To raise awareness and promote the value of financial planning for everyone, the Financial Planning Standards Board (FPSB) is hosting the fourth annual World Financial Planning Day on October 7.

The FPSB Network represents nearly 190,000 certified financial planning professionals across 27 territories worldwide, and the World Financial Planning Day activities include a range of programs and events to educate consumers about improving their financial status and developing a plan to stay on track.

"As we continue to deal with a global pandemic, more people are feeling life and financial stress, looking to an uncertain future while dealing with a volatile present," according to Noel Maye, CEO of FPSB.

"Recognizing that the pandemic requires near-term adjustments which might overshadow long-term plans, our global campaign theme - Live Your Today. Plan Your Tomorrow - demonstrates how financial planning can help us make financial decisions that keep us on track for the future we envision," he emphasizes.

A key goal of World Financial Planning Day is to improve financial literacy across all populations, according to the FPSB.

Data from S&P Global suggest that only about one third of adults worldwide are financially literate, particularly women and young adults. Programs and events include topics for a range of life stages such as strategies for saving, debt management, home ownership, and retirement planning.

World Financial Planning Day also includes a video contest to encourage consumers to explore financial planning. To enter, participants submit a video of 30 seconds or less on the World Financial Planning Day website, worldfpday.org, with an answer to the question, "How could meeting with a CFP® professional help you plan your tomorrow?" Five entrants will win a session with a local CFP, plus $1,000 to be used to pay off debt, save for education, prepare for retirement, or put towards other financial goals. Entrants must be 18 years of age or older, and reside in an FPSB affiliate territory.

In addition, World Financial Planning Day includes a live global event for financial professionals on the topic of The Future of Financial Planning in the New Normal.

Visit worldfpday.org for more information and resources, and to find a certified financial planner near you.

You can participate in World Financial Planning Day on social media using by using the hashtag #WFPD2020 on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

A dying wish. A secret world. Can this grieving investigator stay on the right track? PI Kelly Pruett is determined to make it on her own. It's a good sign when a letter left by her late father at his detective agency ties into an unsolved case of a young woman struck by a train.

Hunting down the person who can prove the mysterious death was not just a drunken accident. Kelly discovers this witness is in no condition to talk. And the closer she gets to the truth, the longer her list of sleazy suspects with murderous motives grows.

Can Kelly pinpoint the murderer? Purchase at https://amzn.to/30gAIE1. 

"Boats Against the Current"
by Richard Webb 

The Great Gatsby may be one of America's essential novels. Boats Against the Current is essential for anyone who has read the book and wondered at the fantastical world whose story it tells. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald honeymooned for five months in the summer of 1920 in a modest house in Westport, CT, living a wild life of drinking, driving and endless partying after being kicked out of New York's finest hotels.

Boats Against the Current tells the real story behind the famous novel and its tragic hero, and debunks many long-held beliefs. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2D70Fxd.

"The Vessels"
by Anna Elias 

What if you could help those who've passed on to get a second chance - but at the risk of your own life? Four broken strangers volunteer to become the first humans to join the international Vessels program. Their bodies will host the Spirits who seek to right past wrongs.

Disguised inside a homeless shelter, the program is facilitated by a retired Army officer, former ER doctor, and tech-savvy teen who tracks the Spirits merged with their Vessels through an ancient ritual. The Vessels have seven days to succeed. But when the vengeful spirit of a serial killer enters one of them, they learn not all Spirits are here for redemption. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3hY2hrI. 

"Between These Walls"
by Michael Newman 

In the dying days of WW II, U.S. Army Medical Corps Colonel Samuel Singer comes upon the shot-up wreck of an SS Staff car, with a badly injured driver, nearby a dead German Army officer carrying the ID of a Nazi war criminal, and a young blonde woman, also dead in the back seat.

Forty years later, Daniel Singer, adopted son of Colonel Singer, receives a mysterious package from West Berlin. Daniel's quest to learn about its contents leads him on a voyage of discovery about his own roots. He unlocks the secrets of three families through tumultuous times and will be faced with a life-altering choice and the opportunity to right the most heinous of wrongs. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2DenoYt. 

NOTE: For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com.

"Ballast Point Breakdown"
by Corey Lynn Fayman 

A speedboat hurtles across San Diego Bay and crashes into the Admiral's Club, where a farewell party for the Navy's top-secret Dolphin Divers program is underway. As guests flee the ensuing fire, a woman named Janis Withers crawls from the inferno and screams her last words - "Arion has returned!"

