Alzheimer's drugs...more failures and a few promising trials starting...

I've posted about the failure of mainstream Alzheimer's treatments before...I think the focus on amyloid plaques is mistaken. Yes, there seems to be some good reason to address the tangles and build up in the brain at some point. However, if you're not fixing the cause of the plaque attack then it's going to happen again and be potentially worse, possibly a rebound effect?

Thus far the ONLY treatments that are working for the long-term are those that test for health issues, change diets, lifestyles, add targeted high-quality supplements to stop the root causes. Take a look at my page with recommended reading (link above) and you'll see a number of books focused on functional healing and reversal of Alzheimer's Disease and other related brain issues.

Here's a few of the latest on drugs in testing and some getting ready to start:

EXCELLENT article...
As another Alzheimer's treatment fails, experts are divided on where to next
Before I have a chance to ask dementia researcher Amy Brodtmann about the failure of yet another Alzheimer's treatment, she wants to make one thing clear.
"Whenever these drugs fail, you can't underestimate how devastating it is."
After three decades of research and billions of dollars of investment, news that another Alzheimer's drug treatment has failed means an effective treatment for the common degenerative disease is still out of reach...
https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2020-02-26/alzheimers-drug-failure-raises-questions-about-research/11996258

My comments: At first, I thought, wow, great...although I much prefer to figure out the root causes, address those and keep it from happening...but for those looking for a magic pill the first part of the article seemed positive, as does the end...but the one sentence I pulled below shows the problems with treatments that don't address WHY...
A new treatment for Alzheimer’s
Their research has shown that, in small doses, the metal lithium is capable of reducing Alzheimer’s symptoms and could prevent the emergence of Alzheimer’s in people with a genetic predisposition to the disease. ...
...Yet the treatment cannot remedy the symptoms of Alzheimer’s once severe cognitive decline has set in; it is only effective in low doses over sustained periods before dementia symptoms appear...
http://www.mcgilltribune.com/sci-tech/a-new-treatment-for-alzheimers-250220/

ProMIS Neurosciences Initiates Natural History Study of Blood-Based Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s Disease 
TORONTO and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ProMIS Neurosciences, Inc. (TSX: PMN) (OTCQB: ARFXF), with Toronto Memory Program, Canada’s largest and most experienced memory clinic and site for drug treatment trials in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has initiated a pilot longitudinal study to assess the level of blood-based biomarkers in early AD with the support of Parexel, one of the world’s leading global clinical research organizations (CROs). ProMIS will leverage Parexel’s significant data management and central nervous system (CNS) expertise for the study, which it will use as the historical control arm for its anticipated Phase 1 study of PMN310, a novel antibody that selectively targets the toxic oligomeric species of amyloid beta, a root cause of AD. The dataset will help ProMIS detect a treatment signal as early as Phase 1, potentially allowing for rapid proof-of-concept at a fraction of the expense associated with traditional clinical trials. The dataset will be made available as a communal resource for Alzheimer’s researchers...
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/02/26/1990787/0/en/ProMIS-Neurosciences-Initiates-Natural-History-Study-of-Blood-Based-Biomarkers-in-Alzheimer-s-Disease.html

UPDATE 1-Roche drug fails in early-onset Alzheimer's disease study
* Study fails in inherited form of Alzheimer’s
* Roche says 2 additional trials to continue
* 100s of Alzheimer’s drug trials have flopped (Adds details throughout, comment from Roche)
https://www.reuters.com/article/roche-alzheimers/update-1-roche-drug-fails-in-early-onset-alzheimers-disease-study-idUSL8N2AA0QG

Drugs fail to slow decline in inherited Alzheimer's disease
Two experimental drugs have failed to prevent or slow mental decline in a study of people who are virtually destined to develop Alzheimer's disease at a relatively young age because of rare gene flaws
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/drugs-fail-slow-decline-inherited-alzheimers-disease-68881708
...The study tested solanezumab by Eli Lilly & Co., and gantenerumab by Swiss drugmaker Roche and its U.S. subsidiary, Genentech. Both drugs gave disappointing results in some earlier studies, but the doses in this one ranged up to four to five times higher and researchers had hoped that would prove more effective...

Israeli startup hopes to battle Alzheimer’s with enzyme-busting drug
After testing in lab, ProteKt Therapeutics says compound that inhibits the PKR enzyme can lead to cognitive improvements and slow the disease’s progress; road ahead is long
...Nisemblat is aware that the way ahead is long and precarious and because there is no clear, single cause of Alzheimer’s disease there is also “no single target” to aim at in trying to beat the illness.
“The traditional treatments are not beneficial,” he said. The industry has been seeking new ways to slow down the illness’s progression and halt patents’ deterioration...
https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-startup-hopes-to-battle-alzheimers-with-enzyme-busting-drug/ 

Adding Michael Pollan to my reading, listening list...

I have Google Alerts set up on a number of topics, some fun, most serious and related to health (mine or someone in my family). I remember seeing Michael Pollan's name in some of the articles I've read but have not taken the time to listen or find out more. He has been around for quite some time.

Based on some quick reading this morning, Pollan speaks common sense. I love his 7 Rules for Eating. I agree with so much that was attributed to him in the article.

We are obsessed with health in the United States. Yet we have some of the worst eating habits and the worst rates of diseases. It seems everyone is on a diet. I prefer not to think of what I do as a diet --- that is a brain thing as to me a "diet" is negative in my mind, it is something temporary with a specific goal of losing weight for the majority. Sometimes it's a change in reaction to a health scare (heart attack, etc.).

