

8. Forgive yourself or someone else of a wrongful deed.

9. Compliment yourself for doing 5 positive things for yourself each day before bed.

10. Get to bed at a decent time to achieve 7 to 8 hours of sleep....late shows on TV can wait for weekends or use the recorder to watch at a better hour.

Health over fifty does not need to be a chore. Do something to improve your life. Smile at the reflection in the mirror and you will start to smile at others as well. Your life isn't just about everyone else and their needs. Your health, youthfulness, flexibility and quality is about you and what you are willing to do for the most important person in your life...you.
Enjoy!

About the Author: Marge Pickering-Picone is a Nutrition Consultant for Professional Nutrition Services of Rochester.

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In order to prevent further damage it's crucial that you are able to recognize any of the signs of hearing loss. If you notice any of these signs then it's important to immediately see a doctor, putting it off could result in the condition getting worse.

You need to know that hearing loss occurs gradually, and by the time you realize that something is seriously wrong the damage is already done. Carefully read the following hearing loss symptoms and seek medical advice if you think you experience these symptoms, or spend a long time in these high risk environments:

- People working in factories and refineries are more exposed to high levels of noise than others. If you have been spending a long time in these sorts of locations without wearing any form of ear protection, such as earplugs, then you have a much higher risk of developing hearing problems than somebody who hasn't worked in a noisy environment. This is equally true for people who like to spend a lot of time listening to loud rock music, especially in concerts and when wearing headphones.

- If you are spending a lot of time straining your ears to hear what others say, or asking them to repeat what they said over and over, then you could be in trouble. This condition also causes irritability and stress. If you have lately been told by many people that you watch television with a disturbingly high volume, this could also be a sign that your hearing isn't as good as it once was.

- Elderly people often claim that their hearing is perfect, just that the problems are caused because other people talk too quietly. If they don't hear things properly, they just misinterpret what others say rather than asking them to repeat.

- Not being able to properly hear what is being said. If you are unable to hear what a person is saying when you can't see their face then this could be because you have learnt to lip read without being aware of it. If you can watch TV, but can't listen to the radio, this is an indicating factor.

- If you have a family history of hearing loss, you should also arrange for regular check-ups with an audiologist. Some forms of hearing loss are hereditary and so could be transferred from parents to offspring.

- People belonging to the baby boomer generation are more likely to develop hearing loss in their 50's or 60's than many of the earlier generations.

- If you have diabetes, a heart problem, a thyroid problem or any circulation problems, then you are more exposed to hearing loss than other people. In addition to this, if your ears get infected more than often and you always have irritation, swelling or bleeding in the ears, you might be a victim of hearing loss.

Hearing loss is not always curable, especially if it has been ignored for a long time. It can be embarrassing to go out in social gatherings when you are unable to properly comprehend what others are talking about. So it's about time you go to see a medical specialist to get your condition looked at.

You can also find more information at FirstHearingAids.com, a comprehensive resource for people suffering from hearing loss.

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There is major trouble heading for the American economy in the next few years in the field of health care, but not necessarily from the area that most people expect. Although there are serious problems with our health care system in general, the field of long term care has the potential to be the most damaging and troublesome of all. Here are the reasons why:

1. We are all just simply living longer these days. Initially, that sounds like a great thing, and it is in many ways. Modern medical science coupled with knowledge of how to better care for ourselves through diet and exercise have given us the gift of prolonged life. As a result, the fastest growing segment of the American population today is those over eighty years of age.

2. It is precisely because of these added years of life that many of us will need more care before we die. It means that fewer of us will be dying from sudden illness that killed our parents and grandparents. However, when you live longer your body wears out and we die slower, which means that we will need much more custodial care than did our parents and grandparents. Many people try to make an educated guess about their own lifespan and cause of death by looking back at what has happened to members of their family in the past. Unfortunately, this generation cannot use that measuring stick as an accurate prediction of their own need for health care because what was true about aging 25 - 50 years ago is simply not applicable to us today.

3. The baby "boomer generation" will soon become the "senior boomer" generation. One third of all Americans alive today were born between 1946 and 1964, and they are affectionately known as the "baby boomers". They have gone through American history and had a major impact on almost every industry as they have aged. Now they will begin retiring in the next five years or so, and the health care industry in it's current form is simply unable to cope with such huge numbers of Americans needing care. Costs for facility care is reaching $70,000 per year in many areas and that figure is rising at more than 5% annually, which means that it should double within the next fifteen years or so.

4. Government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid are already stretched thin in their ability to pay for care for the current crop of seniors. In fact, we are already spending 44% of the federal budget on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and if we do nothing the U.S. Comptroller general predicts that these three programs will consume nearly 75% of the budget each year by 2030. Obviously, this kind of expenditure on the part of the federal and state governments is simply unsustainable.

5. There is an appalling lack of education and appreciation about the risks and challenges presented by long term care among the general U.S. population, especially seniors. Very few of them have made any reasonable preparation for their own long term care if it should be needed later on. Because it is an issue that few want to think about, they often tend to procrastinate making any meaningful decisions on the subject and that in itself is a decision to set themselves up for financial and emotional catastrophe should the need for long term care arise.

Because of the reasons listed above, it should be obvious to any reasonable person that long term care issues are a runaway train heading for the American economy within a relatively short period of time unless steps are taken soon on the part of both the federal and state governments and the American public to plan more effectively. We all need to bring more attention to these issues in our own communities and sound the alarm while there is still time.

About the Author: Duane Lipham is a Certified Long Term Care (CLTC) consultant. You can get more free information, news and articles regarding long term care and aging at: The Long Term Care Consumer Guide

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