Eccentric guitar-playing private detective Rolly Waters is pulled into the case when he connects Janis to a pair of dog tags left behind by Butch Fleetwood, a member of the Dolphin Divers who disappeared 20 years earlier. As Rolly races against the authorities to uncover Arion's true identity, his investigation begins to reverberate with his own painful history. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2EzNW6x. 

"Jersig"
by J.B. Whitehouse 

Quentin Dettweiler is a young man living a sordid, robotic life. Directionless and achingly comfortable in a complacency beckoning him to dive in, Q is on the edge when he encounters a man unlike any other: Jersig.

Jersig is a man with airs about him who seems to hold the key to the secrets of life. A wealthy, "self-made" Californian who prides himself on being able to spot talent hidden below the surface, Jersig sees something in Q that piques his interest. As a friendship is forged, Q actualizes what he believed always to be true: he possesses greatness inside him. Perhaps Jersig holds the key to the secrets of life ... or perhaps potentially dangerous ones. Buy at https://amzn.to/30htIHb. 

"The Edge of Belonging"
by Amanda Cox 

"A beautiful story about broken people coming together to find healing." When Ivy Rose returns to her hometown to oversee an estate sale, she discovers her grandmother left behind more than trinkets - she provided a path to the truth behind Ivy's adoption. Shocked, Ivy seeks clues to her past, but a key piece is missing.

Twenty-four years earlier, Harvey James finds an abandoned newborn who gives him a sense of human connection. His desire to care for the baby is complicated by the fact that he is homeless. In this dual-time story, the truth takes center stage as Ivy and Harvey grapple with love, loss, and letting go. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2CZ2IDE. 

"Life is Big"
by Kiki Denis 

"This innovative and witty novel will delight logophiles and puzzle-solvers," says Publishers Weekly. Alma-Jane, a happy 11-year-old girl, is about to die due to a rare mutation. Ayrton, Alma-Jane's older brother and a math prodigy, declares war against Death, and leaves New York for Oxford, UK, to examine Albert Einstein's brain.

Meanwhile, Death and his brother, O.M. (Obituary Man), are in need of a short vacation. At the heart of all this, a motley crew of "Minor & Major Immortals" mingle. What connects them is the belief that "wise-thinking" leads to a longer and happier future, and that it's the only way to guarantee a "Life bigger than Death." Purchase at https://amzn.to/3hUigqZ.

NOTE: For more reading ideas, visit BookTrib.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

These liver diseases may become life-threatening without any noticeable symptoms, which is why screening is vital. For people who are at high risk, such as those living with obesity, pre-diabetes, or type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor about your liver health and get screened as early as possible. In the past, the best way to diagnose liver disease was by performing a liver biopsy, a procedure where a small piece of the liver is removed using a long needle and then analyzed in a lab. Liver biopsies can be painful, risky, expensive, and unreliable. Complications can include bleeding, infection, accidental injury to a nearby organ, and even death. A typical liver biopsy can cost more than $7,000. Additionally, a biopsy relies on using a tiny fraction of the liver, which means more than 30 percent of liver biopsy diagnoses may be wrong.

Fortunately, there are now alternatives to biopsy. It is important for all healthcare providers and patients to understand that liver biopsy is not the only diagnostic option available. Some examples of non-invasive diagnostics include blood tests, ultrasound, and various different scans. Non-invasive diagnostics lead to fewer patient visits, quicker diagnosis, and are more cost-effective without the risks of surgery. Imaging tests can provide you and your doctor with a full picture of the liver, rather than just a small sample. If your doctor recommends a biopsy to screen for early liver disease, ask for non-invasive alternatives such as blood tests and imaging.

For more information about liver health and non-invasive screening for liver disease, visit www.globalliver.org/beyond.

Incluso durante la era del COVID-19, las caídas siguen siendo la principal causa de lesiones fatales y no fatales para los adultos mayores. Las caídas pueden tener un impacto significativo en la calidad de vida de un adulto mayor. Una caída puede provocar que una persona mayor se aísle socialmente o que tenga miedo de salir de casa, y puede ocasionar altos gastos médicos.

Un primer paso importante para mantenerse seguro es aprender qué aspectos de su vida pueden ponerle en mayor riesgo de caerse. Consejo Nacional para Adultos Mayores (NCOA), un líder nacional de confianza que trabaja para garantizar que todas las personas puedan envejecer sin problemas, ha creado una encuesta gratuita en línea para ayudarle a identificar su riesgo de caerse y ofrece medidas prácticas para subsanarlo.

Se llama Chequeo Contra Caídas, y se lanzará como parte de la Semana de Concienciación para la Prevención de Caídas de la NCOA, del 21 al 25 de septiembre.

