Spilling the Tea *Dementia*
- Santa Cruz County
Keeping Our Minds Sharp in the Lower West Side
Hey there, Lower West Side crew! This neighborhood, developed in the late ‘50s, had always been a vibrant child-rearing bonanza dreamt of in June Cleaver’s world—kids tearing through yards, moms baking with real butter, dads grilling on weekends. Then the food supply flipped: Santa Cruz County and the whole U.S. got slammed with processed junk—high-fructose corn syrup, seed oils, and additives banned in places like Europe and Japan (OMG, right?). What was once a wholesome fuel tank turned into a slow poison, spiking insulin, inflaming brains, and setting the stage for dementia’s creep—Alzheimer’s fogging memory like a wiped-out wave, Vascular cutting blood flow like a riptide, Lewy Body tossing hallucinations like a bad trip, and Frontotemporal flipping personalities like a wipeout at Steamer’s. Equal-Opportunity Brain Wreck: Dementia doesn’t play favorites—plaques, tangles, busted vessels, and dying neurons hit everyone, no matter your roots. Higher rates in some groups? That’s hypertension and diabetes stacking the deck, not the disease picking sides. Across the county, we’re about 270,000 strong, but our numbers are slipping—down 1% each year since 2022 because housing costs bite hard. Our seniors, though—those 65 and up—are booming: 22% of us now, over 59,000 folks, up 80% since 2010, with dementia hitting 1 in 9. Science, like Dr. Ben Bikman’s work, points fingers at insulin resistance (IR) as a big driver, especially for Alzheimer’s. Let’s unpack what’s happening right here, how we can push back, and what it’s like to live with it—all while cooking at home to dodge the poison of restaurant junk. No government handouts needed—just us neighbors figuring it out together!
The Brain Thief’s New Foe: Dr. Bredesen’s Playbook
Before we dive into our county’s dementia grind, let’s dish some radical hope from Dr. Dale Bredesen—guy flipping the Alzheimer’s script. His New York Times bestseller The End of Alzheimer’s says it’s not a death sentence; it’s a “cyto-kine drizzle”—chronic brain inflammation from too many hits: junk food, toxins, sleep apnea, you name it. That amyloid clogging your head? Not the bad guy—it’s your brain’s bouncer, gluing up invaders. Forget pharma’s flops—Dr. Bredesen’s protocol hits the real culprits: weak energetics, inflammation, and toxic overload. Plant-rich ketogenic grub, oxygen-boosted workouts, and detoxing your life? That’s the ticket. His trials show 84% of patients perk up—some sustaining it over a decade, even advanced cases talking and holding it together again. Ziz’s chaos down the street? Proof this ain’t theory—it’s survival. Wanna surf this wave? Check the full scoop at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPWJfV-jaJM. Now, let’s see how it’s hitting us locally.
Dementia Facts & Our County
Dementia in Santa Cruz County: Who’s Involved?
Dementia’s not just a far-off problem—it’s haunting our streets. Picture “Shaggy,” a grizzled Steamer’s Lane surfer from the Circles who’s been riding waves since the ‘70s. By 2018, after decades of dawn patrols and a few too many wipeouts, his memory started fading—maybe those old head knocks, something in his family tree, or just the years piling up. Then there’s “Sylvia,” a widow over by the lighthouse, diagnosed in 2020. She’s still out there pruning her roses, but our names slip away from her like sand through her fingers. These stories are everywhere—quiet homes off Soquel Drive, care spots, even near the Wharf where the salty air mixes with fog. Age is the heavy hitter—65 and up are most at risk—but little things stack the deck: old injuries, genes, and the food we shove down our throats. Junk like fries or greasy takeout fried in cheap oils might be doing more damage than we ever thought. With our senior crowd growing fast, this isn’t going anywhere—it’s our fight, up close and personal.
Insulin Resistance: The Brain Thief
Some sharp minds—Dr. Gary Taubes, Dr. Jason Fung, Dr. Ben Bikman, and more—are sounding the alarm: dementia’s tied to insulin resistance, or IR. Here’s the deal: insulin is a hormone that tells our cells to grab sugar for energy. When we pound carbs—like fries from the Wharf or bagels/donuts/croissants our insulin shoots up. Over time, our bodies stop listening to it, and that’s IR. In your brain, that’s a disaster. Dr. Ben Bikman says when brain cells can’t get that energy, they starve, and that might spark Alzheimer’s—some call it “type 3 diabetes” because it’s so close to how sugar messes us up. Dr. Robert Lustig goes hard, calling sugar a “chronic toxin” that gums up our brains with plaques over decades. Dr. Stephan Guyenet chimes in: modern restaurant diets, loaded with seed oils like canola or soybean, trick us into overeating, making IR worse. It’s not locked in stone yet, but it’s a screaming warning—our food’s turning on us, and our brains are paying the price.
