On August 23, 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued an alert that scammers offering free COVID-19 tests have been targeting Medicare recipients online, by phone, and through television advertisements.  You can read the article here: Free COVID Test Scam Targets People on Medicare

The goal of these scammers is to obtain your Medicare information and then fraudulently bill Medicare.  The FTC warns that people who sign up for these “free” tests never receive them.  Once they have a person’s Medicare information, scammers also try to bill Medicare for other products and services that person doesn’t need and didn’t receive.

You can take steps to avoid being taken advantage of by scammers.  First, be aware that Medicare presently covers eight free COVID tests per month.  Medicare recipients simply need to visit a participating pharmacy.  Medicare does not call people directly to offer them free tests.  So, be wary of any offers or advertisements and do not give anyone your personal information.

The bottom line is that you should never give your Medicare or other personal information to anyone who contacts you offering any free service.  Fraudulent charges to your Medicare insurance can affect your benefits and coverage, and prevent you from getting the medical services you need.  You can double-check your Medicare Summary Notice to see whether you are being charged for any services or products you did not receive or authorize.

If you believe you have information related to a Medicare scam, you can report it online or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP.

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Louisiana Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Louisiana Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and Louisiana CPA to learn more about estate planning in Louisiana, incapacity planning, and Louisiana asset protection.

If you liked this article, “Alert: Scam Targeting Medicare Recipients” read also these additional articles: CMS Issues Updated Guidance Intended to Improve Quality of Nursing Home Care and What Happens If Couple Divorce and Own Business? and Can Some Foods Help Prevent Alzheimer’s? and Wayward Senior Tracked by Bluetooth Technology

Today, more than 1.4 million individuals live in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes across the United States. As part of an effort seeking to improve the health and safety of nursing home residents nationwide, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated guidance in June for the state agencies that are responsible for surveying long-term care facilities and investigating complaints. An overview of the guidance is at the CMS.gov website entitled Updated Guidance for Nursing Home Resident Health and Safety.

The wide range of updates include the following:

• Nursing homes must provide data on their staffing, which the CMS will use in a research study aimed in part at establishing minimum staffing level requirements for these facilities.
• LTC facilities will be required to employ at least one part-time, on-site infection preventionist who meets the needs of the facility and oversees an effective infection prevention and control program.
• Nursing home surveyors across states will need to investigate complaints and reports of abuse in a timely and consistent manner. A 2019 Government Accountability Office report had previously found that information on abuse was not readily available and that the processes through which incidents of abuse were reported to law enforcement varied widely by state.
• The revisions provide clarifications on various requirements related to nursing homes’ discharge of residents, compliance with arbitration agreements, and the procedures they follow to manage complaints and report incidents.
• Updated mental health guidance targets the inappropriate use of unnecessary medications, such as antipsychotics.
• The CMS also outlines recommendations for nursing homes on limiting occupancy per room to two individuals to help prevent infection while also offering an enhanced level of comfort and privacy for residents. It also urges operators to allow for a greater number of single-occupancy rooms.

Nursing home surveyors will begin to apply the new guidelines in October 2022.

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Louisiana Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Louisiana Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and Louisiana CPA to learn more about estate planning in Louisiana, incapacity planning, and Louisiana asset protection.

If you liked this article, “CMS Issues Updated Guidance Intended to Improve Quality of Nursing Home Care” read also these additional articles: What Happens If Couple Divorce and Own Business? and Can Some Foods Help Prevent Alzheimer’s? and Wayward Senior Tracked by Bluetooth Technology and What is the First Sign of Dementia?

The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office recently received a report of a missing adult in the Hernando Beach area.

According to the agency, the elderly man, who suffers from dementia, was reported missing by his wife at about 7:30 in the morning.

Units were dispatched within minutes, reports WTSP.com, in the article entitled “’Technology is one of the best tools…’: Missing elderly man found through Bluetooth tracking device.”

The sheriff’s office said this wasn’t the first time the man has been reported missing.

This time, his wife was prepared: she attached a Bluetooth tracking device to her husband’s belt.

Bluetooth is a type of wireless technology that allows the exchange of data between different devices, such as two cellphones.