I also think everyone has to find their own way, find a way of eating 

I eat a certain way, I tweak it as I learn more, as I pay attention to my body...but what I'm trying to do is follow Pollan's #1 rule --- I don't eat anything that my grandmother (in my case, my great-grandmother) wouldn't recognize as food. As part of that, I basically try to eat like most did before manufacturers started messing up our food by processing it, spraying our foods with tons of chemicals and pesticides, modifying our foods so they wouldn't die when sprayed with pesticides, filling our cattle with hormones and antibiotics, feeding fish, chickens, and cattle with "foods" they were not intended to eat...I could go on.

We wonder why we are so ill? Why younger people are in the midst of a diabetic epidemic? Why ADD is happening with more and more frequency? Why Alzheimer's Disease and dementias are rising...and to younger and younger ages? Why our population is so obese? It's more than one thing, it's not just food. But food plays a huge part in it!

OK, stepping down from that soapbox! 

I like his 2nd "rule" --- don't eat anything with more than 5 ingredients or ingredients you can't pronounce. And his 3rd --- stay out of the middle of the grocery store, shop the perimeter... and definitely his 4th --- don't eat anything that won't eventually rot!

On the 4th I do bend it a bit. Only because in a tiny, tiny way I am a mini-prepper. I want to have enough food to eat if we lose electricity for a few weeks (which happened to us a few years back during a winter snowstorm). I like frozen foods much, much better than canned or freeze-dried, but if you don't have a freezer ya gotta have somethin' to eat.

The rest of his rules are good also. 5 - don't eat so much, leave the table a little hungry, 6 - eat around the table with family, not the TV and 7 - don't buy food where you buy gas (or I gather if you read the rest, at fast food joints).

Of course, I paraphrased his rules. I would add a few others --- eat organic whenever possible (but especially the Dirty Dozen) and go Non-GMO to avoid all the extra pesticides if you can't find organic.

He is correct when he notes that our food "rules" have changed over the years. One day something is bad, the next it is good. Villains change to heroes overnight. We find that studies promoting certain lifestyles were done by the food industries that would benefit. We find that studies done that changed our way of eating were flawed. New science decides that salt isn't all bad, that cholesterol isn't the bad-guy they thought it was, that it's good to eat fats...and so on.

I'm going to check a few of his books out of the library. I'll let you know what I think. I may just go see if he is on YouTube first. I'll add some links below if I find anything interesting or new.

Ha --- just took a look at the videos and it seems that in addition to talking diet and food Pollan talks a lot about psychedelics. (Here's a first-pass search result: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=michael+pollan&qpvt=Michael+Pollan&FORM=VDRE)

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/news/20090323/7-rules-for-eating#1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Pollan

Updated 3/1/20 - What is working when it comes to fighting Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias?

Pretty much the only things currently having any kind of an impact long-term on the fight against Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and other forms of dementia all come from the functional side of the medical world.

That's not to say that when caught early the traditional treatments don't always fail. Sometimes, when combined with increased physical exercise, dietary changes and maybe some supplements, early intervention works and continues to work.

Sadly, most people don't talk to their doctors about failing memory until they are past the point of current traditional, mainstream medical treatments working to keep AD at bay. I have personal experience with that silence. Those close to this individual kept everyone in the dark, although to be honest we kind of noticed some signs, just didn't pick up on them as we don't see them except in short doses for holidays. The Bredesen Protocol (see other posts, plus some of my pages linked below the header) could have worked for her but they are no longer following. Long story on that one. Sad, makes me so sad, wakes me up at night thinking about what they are facing.

Anywaze...onto brighter thoughts. Oh, wait, no...the next part deals with the current status of treatments for dementias. Not good news.

Quotes from a variety of articles on the current status of "traditional" treatments (click the quote to read the entire article):

• Previous Alzheimer’s medications have targeted specific toxins that are abundantly present in diseased brains, such as the aforementioned beta amyloid. However, these drugs all failed once going into clinical trials, perhaps because they were only targeting one part of the problem.
• As drug trials fail to find an effective treatment for the most common form of dementia, could it be time to go back to the drawing board?
• Current drugs only temporarily ease symptoms and do not alter the course of the disease.
• Because there are no effective disease-modifying treatments currently available for Alzheimer’s, drugs and other approaches — such as nutritional supplements, or nutraceuticals — designed to stop or slow disease progression have become a focus of ongoing research
• On the treatment front, we still do not know what causes Alzheimer’s disease, and we do not have a cure. The drugs that have been approved slow the progression of symptoms for a period of time, but then the disease takes over again. Someone with Alzheimer’s will die of it or with it.

Great article highlighting the general things we can do to help PREVENT dementia:

https://bewell.stanford.edu/boosting-brain-health/ 

I could have posted a thousand similar quotes. Almost every article has statements of hope about future treatments...but it's almost like they're tossing a tiny bone at the readers or maybe trying to give themselves hope. If you read my blogs, the comments I post on the pages (links above), you know I think they are barking up the wrong tree by focusing on amyloid plaques.

Now for some positive news!

However, we DO have current treatments that are working and have been working. They don't involve drugs and are multi-pronged so there's no money for grants, aside from some small ones for small groups. Also, most doctors have a tendency to look down their noses at what falls under the "functional medicine" heading. Even if their patients ignore their traditional advice and drugs and opt to change their diets, lose weight, exercise, take supplements --- and improve, get better.

I'm a prime example. I had high cholesterol. I balked at taking drugs. My doctor "allowed" me 2 months, which she "graciously" extended to three for me to try and decrease it with exercise and diet. I'll admit, I didn't do much research at the time, upped my exercise routine...and failed. She scared me sufficiently into starting to take the meds. She told me it was hereditary and I just had the gene, was stuck.

