Tag: dementia prevention

Healing Tumeric Banana Date Smoothie

Every single day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year I include tumeric in my diet. I have been doing this for the past three years. I usually add it to my green beans which is my go to mid-day snack. Today I switched things up and made this delicious, healing tumeric smoothie. Before I get into the smoothie though, let’s talk about tumeric.

Tumeric (Curcuma longa) is a potent spice that gives curry its bright mustard yellow color. It has been used in Indian culture for centuries as a spice but also as a medicinal. Curcumin is the powerful compound in tumeric that provides profound health benefits. It has significant anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, so significant that it is said to exceed the therapeutic benefits of ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). As mentioned in my previous post, chronic inflammation plays a role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, dementia and depression. Anything that reduces inflammation in the body will help to offset such conditions.

When I was a young nurse working in neurology it was always the belief that neurons (brain cells) were incapable of multiplying. Well this was a myth that has been busted. Advances in neuroscience research have found that neurons can indeed multiply and form new connections even after childhood. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a protein responsible for preserving the life of neurons. BDNF is found to be lower in individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and depression. Curcumin elevates levels of BDNF and consequently promotes neurogenesis (growth of nerve tissue). This is exciting news in the prevention and off-setting of neuro-degenerative processes.

There is evidence that curcumin may prevent certain cancers – most notably colorectal cancer. It helps the body destroy mutated cancer cells before they have a chance to spread. Although there is nothing absolutely substantiated at this point, research is underway in curcumin’s role in killing off cancer cells and preventing the metastasis (spread) of cancer. The preliminary reports look promising.

In order to fully benefit from the cucumin in tumeric it should be ingested along with black pepper. The piperine found in black pepper reacts with cucumin to enhance its absorption.

Tumeric can be ingested in the form of the actual tumeric root, the powdery spice or supplemental capsules. Tumeric root can be found in certain grocery stores and the daily recommended dose is 1/4 inch. I have been successful in getting it at Heinen’s and Meijers although I understand it is available at Whole Foods Market. It lasts about 10 days in the refrigerator if the skin is left on. Powdered tumeric is found in the spice section of practically any grocery store. The recommended dose is 500 – 2000 mg per day (1/4 – 3/4 tsp). The fresh form of tumeric is always better than the dried spice as it retains more nutrients. That being said, it is not always possible to have fresh on hand so I always have the powder in my spice rack.

If you are taking any of the following medications you should talk to your doctor first before taking tumeric on a regular basis:

  • Blood thinning medication (coumadin, plavix, aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel). Tumeric may increase the effects of these medications.
  • Drugs that reduce stomach acid (cimetidine, ranitidine, omeprazole, famotidine). Tumeric may interfere with the action of these drugs.
  • Drugs for diabetes. Tumeric may increase the effects of these medications causing low blood sugar).
Every bit as yummy and creamy as it looks in this picture

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unweetened almond milk (or plant based milk of your choosing)
  • 1 banana
  • 1 scoop unflavored collagen powder (see my article Collagen: Restoring Your Fountain of Youth)
  • 3 pitted dates
  • 1/2 tsp. tumeric powder
  • 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions

Simply add all ingredients in a blender, whip it up and ENJOY! The collagen powder is optional but wow does it give this smoothie added depth and a whipped cream flavor and consistency.

Fresh tumeric. Keep the skin on and place in ziplock bag in the refrigerator to prolong freshness and longevity. I read it can be kept in the freezer for up to one month but I have never done this.
Look at that vibrant beautiful color! All you need is 1/4 inch a day (plus black pepper).

Salt Sense

Ninety percent of Americans eat way too much salt. The average American consumes approximately 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day. That is the equivalent of about 1 1/2 teaspoons.

The FDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends that individuals 14 and over consume no more then 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. The American Heart Association is even more conservative and recommends no more than 1,500 milligrams per day “ideally” for most adults especially those with heart disease.

A healthy active body needs only 200 to 500 milligrams of sodium per day to maintain proper fluid and electrolyte balance, conduct nerve impulses and contract and relax muscles. This computes to only 0.216 to 0.540 teaspoon per day.

Did you know that whole foods contain salt naturally? That’s right. A stalk of celery may not taste salty but it contains just over 30 milligrams of sodium. One cup of artichokes contain about 160 milligrams. One half cup of cooked carrots contain 45 milligrams. One cup of tap water contains 9 milligrams of sodium. Sodium is found in the earth naturally so it makes sense that it exists in foods that get nutrients from the soil. Even if you never add another speck of salt to your food you will not be sodium deficient by eating a balanced plant based diet.

I knew there was a reason why, after all these years, I never got rid of the old Himalayan and sea salt. It came in handy for this blog photo. Trust me I do not use them!!

High blood pressure is the most common consequence of diets high in sodium. When we eat too much salt, the body holds on to extra water to balance things out. This extra fluid increases blood volume which then increases blood pressure. Increased blood pressure over time narrows and damages the delicate inner lining of the arteries. A low sodium diet centered around plant based eating seems to be the best way to bring down blood pressure.

But hypertension is not the only consequence. Researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine found a connection between high salt diets and decreased nitric oxide levels. Nitric oxide is an essential molecule necessary for cerebrovascular health. Low levels of nitric oxide cause protein plaque deposits in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. So reducing our intake of sodium may be all it takes to prevent dementia.

If dementia wasn’t enough to convince you to shake the salt habit maybe cancer will. Excess sodium intake has been linked to stomach cancer. In fact, it seems that the risk is on the same level as heavy alcohol use. How is this possible? Well it appears that excess sodium damages the delicate lining of the stomach causing lesions which, over time, can turn cancerous.

There’s more bad news. Eating too much salt can cause calcium to be leached out of the bones leading to low bone density and osteoporosis. High blood pressure can also lead to osteoporosis by increasing the rate that calcium is lost from the bones. For every 100 milligrams of sodium you consume above and beyond the recommended, you urinate out 1 milligram extra of calcium.

In addition to adopting a diet that is centered around plant based eating pay attention to nutrition facts on food labels. A general rule of thumb is to choose foods that have no more then 1 milligram of sodium per calorie.

I sincerely hope this article has been helpful. As always I love comments and questions. Lot’s of them!

I created these sodium visuals to help my patients understand how much sodium is in certain food choices. This was several years ago before the AHA lowered their recommendation to 1,500 milligrams or less (test tube #1). Look at how much sodium is in that frozen meal (test tube #2)? That’s double the daily recommendation in just one meal. Yikes!! Look at how little is in the apple and potato?

https://news.weill.cornell.edu/news/2019/10/high-salt-diet-promotes-cognitive-impairment-through-the-alzheimer-linked-protein-tau