Restaurants vs. Home Cooking: The Real Poison
Let’s get real about food—it’s a battleground. In 2025, 30% of us in Santa Cruz County are eating junk every single day, up 5% from a few years ago. Restaurant food is a huge chunk of that mess. Think about it: those fries are usually fried in seed oils, or a big HFCS sugary soda to gulp down—they hit your system like a sledgehammer, spiking insulin fast. Dr. Gary Taubes says this screws with how your brain gets energy, and Dr. Ben Bikman sees it as a slow road to Alzheimer’s. Seed oils—those cheap, industrial frying fats—are double trouble, stirring up inflammation that makes IR nastier. Back in the day, the first caregivers I saw would swing by the local market for a frozen dinner—straight from rest homes hooked on industrial food deliveries, most processed garbage. That’s not moderation; it’s poison, and the dose makes it deadly! Home cooking flips the script. Grill some fresh or frozen fish from the store, skip the fryer, and you’re in charge—no spikes, no junk. It’s the way to keep our brains firing right.
What Boomers Got Wrong: Food Didn’t Get Better
Here’s a big one: the Boomer generation—our parents and grandparents—got sold a giant lie about food, and it’s biting us now. Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, they were told fat was the bad guy—butter, eggs, red meat, all the good stuff. Instead, the food bigwigs—get this, Companies like R.J. Reynolds and Philip Morris shifted to food, promoting processed products with questionable health impacts i.e. high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in everything, sugar piled high, GMO margarine instead of butter, and “low-fat” labels on every box—stuff banned in smarter countries while we guzzled it down. TV ads blasted it as healthy—cereal for breakfast, margarine on toast, frozen dinners for busy nights. Boomers bought it, thinking “moderation is your friend.” Nope! That’s poison, pure and simple, and the dose makes it a killer—especially for dementia. HFCS and sugar slam your insulin up, clogging brain fuel lines—Dr. Ben Bikman says it’s why Alzheimer’s is spiking. GMO margarine and seed oils? They’re industrial trash, not food—chemicals that inflame your body and brain, cooked up by the same creeps who peddled smokes. Those early caregivers I saw? They’d grab a frozen dinner off the shelf—industrial food sludge from rest homes—full of this junk, dosing dementia patients with trouble. It’s not about moderation; it’s about kicking that crap out. We’ve got to unlearn that Boomer myth and cook real food at home—our brains can’t take the poison anymore!
Dementia’s Chaos: The Car Story
Dementia’s a wild ride—here’s a local twist. Some folks with it lose their cars in the strangest way. They’ll park somewhere to grab groceries, say, then totally blank on where they left it. Next thing, they’re on the phone with the cops, yelling that it’s stolen. The police roll up, find the car parked two blocks away, and call the DMV: “Yank their license for [good reason].” It’s happened right here in Santa Cruz County—seniors wandering off, lost in their heads, and suddenly they’re walking home. It’s heartbreaking but real, showing how dementia flips everyday stuff upside down. We’ve got to keep an eye out—help ‘em stay safe, keep their minds busy, and maybe nudge ‘em off the road when it’s time.
Prevention Power
Healthy Living Prevents Dementia: It’s Proven!
Here’s the good stuff: we can fight dementia with what we do every day. A big 2023 study found that eating Mediterranean-style—fresh fish from the store or greens from your garden—slashes your dementia risk by 23%. That’s a serious win! And it’s not just food. Around here, folks love walking West Cliff Drive to the Lighthouse or Natural Bridges and back—10,000 steps a day, rain or shine. UC Santa Cruz says staying active keeps your brain firing—less fog, more clarity. Dr. Jason Fung’s got a cool twist: skip a meal now and then to reset your insulin—it’s like a reboot for your system. Dr. Robert Lustig’s simpler: just kick sugar out the door. Cook at home, hit those walks—it’s not a cure, but it’s like a shield for your brain. Who’s up for a West Cliff trek this weekend? Let’s move!
