PATTAYA, Thailand – The speaker for the Wednesday, December 27, meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC) was Jantawee (Nan) Supha, Certified Nutritional Practitioner (CNP), speaking on the topic of “Age-Defying Wellness – How to Develop a Personalized Plan to Shed Pounds, Have More Energy, and Supercharge Your Brain Power in 2024 and Beyond.
Nan began by introducing herself. She is Thai, but has been living in Canada where she studied at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Toronto. She explained how she had severe allergies and hormonal issues in her youth which was the impetus for her searching for an answer. This she found when she entered her 30s and as a result, she decided to obtain an education in nutrition. Further, she worked in a health store which increased her knowledge about the benefit of supplements.
She then began her well organized and informative slide presentation. Her primary message was that we are all individuals. Consequently, there is no one plan fits all; rather each person differs on how they should develop a plan to improve their health and slow the aging process. The second was a need for commitment to make a plan and to stick with it in the long term.
She explained the impact of diet and lifestyle on aging and health. Extensive research indicates a strong connection between our diet, lifestyle, and the aging process. Nan described how our cells change as we age through DNA Damage Accumulation, Telomere (specific DNA–protein structures) Shortening, Cellular Senescence (cell cycle arrest), Decline in Autophagy (destruction of damaged or redundant cellular components), Oxidative Stress, and Organ Reserve Decline.
She said that all of these conditions contribute to an increased disease risk. Therefore, she recommended defying these aging characteristics by following the three “R” principals: Remove, Regenerate, Replenish. Nan then proceeded to describe each of these three principals.
First one needs to identify and remove certain things from one’s lifestyle and support others. The burdens to be removed are processed foods, excessive sugar in the diet, drugs, alcohol & smoking, pollution & toxins, and chronic stress. The items to support are hydration, regular bowel movement, physical activity, deep breathing, and getting plenty of rest.
The next step is to regenerate. She described how this was done through intermittent fasting, enhancing autophagy cellular repair processes, improving metabolic health, reducing inflammation, enhancing heart health, boosting brain health, and improving gut health. For fasting, she suggested the 16:8 method be used; restrict food intake to an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This allows the body to use stored fat which will support weight loss, improve blood sugar, and increase longevity.
The third step, replenish, involves nutrition. Nan recommended a nourishing formula such as consuming colorful vegetables, healthy fats, fruits high in antioxidants, needed carbohydrates, and fresh herbs & spices. In addition to diet, you may need to take supplements. She mentioned the following supplements including the recommended amount: omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation, support brain health, improve heart health; B-complex for energy production and cognitive function (chose the formula in “active forms”); vitamin C with bioflavonoids to supports the immune function, collagen production, as an antioxidant; and coenzyme Q10 as an antioxidant, cells protectant, cell energy production.
In conclusion, she provided a case study for a male, 68 years old. She described the three “R” plan developed for him based on his condition and lifestyle. As a result of following this plan, the man’s LDL went below 100mg/dL, his HDL went to more than 40mg/dL and he now had a healthy blood pressure with longer and better sleep. Her final slide contained the following message: “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new. It takes about 30 days to form a habit, but it’s the commitment to persist every single day that makes the true difference.” – Adapted from Socrates & modern wisdom.
To view a video and post presentation interview visit the PCEC’s YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLtPYq5r-aQ&t=6s and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2_wbruOKkQ&t=3s respectively. To view Nan’s slide presentation, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qj_GcPxDFb2ZcNSwwAV-WWsW6OHT-7ER/view.
After the presentation, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming events and called on George Wilson to conduct the Open Forum portion of the meeting where the audience can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club.
