The physiology of a human being is extraordinarily complex.  Our brains work in ways that, at times, we may not even understand ourselves.  As we learn, we constantly question what we are hearing and being taught.  If it seems accurate we accept it, or we reject it if we have any doubt.  Many times, people have doubt because they just simply cannot fathom the logic and the truth behind it.  New situations are often doubted because they have never been experienced, while old situations are also doubted because people believe in exceptions and change.

El Salvador and Nicaragua are countries that are quite different from each other in more than one way.  El Salvador is characterized by its green and mountainous landscape, while wide valleys with volcanoes rising out of nowhere prevail in Nicaragua.  For years, the only viable route between these two countries has been by land, crossing Honduras and, therefore, four borders.  This journey takes 12 hours, approximately, including migration procedures.

For visitors who come to Central America in a Multi-destination circuit, Cruce del Golfo is, by far, the best choice for a connection between El Salvador and Nicaragua; specifically to connect two of the main attractions of these countries: the cities of Suchitoto and León.

The high prices and declining quality of medical and dental treatment in the U.S. are sending North Americans abroad in ever increasing numbers.  Plastic surgery in Brazil, open-heart procedures in India, hip replacements in Mexico, and many other services in a variety of countries are becoming the new norm.  The U.S. ranks #35 in quality of medical care, behind third world countries such as Costa Rica and Cyprus, yet U.S.

As the HIRE Act begins to phase in, US Citizens and residents are already required to fill out the new 8938 form with their tax returns.  If you are reading this newsletter, you are likely to have one of these entities and be required to fill out the forms or face severe penalties including up to 5 years in jail.  Yes, 5 years in jail for failing to file the form.

If it’s January it must be tax season… Many U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents of the U.S. (green card holders) move to another country and forget or choose not to file a tax return in the U.S. But be warned: The U.S. requires you to file a tax return accounting for your worldwide taxable income-and the statute of limitations never runs out.

In many cases, you may have few or no U.S. taxes to pay, thanks to exclusions and deductions that you may qualify for as an expatriate.  But you definitely are required to file if you are a U.S. citizen or residents alien.  Not filing can create major issues.  For instance, if you live abroad for 10 years and then return to the United States, the penalties and interest you’ve accrued may be more than the actual tax.

When Dr. Jerry Nadler of the Gonda Diabetes Center at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, California and his colleagues placed 16 healthy people on magnesium-deficient diets, their insulin became less effective at getting sugar from their blood into their cells where it’s burned or stored as fuel.  In other words, they became less insulin sensitive, or what is called “insulin resistant.”  And that’s the first step on the road to both diabetes and heart disease.

Consider the following tale.

You are on a romantic cruise in the Caribbean with your wife of 40 years.  For the past year you had been saving up your money to be able to present her with a very special anniversary gift.

Half way through the Cruise, on the night of your anniversary, the cruise ship anchored off the Island of Martinique, at the dinner table, the time is right for you to hand her this exquisite gift.

Slightly nervous yourself, you reach into your pocket to present your wife with this perfect, up until now, secret gift, and you notice another couple, about the same age as you and your wife involved in a similar ritual but this gentleman is already handing the gift to his wife when...