A bit later I made some serious changes to my diet. I went gluten-free (before it was a "thing"), took sugar out of my diet and then eventually moved to a plant-based diet. I was vegetarian initially. My cholesterol numbers dropped, I got off the meds...and got off my acid reflux medicine (which another doc said I'd be on for the rest of my life or risk esophageal cancer...they do like to scare one!).

If you're interested in HOPE as opposed to depressing news, a feeling of doom because you have a family history of dementia or Parkinson's, have been diagnosed with MCI (mild cognitive impairment), have found you have one or two APOE4 genes or have a family member dealing with Alzheimer's Disease take a look at the APOE4.info forum --- over 3,500 people who are focused on keeping dementia at bay. There are great success stories. There are many who are discovering the site and taking control of their health daily. You can also find some excellent Facebook groups.

NOTE: Many or most of the following docs see a role for traditional drugs and treatment, they just know that it's a much bigger picture. I agree. I think there is a place for drugs and applaud our great physicians who do a great job. I just think we have a personal responsibility to do our own research, do more than just pop a pill...

Pick up or check out one or all of the following books:
Dr. Dale Bredesen - An End to Alzheimer's
David Perlmutter - Grain Brain
Steven Gundry - The Plant Paradox
Amy Myers - The Thyroid Connection
Terry Wahls - The Wahls Protocol

Or check into Zack Bush, Mark Hyman, Stephen Phinney, Jeff Volek, Valter Longo, Jason Fung, Dave Asprey, Ivor Cummings, Sachi Panda, Rhonda Patrick, Peter Attia. (No particular order of preference and you'll like some, not like others!).

6-8-2022 - To sleep or not to sleep...that is the question...

NOTE: I'll be updating the tip list as I come across new things. I'll pop a date next to the added item & on the header so you'll know to look. 

Sleep seems to be getting a lot of attention recently. As more research is done regarding dementia, heart disease, and other killers it is becoming clearer and clearer that sleep, or lack thereof, has a large impact on a person's chances of an unhappy unhealthy future.

Good sleep is needed if you're trying to lose weight. Good sleep is needed if you want to avoid dementia. Good sleep is needed if you want to move ahead in the world, pass those tests, get that promotion. Lack of sleep is one of the biggest contributors to the worst kinds of automobile accidents. 

I've been working on improving my sleep for quite a while. I have alerts set up on a variety of sleep topics and am always looking for the magic bullet that will help me get more deep and REM sleep.

As I type right now I am sleep challenged! I went right to sleep about 10:30p.m. but woke up with a passing storm around 4a.m. and wham, my brain was up and raring to go...I tried to get back to sleep for a while but gave it up after two programmed meditations didn't even have my eyes trying to stay closed. The really bad thing? I found myself making fun of the meditations and poking holes in what they were suggesting. Yep, gonna be one of those days!

I am obviously not writing as an expert on how to get to sleep and stay asleep. I need Matthew Walker to fly me to Berkely and do a sleep test...some personal coaching! I am a fellow searcher for that elusive perfect night of sleep.

Most experts say 7-8 hours but there are differing opinions on that one also! Isn't that the way of the world these days?

After extensive reading, and countless podcasts, I have decided that my goals aren't necessarily just reaching a certain length of time. My goals are reaching 20-25% of REM and around 25% of deep sleep. Of course, if I only sleep 2 hours that's a crazy goal. I generally get around 5 /12 to 6 hours of sleep so those goals are a bit more reasonable. Don't get me wrong, I would love to regularly sleep 7 hours a night but that seems to be the impossible dream at this point. Working on it!

Another thing I've come to realize is that if I keep our ancient ancestors in mind I'll have a better shot at attaining my sleep goals. As we developed, as the best survived during our evolution, those with certain traits and genes thrived and procreated. We got up with the sun, were hungry for periods of time, moved a lot, went to sleep when the sun went down.

In today's world, we have bright lights around the clock. Most of us have plenty of easily available food (the quality of our food is another story!). We have tons of things to keep our minds busy and engaged well past bedtime.

We are doing things daily that are contrary to the way our bodies were designed. Sleep is one of the things that suffers.

Here is a long list of things to consider and/or try. They are not in any particular order. Links are at the end for those wanting to do more research.

 

6/6/2022 - I finally found a mix that works for me...good REM & Deep sleep...if I wake up I'm going right back to sleep...and I'm sleeping longer. Tryptophan was the magic ingredient that tipped me over to great sleep. I have pretty much tried everything on the list that follows, incorporated a lot as part of my regular regimen, but until I added tryptophan into the mix I would still wake up, not be able to shut my mind down and go back to sleep. My "mix" of bedtime supplements includes Mag Mind (magnesium), Tryptophan, 5 HTP, Chinese Skullcap, and Glutathione. 

• 3/22/21 - Mountain Rose Herbs (where I get the majority of my herbs) sent out a recipe for an extract combo to help with sleep. Looks interesting. https://blog.mountainroseherbs.com/extract-blend-for-sleep
  
• 2/23/21 Practice Square Breathing:
  1. Inhale through your nose for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  2. Hold your breath for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  3. Exhale through your mouth for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  4. Pause and hold for a count of four (1, 2, 3, 4)
  5. Repeat until you drift off
• Try weighted blankets
• Exercise in the mornings to early afternoon; definitely not a few hours before going to bed 
  