"Queremos que los adultos mayores sean sus propios agentes de cambio para asegurarse de envejecer bien", dice Kathleen Cameron, directora del Centro para el Envejecimiento Saludable de la NCOA. "El Chequeo Contra Caídas proporciona una revisión confidencial y fácil de usar sobre los riesgos de caídas como un primer paso para prevenirlas". NCOA también ofrece formas prácticas y comprobadas de abordar dichos riesgos".

El Chequeo Contra Caídas está disponible en inglés y en español. Presenta 12 preguntas sobre razones conocidas que aumentan el riesgo de caídas. Los adultos mayores responden sí o no a cada pregunta, y luego ven una explicación de por qué esa razón es importante. Por ejemplo, "A veces me siento inestable cuando estoy caminando", es seguido por: "La inestabilidad o la necesidad de apoyo al caminar son signos de un mal equilibrio".

Después de terminar la encuesta autodirigida, los adultos mayores reciben una puntuación de riesgo personalizada, junto con medidas prácticas que pueden tomar para evitar caídas. Pueden compartir esta información con sus cuidadores y proveedores de atención médica para discutir cómo reducir el riesgo de caídas y tomar medidas al respecto.

Algunos de los pasos siguientes podrían ser el mejor uso de un bastón o andadera, ajustar los medicamentos, hacerse un chequeo de la audición o de la vista, o añadir ejercicios de fortalecimiento y equilibrio con la aprobación de un médico.

Además de lanzar el Chequeo Contra Caídas, NCOA organizará eventos gratuitos en Facebook, en inglés (23 de septiembre a las 6:30 p.m. EST) y en español (24 de septiembre a las 6:30 p.m. EST) durante la Semana de la Concienciación sobre la Prevención de Caídas para destacar este importante tema de salud.

Para obtener más información, visit www.ncoa.org/ContraCaidas.

"I was not happy when I read that Nigeria will have the highest contribution to the global burden of sickle cell disease by 2050 - if we continue at the present birth rate and the level of inactivity in newborn screening," says hematologist Obiageli Nnodu, M.D., the lead researcher in Nigeria for the Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCo), funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institutes of Health. "As a country, we can do better than that. After all, this is a disease where children die undiagnosed, and largely from preventable causes such as bacterial infections."

Sickle cell disease affects 20 million people worldwide, including at least 100,000 in the United States, mainly African Americans, but Hispanics and Asian-Americans, too. To help address the problem on a global scale, the NHLBI has been supporting programs in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 75 percent of the sickle cell disease births worldwide occur. SPARCo, with a hub in Tanzania, and additional sites in Nigeria and Ghana, works to develop an infrastructure for sickle cell disease research, health care, education, and training to take place in Africa.

"We are showing that with effective partnerships, significant advances in health and biomedical science can be achieved," says Tanzania-based Julie Makani, M.D., Ph.D., who leads the SPARCo consortium. SPARCo, in collaboration with the Sickle Africa Data Coordinating Center, led by Ambroise Wonkam, M.D., in South Africa, created Sickle In Africa, which has a growing electronic registry of more than 10,000 individuals with sickle cell disease.

"The genetic diversity of Africa's population allows scientific research that will increase our understanding of how a disease caused by a single gene can manifest in such different ways," Makani explains.

Newborn screening, as Nnodu notes, is the first step to reduce mortality and suffering for these children, and for that, they need good tests readily available at the point of care. That's why NHLBI supports research towards development of diagnostics, such as a new rapid result test that is relatively inexpensive, accurate, and can provide a timely diagnosis of sickle cell disease. The test does not require sophisticated laboratory equipment, electricity, refrigeration, or highly trained personnel - a critical advantage for countries with few resources.

On the treatment front, a large multinational NHLBI-funded clinical trial found that a daily hydroxyurea pill was safe and effective for young children living with sickle cell disease in sub-Saharan Africa. The NHLBI also has its sights on developing genetic therapies for the disease, as part of a newly announced NIH collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The goal of the partnership, which also addresses HIV, is to advance possible gene-based cures to clinical trials in the United States and relevant countries in sub-Saharan Africa within the next seven to 10 years.

"A person's health should not be limited by their geographic location, whether it's in rural America or sub-Saharan Africa," says Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., director of the NHLBI. "Harnessing the power of science is needed to transcend borders if we want to improve health for all."

De hecho, los científicos ven los primeros dos o tres años de vida como un momento de desarrollo crítico para la salud intestinal de los bebés que establece las bases para beneficios que pueden durar toda la vida.

