Retirement Answer Man

Navigating the healthcare world in this day and age can make your head spin. It is hard to understand what to believe and what not to believe since there are so many voices telling you their interpretation of the facts. 

This is why it is important to build a healthcare framework from which to operate. Your healthcare framework will ensure that you get your questions answered so that you can make the best decisions for your health. Building a healthcare decision-making framework is similar to the framework we build for making financial decisions. 

Dr. Bobby Dubois joins me again today for the last episode in the Functional Health to Rock Retirement series to discuss how to approach medical problems both conceptually and with your doctor. You won’t want to miss this important conversation, so press play to listen. 

Building a relationship with your primary care physician can help you feel confident in your healthcare decisions

Whether you are dealing with a small, medium, or large medical problem it is important to ensure that you receive the right care. The right diagnosis leads to the right procedure, but that all begins with ensuring that you have the right healthcare provider. 

Many of us don’t have relational currency with our doctors anymore. Gone are the days of the doctor who has treated us and our family for ages. These family doctors have been replaced by the managed care model. 

Even if you haven’t been seeing your primary care doctor for long, you can try and build a relationship with them that puts them in the quarterback position of managing your overall health care. Listen in to hear how.

If this isn’t a possibility you may want to look into finding a concierge doctor. Concierge medicine is an emerging industry that may be beneficial to retirees. For an extra yearly fee, these doctors offer personalized care and direct access since they limit their patient load.

Use a systematic way to build a healthcare decision-making framework

We all want to embrace life physically for as long as possible; however, at some point in our lives, we are all going to face medical challenges. How you choose to confront those challenges could be critical to overcoming them. This is why it is important to have a framework in place for dealing with health issues. It is important to approach medical problems in a systematic way so that you can organize your decision-making.

Building a strong framework starts with asking the right questions

To ensure that you get the right care you must be more than just a passive patient you need to be an active consumer that asks the right questions. 

Rather than creating a list of 100 questions, try to boil them down to 2-4 questions. Understand that doctors operate on a tight schedule, so it can be helpful to let them know that you have questions in advance. You can do this by sending them an email or handing your typed questions to the nurse at the beginning of your appointment. This way you are being proactive yet respectful of their time.

After receiving a diagnosis ask your doctor these questions:

  • How long will it last?
  • How severe is it?
  • How resilient am I?

After discussing treatment options you can ask these questions:

  • Why do I need this (procedure, surgery, medication…)?
  • What happens if I don’t do it?
  • Are there alternatives?
  • What are the risks associated with this treatment?
  • What is the (out of pocket) cost? 
  • What are the costs of the alternatives?

Asking your doctor, how often do you see this? can help you to decide whether you should get a second opinion.

Remember when putting together your framework for answering questions that a good theory is not evidence. Make sure that there is evidence that the treatment will work. A great question to ask is what is the evidence that supports this theory?

The journey of rocking retirement starts with your feet–take that baby step in the right direction now to continue toward your goal of rocking retirement.

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS

  • [4:06] How to approach medical problems with your doctor
  • [12:25] Ensure that you get the right treatment
  • [19:43] Questions to ask to build a framework
  • [25:50] Randomized trials vs observational studies
  • [31:12] A case study to understand how to talk to your doctor
  • [40:02] A summary of functional health to rock retirement

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [43:33] How to characterize home equity in planning
  • [49:27] On using an advisor for money management vs. keeping assets in a 401K

COACHES CORNER WITH KEVIN LYLES

  • [56:47] 4 questions to consider to 

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [1:10:30] Brainstorm a few of these steps to integrate into your life

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Galleri Cancer test

Oura Ring

WHOOP

Dan Miller 48 Days to the Work You Love

BOOK - Younger Next Year by Chris Crowley

BOOK - The Expectation Effect by David Robson

Andy Panko at Tenon Financial

LTCI Partners

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Direct download: RAM436.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

All this month we have been discussing functional health so that you can ensure your body works well enough to rock retirement. Last week we learned how finding the right exercise plan can help you stay strong enough to do all the things that you want to do when you retire.

Today, we learn about the opposite side of the functional health coin: nutrition. You probably know that nutrition should be an important part of your overall health plan, but with so many conflicting diets out there how are you supposed to know what you should eat? 

Listen in to hear what functional health expert, Dr. Bobby Dubois recommends to maintain proper nutrition in retirement. 

It’s easy to fall into a nutrition rabbit hole

If you head to the bookstore or ask a question on Google, you’ll quickly realize that there are tons of rabbit holes that you can fall into when it comes to nutrition. How can there be so many different ’right ways’ to eat?

Before starting the cantaloupe diet or another such extreme measure it is important to understand the science that goes into nutrition. 