• Eat a healthy diet
• check into intermittent fasting, keto diets and/or a lower carb diet. I suggest you cycle any diet as, based on my reading, it seems that your body adjusts to pretty much anything over time and you lose the impact.
• consider eating whole foods, staying away from processed foods and fast-food restaurants, grass-fed beef in small portions, pastured chicken and eggs, going plant-based or some type of way of eating that doesn't have a beginning and an end like a "diet" --- the goal is to find a way of eating that you can sustain, live with, that heals and nurtures your body, and your sleep! 
• stay away, far away, from all forms of sugars aside from fruit.
• organic whenever possible
• if cost is a factor stay away from the Dirty Dozen and choose from the Clean Fifteen
• Cut stress from your life. Yes, easier said than done! Work, family, other issues can be stressful and sometimes there's just nothing you can do to make things easier. However, you can train your mind and how you react. Plenty of info out there on the Internet to give you ways to deal effectively with stress (some of the other things on the extensive list may help with stress).
• Stop eating 3 hours before bed. A minimum of 3. Longer if you have any digestive issues.
• Stop drinking fluids 3 or more hours before bedtime if you have a bladder that wakes you up repeatedly at night; if you are having those issues it may be time to find a good urologist and get some help as it's not going to improve on its own and good sleep is critical! 
• No caffeine after 10-11 a.m. or at the lastest 2 p.m. (varying recommendations on this one from the "experts"). Caffeine affects different people in different ways. I have a high tolerance for it but I still stop by 11 every day just to make sure every last bit is out of my system by the time my head hits the bed.
• Darken your bedroom. A pitch-black sleeping environment to include covering all of even the tiniest lights is a must-do thing on your sleep quality list. Blackout curtains are great but you may need to tape the edges to keep out any nearby lights.
• Raise the head of your bed (especially good if you have acid reflux or heartburn but it's also good for your sleep)
• Wear an eye mask
• 3/2/20 Eat plenty of fruit. I just came across this one in a sleep article. They didn't give any supporting info but I figured pretty much anything is worth a try! Let me know if it works for you.
• Look into blue-blocking glasses
• different ones for different times of the day as you don't want to block all blue light (it wakes your body up and gets it moving toward a good night of healthy sleep so you need it in the morning, and some through the day) 
• do some research before buying. There are plenty of YouTube reviews out there, plus I'd suggest reading some posts by Dave Asprey along with other info widely available on the Internet.
• 10/24/20 - Restless legs? Leg pain at night? Wear compression socks at night OR during the day instead. Just reading about some people who have restless leg syndrome and ways they are dealing with the issue. If you have restless legs at night or get cramps be sure to see a vascular specialist. Sometimes the issue can be fixed or diminished with vein treatments. It's possible to have lymph node issues also that contribute to problems at night (and during the day, of course). If you have swollen ankles or legs a leg pump may help (Amazon has a bunch for around $100 and up --- if you're diagnosed then your insurance may cover the multi-thousand dollar Cadillac version). You may want to try drinking a bit of tonic water (with quinine) in it before bed as some say that helps with restless legs.
  
• Stop using all electronic media 2 hours before bed

• read a book --- with paper pages rather than a screen; in addition to the brain-waking screens, I have read they emit or pulse with waves that impact your sleep
• if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep in 15-20 minutes go to another room and read.
• if you must use your phone, tablet or computer be sure to have blue blockers on them (f.lux, Iris, Night Shift, etc.)
• wear your spiffy weird looking blue blocking glasses
• there are some who believe that you should turn off your wifi completely before going to bed and keep all electronics out of your bedroom at night
• Stop watching TV 2 hours or more before bedtime. Get the TV out of the bedroom! 
• I've read numerous times that you "train" your brain regarding the purpose of your bed. If you do things other than sleep (or enjoy your partner) in your bedroom your mind doesn't clearly equate that bed with sleep. I'm not sure about that one...but it's worth a try if you're having trouble sleeping.
• Find out if you have any genes that impact your sleep. I have a "short-sleep" and "have-a-hard-time-getting-deep-sleep" gene. Sigh. But now I know what I'm combating so I can give myself a break if I don't hit those optimum sleep stats.
• Do you snore? Have sleep apnea? The easiest way to find out (if you don't have a sleep partner who can tell you...) is with an app like SnoreLab. There are others. I tried a few and liked SnoreLab the best. It listens all night, scores your snoring. If you find out you have an issue, go see a sleep specialist and do whatever you have to do to figure out what the underlying cause might be. You may want to try changing your diet, raising the head of your bed, changing your mattress, one of those inexpensive devices you can pop in your mouth, or some other remedies. Don't delay. 
• Go outside in the morning for 20-30 minutes. Start that circadian clock ticking! Look into red infrared therapy as an option if you're unable to get outside. Or as an addition. Studies are ongoing regarding red infrared light and the impact on sleep and health. The few studies I've seen referenced are small. I may have missed some though.10/24/20 --- standing in front of a window doesn't work. The glass blocks some of the "good stuff". You have to get outside! (just read that one on a sleep study article)
  
• Drop the temperatures at bedtime. I've read that anywhere from 62 to 68 is a good range for good sleeping. You'll want to experiment with the temps. If there are a number of people sleeping in a home this one can get to be ticklish. 
• Try white or pink noise machines. I have a small machine that works wonders. I didn't think it did much until I went for a few nights without it.  
• 2/19/20 Don't keep hitting the snooze button. Set your alarm for the time you need to get up and then get up! If you plan to hit that snooze button you've potentially messed up a good ten minutes or more of good sleep (REM in particular). If you're hitting the snooze button often then your sleep quality may be lacking. Sometimes we just want a few minutes to plan our day...and the snooze button gives us a defined time --- I don't use the snooze button as I'm an artist and rarely have to use the alarm. However, I do like to lay in bed for a few minutes and get my head wrapped around the day so that snooze button would be great for me if I still have a 9-5 job.
• Binaural beats. There is some consensus on this one. It impacts deep sleep primarily. You can add a number of apps to your phone or tablets if you would like to try this one. Be sure to try listening at night with headphones before giving up on the effectiveness of using binaural beats to increase your deep sleep. Most of the apps allow you to set the time with 4 hours being the max as that is when your deep sleep should occur. 
• Meditate