"Mantener un equilibrio de bacterias buenas en el microbioma es un factor importante para influir en los sistemas inmunológicos y nerviosos para que estén saludables, lo cual conduce a una salud intestinal integral", dijo Whitney Casares, Doctorado en Medicina, Magister en Salud Pública, Miembro de la Academia Estadounidense de Pediatría, y creadora de Modern Mommy Doc. "Para ayudar a sus bebés en las etapas cruciales del comienzo de la vida, los padres deben aprender cuáles son las principales áreas prometedoras para apoyar el desarrollo saludable del microbioma, lo que incluye opciones de alimentación temprana, la inclusión de probióticos y prebióticos en la dieta, así como la incorporación de alimentos sólidos saludables".

Para ayudar con la salud intestinal de los bebés, los padres pueden tomar decisiones de alimentación inteligentes, como amamantar cuando sea posible. La lactancia materna ofrece una gama de beneficios, incluyendo la transferencia de probióticos naturales y así propiciar las bacterias beneficiosas para el bebé. Sin embargo, la alimentación basada exclusivamente en la lactancia materna podría no ser siempre factible para los padres. Para los padres que están usando una fórmula infantil como suplemento o que están alimentando a su bebé exclusivamente con fórmula, la fórmula infantil en polvo Gerber Good Start GentlePro es una solución que le proporciona probióticos al bebé (similares a las bifidobacterias que se encuentran en la leche materna), para ayudar a promover un equilibrio de bacterias buenas en el microbioma.

Algunos bebés pueden beneficiarse de probióticos en su dieta, ya sea que estén siendo amamantandos o no. Los probióticos son microorganismos vivos que ayudan a la salud digestiva, y los bebés que nacen por cesárea pueden ser deficitarios en bacterias buenas porque no estuvieron expuestos a las bacterias de su madre a través del canal de parto. Los padres deben considerar incluir el probiótico B. lactis en la dieta de su bebé para ayudar a promover un equilibrio de bacterias buenas en los niños nacidos por cesárea. Las gotas probióticas Gerber Good Start Gentle Everyday con B. lactis son una gran opción para los padres que amamantan a sus pequeños. Para bebés alimentados con fórmula, la fórmula infantil en polvo Gerber Good Start GentlePro con B. lactis ayuda a promover un microbiota equilibrada en bebés nacidos por cesárea.

Además, los prebióticos son sustancias naturales que alimentan y apoyan el crecimiento de bacterias beneficiosas en el sistema digestivo. La leche materna contiene prebióticos, como los oligosacáridos de la leche humana (HMO, por sus siglas en inglés), al igual que las fórmulas infantiles en polvo Gerber Good Start GentlePro y SoothePro.

A medida que los niños crecen, la incorporación de una variedad de alimentos saludables, incluyendo cereales integrales, frutas y verduras, continuará promoviendo el desarrollo de un sistema digestivo saludable.

Para obtener consejos de expertos 24 horas al día y 7 días a la semana, y más información sobre la salud intestinal y las necesidades nutricionales de su bebé, visite Gerber.com.

Although this new "Full House" dynamic could forge family bonds, it will also cause energy use and utility bills to skyrocket with all home technologies, appliances and systems running overtime at unprecedented levels - making optimal, energy-efficient home climate control a critical part of both keeping everyone comfortable AND minimizing utility bills due to significantly more time spent at home.

The good news is that families can successfully prevent a utility bill blitz this winter by following a few simple steps. With home heating and cooling accounting for nearly half of home energy use, small steps can go a long way.

* Ease Into Electric: According to Columbia University's Earth Institute, electric systems are a solution to decarbonize home climate control. Among the most energy-efficient heating and cooling products, electricity-powered ductless mini-split systems, offered by companies including Fujitsu General America, can save as much as 25 percent on your energy bill.

Mini-splits use thin copper tubing to pump refrigerant from an outdoor compressor directly into an indoor air-handling unit, where the air is quietly distributed to the interior space.

* Get "Smart" About Climate Control: When it comes to smart home-temperature control, there are Smart HVAC Systems and Smart Thermostats. Smart HVAC systems have built-in Internet capability and can be controlled directly without additional equipment. Smart Home Thermostats create "smart" systems by enabling remote temperature control via a mobile or Internet-connected device or voice-operated home automation system.

* Voice Your Preference: Take control of your comfort. Most HVAC manufacturers offer apps that enable systems to be controlled from anywhere using a mobile device. Voice-control capability uses digital assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, to verbally dictate home temperatures. Easily controlling the temperature more closely allows homeowners to be more comfortable and improve energy savings.