Because she planted the device, she was able to give deputies a location to where to find her husband.

Law enforcement was able to locate the man by 7:54 a.m.

He was returned safely home to his family.

“With the high heat index this time of year and the multiple access points to water in the area, we are thankful for this assistance of technology in order to locate this individual within 18 minutes,” the sheriff’s office wrote in a statement.

The sheriff’s office says tracking devices like the one used in this incident can give families peace of mind when caring for a senior with mental health issues, by being able to monitor their location.

“Whether it is a child with special needs or a senior who is forgetful, there are usually warning signs that a person is prone to wandering,” Sheriff Al Nienhuis said in a statement.

“Technology is one of the best tools family members can use to alert them when that individual has unexpectedly left the house.”

“It also provides invaluable tools to increase the likelihood the person will be returned safely. We strongly encourage families to research what technology is right for their situation.”

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Louisiana Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Louisiana Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and Louisiana CPA to learn more about estate planning in Louisiana, incapacity planning, and Louisiana asset protection.

If you liked this article, “Wayward Senior Tracked by Bluetooth Technology” read also these additional articles: What is the First Sign of Dementia? and Who Is the Best Person for Executor? and What’s the Most Important Step in Farm Succession? and Is ABLE Account the Same as Special Needs Trust?

Reference: WTSP.com (August 8, 2022) “’Technology is one of the best tools…’: Missing elderly man found through Bluetooth tracking device”

Country music legend Naomi Judd, who died in April, named her husband Larry Strickland as executor of her estate. She was married to Strickland for 33 years. According to court documents, he’ll have “full authority and discretion” over her estate and won’t need to the “approval of any court” or permission from any beneficiary.

The Los Angeles Times’ recent article entitled “Naomi Judd reportedly left daughters Wynonna and Ashley out of her final will” says that the 76-year-old Judd prepared the will on Nov. 20, 2017.

The will also provides that Strickland is entitled to receive compensation for his executor duties and that he would be reimbursed for legal fees, disbursements and other “reasonable expenses” in the administration of Judd’s estate. Judd‘s brother-in-law, Reginald Strickland, and Wiatr & Associates President Daniel Kris Wiatr will serve as the estate’s co-executors.

Reports say that Wynonna isn’t happy with her mother’s will and “believes she was a major force behind her mother’s success.”

Naomi died from suicide on April 30^— a day before she and her daughter Wynonna, known as “The Judds,” were to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The daughters teamed up in their grief to tearfully accept the Hall of Fame honor for their late mother.

Wynonna later decided to tour despite her mother’s death. She enlisted some major stars to join her on the road.

In May, Ashley revealed that her mother had used a firearm and said she found her mother’s body when she was visiting her mom’s Tennessee home.

“Our mother couldn’t hang on to be recognized by her peers. That is the level of catastrophe of what was going on inside of her,” she told ABC’s Diane Sawyer. “Because the barrier between the regard in which they held her couldn’t penetrate into her heart and the lie the disease told her was so convincing.”

The Judds were known for songs including “Why Not Me,” “Love Can Build a Bridge” and “Mama He’s Crazy.”

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Louisiana Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Louisiana Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and Louisiana CPA to learn more about estate planning in Louisiana, incapacity planning, and Louisiana asset protection.

If you liked this article, “Who will Receive Naomi Judd’s Estate?” read also these additional articles: The Biggest Health Mistakes Seniors Make and Remember Medicare’s Important Deadlines and Medicaid Crisis Plans for Long Term Care Costs and Is Now a Good Time for a Roth Conversion?

Reference: Los Angeles Times (Aug. 1, 2022) “Naomi Judd reportedly left daughters Wynonna and Ashley out of her final will”

Movie and TV fans were shocked to hear the news of Ray Liotta’s death on May 26.

The “Goodfellas” star was just 67 when he died. Deadline reported that he was on location in the Dominican Republic working on a new movie, when he was found to have died in his sleep.

MSN’s recent article entitled “How Much Was Ray Liotta Worth When He Died” reports that Liotta got his big break with his leading role in “Goodfellas” in 1990. He was also known for his work on “Field of Dreams,” and his Emmy-winning guest appearance in “ER.”

