Archived News of the Week

"If you surround yourself with books, your life will be enriched and magical and also it will block the door so the extroverts can't get in." (Anon.)

Deepak: I want to encourage you to read this article, "How Deepak Chopra, Wellness Expert, Spends His Sundays" from the December 28, 2018 New York Times about the multi-millionaire "New Age Megastar." Just google it and it will come right up for you. All I can say is that I was starry eyed and very envious about what he does and can do for his health with his money, "in a luxury green apartment, complete with vitamin-filtered showers and antimicrobial coating on high-touch areas, in Union Square, Manhattan." We can all aspire to that kind of wealth, I suppose, but you will see that while he uses his wealth to support his health, not everything he does is based on money. We can also do a great part of what he does to stay healthy, handsome and brilliant.

Considering An Age Old Question: "What about me is eternal, permanent, persistent? What about me is unchanging, firm and stable?" On one, very spiritual level, this is a wonderful quote about awakening to knowing that the human you is really not the BIG DIVINE YOU and that you are really much more than you think you are. And on another level, "what is eternal, permanent and persistent" could be about your belly fat. While you are thinking about the big question of who YOU are, you could also be doing something about the excess weight in your middle. It's spring and you can't hide behind big sweatshirts anymore. I carry a product called AMPK Metabolic Activator which could be your answer for the mundane belly fat question as AMPK can remove abdominal fat cells. "AMPK signals cells to remove internal pollutants via autophagy" (LEF, Collector's Edition, 2019) and many of these pollutants reside in belly fat. As for the larger question of the BIG DIVINE YOU, you're on your own.

Alzheimer's Disease: "A high carbohydrate diet increases your risk of Alzheimer's by 89% while a high fat diet lowers your risk by 14%." (Carbohydrates and Brain Health, via Mercola.com, 2018). Another study showed the interconnectedness between high-sugar diets and Alzheimer's via a longitudinal study in which 5,000 individuals participated. After examining over a decade's worth of data, it was revealed that the higher an individual's blood sugar was, the faster the rate of cognitive decline. Increased blood sugar from consuming sugar and other carbs can disrupt your brain (hippocampus) even when you aren't diabetic or have other signs of dementia. I heard once long ago, and it has stuck with me all these years, that every decision you make is either for life or for death. So, think of this when you reach for the chips, or the Skittles or that second glass of wine because excess carbs and sugar equals death... of the brain.

Nootropics: Since we are on the subject of keeping our brain healthy, let's talk about nootropics, or substances that enhance cognition and memory. I have a few favorites, most of which are in my arsenal for keeping my brain healthy as I age. My all time favorite is ALC which I sell as Thorne's Carnityl. I have done much research and experimentation with various companys' ALC, and I have found that Thorne's is the best. ALC will remove toxins and increase acetylcholine which is our main neurotransmitter for thinking. I feel like it's sparking up my brain and making it work faster. Then there is GPC which also increases acetylcholine, increases vitality and increases growth hormone. Phosphatidyl Serine is fatty, it protects the nerve cells, and prevents the accumulation of amyloid. Gingko speeds up thought process and also prevents the accumulation of amyloid. Bacopa or Brahmi is good for memory and reducing anxiety. Phosphatidyl Choline is also fatty and good for memory; it protects the liver, and with DHA can reduce the risk of dementia. Citicholine increases focus and attention - good for our older ADHD people. Then, there is good fish oil (Norwegian Naturals Pro-Omega-2000), Ginkgo, caffeine, and resveratrol or even better and superior to resveratrol is Pterostilbene. Lastly, another of my favorites, PQQ. It protects against oxidative damage of brain cells and increases the production of nerve growth factor. And, yes, I include pretty much all of these in my own Super Aging program