Why evidence-based nutrition is important

Many fad diets are based on strong emotions and faux science rather than evidence-based science. 

Science is a process by which scientists answer questions. First, they come up with a hypothesis and then design a study to prove or disprove that hypothesis. Next, they test their study.

Just because a scientist may come up with a beautiful theory doesn’t mean that they have any evidence to back it up. For years scientists figured that people with high cholesterol should restrict their cholesterol intake, but science has recently shown that the cholesterol we eat has little effect on the overall cholesterol in our bodies. 

Unfortunately, nutrition is a field that has been based on a lot of bad science. It has had plenty of strong theories but little evidence to back up those theories. 

Scientists all agree that obesity can lead to heart disease

One area of nutrition that scientists can agree upon is that being overweight or obese can lead to heart disease and, ultimately, death. This is why it is important to maintain a healthy weight. 

Maintaining a healthy diet can help you stay at a healthy weight and help your body move more easily. Taking control of your diet can give you agency and help you make a change in your life.

Rather than focus on the small details of what you should eat or not eat, it is more important to plan a basic diet. Since every person’s body works differently, a great way to choose the ‘right’ diet is to test it out for yourself. What works for someone else may not work for you. 

How to construct the ‘right’ nutrition plan

It is important to have some humility when it comes to understanding nutrition. Scientists don’t know as much as they should and no one has the perfect nutrition plan, so you should be skeptical of anyone that claims to have the perfect nutrition plan. 

What we do know is that obesity is a big issue. This is why maintaining a balanced diet of ‘real’ foods is important. Try to shop around the rim of the grocery store to avoid the processed foods that lie in the middle. 

Next week, you’ll learn more about how to build a functional health framework so that you can rock retirement. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS

  • [7:10] There are many rabbit holes you can chase surrounding nutrition
  • [14:13] What to focus on in nutrition
  • [16:37] How to know what kind of nutrition is good and what’s bad?
  • [26:58] How the placebo effect can affect diet
  • [31:28] Having proper weight is important
  • [41:20] Takeaways

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [44:10] A Windfall elimination program question
  • [47:20] A retirement regret observation
  • [50:26] How to prepare a ‘death manual’ for a spouse

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [57:30] Start preparing a nutritional framework using guiding light principles

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

EverPlans

BOOK - Checklist for My Family by Sally Balch Hurme

Dan Miller

BOOK - How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff

Boomer Benefits

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Direct download: RAM435.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

You may think that having saved a nice nest egg and having a purpose will ensure that you are all set to rock retirement. Unfortunately, you need to think again. Without functional health, you may not be able to enjoy your retirement savings and purpose. 

Creating a specified exercise plan can ensure that you develop the functional health necessary to do all the things you want to do so that you can rock retirement. Listen to this episode with Dr. Bobby Dubois to learn how to cultivate an exercise plan that will help you accomplish your goals. 

Don’t let the economy derail your retirement plan

Watching the news these days can derail your confidence in rocking retirement. A combination of continued inflation, rising interest rates, and falling stock prices are downright scary when you’re in or approaching retirement. Uncertainty is not something that pairs well with carefully thought-out retirement plans. 

Some of us think that more data will help us better our plan for the future. However, no one knows what the future holds. Is this all just a blip on the economic radar or is it the start of something bigger?

The only thing that remains consistent over time is our values. We can use our values as a guiding light to help us make decisions–especially when everything else is so unpredictable. Basing your decision-making on your values will help you stay agile and apply the protocols you have laid out that will see you through troubling times. Your values are the key to bolstering your confidence in your plan so that you can relax and rock retirement. 

Why is exercise important to retirement?

You already know that you have to have financial means and meaning to rock retirement, but you won’t be able to enjoy either of these things if you don’t have the ability to do everything you want to do in retirement. 

Your body changes as you age. It starts to deteriorate and that deterioration is noticeable in the blood vessels, bones, and muscles. The depressing reality is that you are fighting a losing battle with your muscle mass. However, you can get ahead of this decline with exercise. 

Many people are familiar with the concept of doing crosswords and puzzles to keep their minds agile and you can use exercise much in the same way. By starting the aging process with more muscle strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance you will be ahead of the game once mother nature kicks in. Regular exercise protects your body and makes it more resilient so that you can maintain function as you age. 