In the years and months preceding his death, Liotta was still hard at work, having scored roles in the Academy Award-winning “Marriage Story,” and more recently, “The Many Saints of Newark.”

In addition to a prolific career, the actor also leaves behind a loving family. His daughter Karsen Liotta’s fledgling acting career was no doubt a source of pride to her father as she follows in his footsteps, according to Vanity Fair.

At the time of his death, Liotta was also engaged to be married to Jacy Nittolo.

Thanks to his long successful career, and recent big-name projects, Liotta left his loved ones with a substantial fortune in his estate.

At the time of his death, Liotta was worth an estimated $14 million. He worked steadily from his early 20s, when he decided to pursue a career in the arts until his death.

In addition to his film and television roles, the actor also earned a sizeable income from his commercial work. In 2019, Liotta became the spokesperson for the anti-smoking drug Chantix, for which he filmed a number of ads.

That he’d die with $14 million in the bank, must have seemed inconceivable to a young Liotta. The Emmy winner was adopted into an Italian-American family at six months old and spent his childhood in suburban New Jersey.

“To be honest with you, I thought I’d be in construction,” he told one newspaper in 2021.

In addition to his large net worth, Liotta likely also left behind some expensive real estate. Though the value of his most recently acquired properties is unknown, in 2007 he sold his Pacific Palisades house to Britney Spears for a reported $8 million.

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and CPA to learn more about estate planning, incapacity planning, and asset protection.

If you liked this article, “Did Actor Ray Liotta Have an Estate Plan?” read also these additional articles: What Is Congress Doing to Guarantee a COLA Increase for Vets? and How Do I Store Estate Planning Documents? and Are Vitamin D and Dementia Connected? and Using Estate Planning to Prepare for Medicaid

Reference: MSN (May 26, 2022) “How Much Was Ray Liotta Worth When He Died”

Research suggests that a large portion of dementia cases could be prevented, especially among Black and Hispanic adults, who had the highest percentage of combined risk factors, says Medical Express’ recent article entitled “These three risk factors may have the biggest impact on dementia cases.”

“There are things people can do that can raise or lower their individual risk” for dementia, said Mark Lee, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. He led the study presented Friday at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health conference.

As the population ages, the number of dementia cases in the U.S. has been increasing. About 5.8 million U.S. adults currently live with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. That number is expected to hit 14 million by 2060. The CDC says Black and Hispanic adults will see the largest increases. Among Hispanic adults, cases are expected to rise sevenfold, while cases among aging Black adults are expected to quadruple. These higher rates among Black and Hispanic people may be due to higher rates of heart disease and diabetes, which are linked to dementia risk. Social determinants of health—such as lower levels of education and higher poverty rates—also play a role.

Previous research identified 12 modifiable risk factors believed to be responsible for about 40% of dementia cases worldwide. A 2020 report by The Lancet Commission listed these:

• Lower education level
• Hearing loss
• Traumatic brain injury
• High blood pressure
• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Depression
• Social isolation
• A lack of physical activity
• Diabetes; and
• Air pollution.

In the new study, researchers wanted to see if some risk factors had a greater influence than others on dementia rates—and how that differed among Black, Hispanic, Asian and White adults. When they compiled data from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and five other datasets, they saw that overall, 42.4% of dementia cases in the U.S. were attributable to the 12 factors. Three heart-related factors were driving most of that risk across races. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, contributed to 6.7% of those cases; obesity to 7% and physical inactivity to 6.7%.

The percentage of dementia cases attributable to those three risk factors was highest among Black adults. However, the percentage of all 12 risk factors combined was highest among Hispanic people. Asian people had the lowest percentage of combined risk factors. These findings point to the need for better strategies to reduce heart-related risk factors, which would, in turn, reduce dementia risk population-wide. This can, in part, be done through lifestyle changes, combined with medication as needed, said Priya Palta, an assistant professor of medical sciences and epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City.

“Maintaining a cognitively and physically active lifestyle and controlling risk factor levels pharmacologically, when necessary, throughout one’s life course is critical for later-life brain health and is likely to impact many of the risk factors examined in this study,” said Palta, who was not involved in the research.