Diet for Prevention & Recovery: Home Cooking’s King
So, what should we eat to keep our heads clear? The experts have answers. Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Robert Lustig ditch sugar and seed oils—those industrial frying fats—and load up on real stuff: avocados, walnuts, a drizzle of olive oil. There’s this MIND diet—part Mediterranean, part heart-smart—that’s gold: berries from roadside stands on Highway 1, kale and quinoa you cook yourself. Dr. Ben Bikman’s got a pro tip: eat protein first—like salmon—then pile on veggies, and skip the sweets if you can. Restaurants? They’re a minefield—seed oils, carbs, HFCS everywhere. Those early caregivers with their frozen dinners? That industrial food junk’s a brain killer, especially for dementia—the dose makes it poison, not some “moderation” fairy tale. At home, you run the show. Locals say they feel sharper after a month off that processed sludge —more energy, less haze. Home cooking’s the way to go—our brains deserve it!
Carbs & Seed Oils: The Silent Killers
Carbs and seed oils are like thieves in the night, robbing our brains blind. Wharf fries, Lillian’s pasta, that “healthy” margarine from the store—they slam your insulin up fast, clogging how your brain gets energy. Seed oils—think anything fried at a restaurant—pile on inflammation, making IR a nightmare. Dr. Ben Bikman says this duo might turbo-charge Alzheimer’s over the years. Dr. Stephan Guyenet adds that processed junk tricks us into overeating—those ultra-processed snacks are built to hook you. With more seniors around and junk food flooding 2025, it’s a loud alarm. The dose makes the poison—pound that stuff daily, and you’re asking for trouble. Ditch the takeout for home-cooked eggs and spinach—it’s simple, it works, and your brain’s begging for it. Let’s take back control!
Booze, Pot, and Metabolic Mess
Dementia’s challenges—like brain fog and agitation—can worsen with lifestyle choices. Alcohol and cannabis impact metabolism and risk in complex ways. A glass of wine might seem calming, but it raises blood sugar, feeding insulin resistance (IR), which Dr. Ben Bikman links to higher Alzheimer’s odds. Heavy drinking leads to metabolic issues—belly fat, high blood sugar, brain fog—raising concerns for long-term brain health. Cannabis varies widely. One caregiver uses gummies with 5mg CBN and 5mg THC to help their parent sleep, noting calmer evenings. CBN may aid rest, but THC can increase confusion in dementia patients, so they consult a doctor. Hospice stays neutral on cannabis, as human studies are limited. A 2023 animal study showed low-dose CBD (2.5-5 mg) reducing brain inflammation, possibly easing agitation, but it’s not a cure. High THC doses may also contribute to blood sugar issues, potentially worsening IR, especially with increased appetite leading to unhealthy eating. Alcohol and heavy cannabis use can disrupt metabolism, heightening dementia risks, but low-dose CBD might be gentler. Hospice reminds families there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Pairing careful cannabis use with home-cooked meals, routine, and calming activities like soft music often helps most. Cannabis use, like low-dose CBD, is being explored for dementia symptoms, but effects vary. Always consult a doctor to ensure safety and before trying new approaches.
Living With Dementia
Caring for Your Loved One: Santa Cruz Style
Caring for someone with dementia is a marathon, not a sprint—but we can handle it, neighbors. Imagine “Grandma Ellen” on Modesto Avenue—she’s losing her keys but still croons Beach Boys hits from her Steamer’s Lane youth. Keep her world steady: coffee every morning, a stroll to Stockton Point to spot otters and surfers bobbing in the kelp. She might wander off—grab a cheap door alarm (Amazon has several) to catch her. The Alzheimer’s Association’s got a crew at 325 Soquel Avenue—they’re hosting a meet-up every so often; pop in for some handy tips. At home, crank some KSCO oldies on the radio, slap labels on drawers so she finds her socks, and when you’re wiped, sneak a breather at your favorite exercise venue. Home-cooked meals are a must—those frozen dinners the first caregivers brought? Pure poison for her brain, spiking insulin and making things worse. Cook up something real—neighbors could even swap shifts to give you a break. It’s just us, no fancy systems needed.
Elder Day Care: A Local Dream?
Ever heard of Community Bridges Elderday? It’s out at 519 Main Street in Watsonville—too far for some, like people on the Lower West Side. They’ve got a free shuttle through Lift Line (call 831-688-8840 to check eligibility), picking up qualifying seniors county-wide, door-to-door, twice a day, Monday to Friday. Awesome if you’re near, but that haul from Santa Cruz might be a drag. What if we cooked up something closer? Picture this: a laid-back spot at Natural Bridges State Beach—ukuleles strumming, folks playing cards under the eucalyptus trees, maybe a home-cooked lunch from a Chico Avenue kitchen. Our seniors jumped 25% in 2024, and dementia’s riding that wave. A local hangout could keep their minds ticking—pickleball at Sgt. Derby Park (six courts, free!) or a chat circle on West Cliff Drive. No need for a state-run bus—neighbors could drive or pitch in a few hours. It’s just a thought, but it could keep our loved ones engaged and out of trouble. Could we make it happen?
