Garry F. Liday Corp. - June 2021

Garry F. Liday Corp. - June 2021

Call Us: (503) 620-3531 www.garryliday.com

JUNE 2021

Garry F. Liday Corporat ion FINANCIAL COACH

RETIREMENT ASSET MANAGERS, INC. A Registered Investment Advisory Firm (RIA)

If you’ve been a client of mine for any length of time, you’ve heard me ask, “Whose money is it?” and you know the answer — yours! It may be a bit of a joke between you and me, but it’s a joke that highlights an important distinction: I advise, but you call the shots. In that regard, it’s a bit like being a doctor. I can explain to you the cause of one thing, or the potential consequences of something else, and I can give you my expert opinion on how to act. But neither I nor the doctor will be there all the time, looking over your shoulder. Whether we’re talking about our financial health or our physical health, we all do things from time to time that we’ve been advised not to. That’s just being human. The difference is whether or not we’re able to stop the things most likely to cause long-lasting harm. And it can be a struggle. I always think of my family’s relationship with tobacco as a good reminder of that. My father’s side is from the South, where tobacco has always been a very important part of the culture. I’m not sure if things are quite that way these days, but Dad grew up with the stuff, and he chewed tobacco from childhood until he died — at the age of 95! I remember him asking me to get him a can when he was in the hospital; he always called it “snus,” which rhymes with “loose.” A doctor walked in right as I handed it over. He didn’t look a day over 18, but he sure eyed that can on the bed next to my dad. Do As I Say?

grandmother grew, and I keep it to remember her by. She would have smoked it in a pipe, and I have an antique family corncob pipe as well. Smoking never really appealed to me, and I found that easy enough to give up in my 20s. I did it cold turkey, and it would have made a doctor proud to see — just as I’m proud when my own clients make great choices with their money and are rewarded as a result. A few years later, though, I would have made my doctor a little less proud when I started chewing tobacco. I hadn’t picked up the habit from Dad — I came by it when I was working in the woods, and if you’ve ever been in the timber products industry, then you know how it is — but it didn’t matter. I was hooked, and I never thought I’d get off that stuff, although I tried everything known to man. None of it worked, not patches, nor prayers, nor laying on of hands. Before I knew it, I was about to turn 50, and I made a vow that I was gonna quit by then. Following Advice Isn’t Always Easy — Just Ask Me!

I made it to 10 days and knew I was done — until the nicotine withdrawals set in.

I don’t know why it happened 10 days into me quitting, but I was panicking, sweating, pacing up and down — and trying to reach the doctor because I didn’t know what was wrong with me!

“He’s with a patient,” the receptionist kept saying.

Dad started getting sheepish.”Hey, Doc. Is it all right if I use this?”

“If he doesn’t call me back in 10 minutes, I’m going to come over there myself!” I said at last. I was in misery! Sure enough, he called me five minutes later. Once we’d determined I wasn’t dying, he agreed to prescribe me something, but when he found out how long it had been since I’d quit, he didn’t want to give me a patch or anything like that.

“How long have you been using that stuff?”

Dad scratched his chin. “Let’s see, I’m 95, so I guess that’d make it … 92 years?”

The doctor cracked up. “Well, don’t let me stop you now!”

“Tell you what,” the doctor said, “Let me give you a sedative. Go home, take it, and sleep it off.”

Unlike Dad, I wasn’t raised in the same Southern tobacco culture, but it went back generations — I still have a plug of home-grown twist tobacco that my

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Tell It to Mr. Miyagi ‘TOO OLD’ FOR MARTIAL ARTS?

Martial arts get added to the list of activities we can’t do as we age, right? Unless you’re doing tai chi or aikido, most people think there’s no place in contact sports for aging folks.

of karate expertise — and also beat down bad guy John Kreese in the process, despite Kreese being a much younger man. Mr. Miyagi is based on a “stock” character, or archetype, from traditional Asian martial arts culture. But there’s a grain of truth to it, whether you’re looking at real-life martial artists (Henry Plée comes to mind, who practiced well into his 80s) or fighting school founders in medieval Japan — who often viewed karate as integral to their understanding of Zen and other spiritual matters, and thus essential as they got older. Netflix’s “Cobra Kai” carries on the tradition, showing us a much-older LaRusso who takes on the Miyagi role, opposite his longtime “frenemy” Johnny Lawrence. LaRusso and Lawrence have both returned to karate in middle age, and

Except, as it turns out, there is.

even Kreese reappears, now in his 70s and as formidable as ever. Is that realistic? You bet! According to one study, the average karate practitioner is 55 years old, and the average martial artist is 46. Many in both groups report regular sparring and contact practice. If you’re a martial artist, you may have to make some adjustments as you get older, but you’ll never have to give up your discipline entirely. And if you’re new to the world of martial arts, it’s never too late to start — as long as you find the right teacher and school!