Steps to take to form your exercise plan so that you can rock retirement 

Developing the right exercise plan starts with envisioning where you want to be in 10-20 years. Think about what you want to be able to do in the future so that you can understand the body that you will need. Consider the muscle groups, strength, balance, and aerobic stamina you will need. Next, analyze what kind of exercise you are doing now to help you reach this goal. Lastly, consider how you can fill in the gaps and start working on the specific movements that will help you achieve your goals. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS

  • [9:25] Why is exercise important to retirement?
  • [18:44] Think about where you want to be in 10-20 years
  • [24:44] Generic exercise helps improve the length of life
  • [32:05] Balance is an important area to work on
  • [33:55] How intensely should you focus on this?
  • [36:13] How to factor in limitations to our exercise plan
  • [39:20] Anaerobic strength requires a different set of muscles
  • [42:42] Steps to take to form your exercise plan to rock retirement 

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [45:09] You can withdraw your Roth contributions any time without penalty
  • [47:14] Questions to ask your financial planner as you approach retirement
  • [58:09] My thoughts on the pros and cons of closed-end mutual funds

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [1:12:45] Evaluate your exercise regimen

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Don’t miss out on the live webinar on May 19! Register at LiveWithRoger.com

Anna Greenberg Yoga

LTCI Partners

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Direct download: RAM434.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

Purpose and finances are two important legs of the retirement stool; however, a stool needs 3 legs. Finances and dreams don’t mean anything if you can’t function well enough to enjoy them. 

The often-overlooked leg of the retirement stool is functional health–which is why this month we are focusing all 4 episodes on how to improve your functional health in retirement. 

Since I am not a health expert, I have invited Dr. Bobby Dubois to join me for this relevant discussion. This week Bobby helps me define exactly what functional health is and why it is important to retirement. In week two we’ll explore exercise and movement followed by week three’s examination of nutrition. 

On the last episode of this series, you’ll learn how to create your own functional health plan to help you navigate this essential part of your retirement plan. Press play to learn how important functional health is in retirement. 

What is functional health?

We have seen a tremendous increase in longevity over the past 50 years. Now, it is not uncommon for people to live 90+ years. While longevity gives people quantity of life, functional health gives quality of life. Without investing in your functional health you will live longer but your life will suck more. 

When you are young you can do anything–play a round of pick-up basketball, hike up a mountain, or paint your house. But as you age you quickly learn that you aren’t in shape for everything anymore. Since you lose 1-2% of your muscle mass each year starting in your 30s, by the time you reach your 60s you may not be able to do these same activities with ease. 

The happiest retirees are those that have a high quality of life and the ability to do the things they want to do. Functional health doesn’t train you to run marathons or win bike races–unless those are goals that you have for your retirement. Instead, functional health can help ensure that you can pick up your grandkids, lift carry-on luggage over your head and into the compartment, or climb ancient cobblestone steps in Europe. 

How to set up a framework for functional health

The best part of functional health is that you have control over how healthy you want to be. Setting up a functional health framework is much like the rest of retirement planning. You will begin with the end in mind. Who do you want to be in your last decade of life? What do you want to be doing when you are 90? Do you still want to be able to golf or hike? Or do you just want to be able to make it to the bathroom by yourself? Whatever your goal is, start from there. 

Be precise in setting your goals and creating your plan. Just like with a financial retirement plan, you’ll want to personalize your plan based on your goals. Traditional advice, like working out 30 minutes a day 3 days a week or walking 10,000 steps, isn’t the way to achieve your functional health goals. A one size fits all plan won’t work for your health plan just like it won’t work for your retirement plan. 

Next week, we’ll explore ways that you can use exercise and body movement to achieve your functional health goals. If you have a question or thought regarding functional health respond to the 6-Shot Saturday newsletter or hit the Ask Roger button at RogerWhitney.com to leave a voicemail question. 

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN

PRACTICAL PLANNING WITH DR. BOBBY DUBOIS 

  • [4:56] Why Dr. Dubois volunteered to discuss functional health on the show
  • [9:54] You have to put money in your physical bank to enjoy the life you want to live
  • [13:05] What is important to physical health?
  • [15:34] What is functional health?
  • [19:07] How to set up a framework for functional health

LISTENER QUESTIONS

  • [28:18] When to convert from tax-deferred accounts to Roth
  • [34:45] An SIPC protection question
  • [37:45] Use the Social Security detailed calculator to personalize your earnings
  • [40:07] To pay or not to pay off the mortgage

TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT

  • [44:37] Think about how well rounded your health regimen is

Resources Mentioned In This Episode

Register for the live webinar on May 19 at LiveWithRoger.com

Boomer Benefits

Social Security detailed calculator

Episode 407 - Retirement Planning Guidebook With Wade Pfau 

Rock Retirement Club

Roger’s YouTube Channel - Roger That

BOOK - Rock Retirement  by Roger Whitney

Work with Roger

Roger’s Retirement Learning Center

Direct download: RAM433.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am CDT

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