• I struggle a bit with this one as I use an app (Insight Timer) on my phone to meditate at night. Should I have electronics in my bedroom or not? I'm going to be looking into a CD of meditations or some other method (like maybe really practicing so I can do it on my own :-)) if I can't get a handle on my deep and REM sleep fairly soon; I do love some of the meditations and have yet to get all the way through one so they definitely work for me when it comes to clearing my mind of all those pesky thoughts that want to keep me stirred up at 3 in the morning!
• 3/1/20 --- since I first posted this blog on sleep a number of people have chimed in about using meditation as a great way to get better sleep! It needs to be a serious addition to anyone's life if they're trying for better life per many, many who commented (I posted a link on another forum). I plan to try to add meditation into my daytime regime and keep it as a part of my nighttime ritual.
• 3/1/20 - Yoga, Tai Chi, and other similar practices.  I heard loud and clear --- adding these to your daily regimen works. And not just for sleep. They are great for balance, stamina, and de-stressing. 
  
• Herbs and supplements (please do your own research before deciding to try any combination of the following...and go slowly):
• valerian,
• passionflower
• chamomile
• skullcap
• hops (flower)
• Ginkgo biloba
• glycine
• lemon balm
• lavender
• L-theanine (also found in green tea)
• Magnesium (I use CALM but am probably going to switch to a chewable so I can cut back on my fluids at night; start with a low amount/dose as this one can cause you some digestive issues --- think Milk of Magnesia and Epsom Salt...)
• Shankpushpi
• Turmeric
• 5-HTP
• GABA 
• 3/1/20 - Fish oil (has been suggested that you take it in the evening)
• melatonin -- loads of back and forth on whether to take this one or not, how much, etc. Do your research, experiment. (2/20/20 - I posted a blog on melatonin yesterday: https://ramblingjan.blogspot.com/2020/02/melatoninits-good-for-more-than-sleep.html)
• CBD ---  again, this is fairly new in the scheme of things to try that are purported to help with sleep. I am currently trying Alive By Nature's Cenergy CBD/NAD sublingual spray. I haven't noticed any changes to my sleep patterns yet but as I'm big into things like NAD, NMN, Resveratrol, etc. I'm good either way with this product!
• Experiment with low doses of melatonin. There is a lot of back and forth on how much, whether it's needed and doses are age and health determined. Start low, maybe a 1 mg time-release and see how you react, if it impacts your sleep
• Have your hormones checked (male or female). Women should definitely have their hormones checked if you are menopausal or post-menopausal and are having sleep issues.
• 3/1/20 - Essential Oils. From one of the suggestions shared with me on another forum: jojoba as the carrier oil, along with two drops each of lavender, bergamot, and ylang-ylang. The essential oils should be therapeutic grade.
• 3/1/20 - Annie Hopper's Dynamic Neural Retraining System (DNRS)
• Tart Cherry Juice 
• 3-5-20 - Probiotics (see link at end for more on this one) 
• Get some sort of sleep tracker to monitor your sleep habits. None of them have the accuracy of a sleep test but they do give you a good way to see if you are improving your sleep, in particular deep and REM. There are watches, rings, additions to your bed, and apps that all do various things to give you tools to track your downtime. Some experts dislike sleep trackers as they are not accurate and can cause anxiety over the results. Personally, I don't stress. I look at my Charge 3 Fitbit as a tool. I don't think the results are perfect but over time they have allowed me to see the ups and downs of my sleep patterns.
• Do you grind your teeth at night? Try one of the under $30 mouth guards that you can pick up at almost any store or, better yet, talk to your dentist. Other tooth issues can impact your sleep also, plus there is growing evidence that gingivitis may affect your brain health and definitely plays a role in heart disease. 
• Get a new mattress. I'm currently on the hunt for a new mattress and the choices are overwhelming. Money can be a factor in your selection. Along those same lines, look at your pillows. Having your head supported correctly is imperative.
• Wear comfortable clothes to bed. Toss that bra if it binds, keep it if you sleep more comfortably with your tatas safely ensconced :-). Comfy, soft t-shirts, baggy pants, no pants, no shirt, naked, whatever makes it easy for you to relax.
• Socks. Yep, there are some who say to wear socks and you'll sleep better. I end up kicking mine off in the middle of the night so that's a no-go for yours truly.
• Figure out your personal circadian rhythm. Some of us are night owls, some are early birds. Your age also makes a difference in your sleep cycles. Your occupation, work hours and eating habits can mess with your circadian rhythm. Forcing yourself to go sleep in opposition to your circadian rhythm can lead to disruptive sleep, lesser REM and deep sleep times or a lot of tossing and turning.
• Don't drink any adult beverages before bedtime. They may knock you out but they truly hurt your deep and REM sleep. Plus, for many, once the alcohol wears off your brain may wake up...and stay awake. 
• Stay far away from sleeping pills. They sedate you, may allow you to stay asleep, but they mess up your deep and REM sleep. Many are addictive. Some cause some really interesting and potentially dangerous side effects. Talk to your doctor if you're taking over-the-counter sleep aids and do some major research if you're taking prescription sleep meds. Light sleep is not good sleep. Again, I'm just a person who's doing a lot of reading and searching --- you know your body, you know your doctor and you are responsible for doing your own research, making the decisions you feel are best for your brain and health.
• Keep a pad of paper and a pen or pencil by your bed. If you wake up in the middle of the night and your brain is whirling, make a list. Often times just writing a to-do list will allow your brain to quiet down. Or keep a journal by the bed, write down those thoughts and get them out of your head.

