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A Matter of Health The Connection Between Diet and Your Overall Health
Back in January, I mentioned the importance of recognizing our responsibilities. This month, I want to start a conversation about one of those responsibilities: Our health. Lately, my family has gotten into a bit of a health kick — especially the boys, Connor and Carter. They are consistently hitting the weights. Connor, who has been working out for a while now, works out five days a week. He stays in shape for baseball. For the last few months, Carter has been doing the same. In between swim practices, he works out practically every day. My wife, Kim, and I have been jogging, and I’ve been working with my trainer. We’re working on getting our daughter Codie into a routine, but she’s not as motivated. But we are all doing our part to keep ourselves healthy and in shape. As part of that, I’ve been doing a lot of personal research. This brought me to the book, “The Plant Paradox” by Dr. Steven Gundry. Dr. Gundry is a former cardiologist who has produced a number of books and videos focused on health and food.
The researchers wanted to know how the gut biome — that is, gut bacteria — influenced weight and health. In the experiment, researchers conducted a fecal transplant. They took feces from the fat mouse and transplanted into the skinny mouse, and vice versa. After a period of time, the lighter mouse gained weight. In the converse of the experiment, the fat mouse lost weight. woman who kept in excellent shape and ran every day — developed C. Diff. This is an infection in the digestive system that is very hard to get rid of. However, one of the treatments is a fecal transplant, which reintroduces beneficial bacteria into a person’s digestive system. Doctors found a donor. It was the woman’s niece. Another detail: the niece was about 30 pounds overweight. After the transplant, the infection cleared up. But something changed. Even though the woman continued to live her runner’s lifestyle, she gained weight. The biome in her gut had changed and was influencing her health on a wide scope. This effect has been seen in humans, too. In one case, a marathon runner — a
The moral of the story is that what you eat has a major impact on your health, as well as the health of the biome within your digestive system. Everything is connected. Gundry professes that many chronic issues can be solved by fixing your diet. This is something I strongly agree with, especially after all my experience with the matter. Dr. Gundry talks about a number of different things you can do to improve your health. One of biggest influences on everyone’s health is sugar. It’s our best interest to avoid sugar at all costs. This includes high fructose corn syrup, as well as artificial sweeteners. The body has similar reactions to the artificial and low-calorie stuff as it does real sugar. Going a step further, even fruit isn’t the best for you (and fruit juice, even more so). Another influence on our health is lectins. This is a type of protein found in a lot of different foods. It’s also part of the defense mechanism in plants that makes that plant unappetizing to animals and insects. In humans, it can trigger allergies. Sometimes those allergies are very minor, but they can also be significant, if not life-threatening. Dr. Gundry believes we should avoid foods high in lectins. This includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, and corn. But something
In one study I had read about, researchers had a “fat” mouse and a “skinny” mouse.
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Prepare Your Kids for FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
Your children turned to you for support all their lives. As babies, you provided them with food and shelter, and throughout their childhood, you guided them and led by example. But if you’ve continued to provide them with financial support into their adulthood, the lifestyle shift that comes with your retirement might come as a surprise to both of you. If your children are still dependent on you for financial support, it’s important to have a conversation about what might change with your retirement. It’s time to consider how your well-intentioned support will affect your retirement plans. CONSIDER THE COSTS A study by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave found that, on average, parents over 50 gave their children a total of $6,500 a year. When you compare that 6K to your current income, it might not look like much, but consider what that amount could do if you invested it into your retirement. Diane Harris, a personal finance journalist, explains, “If, instead, you saved that much cash every year in a tax-deferred account averaging 6 percent annual gains, you’d have close to $100,000 more for retirement within a decade.” MAKE A PLAN Once you consider what you’re contributing to your child’s lifestyle, you need to find out how it’s going to affect your ability to retire. It’s time to have the tough conversations. Before you talk to your kids, meet with your financial advisor and discuss your retirement goals. Your advisor
can give you a reality check if your goals are not in line with your current lifestyle and tell you what needs to change to get them there. THE TALK After your meeting with your advisor, it’s time to talk with your children. Explain how your retirement plan is going to affect them. It’s best to be honest and transparent. Let them know that this isn’t about your feelings for them and give them time to process the information. Remember that even if your retirement has been top of mind for you, it may not be on their radar. Erin Lowry, author of “Broke Millennial,” reminds us, “Adult children can’t be expected to know how ongoing support is affecting your finances if you haven’t talked to them about it.” If you can help them understand how the change will impact them and maybe even help them plan for it, you can open up that conversation and reduce tension around it. Instead of looking at the end of financial support as a loss, frame it as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity for your child to find financial independence, and while the journey can be rough, it will benefit everyone in the long term. Examples presented are and are not representative of any specific situation. Your results will vary. The hypothetical rates of return used do not reflect the deduction of fees and charges inherent to investing.
Defining Retirement for Yourself What Does It Mean to You?
Retirement means something different for everyone. For one person, it may mean an exciting new beginning. For someone else, it can be a source of stress and anxiety, and they may feel uncertain. When you’ve had a long career or you’ve dedicated your life to a certain industry or way of thinking, the shift into retirement can be a challenge. This often holds true even when you are financially prepared. People look at retirement through different lenses. We develop our views as we watch our parents, friends, and co-workers retire through the years. How do you define retirement? The Harvard Business Review (HBR) examined the topic at length, showcasing a variety of perspectives from future and current retirees. Those perspectives were expressed by analogies that answered the question, “What does retirement mean to you?” Here is how HBR broke down those analogies.
