Fear of “Oldtimer’s”?
Last week when I was hanging out with Sarah Chun, my cool 83 years young mom, she confided in me that the #1 fear she has right now is that she may be losing her mind- she used the word Alzheimer’s!
Wait, she actually she pronounced it “Oldtimer’s” with a Korean accent, but I knew exactly what she was talking about!
Now my mother is in good health- she eats well, laughs daily watching her Korean drama shows and gets her exercise by dancing around to K-Pop. But she does have her forgetful moments of not remembering little things here and there which frustrates her terribly. Anyone who has a parent over 75 years old understands these little mishaps.
I reassured and calmed her down, told her that yes, she does have some memory issues- but definitely not Alzheimer’s disease (AD), what is now called Type 3 Diabetes!
Having me as a daughter has some awesome perks- for years I have been advising her what she can do to stay young and rev up her brainpower but this time, she was ready to listen and follow through.
Her fears of losing her mind are the same as all of our fears, so I decided to post an article on the recommendations I gave to my mother that can help you or your family members as well.
I created a personalized step-by-step lifestyle program for her:
- Increased her protein intake and replaced her white rice (Korean staple) for sweet potatoes, brown rice and quinoa,
- Scheduled her night ritual so she can sleep longer and deeper hours,
- Added some of the same brain boosting supplements I take daily to improve her memory and cognitive function
- Eliminated all inflammatory causing foods such as sugar, dairy, gluten and yeast
- Recommended a neck massage weekly to increase blood flow to her brain and open up her lymphatic system.
I expressed to her that we will get her mind and brain sparking in no time and that she will be with us fully functioning for a very long time. I reminded her that her own mother lived 104 years!
Then a few days ago, CNN came out with this very interesting article about reversing dementia, AD and improving the brain. What perfect timing!
The article was based on Dr. Dale Bredesen’s recent study (from my alma mater), at UCLA’s Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and it went over much of the same information I gave to my mother.
I added my own recommendations to Dr. Dale’s study and created the:
9 Key Strategies to Prevent Dementia and early Alzheimer’s Disease:
- Reduce simple carbohydrates, starchy vegetables and gluten grains to reduce “leaky brain” and brain inflammation
- Take a daily dose of Vitamin D to modulate and improve immunity
- Increase your circulation and sweating mechanism by exercising vigorously, dry brushing, sitting in an infrared sauna, and hot & cold baths or showers. This will reduce toxins from deposited into the brain and cleansing them out of the body.
- Add polyphenols to your supplement regimen. These super antioxidants will stop oxidation and damage to DNA and nerve tissue that can lead to premature aging and brain deterioration. My favorites polyphenols include EGCg (decaffeinated), Resveratrol, and power greens!
- Reverse dementia and rejuvenate the brain by taking these phospholipids and essential fatty acid supplements for life: GPC (glycerophosphocholine), Phosphatidyl Serine and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Also eat more healthy fats at every meal (olive, avocado, ghee, walnut, coconut)!
- Wait to go to sleep at least 3 hours after dinner and fast (no food, water is fine) for 12 hours between dinner and your next meal- this may help breakdown the amyloid beta proteins that build up in the brain found in Alzheimer patients. D
- Eat more probiotics, prebiotics (fibrous veggies), and fermented foods like kimchi (my fav!), pickles and organic miso to improving gut health, which reduces the risk of dementia.
- Get 7 to 8 hours of deep uninterrupted sleep to reduce stress and inflammation and to rejuvenate the body and spirit.
- Reduce toxic metal exposure to mercury and aluminum, both neurotoxins that can contribute to brain deterioration. Minimize eating mercury-laden fish such as tuna and swordfish, and stop using aluminum-based products.
What I love about Dr. Dale is that his study was all about fighting dementia and Alzheimer’s by making healthy everyday lifestyle choices rather than testing some type of new drug or vaccine. He even knew about “leaky gut” and mercury toxicity- love this guy!
We all have the power to change our brain by changing our lifestyle- the way we eat, sleep and take care of our environment. A lot of the same strategies I talk about in my best selling book The 7-Day Allergy Makeover!