From hip shows like “Cobra Kai” (and its basis, “The Karate Kid”) to centuries of tradition, older people and martial arts actually mix quite well — and they can be a great throughline for an active life. Martial arts took off in the United States back in the 1980s with the “Karate Kid” franchise, which continues today. The original movies showed us Pat Morita, an Okinawan expatriate and karate master who trains Ralph Macchio’s character, Daniel LaRusso. Morita’s Mr. Miyagi is no spring chicken, but he’s able to take LaRusso to new levels

THE SUPER BENEFITS OF YOGA June 21 is International Yoga Day, which makes it a great time of year to talk about the unique benefits of yoga — the “superfood” of fitness. As a mixture mobility, and balance. These can be key benefits for living a healthier lifestyle, whether you’re an athlete or concerned about aging.

with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) participated in a 10-week program, performing yoga at least once a week. By the end of the 10 weeks, 52% of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD at all. As with starting any new hobby or regular exercise, it may help to set clear goals for yourself. By doing yoga regularly, there are several physical improvements you can look forward to, such as:

of exercise and mindfulness, yoga is not only challenging but also has myriad health benefits.

Kaitlyn Hochart, a yoga instructor from San Diego, California, writes on Healthline, “During yoga, your body goes through a full range and variety of motion that can counteract aches and pains associated with tension or poor postural habits.” Yoga can help you become more aware of these habits, “[allowing] you to fix these imbalances and improve overall athleticism.” Many forms of exercise are useful against depression and cardiovascular disease, but in yoga’s case, you don’t have to break a sweat to start benefiting from its stress-relieving properties. “The breathing exercises you practice during yoga can help lower your heart rate and shift your nervous system into a more relaxed state. It also promotes better sleep and increased focus,” Hochart writes. Multiple studies agree: Yoga can significantly decrease the secretion of cortisol, the primary stress hormone. In one study, 64 women

Many people assume yoga is mainly useful for increasing your flexibility. However, it’s also excellent for further developing your strength,

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Improved range of motion or ease of movement A reduction in pain, discomfort, or other symptoms An increase in physical strength and endurance

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Less weight fluctuation

Changes in the way your clothes fit

Better-quality sleeping habits and increased or stabilized energy levels

One of the best qualities of yoga is that you can be of any age or fitness level. So, pull up a YouTube video, find a soft surface, and give it a try!

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Half an hour later, my wife comes home to find me pacing the living room and staring at the pills in my hand. I was trying to decide if I should follow my doctor’s advice, and she ended up being the deciding factor in that. “Knock it off, Garry!” she said. “Take those pills and go upstairs and get in bed. That’s all there is to it.” She was right, and so was the doctor. I woke up the next morning, and the last throes of my addiction were gone. It took another year to stop thinking about it all the time, but I had gone too far to turn back, and my family was supportive. “Don’t ever start if you stop for good,” Dad said. “You’ll never be able to quit.” I sure didn’t want that! That was over 25 years ago, and I haven’t chewed since. Listening to the doctor was good for me, but that same doctor said that we learn more from our mistakes than our successes, and I think that’s true as well. It’s certainly true for when I give advice, and my own experiences are why I understand that people won’t always follow it. Like I said earlier, we’re only human. But if we learn from our mistakes and commit to following expert advice more often than not, we’re headed in the right direction — and that’s all that anybody can ask for.