Lee said the next step is to see which interventions are most effective for reducing each of the 12 modifiable dementia risk factors. He also said a deeper investigation is required into the social determinants of health underlying racial disparities, such as the disproportionately high rate of hypertension among Black adults.

“That’s a really important direction we need to move to if we are serious about achieving equity in health interventions.”

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and CPA to learn more about estate planning, incapacity planning, and asset protection.

If you liked this article, “Risk Factors and Dementia Cases” read also these additional articles: How Can I Obtain a Power of Attorney for My Dad? and How Much was Stolen from Elderly Client? and Can End-of-Life Planning Increase Control for Cancer Patients? and How Do I Protect Myself and My Children in a Second Marriage?

Reference: Medical Express (March 6, 2022) “These three risk factors may have the biggest impact on dementia cases”

“Royal exploited the trust placed in her by an elderly client who was unable to manage her own affairs,” said U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine. “Our office continues to prosecute anyone who targets vulnerable members of the community, especially the elderly.”

“It is very disheartening that Royal manipulated a vulnerable victim and stole much of her hard-earned savings after claiming to be a close friend that was supposed to have her best interests in mind,” said Philip Wislar, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will always make it a priority to protect senior citizens from exploitation.”

A February 14 press release from that US Department of Justice entitled “Accountant pleads guilty to embezzling $800,000 from elderly client” states that Royal’s employer was registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment adviser. The firm provided investment advice and financial services to C.K., an elderly widow suffering from dementia.

As the firm’s Accounting Manager and Bill-Pay Supervisor, Ms. Royal had access to the victim’s Social Security Number and the usernames and passwords for her investment accounts and bank accounts. As part of her duties and responsibilities at the firm, Royal provided professional accounting services and bill-pay services to C.K. for more than 10 years. During that time, Royal gained C.K.’s trust and developed a close personal friendship with her. She even told a co-worker at the firm that C.K. was like a grandmother to her.

As a person associated with an investment adviser, Royal owed a fiduciary duty to each of the firm’s clients, including the elderly victim. Royal was, therefore, required to act in C.K.’s best interests at all times. Over the 10 years, Royal misappropriated approximately $800,000 of C.K.’s money and converted it to her own use.

As part of the scheme, Royal stole C.K.’s annuity payments, wrote more than 200 fraudulent checks on C.K.’s bank accounts, forged the lady’s endorsement on checks, withdrew cash from her bank accounts and converted it to her own use. She also fraudulently used the electronic bill-pay feature on C.K.’s bank accounts to divert money to herself. She also used PayPal to make payments to herself from C.K.’s bank accounts and impersonated the victim in phone calls with financial institutions. Finally, she made false and misleading entries in C.K.’s financial records to make the fraud harder to detect.

When the firm learned that checks drawn on C.K.’s bank accounts had been deposited into Royal’s personal accounts in March 2021, the firm immediately fired Royal and reported the matter to law enforcement.

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and CPA to learn more about estate planning, incapacity planning, and asset protection.

If you liked this article, “How Much was Stolen from Elderly Client?” read these additional articles: Can End-of-Life Planning Increase Control for Cancer Patients? and How Do I Protect Myself and My Children in a Second Marriage? and Can I Add Children’s Names to my House Deed? and Can Grandchildren Receive Inheritances? and What Is a Trust and How Does It Work?

Reference: US Department of Justice (Feb. 14, 2022) “Accountant pleads guilty to embezzling $800,000 from elderly client”

Research shows that patients have an interest and want to discuss end-of-life planning and concerns. However, these conversations often do not take place due to patient or physician discomfort with the topic, said Savannah Geske, PhD, a clinical psychologist with Saint Luke’s Health System, in Kansas City, Mo. However, as of 2019, 72% of hospitals with 50 or more beds nationwide have palliative care programs.

Clinical Oncology News’ recent article entitled “End-of-Life Planning Gives Cancer Patients Sense of Completion, Control” reports that to address these discrepancies, Dr. Geske and clinical psychologist Kadie Harry, PhD, started a virtual end-of-life planning group with patients at St. Luke’s. During four weekly, 90-minute small-group sessions, the group reviews components of the workbook “The Last Chapter: Documenting your Pre- and Post-Death Decisions,” by Therese McKechnie. Each session focuses on a different section of the book.

