Desert Health News - May-June 2024

www.desertcarenetwork.com/strokequiz 1 http://www.deserthealthnews.com/ May/June 2024 what’s inside Complimentary Natural Options Cancer: The Sneaky Disease 12 Integrative Medicine Dr. van Tulleken’s Ultra-Processed People 15 Through the Generations Consoling Your Inner Child 19 Fresh Cuisine Classic Flare and Clean Cuisine 21 Desert Events Workplace Wellness Symposium 22 Health & Beauty Nighttime is Skin Time 18 Financial Health Fun in the Sun Without Getting Burned 17 Continued on page 3 Continued on page 20 Medical News AI: Saving Time and Lives 3 T he 50+ set is ready for exploration - hitting the roads, trails, waters and skies. From cross- continental bike trips through Africa to surfing school inMexico, those in their 50s - 80s are stepping out of their comfort zone and looking for adventure (as Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” plays in the background). The adventure travel industry is flourishing, and while the average age of the adventure traveler is a spry 49 (up from previous years), tour operators report that the largest group of adventure seekers (41%) are now between the ages of 50 and 70. What’s behind this growing trend? It seems quarantine certainly helped spur the spirit of exploration. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, New Zealand’s Adventure South NZ stated that for the 10 years preceding the pandemic their average guest age was 55, jumping to 65 directly after. Adventures in Good Company, a U.S.-based company which focuses on trips for women, saw their average age rise to 62 last year compared to 58 pre-pandemic. Of course, you’ve also heard that “60 is the new40.” Baby Boomers are breaking the stereotypes of what it means to age, staying active and healthier longer. Rewards for doing so include the ability to travel, explore and exceed your own expectations. Setting your sights on an experience you never thought you could, or would do, provides physical and mental stimulation, and can be transformative. Traveling with like-minded people also builds new connections that can last a lifetime. What are these crazy kids doing? Trekking across third world countries, hiking hundreds of miles on ancient trails, scuba diving in the tropics, cruising on small ship expeditions, kayaking through the wilderness, biking across continents and white-water rafting on extended pack trips. Trending destinations include the Mediterranean, Western Europe, South America, Scandinavia and Central America followed by Africa, Southeast Asia, Mexico and the Caribbean. More comfortable here at home? North America falls within the top 10 destinations as well. If planning a trip of this caliber sounds overwhelming, maybe you’d prefer another growing trend, “surprise travel,” where all details are arranged for you with the destination and itinerary unknown until you arrive at the airport. According to a 2023 T oday’s cars have come a long way from the classics of yesteryear. Remember all the work it took to keep them running well? Whereas today’s electric cars can even drive themselves. When you think about it, it’s rather similar to our brains and those phones always in our hands. Remember how much we had to figure out on our own before we could simply ask Siri? Like that old classic car, our brains need a little extra care to keep running at peak performance. Here are a few comparative tips to help keep brain health top of mind: Use the good gas. A higher-octane rating means the fuel is better balanced and may contain higher- quality additives than regular gas, resulting in a smoother, more stable ride. The same applies to feeding our brain. Healthy and clean, low-glycemic foods and fats enhance brain performance, while sugar and carbs are directly related to cognitive decline. This is why science is now referring to Alzheimer’s as type 3 diabetes. The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reports that a high-carbohydrate diet is correlated with an 89% increased risk of mild cognitive impairment, while a diet high in healthy fats is associated with a 44% decreased risk of mild cognitive insufficiency.1 Choosing a diet filled with healthy protein, colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, clean fish (and/or an omega-3 supplement), grass-fed beef and the like, provides the brain with vital nutrients, advises Desert Health columnist Jeralyn Brossfield, MD. “Grain-based foods must become minimal in your diet if brain health is your goal. Food choices that keep our blood sugar steady (low-glycemic) help us minimize damaging glucose highs and lows which are key contributors to brain decline.”1 Joseph Scherger, MD of Restore Health Disease Reversal agrees, “The most important things for brain health are keeping a normal blood sugar, and avoiding inflammatory foods and toxins such as fish with mercury.” Stroke Care Take a quiz to learn about your risk. DesertCareNetwork.com/StrokeQuiz when every second counts. brain health