Dija Know… Joe’s Restaurant Newsletter -95 November 2013

Thanksgiving, it’s here already; and it reminds us of our many blessings.  Here at Joe’s we most especially want to thank you, our guests.  So many of you have followed our “story” for 11 years!  Bless you.  And as for Thanksgiving dinner itself, as in years past, we advise you to “Let Joe Do It!”  See our menu and the order sheet – everything is designed to heat and serve.  Order just a few items and cook the rest yourself, or select the complete meal from soup to dessert.  Please do not delay, we have a limited number of Embudo organic local turkeys.  When they’re gone, they’re gone.

Memory Part 4 — continuing the series on natural therapies for neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS (see last 3 newsletters, if you are interested.)

There are many components that are necessary for robust health and vibrant sustained energy.  Some of them are simply the basics – you know – clean water, whole well-selected foods, regular exercise and good sleep.  Then there are the wonderful add-on that take life to the next level:  laughter, sunshine, friends, family, animal friends, creative pursuits, communion with Spirit, satisfying work, music, dance, art, etc.  Engaging even a few of these components does a lot to keep us balanced and healthy.  Taking care of the temple (the body) can be as simple or as time-consuming as you make it.  But to get the most out of life, it cannot be ignored.  Darn, I wish there was a lazier way!

That said, occasionally we need something beyond the basics if and when problematic conditions arise.  Today there are many natural protocols and neutraceuticals emerging that are proving to be very effective. If you’ve been following this newsletter you know that I call these magic bullets.

So specific to the subject at hand — neurodegenerative conditions, I present Magic Bullet #3.  And by the way, many thanks to Dr.K, a regular at Joe’s, who has shared with me some great research material!

Magic Bullet #3 is a superior, perhaps the major, anti-oxidant – glutathione.  I presented it here just before the holidays last year as being one of the prime anti-oxidants to take routinely but at the very least, when you are under extra stress (holidays!?)  What is glutathione? Dr. Mark Hyman, super star MD says, “it is the mother of all antioxidants … the most important molecule you need to stay healthy … it works as the body’s master detoxifier and maestro of the immune system”. Wow!  In neurodegenerative disorders, oxidative stress causes an extreme deficiency of glutathione.  Decreased glutathione levels pave the way for accelerated brain destruction.

Restoring low glutathione levels with aggressive treatment has been shown to make some rather marvelous and rapid symptom changes especially notable in Parkinson’s sufferers.  Dr David Perlmutter (author The Better Brain Book) says “Following even a single dose patients typically experience a rapid improvement in symptoms…I have seen wheelchair bound patients walk again after a few treatments. And I’ve seen patients whose faces were frozen in blank stares smile and laugh again. I’ve literally seen people brought back to life.”

Several factors explain why glutathione is particularly beneficial in Parkinson’s disease. First, glutathione enhances brain sensitivity to dopamine and seratonin – and that’s a good thing!  Another mechanism is its antioxidant activity – protecting the brain from free radical damage. As well it has tremendous detoxifying ability throughout the entire body.

There are no significant side effects with glutathione. But there are certain contraindications to ask your physician about (chemotherapy drugs for one – since glutathione increases the ability of the liver to process chemicals, this may cause the chemotherapy to be less effective.)

The dosages necessary for treating serious disorders are best delivered intravenously  – therefore under a physician’s care.  However because we can all benefit from glutathione supplementation one can now buy OTC formulations for oral as well as transdermal creams that deliver sufficient bioavailable amounts of this master antioxidant. Not long ago, the oral supplements were not particularly absorbable.  But thankfully that has changed. Here is one source  http://www.wellnesshealth.com.   (no affiliation with Joe’s or Sheila).
Sheila’s caveat – when I speak of Magic Bullets, I am emphatic that the rock solid foundation for any health regimen is full spectrum, high quality, food-based nutrition.  One then adds specific supplements and nutraceuticals.  But you cannot expect permanent results without a stellar food base.  As well remember not every therapy works the same for everyone.