1. The first session, “When Death Occurs,” covers topics like funeral planning, writing an obituary and leaving a legacy.
2. The second session, “As Death Approaches,” asks patients to think about their religious and spiritual beliefs, comfort measures at end of life and thoughts about using hospice or palliative care.
3. The third session, “Advance Directives,” discusses living wills, powers of attorney for healthcare and finances and organ and body donation.
4. The final session, “Closing Your Estate” and “All Your Data,” helps patients organize personal, medical, property, financial, employment and other information and contacts.

Participants had statistically significant improvements in relationships with providers, feelings of life completion and decreases in death-related anxiety, Dr. Geske said. Most participants said the program simplified end-of-life planning and motivated them to discuss end-of-life decisions with loved ones.

“They discussed a recurring pattern of first, a strong feeling of not wanting to do something, then engaging with this feeling through the workbook or with group members, and finally a sense of empowerment and accomplishment,” Dr. Geske said. Participants also reported that peer support was helpful in coming to terms with their mortality, she said, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study’s findings are consistent with prior work in the field. In one nurse-led advance care planning session, patient and family member response was “overwhelmingly positive, with participants citing opportunities for group discussion and inclusion of family caregivers as important.”

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and CPA to learn more about estate planning, incapacity planning, and asset protection.

If you liked this article, “Can End-of-Life Planning Increase Control for Cancer Patients?” read these additional articles: How Do I Protect Myself and My Children in a Second Marriage? and Can I Add Children’s Names to my House Deed? and Can Grandchildren Receive Inheritances? and Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Inherited IRAs? and What Is a Trust and How Does It Work?

Reference: Clinical Oncology News (Feb. 28, 2022) “End-of-Life Planning Gives Cancer Patients Sense of Completion, Control”

The protective cushion between your bones—cartilage– is bound to show wear and tear over time. About 50% of adults over age 65 have arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Osteoarthritis is the most common form.

AARP’s recent article entitled “The 6 Worst Habits for Your Joints” lays them out for us:

1. Smoking. Nicotine in cigarettes narrows blood vessels and, as a result, restricts the amount of oxygen and critical nutrients that reach the joint cartilage, which can result in cartilage loss. Smoking also increases your risk for osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease.
2. A physically inactive lifestyle. Sedentary habits are bad for your joints, since it makes it hard to maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds are hard on your joints, especially those in the hips, hands and knees. A study in Arthritis & Rheumatology followed more than 1.7 million people for more than four years and found that participants who were obese, with a body mass index of 30 or higher, were about three to five times as likely to get knee osteoarthritis. Frequent sitting also contributes to muscle tightness in the hips and legs, and weakness of core-stabilizing muscles. To counter this, try to get 30 minutes of joint-friendly exercise five days a week, such as moderate, low-impact activities like walking, water aerobics and swimming. Break up bouts of sitting every 30 minutes or so a few minutes of stretching, which keep joints lubricated.
3. There’s also overdoing exercise. Don’t try to cram a week’s worth of exercise into the weekend. Studies have shown that people with arthritis who keep their muscles in good shape manage arthritis much better. So, find a happy medium with a mix of aerobic exercise and strength training.
4. Carrying a heavy load. Carrying objects that are heavy creates imbalance throughout the body, which create torque or stress on the joints. This can further deteriorate the cartilage over time. Think of a “heavy” load as any amount of weight that requires more than one hand to pick it up. Be smart and use the palms of both hands or use your arms instead of your hands when you lift or carry items. Hold items close to your body, which is less stressful for your joints.
5. Eating pro-inflammatory foods. This includes red meat, white sugar, French fries, soda and pastries. These foods can make joint pain worse, but foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like flaxseed oil and cold-water fish like salmon and mackerel, are considered anti-inflammatory and can help alleviate inflamed joints. Leafy greens are also good, as are cholesterol-lowering foods like almonds, pistachios and walnuts.
6. Texting! Constant typing on your cellphone creates inflammation of the joints and tendon sheaths which can lead to pain and stiffness. To avoid joint pain, take breaks and consider using the speech-to-text function on your smartphone.

