Ramblin' about Alzheimer's Disease

Note: This is an older blog that I hadn't finished, hadn't posted. Posting now, late, some redundancy in ones I've posted since...but not gonna waste all these words :-). In addition to the articles that were current at the time I wrote this (at the bottom) I've added some that are more up-to-date.

For a variety of reasons, I've been reading a lot about Alzheimer's Disease. I have Google Alerts set up on a wide variety of related topics, am on the APOE4.info site with great info, read every study & article that pops up, have checked out or bought every book on the subject. I've become a believer that it is possible to prevent it in many cases and reverse it in some.

The caveat on reversing? It is tough. First, you have to identify the many potential contributing causes, which involves testing (blood tests mainly) that most insurance companies will not cover totally. Then, if you find that you have one or more "causes" (and it's always more than one from what I've found in my reading) you have to do a lot to correct the contributors. If someone is partially down the path --- for instance already at the point where they have issues swallowing pills or their mental abilities have deteriorated to the point where they can't adjust their diet --- it is extremely, extremely difficult.

Winding my way through all the data can be confusing! Learning the language requires a medical degree, which I do NOT have! However, I AM learning. I'm also comparing all the data that is popping up and looking for commonality.

I probably have a higher chance than many of developing some sort of dementia (aside from genetics, I am a crazy artist :-)). So, as I discover things that seem to make sense I'm incorporating them into my life.

Currently, I'm working on my sleep habits. Increasing my dives into deep sleep and extending the number of hours my little pea brain stays asleep are two areas I am focusing on.

From what I've discovered melatonin levels drop as one ages. Taking melatonin when we're younger has more of a placebo effect (per Matthew Walker). However, adding it to the nighttime routine if quality sleep is an issue when we're older can help. I just ordered some.

I've added a blue light blocker to my phone, tablet and laptop. Blue light triggers something in our brains that says "stay awake" (I can hear some of you groaning at that simple-ed down description). I can get all technical if you'd like? No? Yes? No. Try Bing or Google --- you'll find a ton of info out there.

I put in a sleep-promoting light in my bedside lamp. It allows me to read but doesn't cause my bod to think it needs to be running around cleaning the cave.

I am trying a white noise machine. It also has pink noise, which is supposedly just as good or better. It does help to even out the background noises. Last night I didn't use it and when the air conditioner kicked in I woke up a few times. Could be that if I hadn't gotten used to the noisemaker I wouldn't have noticed.

I got rid of or covered all lights in the room. I covered the windows with dark sheets (strange shaped windows so typical shades won't work)

The other things I'm doing? I've added some supplements, changed my exercise time to mornings and am more diligent, I've added and subtracted some foods from my diet, and I am doing 12-14 hour fast every day. I'll write more about each of those at another time.

Current new articles on APOE4, Alzheimer's Disease, etc.:

Plant flavonols significantly reduce Alzheimer’s risk
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200202/Plant-flavonols-significantly-reduce-Alzheimere28099s-risk.aspx
(I posted this one on APOE4.info and one person pointed out some flaws in the study.)

Biogen And Neurotrope: Why Numbers Cannot Overcome Alzheimer's Disease
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4320953-biogen-and-neurotrope-why-numbers-cannot-overcome-alzheimers-disease

Finding the cure for dementia | 60 Minutes Australia (YouTube Video)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEpTH70xRIs&feature=youtu.be

Predicting Alzheimer’s by Combining Blood Test With Genetic Screening
https://www.managedcaremag.com/news/20190806/predicting-alzheimer-s-combining-blood-test-genetic-screening

Dietary choline associated with reduced risk of dementia
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/08/190806101530.htm