• Nap. Don't nap. You got it --- another area of contention with sleep "experts". Some say that naps take the pressure off, stop your circadian clock from ticking down to good sleep. Others say that naps make you more productive. I have found that I do better without any naps. I slog through those times when I feel the need to sleep during the day. If I nap then I'm not tired at bedtime and fight to go to sleep. I'd suggest that this one be another personal choice.
• Be grateful. Keep a gratitude journal. Before going to bed write down at least three things you are grateful for, and then when you wake up, read them to start your day on a positive foot. 
• Work with your partner. If your partner has a different sleep schedule and they wake you up when they come to bed you may want to think about sleeping in different rooms. Better yet, try to work out some sort of compromise. Maybe your partner can come to bed and read with a book light while you wear your eyeshades and listen with headphones to a meditation. 
• Take care of your partner. If your partner snores, tosses and turns and otherwise disturbs your sleep do your best to get them to understand what they are doing to their health --- and yours!
• Animals? Sometimes they are great to have snuggling with you at night. Sometimes not. If they are waking you up then it may be a good idea to wean them from your bed and teach them to sleep elsewhere.
• Stop smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant. When you sleep your body goes through a form of withdrawal and there goes your good sleep... 
• Develop a bedtime routine and stick with it! Go to bed at roughly the same time (even on the weekends). Wind down at roughly the same time. Read a book every night or meditate. 
• Take a warm bath. Dropping your internal temperature and relaxing are great ways to improve your sleep. I like to add some Epsom salt to my bathwater. Another suggestion I have read about is to get into the sauna. If you're like me the closest sauna is at the gym...and if I'm going to my gym I'm working out. 
• Sleep on your left side. Loads of information on this one if you doubt! Sleeping on your back is probably second best (and it's better for those wrinkles that develop). 
• 3/2/20 Allergies. Allergies can cause you to snore. They can impact your sleep. If you have a known allergy talk with your doctor. If none of the things on this extensive list work you may want to consider having your doctor check to see if you have any hidden allergies --- especially if they're talking about putting you on a CPAP machine!
• If nothing works go see a sleep specialist. Your sleep is too important to skimp on or to ignore.

Some sleep-talkin' people to follow:

• Matthew Walker
• Satchidananda Panda
• Dave Asprey
• Michael Breus
• James Wilson - I just came across James Wilson. I have not really looked at anything he has written or done. He was mentioned in a few articles and has some worth-looking-into links.  

Articles for reference:

• https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200303155658.htm (probiotics help sleep)
• https://www.studyfinds.org/self-medication-study-finds-deep-sleep-rewires-the-brain-zaps-away-anxiety/
• https://www.prevention.com/health/sleep-energy/a30981827/how-to-sleep/
• https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-sleep-clears-brain
• https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/deep-sleep-gives-your-brain-a-deep-clean1/
• https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/01/04/460620606/lack-of-deep-sleep-may-set-the-stage-for-alzheimers
• The Neuroprotective Aspects of Sleep - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4651462/
• https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep
  
• https://thesleepdoctor.com/2018/12/18/can-intermittent-fasting-help-sleep/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201912/the-connection-between-sugar-and-your-sleep
• Fiber and Saturated Fat Are Associated with Sleep Arousals and Slow Wave Sleep
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz#_=_
• https://news.northwestern.edu/stories/2017/april/pink-noise-sound-enhance-deep-sleep-memory/
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201710/better-sleep-5-htp
• https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/matthew-p-walker
• https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/evening-screen-time-can-sabotage-sleep
• https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/feb/17/shut-eye-and-sleep-hygiene-the-truth-about-why-you-keep-waking-up-at-3am
• https://www.studyfinds.org/deep-sleep-memory-heart-disease/
• https://metro.co.uk/2020/02/13/people-nap-productive-says-study-12231065/
• https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/stages-of-sleep/deep-sleep/
• https://www.healthline.com/health/deep-sleep#diagnosis 
• Had a sleep study? Here's some good info that'll help you understand the results: https://www.sleepapnea.org/treat/getting-sleep-apnea-diagnosis/sleep-study-details/

Sleep Organizations

American Sleep Association - https://www.sleepassociation.org/

National Sleep Foundation - https://www.sleepfoundation.org/

American Academy of Sleep Medicine - https://aasm.org/

World Sleep Society - https://worldsleepsociety.org/

National Center on Sleep Disorders Research - https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/divisions/division-lung-diseases/national-center-sleep-disorders-research

Love my doctor!

I've had a lot of different doctors over the years as I've moved around. I've liked some, tolerated some, not known I could have done better earlier in my life. I finally found a doctor who is amazing.

One big reason is what she did for my parents.

I mentioned in a prior post how I searched for a doctor for them and found the doc my Dad was already seeing. He's a nice guy, liked him. However, he spent maybe 15 minutes with us on Mom's first...and although that's more than the average of 8-12 minutes per patient, it was a typical visit.

He did the basic tests, did the standard recommendation. He didn't probe. He didn't ask a lot of questions. Didn't talk about diet, lifestyle, etc. But again, that's kinda standard. Everyone is a specialist these days so they kinda act like a clearinghouse to some degree :-). Can't fault him, do like him.

Contrast that though with my doctor. Mom & Dad showed up for their first appointment and I think we spent maybe four hours with her. She asked questions. She went into great detail about what was going on with mom, tested her reflexes, checked her out physically.