A great kitchen gadget (like a food processor) should save you time and effort. But not all kitchen gadgets deliver that, especially for people who suffer from dexterity problems or arthritis. Thanks to kitchen product design expert Dan Formosa (his past designs include many OXO products), here are a few gadgets he’s tested and loves — and will definitely make anyone’s life a lot easier. ZYLISS Easy Pull Food Chopper and Manual Food Processor Hate the noise of traditional processors? This manual food processor works like a charm: Put food in its 26-ounce container, close the lid, and pull the cord with its easy-to-hold handle (which connects to a blade inside the container). Voila! Your food is chopped. It only takes a couple of pulls to finely dice your veggies into a delicious salsa. Formosa especially loved how compact it is for storage. Coco Jack Eating coconut can be a healthy treat, but it might be intimidating for most home cooks — how are you supposed to open it? Enter the Coco Jack. It requires some force, but it’s much easier and less dangerous than using a knife, especially a dull knife. Just align the circular tool on your coconut and slam with a hammer to create a hole. Chef ’n Strawberry Huller Let’s say you want to remove the pithy center and leaves of a strawberry to create a whipped cream-filled strawberry. Why? Well, why not? This strawberry huller tool is easy to use and highly effective for dessert makers or anyone who wants to make attractive and creative strawberry treats. ICU Egg Topper and Cracker Do you want to present a soft-boiled egg to your guests in an aesthetically pleasing way? With just a pull of a handle and release, this tool cracks the top of the egg so cleanly that you can lift it in one piece with your hand! Then, add your toppings and serve. Kitchen gadgets are best when they help us make our food preparation just a little easier and fancier, and these definitely get the job done. We hope you love these as much as we do! An Expert’s Recommendations! 4 KITCHEN GADGETS THAT WORK

– Garry Liday

Classic Vegan Doughnuts Inspired by Tasty.com

June has many food-related holidays, and most include doughnuts! Try this vegan spin on a classic pastry to celebrate.

INGREDIENTS •

1/4 cup vegan margarine

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2 cups plain flour

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1/2 cup soy milk

1/2 cup baker’s sugar, divided

2 tbsp sunflower oil, plus more for frying

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1.

In a small pot, melt margarine over medium heat.

2. Once melted, stir in soy milk and sunflower oil. Once combined, take off heat and set aside. 3. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Once mixed, combine with margarine mixture until thick. 4. Using your hands, roll dough into flat circles and press a hole through the center. 5. In a pan, heat more sunflower oil to at least 360 F and no more than 375 F. 6. Gently add doughnuts to the oil and fry for 3–5 minutes on each side. 7. Once fried, place doughnuts on paper towels to soak up excess oil. 8. Roll doughnuts in remaining sugar and enjoy!

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Garry F. Liday Corp. Retirement Asset Managers, Inc. A Registered Investment Advisory Firm (RIA) 15405 SW 116th Ave., Suite 103A King City, OR 97224

Call Us: (503) 620-3531 www.garryliday.com

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Inside This Issue Following Advice Isn’t Always Easy — Just Ask Me PAGE 1 ‘Too Old’ for Martial Arts? PAGE 2 The Super Benefits of Yoga PAGE 2 4 Kitchen Gadgets — Expert Recommended PAGE 3 Classic Vegan Doughnuts PAGE 3 Have You Explored a National Forest? PAGE 4

EXPLORE A NATIONAL FOREST FOR FREE

On National Get Outdoors Day

Many people in the U.S. and across the world have a national park trip on their travel bucket list. While Zion, Yellowstone, and the Great Smoky Mountains are all awesome locales, outdoor enthusiasts often overlook a resource that is less busy, less expensive, and usually right in their backyard: national forests. All but 10 states have a national forest (or more than one!), so if your home state doesn’t have one, it’s very likely a neighboring state does! And there’s no better time to hike, bike, forage for mushrooms or berries, or camp at a nearby national forest than this month. The tree-filled landscape will provide shade and help you beat the summer heat, and to further incentivize visitors, the U.S. Forest Service (the organization that oversees the national forests) is offering a fee-free day on Saturday, June 12, in honor of National Get Outdoors Day! While parking and day-use fees to access national forests tend to be relatively modest, fee-free days open up the opportunity to all visitors. The U.S. Forest Service has a great interactive map tool that prospective park- goers can use to learn more about the forests in their area, amenities and activities, and accessibility. Visit FS.fed.us/ivm to access the map and see what’s near your hometown!

If you’re dreaming up travel plans beyond your state’s border, consider visiting these notable U.S. national forests.

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El Yunque National Forest: Located in Puerto Rico, El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the United States.

• Tongass National Forest: Spanning 16.7 acres and several islands across Southeast Alaska, the Tongass is the country’s largest national forest.

• Salmon-Challis National Forest: This Idaho forest is the largest contiguous wilderness area in the lower 48 and contains the Frank Church–River of No Return Wilderness. • Cibola National Forest and Grassland: Spread across north-central New Mexico, west Texas, and Oklahoma, this forest and grassland area is notable for its diverse ecosystems and wildlife. The Sky Islands portion of the park is also home to over 200 rare plant and animal species.

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