As we age, our bood pressure tends to go up. Those in the know say we should be shooting for a rate of 130/80. If you find yourself creeping over that line, doctors recommend more cooking at home than eating out (more than 70% of our sodium intake now comes from food prepared outside our homes.

You may also want to increase your intake of potassium - a mineral found in many fruits and vegetables.

As always, best to consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet.

If you’re concerned about your health (and what Baby Boomer isn’t), the 2017 Senior Health Report is available from the United Health Foundation. Best of all, it’s free!

Visit AmericasHealthRankings.org to obtain your copy.

BTW – the healthiest states for Boomer Health are Minnesota, Utah and Hawaii. The 3 “unhealthiest”: Mississippi, Kentucky and Oklahoma.

The report is based on this definition of health from the World Health Organization:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

Cost should never be an object when it comes to protecting you from the flu. Flu deaths among people our age is on the rise.

Here’s a quick list of places you should check for low-or-no cost flu shots:

• Walgreen’s
• CVS
• Rite Aid
• Target (stores with a CVS inside)
• Walmart
• Your Primary Care Doctor
• Supermarkets (Several large chains offer them)

This is about the time in January when it’s getting a little harder to keep that resolution. That burst of energy and willpower you had at the start of the year has started to wane as the daily routine of life lures you back into bad habits.

A new study indicates that a diet rich in vitamin C can cut the risk of developing cataracts in people over 40 by 33%.

Researchers stress that the benefits does NOT come from popping vitamin C tablets, but from natural food sources, such as citrus fruit and dark green vegetables.

Bon appétit!

Eating healthy doesn’t have to mean spending more money for “organic’ or “natural” foods.

Foods that are natural and downright inexpensive include:

• Bananas
• Peanut Butter
• Green and Black Teas
• Cabbage
• Beans
• Lentils
• Carrots
• Oatmeal
• Salmon
• Sweet Potatoes

Who knew? Experts agree that some foot pain is caused by inflammation. Nuts, seeds, legumes, veggies, fruit, and fish are all rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that can reduce inflammation. Also cooking with olive oil may help.

One of the most asked questions on Google is: "How many glasses of water should I drink daily?"

We'll save you a Google search. Research shows that drinking 4 to 6 glasses of H2O a day is best.

It’s mosquito season again. For those wary of chemical repellants, the CDC says oil of lemon eucalyptus is an effective natural alternative.

You can find this ingredient in many products either online or at your local discount store.

Before You Investigate Those 50+ Dating Sites - Read This

Single Baby Boomers who want date usually have one problem – finding an available partner in the course of our daily life becomes more difficult as we get older.

Many of us today are turning to the multitude of online dating sites, especially those that cater to people in our age group. These are good places to find people in your area who might make good candidates for dating and maybe something more serious down the line.

But like everything else online, there are some general safety rules you should be aware of first: