Today is your day Boomer! This is a picture of my close friend in the yellow jacket. What a great day we had in the snow on a sunny winter day last year....and this week, he is turning 65. He is officially a "senior" in the eyes of government and society in general. But what does that mean? Well, according to the numbers.....the current population of B.C. is 5.2 million and by 2038, ¼ of the province will be seniors (this is 5% higher than the Canadian average). Surprisingly, B.C. has the 7th most seniors behind the Atlantic provinces which are #1-4 and Alberta is dead last. OK, what else? You qualify for the Old Age Pension, which is just over $600/month and you can take your Canada Pension Plan as well....although, some people take it as early as age 60. You also qualify for all the so-called "senior discounts" in businesses like restaurants, movie theatres, ski hills, and grocery stores. On the negative side, many people will now consider you to be officially "old" even though you feel the same today as you did yesterday. I guess societal expectations also drop: people may think you take naps, play cards, read, join pickleball clubs, knit, make quilts, slow walk around the neighbourhood, and visit the seniors centre every day. Uh uhh.....not my friend "B". He is the new senior in society....he is 65 going on 55; he is going back-country skiing in the Rockies this week, he goes to CrossFit every day, he brings his bike when he goes on trips to Europe, he canoes down whitewater rivers, and he looks "youngish" with very few grey hairs. He is Canada's "new" senior and I applaude him as I, myself, get closer to the 65 age next year. Have a great "senior", happy retirement my friend!! Cheers.
Today is your day Boomer! And today is another day for wining......and I don't mean complaining. I mean drinking some pressed grapes and enjoying the health benefits. That's right, drinking alcohol is good for you. First, let's state the obvious....only in moderate amounts: two glasses per day for men and one for women. Research shows the following positive health effects: (1) reduces risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson disease (2) is an anti-flammatory(white wine is better for this) (3) decreases risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol(red wine is a better choice) (4) good for mental health, may increase age longevity, may promote healthy gut bacteria. All of this sounds good and much of it boils down to the antioxidants which are higher in red wine. It seems reds--like Merlot, Cab Sav, and Shiraz--have been studied more.....which means more research is needed on whites. Boomers, maybe we could volunteer for a new study! Cheers!
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