Two marvelous local artists are showing on Joe’s walls currently.  Nancy Dean Kreger’s brilliant watercolor landscapes hang in the main dining room and Bill Todino’s clean honest almost sacred black and white photographs are in the Red Room.  All works are for sale and would make totally unique holiday gifts.

DiJa Know?  The Swiss have the highest level of cholesterol and the lowest levels of death from heart disease?  Go figger!

Fast becoming one of our favorite local radio programs is Dr. Daniel Cobb’sNatural Medicine on KVSF 101.5  Saturday mornings at 9.  Dr. Dan is a great educator on human wholistic health.  His focus is nutrition and detoxification.  Fascinating show.

Why is locally grown food so very important to Joe’s?  Why do we keep hammering on this “buy local” theme?  There are many factors that are out of our hands when it comes to our food supply.  Most of what ends up on the American dinner table derives from a shockingly few giant agribusinesses.  Their influence reaches from designing the (GMO) seeds to planting, harvesting, processing and shipping. We as consumers cannot with confidence hand over the entire stewardship of our food to these few multinationals. Our passion here at Joe’s is for a local sustainable food supply – food produced by growers who are accountable for what they grow.  KYG – Know Your Grower.  We are able to look our local farmer in the eye and ask him about his growing practices or even visit his operation. This gives us the confidence that we are eating food that is healthy, wholesome, non-genetically engineered, often better than organic, humanely treated and minimally processed.  It is grown with a smaller energy-use footprint and transported short distances. We cannot divorce human health, the economy, ecology, personal (perhaps spiritual) satisfaction or honorable work from food.  Food is fundamental.  What we eat, where it comes from, the stewardship of food animals, the nurturing and building of soils – all these factors affect us at a cellular

and visceral level … whether we slow down enough to be aware of it or not. We are fortunate in Santa Fe to have a dedicated farm base producing a wonderful array of goods.  Here at Joe’s we do our best to offer this bounty to you, keeping dollars in the community.  In the interest of transparency, in 2008 Joe’s spent $30,000 on local foods.  In 2009 that increased to $60,000.  And for 2012 we exceeded $100,000.  During the growing season as much as 95% of our menu is locally sourced.
Land, economy, health – inseparable.

*Here are some of the farmers/ranchers we have developed long-standing partnerships with – Monte Vista Organics (Dave and Loretta), Camino de Paz Farm & School (Greg & Patty), Shepherd’s Lamb (Antonio and Molly), La Mont’s Buffalo (Monte and Lana), Green Tractor Farms (Tom and Mary), Synergia Ranch (Mark), La Montanita Co-Op, Matt Romero Farms, Sweetgrass Co-Op.

Joe’s hand-made French chocolate truffles.  Do you know anyone who wouldn’t love a little red bag of “melt in your mouth” truffles?  $1.99 @
or 6 for the price of 5  — $9.95

Tired of still paying for BB’s (big banks) bailouts? Tired of lining the pockets of the uber-rich Wall Street bankers? DiJa know…  in 2011 a congressional audit of the Federal Reserve found that the Fed gave 26 trillion dollars from American taxpayers to bail out the “too big to fail” banks with a hefty portion of it going to obscene CEO bonuses.  Can you imagine — had this staggering figure been re-directed to the people of the US, how different the picture could have looked today?  Manufacturing starts, job creation, skills training, roads and bridges repair, national parks, education, etc. Every time we use a credit card, part of that 3%-5% fee contributes to the BB’s.  Now let’s be real – in today’s world you cannot function without a cc, but there are still (legal) alternatives that can save money and reduce our dependency on and subsidies to the BB’s.  We have a couple of suggestions: (1.) Are you on Joe’s Check List?  If you are a “regular” and wish to pay by check, please ask your waiter to get you on the list.  (2.) Joe’s “frequent diner” or gift card – purchase a $100 gift card with cash or check, get a $10 card free!

Giggles: I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather… not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.

Joe’s
2801 Rodeo Rd (at Zia Rd) Santa Fe, NM   87507
505-471-3800       www.JoesDining.com
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