InfoTrak

73% of Millennials (ages 23-38) who have student loan debt have delayed at least one major life or financial milestone as a result, according to a new Bankrate.com report. Mark Hamrick, Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com said the issue has influenced large percentages of Americans of all ages, affecting decisions such as buying a home or car, saving for retirement, having children and getting married.

Alan Young, home security expert, CEO of Armor Concepts, a New Jersey-based security firm talked about the basic steps that the average homeowner can take to prevent home intrusions or burglaries. He said the most common way that criminals enter a house is by simply breaking through a door, rather than picking locks or breaking windows. He also discussed the misunderstood role that alarm systems play in home security.

Alan Young, home security expert, CEO of Armor Concepts, a New Jersey-based security firm talked about the basic steps that the average homeowner can take to prevent home intrusions or burglaries. He said the most common way that criminals enter a house is by simply breaking through a door, rather than picking locks or breaking windows. He also discussed the misunderstood role that alarm systems play in home security.

Dean Ornish M.D, founder and President of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, author of “Undo It!: How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases”

Dr. Ornish is a well-known advocate for using diet and lifestyle changes to treat and prevent heart disease. He outlined four changes in lifestyle that he believes can stop the progression and even reverse many chronic diseases. He said it’s surprising how rapidly our bodies can begin to heal after making simple lifestyle changes.

Many Americans will be shocked once they reach retirement, to find that their IRA or 401(k) is not worth nearly as much as they think. Alicia Munnell, PhD, economist, Director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences at Boston College's Carroll School of Management said many upper income retirees will be hit with 25-32% federal tax bills on the funds they saved for retirement, and possibly even more from state taxes. She noted that those who save in tax-deferred retirement plans still come out ahead, even after paying taxes on the withdrawals.

It has been proven that a lack of enough sleep or poor quality if sleep is a major factor in heart disease. Michael Twery, PhD, Director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at theNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health discussed a recent NIH study that examined the biological reasons behind it. He said the research may lead to improved treatments for both sleep disorders and heart disease.

It has been proven that a lack of enough sleep or poor quality if sleep is a major factor in heart disease. Michael Twery, PhD, Director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at theNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health discussed a recent NIH study that examined the biological reasons behind it. He said the research may lead to improved treatments for both sleep disorders and heart disease.

Americans’ views about marijuana have drastically changed in a relatively short period of time. Amy Adamczyk, PhD, Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice, City University of New York led a study that found that support for legalization began to increase shortly after the news media began to frame marijuana as a medical issue, rather than as a criminal or drug abuse issue. She believes that nationwide legalization of marijuana is likely in coming years.

Daniel Pink, author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing explained how timing affects everything — from work to home to school — and that it’s a science, not an art or luck. He outlined research that found that 86 specific days each year are the optimal days to start a project or to get a fresh start. He offered several examples of how productivity, personal goals and even medical procedures are significantly affected by the timing of the event.

Cheryl Hyatt co-founder of Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search talked about the importance of references in job searches. She said they are an integral part of an application package. She offered suggestions to customize references for specific jobs and how to choose the best people as references.