Community Brain Games: Fun That Fights Back
When your brain sits idle, dementia moves in faster—but games can shove it back! Imagine a “Brain Boost Club” on a West Cliff Dr. porch—folks sipping coffee, swapping trivia about Santa Cruz history (who built the Wharf?), or scratching out Sudoku puzzles. Or trek to Sgt. Derby Park for disc golf—nine holes, free, and a short hop from Swift Street. Studies say keeping your mind busy slows memory loss, and with more seniors needing care, it’s a no-brainer. Host a card night at a Natural Bridges nearby home—bring your own deck!—or challenge a neighbor to checkers over sugar free lemonade. It’s fun, it’s free, and it beats rotting in front of the TV or scarfing down restaurant junk. Let’s get those brains firing!
Image From Received Mailer Lyng-Vidrine Realtors
Challenges & Safety
Rest Homes: The Food’s a Problem
Peek into a rest home and the food’s likely a letdown. We’re talking mashed potatoes from a box, wobbly Jell-O, nuggets fried in seed oils—cheap, carby, and grim. Studies say this processed junk speeds up brain decline, and it’s no wonder: 15% of our seniors are in care now, up from 12% in 2020. “Jake,” a guy near Soquel Drive, swears his mom perked up—more alert, more herself—when he started bringing her home-cooked chard from the Farmers’ Market. Dr. Stephan Guyenet says restaurant-style processed crap starves brains over time, and those industrial food deliveries to rest homes? Same poison—HFCS, sugar, seed oils, dosing dementia with trouble. What if we dropped off home-grown veggies to local homes? Could spark a food fix for our folks!
Hospice: Peace at Home
Hospice of Santa Cruz, up in Scotts Valley (dial 831-430-3000 or hit https://www.hospicesantacruz.org/), is a quiet hero for tough days. They bring nurses, meds, and a steady hand to homes all over the county—cases are up 15% in 2024 because of bad diets (too much restaurant sludge?) feed chronic messes. Their bilingual grief help is a lifeline—folks on Swanton call it a blessing. Dementia often winds down here, and it hits close—neighbors could drop by with home-cooked soup or just sit for a spell. No big official hoopla, just us showing up with heart to ease the load.
Bad Neighbors & Family: A Local Wake-Up Call
When a local mom broke her hip, our community witnessed after that how family drama turns toxic faster than week-old fish at the wharf. Family disputes can escalate when out-of-state relatives reappear, sometimes straining community ties. Clear communication and professional support, like from hospice can help. The playbook was sneaky but devastating becoming daily visits full of concern (conveniently when neighbors were watching), recruiting adjacent busybodies as unwitting allies, bombarding authorities with baseless reports, and trying to bulldoze through the mom's carefully crafted trust that was supposed to protect all her kids equally.
While the real caregivers focused on actual care, they battled:
Multiple unfounded APS investigations that went nowhere
Police & City ‘checks’ triggered by bogus reports
Legal fees exceeding $20,000+ (talk about money down the drain!)
Neighbors who enabled this behavior without checking veracity of facts first
What finally cut through the chaos? Hospice professionals—they spotted the usual family dynamic & manipulation instantly. Their involvement protected not just the elderly mom, but the family caregivers caught in this twisted crossfire.
The neighbors who ate up this performance never realized they were being played like a ukulele at a beach bonfire, mistaking Oscar-worthy theatrics for genuine concern. By the time everyone figured out what was happening, family bridges were torched and precious final months wasted on needless drama.
Lower West Side families, listen up: That suddenly "concerned" relative who appears out of thin air, befriends your neighbors, and files complaints instead of actually helping? They're playing a longer game than our summer fog season. Document everything, hold your boundaries like they're prime real estate, and remember—people who actually care show it through steady help, not dramatic accusations and lawyer threats.
Police & APS: Our Safety Net
Our seniors—22% of us—are prime targets for scams and neglect. The Sheriff’s Office at 5200 Soquel Avenue (831-471-1121) and Adult Protective Services (APS, 831-454-4101, or 1-833-401-0832 for 24/7) are getting 10% more calls in 2024. Newspapers or mail piling up near Swift Street? Speak up. But first, peek in on your neighbor—see what’s cooking (hopefully not takeout!), then call for backup if it’s fishy. Staying sharp at home beats getting lost in restaurant haze. We’re the front line—let’s keep it tight!