I can’t wait to have him on my Wellness for Life radio show. I will keep you posted once I secure him as an expert guest!
BTW- I have some really cool news coming out in a couple of weeks. Come back regularly to check to see what is coming up for 2015! Super exciting!
Click on the link below to read the entire CNN article:
https://drsusanne.com/reversedementia
Pina Colada Chia Pudding Recipe
I was inspired to make this yummy dessert from a recipe found in Dr. Alan Christianson’s free cookbook! I revised his vanilla chia pudding recipe and gave it a tropical twist!
You will need these organic ingredients:
1 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk (homemade almond milk is my fav)
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/4 cup chia seed
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp alcohol-free stevia
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
frozen chopped pineapple
Directions:
Add all ingredients except the pineapple in large bowl and mix well so chia seeds do not clump. Set the mixture aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Pour into single serving cups and pop them into the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
Top off each cup with frozen chopped pineapple to get that extra tropical flavor!
Enjoy!
BTW- I also love the sweet potato hash and the cilantro, lime cucumber salad recipes, you are welcome to download the cookbook here!: https://drsusanne.com/adrenalreset
Bacon-wrapped Smoky Chicken Thighs –
Can’t wait for you to try – Dianne and I have modified it to fit my ultimate wellness plan.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 chicken thighs
(2 servings)
4 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs 2 teaspoons Smoky Spice Blend*
8 slices of uncured bacon -nitrates free
Preheat oven to 375*F
Sprinkle the chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon of Smoky Spice Blend. Wrap each
thigh in 2 strips of bacon. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining Smoky Spice
Blend, and bale for approximately minutes or until the internal temperature of
the chicken reaches 165* F.
*Smoky Spice Blend:
1 tablespoon Chipotle Powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon sea salt
½ tablespoon black pepper
Recipe is by Diane Sanfilippo, author of Practical Paleo. Some ingredients have
been revised for Dr. Susanne’s community!
Now that the weather is getting cooler, I am so into crock pot cooking!
Here is one of my favorite crockin’ recipes, paleo style. Organic ingredients of course!
Cilantro Chicken Curry
1-1/2 lb. of chicken- legs, thighs, breast cut up as desired
1 cup of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped celery
2/3 cup diced onion
5 cloves garlic minced
1 cup of chopped cilantro
1 cup of diced japanese sweet potato or yam
chicken broth cover the ingredients
2 tsp of curry
salt as needed
ghee for coating the bottom of the ceramic crock pot
Lightly coat the bottom of the ceramic crock pot with ghee or healthy oil such as avocado or coconut oil.
First add the chicken, then all of the veggies on top of the chicken. Pour chicken broth on top until you cover the ingredients.
Turn on the crock pot at high level, then down to low after 1 hour. Add curry and cilantro. Continue on low until the chicken falls off the bone!
Enjoy!
BTW- you can add alternative flours such as brown rice or quinoa 15 minutes before serving to thicken the sauce as desired!
Ask a hundred random people about deadly things we encounter in modern life and they might respond with answers such as violent crime, accidents involving guns, automobile crashes and heart attacks (among many other possible answers.) Most people probably would never think about the deadly killer that is all around us in virtually every part of the United States and every other developed nation. Toxic metals are found in the food we consume, pesticides and herbicides, kitchenware and accessories, building materials and even paint. We have been filling our environment and our bodies with deadly toxins for centuries yet little attention has been paid to these dangerous substances.
The biggest threats come from a relatively small number of toxic metals. There are six, in fact. These metals are
- Mercury
- Cadmium
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Nickel
- Aluminum
As you probably know, many of these metals have been used in common items such as batteries to cooking pots and household appliances. Now for the scary part- many people all over the world are exposed to these toxic metals from seemingly innocent places like the air we breathe and the food we eat.
Here are some symptoms to look out for:
- Numbness in the mouth, tongue and throat
- Vomiting or severe nausea
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Difficulty breathing and/or irregular heart beat
- Impaired motor, language or cognitive skills
- Migraine type headaches
These symptoms indicate an acute exposure to toxic metals and should be addressed by your health care provider immediately. Many of my patients find relief by using products such as Uber Greens, which you can find more information about here.