I had sent her a list of tests pertaining to issues Mom was dealing with. She asked mom questions about every single item. Talked to all of us. Treated Mom like SHE was in control, something none of the other docs we've seen have done. Mom loved her. Dad liked her --- told me numerous times that she was different, gave him hope for the medical profession, first time he'd ever been impressed with a doctor. Ha.

What doctor would spend that amount of time with a patient (no extra charge)? Do every kind of test under the sun to try and identify potential issues and/or eliminate causes for various issues? All covered by insurance.
When I go to the doc the people at the front, the medical staff, all ask how Mom & Dad are doing, ditto for the doctor. When Mom goes in they all greet her, talk about God with her when she brings it up. Yep, it's a Christian based group of praying, caring people. But not in your face and not a group that prays to heal. Well, I'm sure they pray for the healing of their patients...just mean they are doctors, PAs, well-trained, do it by the book and then go the extra ten thousand miles.

If that wasn't enough there is the way she has treated me... She gives the standard suggestions re we can prescribe this or that, but when I say no she talks with me about other options. She asks about diet, exercise, sleep, etc. She listens. She will research options. She pulls up things on her computer and shows me things. 

When I first went to see her it was for blood work. I walked in, expecting the standard panel. They checked me in, then I went to get the blood taken...except in walks the doctor. She sat with me for maybe 45 minutes or longer. She asked about any health concerns I had. She asked about past issues I might have had. She and I talked about everything health-related under the sun. She found out what I wanted, liked, what I preferred re prescriptions, taking care of myself. She asked about exercise, diet, so many things. She asked knowledgeable questions about genes as it related to issues when I mentioned I'd done the health genetic testing.

She took 7 vials of blood and tested for every issue I had mentioned. She discovered minor issues that could have become major issues if she hadn't done the testing. And she gave me suggestions on how to address them in my follow-up appointment.

I send questions via their portal and danged if she doesn't answer. I've gotten where I tag her PA rather than bug her --- it's already difficult enough to get in to see her!

I'm not telling her name 'cause I don't want her overloaded :-)  She is the energizer bunny. She teaches Pilates in a side studio. She has chef's come in to teach people how to cook healthy meals. Her brother comes in once a month to do massages and he's booked out for six months I think. She hosts panels periodically on things like dealing with stress bringing in other specialists.

Love my doc. Love that she truly cares. Love that she listens. Love that she truly heard my mom, gave her so much attention. If doctors were half as good as she then we'd all be healthier and happier and not complain so much about our medical care!

Love my doc. Oh wait, I said that... Here's another: I respect my doc. I am so impressed with her work ethic, her caring --- and the fact that I don't have to introduce myself every time I go in like with most other doctors. OK, last time... LOVE MY DOC. :-)

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

Dementia, Parkinson's Disease and our genes...

Two articles. The first I'm posting is much better. Given that I am APOE 3/4 plus have quite a few Parkinson's genes and all kinds of other contributing nasties like short-sleep, etc. I'm primed for a potentially ugly future genetically. However, I am not gonna let those nasties be my future.

One thing I've learned over the past 8 or 9 months of bombarding my brain with all the latest and greatest research, news, podcasts, theories while trying to help my mom is that prevention is possible. The scary thing is that the nasty genes can kick in 20 years or more before you start seeing "symptoms". Often by the time you start experiencing cognitive issues you're in a battle that main-stream science currently says you will lose. There is no cure. Currently. There is great promise for changing that though, just probably not in time to help my mother. Catching it early and/or prevention is critical.

Side note: My uncle has Parkinson's and my mother, grandmother and great-grandmother all have/had some form of dementia. My other aunt has a plethora of health issues, not sure what all of them are as there's not much communication. Not aware of any Parkinson's or dementia on the paternal side of the family, tons of cancer though. And yes, I have all kinds of cancer-related bad genes...

Also, have a ton of SNPs that say I'm primed for Type 2 Diabetes. My mom was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and told her cholesterol was too high a few years back (not sure exactly when) and they wanted to put her on meds. She changed her diet...lowered her cholesterol...blood tests currently show good on the diabetes front but she is a true sugar-holic & carb-holic (as am I)...however, she went way too far and lost way too much weight, didn't understand eating healthy vs starvation/extremely small portions! Been trying to increase her weight since last June, some success but it's a battle :-).

Anywaze, here are the two articles on Parkinson's, APOE, etc.:

--------
Gene ID’d as potential therapeutic target for dementia in Parkinson’s
Targeting gene linked to Alzheimer’s may reduce dementia risk in Parkinson’s
Dementia is one of the most debilitating consequences of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition characterized by tremors, stiffness, slow movement and impaired balance. Eighty percent of people with Parkinson’s develop dementia within 20 years of the diagnosis, and patients who carry a particular variant of the gene APOE are at especially high risk.

In new research, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a clue to the link between Parkinson’s, APOE and dementia.
https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/gene-idd-as-potential-therapeutic-target-for-dementia-in-parkinsons/

------
Lab: Discovery could help stave off anguish of dementia in people battling Parkinson’s

PARKINSON’S disease can be especially cruel. Its slow but sure onset inflicts tremors, slows down movement and impairs balance. And perhaps the most bitter blow of all is that 80 percent of people newly diagnosed will go on to develop dementia within 20 years.