DETOX: The cleansing experience of getting away from an unhealthy, stressful working life. LIBERATION: Being released from the constraints and restrictions of work, running toward a newfound freedom. DOWNSHIFTING: Gaining time through the transition to a slower pace of life. STAYING THE COURSE: Continued engagement and contribution by using your professional skills in different settings. MILESTONE: Reaching a pinnacle and achieving a goal, a marker of the end of one phase and the beginning of another.
TRANSFORMATION: A positive adaptation to a new role or lifestyle, taking on a new identity.
LOSS: A lack of purpose, fear of being forgotten, or threat to your identity.
As HBR points out, most retirees don’t necessarily fall into one category or stick with one way of thinking. Retirement is ever-changing. You may end your career concerned about what comes next, only to realize you feel liberated. What does retirement mean to you?
RENAISSANCE: A new beginning, a new chapter, or a blank canvas, offering possibilities to pursue your interests or passions.
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An Element of Risk 2 Types of Risks Influencing Your Portfolio
Everyone knows that investing comes with its share of risk. There is no investment strategy that is completely without some level of risk. However, during a bull market — particularly, a long-lasting bull market — it’s not uncommon for investors to become complacent and take on more risk. But what is risk? For most investors, there are two primary types: investment risk and inflation risk. INVESTMENT RISK This is the chance of losing principal, and it’s the kind of risk most people associate with financial investing. Most investments see variations in principal. Riskier, more volatile investments will often see greater variations, and they may even take a hit over a short amount of time. Seeing that day-to-day variation can be stressful for inexperienced investors. But over longer periods of time like months or years, those variations generally become less stressful. One way to mitigate the risk is to focus on investments that you’re guaranteed not to lose money on. For example, consider U.S. Treasury bonds and bills. When you purchase one or more, they have the credit of the U.S. to back them up, making them exceptionally safe. But when you mitigate risk, you mitigate reward. This is especially true when inflation is factored in.
INFLATION RISK Over time, inflation can eat away at your purchasing power. In short, your purchasing power is the equivalent of what goods and services your dollars are capable of buying. Once inflation is calculated in, the overall value of investments may be lower than anticipated. How can you take more control over your investments? Ideally, you want to invest in a mix of both stocks and bonds. This is why you hear so much about portfolio diversification. The goal is to manage risk without taking a major hit to the reward. No, you aren’t protected against any losses. But over an extended period of time, chances are much better you’ll come out on top. Patience is often rewarded.
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else to keep in mind is the food your eating. If you eat meat, whether it’s chicken or beef, or anything else, those lectins pass through to the meat. If a chicken is fed a diet of corn, that nutritional value is reflected in the nutritional value of the meat. One of the big takeaways from Dr. Gundry is that a diet high in greens — that includes salad — are ideal. He doesn’t quite fully advocate a vegetarian diet, but that is good direction to head in. I’ve been following a diet that takes Dr. Gundry’s advice to heart. It’s helped me lose body fat and it’s helped me simply feel better. If you haven’t read “The Plant Paradox,” I highly recommend it. It makes a great addition to your library and may leave you with a new perspective on what you put into your body. If you have any questions on this topic, or have any questions about retirement or investing, don’t hesitate to get in touch. At Campbell Wealth, just as your financial health is important, so is your personal health.
Zesty zucchini enchiladas
Ingredients • 4 large zucchini • 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
• 2 teaspoons cumin • 2 teaspoons chili powder • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken • 2 cups shredded cheese
• 1 large onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions 1. Heat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt to taste. Stir to combine. Add chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce. 2. Use vegetable peeler to thinly slice zucchini. Lay out three slices, slightly overlapping, and spoon chicken mixture on top. Roll the zucchini “tortilla” and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all zucchini and chicken is used. 3. Cover the enchiladas with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 20 minutes, and enjoy! Adapted from delish.com.
Kelly Campbell
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You Are What You Eat Don’t Be the Family Bank Define Your Retirement 2 Types of Risks That Influence Your Portfolio
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Go Carb-Free for Dinner The 3 Best Places to See Beautiful Flowers
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Earth’s Most Beautiful Flower Displays
Spring is just around the corner, which means flora will soon be in full bloom. Flowers can be an easy pick-me-up or a great way to add color to your home, but some people take their flower obsession to the next level by planning botanical-themed vacations. Here are some of the most impressive gardens and flower displays in the world. NETHERLANDS Holland, most famous for its tulips, always draws visitors at the first sign of spring. One of its most famous destinations, Keukenhof, located in Lisse, is among the world’s largest flower gardens. The park is 79 acres and boasts approximately 7 million flowers each year. This colorful garden is open annually from mid-March to mid-May, but mid-April is the ideal time to see the tulips. WASHINGTON, D.C. Besides the monuments and historic buildings, one of the biggest attractions in Washington, D.C. is the cherry blossom trees. Travelers
who visit the Tidal Basin during the spring can witness 3,000 trees, which were a gift from Tokyo in 1912, flaunt their beautiful pink blossoms. The best time to see the spectacle is from the end of March through the end of April. ANZA-BORREGO DESERT STATE PARK Desert lavender, flowering cacti, pygmy poppies, and rock daisies are just a few of the many wildflowers decorating Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The various native species are often seen weaved together to form a colorful carpet over any barren patch in the park, which is located just two hours from San Diego. In addition to flowers, visitors often spot bighorn sheep. Wildflower blossoms vary in intensity each year, but they typically begin to bloom in late February or early March. Next time you’re planning a spring trip, consider visiting one of the world’s most beautiful flower displays. No green thumb required.
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