Chronic illness due to toxic metals is more difficult to diagnose because everyday millions of people deal with the exact same symptoms such as fatigue, foggy brain, joint pain, acid reflux, bloating, constipation insomnia, anxiety and depression. Ask your doctor to order blood, urine and/or hair analysis tests to further evaluate your body for possible exposure to toxic metals.
In my book The 7-Day Allergy Makeover, I go into detail about the dangers of toxic metals and how to avoid these poisons to prevent allergies and disease.
Here are some of the needle movers I recommend you to implement today:
- Replace aluminum and stainless steel pots and pans with glass, enamel or ceramic cookware. Stainless steel pots and pans are made with nickel, which can cause a great deal of digestive and skin issues.
- Use glass water bottles instead of steel canteens
- Use porcelain, bamboo, or wooden utensils
- Always use the recirculating air button while driving to prevent breathing in exhaust fumes and toxic metals such as mercury and lead.
- Avoid aluminum based cosmetics and antiperspirants (increase risk of Alzheimer’s.)
- Avoid flu shots and thimersol (mercury) based vaccines.
- Check for lead based paint in your home and office.
- Avoid and remove all silver dental fillings made of mercury
- Use natural pesticides and insecticides such as rosemary and mint oil, instead of conventional chemical based pesticides, which are formulated with heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury.
- Stop smoking and avoid second hand cigarette smoke- you are sucking down cadmium bombs!
- Avoid eating “wide-mouthed” fish such as tuna, swordfish, bass, mahi mahi and shark and instead eat small wild caught fish such as sardines, anchovies, sable fish, sockeye salmon.
- Organic is the best policy! Avoid conventionally grown produce, poultry and food. Chicken fed non-organic feed is contaminated with arsenic.
- Drink purified water instead of tap water and avoid natural-spring water coming from granite rich land such as the Rocky and Sierra Mountains. Arsenic levels are high in granite rock.
We all need to be concerned about the toxic substances that are building up in our environment and potentially harming our children and our health. The toxic metals described above such as arsenic and mercury disrupt our energy output and nervous system, impair our senses, affect our children’s development and can even lead to cancer. We all need to work together to eliminate the use of these toxic materials but in the meantime we must make a strong effort to reduce our exposure to arsenic, lead, mercury and other toxic metals. We owe it to our children and ourselves!
Here is a video on how to make almond milk, or any alternative milk for that matter!
https://drsusanne.com/product/purglo-jing-jing/
This is a shake recipe that I have been having a lot of success with and wanted to share with you. I call it my “Morning Turbo Charge Shake” because it gets me going and sets my metabolism off right in the morning.
List of Ingredients:
- 1 Scoop Uber Green Shake or Omega Greens
- 1 Heaping tsp Acai Berry Powder
- 1 Heaping tablespoon Sprouted Chai Seed Powder
- 1 Heaping tablespoon Brown Rice Bran and Germ Powder
- 10 – 12 ounces of water
- ¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon
I mix mine up in my Magic Bullet and viola! I have an amazing energy boosting breakfast.
I take it twice a day. First thing in the morning and late afternoon between 2-3pm for a second energy boost.
Learn more at www.drsusanne.com
Frustrated with your body?
That even after eating a healthy balanced diet full of fresh fruit and vegetables you still can’t get rid of the bloat and abdominal distention?
Here is a link below so you can get your free checklist of which foods to eat and which “healthy” foods to get rid of that muffin top once and for all!
OK, this may be TMI, but I DO like to talk about everything!!
So here it is:
Best time to have a bowel movement?
Answer: 5 to 7 am!
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the time between 5 and 7 am is when the Large Intestine meridian system is activated and dominant.
It is the healthiest most optimal time to eliminate the waste and toxins from the night’s cleansing.
Create a morning routine by drinking warm water with lemon, or herbal tea immediately when you wake up. It will stimulate your bowels to evacuate, making room for the new day’s nutrition.
One more tip- taking probiotics at night will help you with your morning regularity!
Please comment if you want to learn more about your GUT!
