Women’s Club Luncheon: February 8, 2018 at 12:00 in the Clubouse

Members and guests met for our monthly luncheon on January 11 at noon in the Club House to start off the New Year with a record-setting attendance. With lots of enthusiasm, President Lydia Reese reminded us of the purpose of our club: Friendship, Fun, and Service. She introduced new members and guests, as well as our speaker Dr. Dung Trinh, Chief Medical Officer of Irvine Clinical Research, and Dan Daley, a Niguel Shores resident, representing Alzheimer’s Orange County. Before the speakers addressed us, everyone took their turn at choosing from the bountiful array of healthy salads prepared by our members.
Mr. Daley gave a short presentation on Alzheimer’s Orange County (ALZOC) where he is involved in community outreach. For a close look at what they do, go to their expansive website www.alzoc.org where you will learn more than you ever imagined about the disease, research studies, drug trials, and where you can get help with free programs and services if you or your loved ones are affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Dr. Trinh grabbed our immediate attention when he declared that in Orange County Alzheimer’s is the third major cause of death. He addressed the three “buckets” of causes for Alzheimer’s Disease: Circulation problems (high blood pressure, diabetes); inflammation (which can occur in the brain, the lungs, the heart, the GI tract, the skin, and the joints); and toxins (dietary and environmental). He particularly focused on our American diet which consists of huge amounts of sugar and “bad” fats (saturated, trans fat, and even vegetable oils like canola, corn, soybean, and safflower). The “good” fats (polyunsaturated) can be found in avocados, fish, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and seeds such as chia, flax and pumpkin. The very informative handout that we each received describes the causes of inflammation, the sugar addiction cycle, good fats vs. bad fats, brain health nutrients, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and the many risk factors for developing Alzheimer’s. Dr. Trinh’s research strongly suggests that a plant-based diet can mitigate the risk factors. He concluded his talk by encouraging us to be mindful of our diet, to do 30 minutes of exercise per day, to do brain exercises, to socialize with others, to get at least seven hours of sleep a night, and not to ignore our other health issues.
For those who missed this presentation and who might want to learn more, go to the following websites: www.IrvineClinical. com and www.HealthyBrainClub.com.
Our next luncheon will be held on February 8 at the Clubhouse. We will be sharing Valentine’s Day greetings with our tablemates, so please bring 8-10 little valentines for this special event. —Nadine Allen