A Weekend with Maria Shriver and the Women's Alzheimer's Movement
Plus, Maple Tahini Cashew Creme and 3 women with life-changing messages
Hello, everyone. I am writing to you as I head home from the most incredible event with the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement. I was invited to speak at the Women’s Wellness Weekend, a three-day retreat focused on the brain self-care and the latest advances in women’s health. While I loved sharing what I’ve learned about brain health with the guests, a true highlight for me was getting to know my fellow expert panelists. So today I am sharing wisdom from these 3 luminous leaders in women’s brain health. At the bottom of the post, you’ll find my recipe for Maple Tahini Cashew Creme (my Thankgiving secret weapon!), which I shared during my cooking demo.
Maria Shriver
Maria requires no introduction as you surely already know her as an accomplished journalist, activist, and outspoken catalyst for change. But did you know that Maria was the first to ask the question: Why do women get more Alzheimer’s than men? Not satisfied with the medical establishment’s standard answer—that women live longer than men—she launched into an investigation which became The Shriver Report and led to the creation of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM).
Now, 10 years later, WAM is a leader in raising awareness about Alzheimer’s prevention, lobbying for change (Maria is headed straight to the Oval Office from this retreat), and funding female-specific research on brain health. Here are two memorable quotes from Maria this weekend:
You are the catalyst for change. During my brain healthy food Q&A, the topic came up about why senior living centers serve elders such unhealthy food. As the audience began to lament at the current state, Maria jolted everyone into action. “You are the client here,” she said. “You need to push for this change. It won’t happen if you don’t.”
The message to me, personally, is that those of us who are in a position to affect change have an obligation to do so, especially on behalf of those whose voices aren’t heard.
Put yourself on the front burner. Women are notoriously putting everyone else first. Her message to us was loud and clear: “Take the time. Schedule the mammogram. Make your self-care a priority.”
While women face many barriers to taking care of themselves—time, money, opportunity—I love how Maria frames the concept of brain self-care. In order to work towards these goals, it must first be top of mind.
Follow what Maria is up to here and in her newsletter The Sunday Paper.
Diane Button
I didn’t know anything about what it means to be a death doula until I met Diane. A death doula is a counseling professional who shepherds a person and their loved ones through the end of life process. Diane does this and much more. She transforms her 15 years of bedside experience with the dying to guide everyone to live better now. Dying well, she says, is really about living well. Here are 2 of my favorite lessons Diane shared:
The ordinary is everything. It’s not the grandiose moments of fireworks and excitement that matter in the end. Looking back over a lifetime, there will likely be some big moments and celebrations, some highs and lows. But in retrospect, people don’t often reminisce about those major events. Time and time again, what people recount most with affection and gratitude are the simple pleasures of an ordinary day.
You are NEVER just “fine.” Part of being authentic and getting to know yourself starts with how you answer the most frequently asked question, “How are you?” We often robotically respond with words like fine, OK, or good. Those words have no depth and don’t tell us anything at all. Next time someone asks, “How are you?” take a moment to pause, think about it, and actually tell them. It builds deeper relationships and gives you a moment to check in with yourself, too.
Read Diane’s full essay I'm a Death Doula. These are 10 Lessons I've Learned About Living from the Dying and check out her books.
Liz Hernandez
You may know Liz as an Emmy-nominated entertainment journalist for E! News, Access Hollywood and more. But did you know that Liz raced back and forth from Hollywood commitments to home in an endless loop to care for her mother, diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in her early 60s? Liz’s double life brought her much joy and pain, which she has so eloquently shared over the years as an outspoken supporter for caregivers everywhere.
Nowadays you’ll find Liz hosting her own radio show in Los Angeles (breaking barriers as the first Latina woman at the helm of the number 1 rated radio show in LA), sharing the message that Words are Powerful on her community Wordaful, and loving on her French bull dog Albondigas (which means meatballs). I was honored to be interviewed at the event by Liz. We bonded over being daughters of Alzheimer’s, our mission-driven lives, and our pups, all named after favorite foods. Here are 2 things I learned from Liz:
Liz believes in the power of your words. “When you raise your vibration with gentle words and encouraging thoughts, positive changes occur.”
Gratitude journaling is a cornerstone of self-care. It’s been known for a long time that gratitude journaling can improve sleep quality and rewire dopamine circuitry in the brain, and it has become a key facet of Liz’s caregiver journey. The simple act of writing down 3 things every day you are grateful for comes back to you exponentially, unexpectedly, and sometimes when you need it the most.
I love how Liz honors words—especially the ones we use to describe ourselves—as central to well-being. She has galvanized me to pick up my gratitude journal again and I can’t wait to join her community here.
Follow what Liz is up to on Instagram and at Wordaful. Stay tuned: I can’t wait to be a guest on The Wave!
RECIPE: Maple Tahini Cashew Creme
This variation on the Almost Instant Cashew Cream in my book is my Thanksgiving secret weapon. It appears as the frangipane custard-like layer in an apple or pear tart, a stand-in for whipped cream atop desserts, and a delicious protein-rich snack with wedges of tart Honeycrisps.
Cashews provide mostly brain-friendly monounsaturated fats, but with just enough of the saturated ones to blend up rich and creamy. With my Almost Instant method, making cream from cashews is also quick. Most nut creams call for a long soak before blending, but this version requires only 15 minutes after bringing nuts and water to a boil.