Wrap-Up & Resources
Cook, Walk, Connect!
Let’s keep it real: grab fish, meat, greens, & coffee—and cook it at home! Restaurant seed oils, HFCS, and carbs are brain poison; home meals fight back. Walk West Cliff Drive to the Lighthouse or Natural Bridges—10,000 steps a day keeps dementia on the run. Want to keep the convo going? Local Leaders, Join our Google Groups:
Dementia Chyme Time (stylized as DementiaChymeThyme in links; send email to: DementiaChymeThyme+subscribe@googlegroups.com or visit https://groups.google.com/g/DementiaChymeThyme) for brain health & supplements, caregiving, etc., and
Neighbors’ Watch (stylized as NeighborsWatch in links; send email to: neighborswatchsantacruzco+subscribe@googlegroups.com or visit https://groups.google.com/g/neighborswatchsantacruzco) for recipe swaps, trade, bartering, yard work, and ideas.
Share your stories or home-cooking hacks there—let’s stay sharp, Santa Cruz—we’ve got the power!
Resource Directory
Aging Allies: General Senior & Caregiver Support
Adult & Long-Term Care Division: Safety nets and in-home help for independence. (831) 454-4101 | https://santacruzhumanservices.org/AdultLongTermCare
Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC): Your link to long-term care options. (888) 637-6757 | https://sanbenitoadrc.org/
City of Santa Cruz Senior Services: Meals, rides, and insurance guidance. 809 Center St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | (831) 420-6180 | https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreation/senior-services
Empowered Aging (Volunteer Center): Home fixes, rides, and fall-proofing. (831) 427-3435 | https://scvolunteercenter.org/programs/empowered-aging/
Older Adult Mental Health Services: Crisis care for the 60+ crew. 24-hour line: (800) 952-2335 | https://www.santacruzhealth.org/HSAHome/HSADivisions/BehavioralHealth/AdultMentalHealthServices/OlderAdultMentalHealthServices.aspx
Senior Network Services: Housing, Medicare, and info hub.
Santa Cruz: 1777-A Capitola Rd, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 | (831) 462-1433
Watsonville: 114 E. Fifth St, Watsonville, CA 95076 | (831) 200-3405
Seniors Council of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties: Advocacy and programs for the silver wave. 175 Westridge Dr, Watsonville, CA 95076 | (831) 688-0400 | https://seniorscouncil.org/
Brain Guardians: Dementia-Specific Help
Alzheimer’s Association: Support groups and brain-saving know-how. 325 Soquel Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062 | (831) 464-9982 | 24-hour Helpline: 1-800-272-3900 | https://www.alz.org/norcal
Community Bridges Elderday: Daytime care with a free Lift Line shuttle (call 831-688-8840). 519 Main St, Watsonville, CA 95076 | https://communitybridges.org/elderday/
Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center: Respite and backup for the care crew. 1537 Pacific Ave Ste 300, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 | (831) 459-6639 | https://www.hpcn.org/
Hospice of Santa Cruz County: Endgame care with a dementia twist. 940 Disc Dr, Scotts Valley, CA 95066 | (831) 430-3000 | https://www.hospicesantacruz.org/
Right at Home Santa Cruz/Monterey: In-home dementia pros. (831) 662-0400 | https://www.rightathome.net/monterey/about-us/areas-served/home-care-santa-cruz
Sutter Care at Home: Home health with a heart. (800) 698-1273 | https://www.yelp.com/biz/sutter-care-at-home-santa-cruz-santa-cruz
Visiting Angels Central Coast: Angels on call for dementia care. (831) 430-0616 | https://www.visitingangels.com/centralcoast/home
Brain Trust: Expert Channels
Surf these doc-led YouTube waves for straight talk from the pros:
Dr. Ben Bikman: youtube.com/@benbikman
Dr. Eric Berg: youtube.com/@Drberg
Dr. Jason Fung: youtube.com/@DrJasonFung
Dr. Robert Lustig: youtube.com/@RobertLustigMD
About the Author Josh Dale is a 30-year California attorney, dementia caregiver, and entrepreneurial Santa Cruz neighbor. With experience as a volunteer firefighter and community advocate, he’s passionate about keeping our minds sharp and our community strong through initiatives like Neighbors' Watch and DementiaChymeThyme. This newsletter shares research and perspectives on brain health. Consult a healthcare professional before making dietary or medical changes. Grok3 of xAI co-authored this document. Dedicated to Elizabeth “Becky” Dale. Reach Josh at jdale@joshdale.com or (707) 520-4350 text/VM
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