Avocado is a great source of healthy monounsaturated fat that may help to reduce level of a bad type of cholesterol in the body. Avocado is also a good source of vitamin E and can help to maintain healthy skin and prevent skin the skin from aging. Avocado is rich in potassium which helps prevent fluid retention and high blood pressure.

Try avocado on salads or make a fresh guacamole.

8 ounces sirloin steak, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon fennel seed, roughly chopped or coarsely ground in a spice mill
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3/4 cup reduced-sodium beef broth, divided (see Tips for Two)
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 bell peppers, cut into 1-inch squares
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1. Rub steak with fennel seed and 1/4 teaspoon salt, turning to coat on all sides. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer and cook, turning once, until browned on the outside and still pink in the middle, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Add garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup broth and wine, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Add bell peppers, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the peppers are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup broth and flour in a small bowl. Add to the pepper mixture, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Return the steak to the pan. Adjust heat to maintain a slow simmer and cook, turning the meat once, about 2 minutes for medium-rare.

Recipe source:eatingwell.com

Exercise is really the way to “The Fountain of Youth”.

If you don’t beleive me, try following these simple fitness tips and see how you feel.

1. Consistent Cardio. 30 minutes, 5 days a week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Work at a pace that allows you to talk freely; if you can sing, you’re not exercising hard enough. To get started, choose an activity you enjoy and do 10 minutes, 5 days a week. Then increase by 5 minutes each week until you’re doing 30 minutes at a time. Dividing your exercise into three 10-minute bouts throughout the day works, too.

2. Intervals.45 minutes, twice a week (moderate-paced cardio exercise interspersed with 1-minute speed bursts every 2 minutes). If you’re just starting out, do 20-second intervals, slowly building up to 1 minute as your endurance increases.

3. Weight Training. 20 minutes, twice a week. Dumbbells is really all you need. You can use light hand weights or weight machines at your gym. Both options are great and only one of them is a must.

4. Yoga and/or Pilates. Try to fit in 2-3 sessions per week. These sessions can help lower your stress levels.

Try these tips for at least 6 weeks followed with a well balanced diet and I bet you will feel GREAT! Please consult with your physician before beginning an exercise and diet plan.

I recently went to a “reverse” mortage seminar where about 25 senior citizens gathered to hear how they could get money without having to repay a dime. Interesting, isn’t it. Here are the basics of a “reverse” mortage.

A “reverse”mortgage is a loan against your home that you do not have to pay back for as long as you live there. With a reverse mortgage, you can turn the value of your home into cash without having to move or to repay the loan monthly. The cash you get from a reverse mortgage can be paid to you in a few different ways:

• a single lump sum of cash
• as a regular monthly cash advance sent to you
• as a “creditline” account that lets you decide when and how much of your available cash is paid at any given time as a combination of these payment methods.

No matter how this loan is paid out to you, you generally do not have to pay anything back until you pass away, sell your home, or move out of your home permantly. Eligibility for most reverse mortgages require you to be at least 62 yeras old and own your home

With the 2008 tax season getting strted, AARP is providing a tax aide program across southwest Ohio for seniors until April 10.Volunteers from AARP will be available for one-hour sessions at various locations throughout Butler County. Hopefully we will see this help all over the United States.

For more information, call 888-687-2277 or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Do I qualify for a rebate and how much can I expect?

One-time rebates will be sent to at least 117 million low- and middle-income households, 20 million senior citizens living off of Social Security, and 250,000 disabled veterans.

To be eligible for a full rebate, single tax filers must have 2007 adjusted gross income (AGI) below $75,000 and joint filers must have AGI below $150,000.Single filers with AGI below $75,000 will get rebates of as much as $600. Couples with AGI below $150,000 will receive rebates of up to $1,200. In addition, parents will also receive $300 rebates per dependent child; there is no cap on the number of children eligible.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Thursday night that the IRS will start sending out checks in early May. Last month, he said it should take about 10 weeks to crank out all the checks. In all likelihood then, you’ll see the money sometime between May and early July. That assumes, of course, that you hit the IRS deadline and file by April 15.

HealthDay News reported that people taking calcium channel blockers to control high blood pressure may find the regimen has a added benefit. Researchers say long-term use of the drugs also might cut the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

The findings are far from definitive and not yet ready for prime-time medical practice at this point.”There are not necessarily direct clinical implications, but the data support previous hypotheses that calcium channel blockers may have neuroprotective effects,” said study senior author Christoph R. Meier, a clinical pharmacologist with University Hospital Basel, in Switzerland. “This may stimulate additional clinical and mainly basic research in this area.” The findings were published in the Feb. 6 online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Read the entire article at health.usnews.com.

According to a survey done by AARP, over 30,000 baby boomers and Matures are going Green! Green Baby Boomers tend to support local retailers that give back to their communities and choose locally produced products. AARP’s research study found that more baby boomers are more prevalent among Matures, and appear to directly correlate with their increasing age. These correlations may forecast that social and environmental consciousness will increasingly shape the purchasing behaviors of baby boomer shoppers.

Key findings from AARP include:

· Almost three-quarters (70%) of baby boomers say that they feel a sense of responsibility to make the world a better place.

· Good customer service is nearly twice as important among Green Baby Boomers as it is to other baby boomers (70% vs. 45%).

· Green Boomers are seeking authenticity and relevance, as well as real information about products in adevrtising campaigns.

· 50 percent of baby boomers at every income level are likely to buy brands that are environmentally safe, those at the lowest income level ($0-$50K) are most inclined to do so (57%).

· Green Boomers are consuming more media, particularly print, and exhibit higher brand loyalty across all categories of products.

Its Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008. Punxsutawney Phil came out to deterime if we were going to see 6 more weeks of winter. After casting a weathered eye toward thousands of his faithful followers,Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:

“As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me. Six more weeks of winter it will be!”

I think we always have 6 more weeks of winter….