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and CPA to learn more about estate planning, incapacity planning, and asset protection.

If you liked this article, “What Foods are Bad for Joints as Aging Occurs?” read these additional articles: What Should I Eat to Prevent Kidney Stones? and What are Common Mistakes People Make with Living Trusts? and Does the Executor Control Bank Accounts? and What Is Aetna Doing to Help Seniors Age in Place?

Reference: AARP (Jan. 3, 2022) “The 6 Worst Habits for Your Joints”

Kidney stone symptoms vary. Some people pass stones without even knowing it, and others feel an increased urgency to urinate, have blood in their urine, or feel pain in the back or groin that can range from mild to excruciating.

AARP’s recent article entitled “What to Eat to Prevent Kidney Stones — and What to Avoid” says that whatever the symptoms, kidney stones are surprisingly common.

Roughly 11% of men and 6% of women get them, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Genetics can make a person more prone to these benign-looking clumps, as can certain medications (like diuretics and calcium-based antacids) and jobs (truck drivers, teachers, and others who aren’t able to hydrate often enough). However, your diet can also be part of it. Here are eight dietary changes that may help you avoid them.

1. Drink plenty of water. This is the best and first line of defense against kidney stones. Try to drink between 60 to 80 ounces of water a day to start, knowing that you may end up needing more than that, depending on your risk profile. Your urine should be clear, not yellow, orange, or brown.
2. Reduce processed and other high-salt foods. If someone has high calcium in their urine, they need to moderate their sodium intake. That’s because a high level of salt increases calcium excretion in the urine. Limit processed foods, such as crackers, chips and frozen and pre-made meals, which are loaded with sodium.
3. Add milk, cheese, and yogurt to your diet. It doesn’t mean taking calcium supplements. Foods filled with calcium help to avoid calcium stones, which is the most common type of kidney stones. However, calcium supplements can increase the risk of stones. Other supplements you may want to cut down on include vitamin D and vitamin C.
4. Add lemon and lime juice to your drinks. These juices contain citrate, which is a natural stone inhibitor. It chelates calcium, which means it prevents calcium from bonding with something else.
5. Eat plenty of fruit. Fruits are good at helping with kidney stones because they have a high water and fiber content, offer high levels of magnesium and citrate and are more alkaline — all of which help fight kidney stones.
6. Watch eating leafy green vegetables, rhubarb, beets, and sweet potatoes. Although these are part of a heart-healthy diet, they’re also high in oxalates. That’s a naturally occurring compound linked to kidney stone formation. However, you could make sure you’re having a low-fat dairy serving at the same time you’re having a high-oxalate food because the dairy will provide calcium. That will bind with the oxalate and stay in the stool and won’t be absorbed into the blood and put into the urine.
7. Eat less animal protein. This contains high levels of compounds called purines, which can cause you to excrete more uric acid and be more prone to uric acid stones. Limit your protein intake to six ounces of lean meats per day.
8. Limit your iced tea, sodas and soy or almond milk. Tea is high in oxalate, and colas, especially dark colas, are made bubbly by phosphoric acid, which increases the risk of kidney stones. Pale sodas like ginger ale are better options, but watch for high sugar content. Sugars increase the amount of calcium in the urine and lead to metabolic syndrome, bad cholesterol and diabetes, all of which tend to cause more acidic environments in the body. Almond and soy milk are also high in oxalates.

BOOK A CALL with me, Ted Vicknair, Board Certified Estate Planning and Administration Specialist, Board Certified Tax Law Specialist, and CPA to learn more about estate planning, incapacity planning, and asset protection.

If you liked this article, “What are Common Mistakes People Make with Living Trusts?” read these additional articles: What are Common Mistakes People Make with Living Trusts? and Does the Executor Control Bank Accounts? and What Is Aetna Doing to Help Seniors Age in Place? and If I Eat Sardines will I Stave Off Dementia?

Reference: AARP (Jan. 4, 2022) “What to Eat to Prevent Kidney Stones — and What to Avoid”