* Find Your Efficient Comfort Zone: Many of us live in homes designed for bigger families, but have yet to downsize. If you find yourself using a fraction of your home on a regular basis, consider upgrading to a zoned ducted, or ductless system. That will allow you to save energy heating and cooling spaces where you and your family don't spend a lot of time. This will multiply savings as you're not only needing less cooling, but you also gain from a more efficient system in the spaces you do still use.

* Try Low-tech Fixes: Simple changes can have a big impact. Take advantage of the sun's energy to heat your home by opening your south-facing curtains at sunrise to make best use of "passive solar gain." Force down warm air. Denser, cooler air stays closer to the ground, and warmer air rises. So, force it downwards with a low-speed fan. Insulate and fill the gaps. Warmed air leaking out around poorly sealed window frames, power sockets, recessed light fittings, and other gaps is a big source of heat loss in homes. Thick curtains help to insulate glass at windows.

Achieving a sense of peaceful co-existence in your increasingly crowded, multi-functional home does not need to make your family members hot under the collar. If a new system is right for you, many Fujitsu systems with the Energy Star rating are more than twice as efficient as the minimum standard set by the government. To learn more or find a contractor near you, call 888-888-3424 or visit www.constantcomfort.com.

The Annual Election Period runs from October 15 through December 7. This year's AEP brings some new challenges for enrollees, due to potential restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, there are a variety of resources available to ensure you can safely and securely compare plan options from the comfort of your home, including:

* Online workshops: Many insurance companies are offering online workshops to help educate individuals about 2021 Medicare Advantage plan options. Before you attend a virtual event, find out in advance how to log on to the meeting to avoid technical issues.

* Virtual meetings: Set up one-on-one meetings with licensed sales agents by phone or video chat. Be prepared with your questions to ensure you get the information you need, such as what innovative benefits are available and if vision, hearing and dental coverage are included.

* Trusted websites: Go to the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov to compare plans, benefits and an estimated cost for each plan based on an average member. If you are interested in Medicare Part D, which helps cover the cost of prescription medications, you can also enter the names of prescription medications you take to ensure those medications are covered by the plan you are considering.

When researching plan information, be sure to provide only your Medicare number and other personal data to trusted sources, such as your doctor, pharmacist, hospital or health insurer, as scammers may try to steal your data. It's also important to not click links in text messages and emails about COVID-19 from unknown sources, and not to answer unsolicited phone calls offering COVID-19 tests or supplies.

Utilizing trusted resources will ensure that you select the plan that will suit your healthcare needs for the coming year. For more information, you can also go to Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). And, to learn about Humana's Medicare Advantage plans, visit www.Humana.com/Medicare or speak with a licensed sales agent by calling 1-800-213-5286 (TTY: 711) from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time, seven days a week.

However, all fire-suppression devices are not created equal, and portability, safety, and ease of use are key when selecting the right fire protection product for your home, business or wherever.

BlazzOut Inc has developed a lightweight and user-friendly fire-extinguishing device that offers several advantages for home, business, and vehicle use as well as other settings where simple, environmentally-friendly firefighting is needed, such as schools, libraries, and farms.

The signature BlazzOut product is a compact, lightweight, and easy-to-handle grenade-style extinguisher known as BlazzKiller. The device is designed to be thrown into a fire from a safe distance that contains a non-toxic water-based formula, which is economical and effective. The container is made of an easily breakable resin plastic that will release the fire-suppression liquid when thrown into a fire.

The BlazzKiller proprietary formula is engineered to smother flames quickly and also initiates an endothermic process of taking energy from the fire itself to cool the surrounding area. This chemical reaction also releases nitrogen and carbon dioxide into the immediate flame area, which prevents oxygen from reaching and feeding the fire in order to prevent the fire from restarting, thus providing peace of mind.

BlazzOut products were designed by a chemical engineer to provide safe, simple, fire protection that can be used by almost anyone, including older adults and children approximately 7 years of age and older. The BlazzKiller fire-extinguishing grenades can be safely stored anywhere and has no need for maintenance.

BlazzOut also offers the BlazzTrap, an automatic fire-extinguishing device that features the same BlazzKiller technology and is designed to be placed where it will snuff out fires in up to 250 sq ft, such as in the kitchen, garage, attic or basement when the glass ampule reaches a predetermine temperature.

In addition the BlazzTrap device can be placed in a boat, camper, car, truck, or RV as well.

Other benefits of BlazzOut products include easy cleanup and no property damage, compared with the damage often caused by conventional fire extinguishers, as well as a shelf life of approximately five years.

Visit www.tiny.cc/blazzout for more information.