But there is hope for the future, after experts made a breakthrough that could lead to treatments capable of slowing down or stopping this mental decline.

https://www.metro.news/bbc-science-focus-discovery-could-help-stave-off-anguish-of-dementia-in-people-battling-parkinsons/1899963/
----

Info at end of first article with study info I think:
Davis AA, Inman CE, Wargel ZM, Dube U, Freeberg BM, Galluppi A, Haines JN, Dhavale DD, Miller R, Choudhury FA, Sullivan PM, Cruchaga C, Perlmutter JS, Ulrich JD, Benitez BA, Kotzbauer PT, Holtzman DM. APOE Genotype Regulates Pathology and Disease Progression in Synucleinopathy. Science Translational Medicine. Feb. 5, 2020. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay3069

Exploring Cancer Around the World

A number of people extremely close to me are battling cancer. One very young lady, a beautiful soul, will be leaving us any day now.

I am someone who is a self-titled health nut (although what's nutty about learning and taking care of yourself?). I read a lot, listen to a lot of podcasts, watch YouTube videos and am in a number of on-line groups relating to various topics.

Over the years I have seen comments, heard comments in those venues regarding our (USA) treatment of diseases: We treat symptoms, don't get to the root causes. We have high rates of diseases compared to other countries around the world. And, the one I'm focusing on today, other countries deal with cancer much better and more humanely than we do.

How do we stack up? Is there a better way to treat cancer than to use chemo, radiation, and the newest method immunotherapy. Probably as I delve into things I'll find that the newest isn't the newest. I haven't started my research journey yet.

First: How do we rank in the world? Per the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research, the US is the 5th highest (standardized) when it comes to the rates of cancer. Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and Hungary have higher rates, in that order. https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/cancer-trends/data-cancer-frequency-country

Pretty sad for a country that brags about its health care system. We are, according to my reading, known as the place to come for treatment when all hope is gone. We're not so great on prevention.

What's our survival rate? From Wikipedia: "In the United States there has been an increase in the 5-year relative survival rate between people diagnosed with cancer in 1975-1977 (48.9%) and people diagnosed with cancer in 2007-2013 (69.2%); these figures coincide with a 20% decrease in cancer mortality from 1950 to 2014." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_survival_rates

I'm not sure how they define "survival rate" only because I know of a number of people who are "surviving" but their lives are living hells. Pain, treatment, more treatments, pain, inability to breath after treatments, sitting in chairs and unable to leave their homes... Living decently for 3, 5, 7 years then finding out a cancer has been growing in another part of their body undetected and wham, they're back on the treatment roller coaster.

To be fair, I also know quite a few people who have survived cancers and are doing well. Mostly breast cancers caught early. I have a number of friends who weren't so lucky.

Per World Population Review the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have the highest survival rates. http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/cancer-survival-rates-by-country/

Breast and prostate cancers have the highest survival rates while those with stomach and lung cancer have fairly dismal chances (under 30% for stomach, under 20% for lung).

[When I dug a little deeper, while their article is dated 2019 the data is only through 2014, a much talked about report by CONCORD, a global program for world-wide surveillance of cancer survival, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. You can find more info on the study here: https://csg.lshtm.ac.uk/research/themes/concord-programme/  ]

On a side note, I had a friend who beat lung cancer after a strong battle. The doofus went back to smoking and it reoccured. He wasn't so lucky the second time around. And...went to lunch with a friend and his wife, both heavy smokers. Great lunch, talking about working together, planning things for the future and two weeks later he was in the hospital with lung cancer, died within days.

If you're looking for overall survival rates, data on all causes of death I came across this excellent compilation dated April, 2019 (data is from 2015): https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/mortality-rates-u-s-compare-countries/#item-respiratory-diseases-mortality-rate-2015

OK --- finally I'm back to the subject I started with --- treatment types in other countries not available in the US or considered more humane, less painful or in some cases, lethal.

Mexico: This is a listing from the Gerson Hospital that offers these alternative and complementary types of treatment just outside Tijuana, Mexico: https://chipsahospital.org/11-powerful-cancer-treatments-that-are-use-in-other-countries-but-unavailable-in-the-usa/

I have read of people going there for treatment who have had great success. I would guess that money is an issue as I seriously doubt our insurance companies will touch covering treatments 1. outside the country and 2. not approved in the US :-). I love that they integrate diet and nutrition as the foundation. If I found out I had cancer that might be my first go-to after hearing what the US docs had to say.

Max Gerson was a German neurosurgeon. You'll read more if you click the link about the treatments above.


The Mayo Clinic popped up in my research with a list of alternative cancer treatments (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cancer/in-depth/cancer-treatment/art-20047246). I was kinda mildy shocked until I read what they offered. "Won't cure but may make treatment easier" (paraphrased). Ummm... sure. Deep breathing, massage, etc. Great list and it may help some, especially at the beginning, but when you're feeling like crap, itching, crawling out of your skin due to chemo or radiation the last thing you want is a massage. Even deep breathing can be painful.

Finland: Again, this is an advertisement from a hospital. They tout the CONCORD study showing that Finland has some of the best treatment survival rates. https://www.docrates.com/en/treatments/patient-satisfaction/finland-leading-country-in-cancer-care/

I skimmed their treatment options and nothing popped out as being radically different, but all I did was a quick skim. However, there is a reason Finland has the highest survival rate --- it have nothing to do with their treatments. It could be that they eat better, eat closer to the way we were meant to eat, and thus they fight off cancer better than the average person in countries who eat crappy diets (like we do in the USA).

Here is a great article from a UK author on treatment abroad: https://www.medic8.com/medical-tourism/cancer-treatment-abroad.html They go into treatments in Germany, France and Spain, and have tips for those wanting to travel abroad for cancer care. It is interesting that there's a statement basically saying you might get better care outside of the UK. Kinda sad. As you read you'll see many slams on healthcare in the UK. Striking them off my list (not that they were ever on it, even though I lived there and loved it many, many years ago).

Great article on alternative treatments. I have read a LOT about the Ketogenic diet (first on the list). That would be my first go-to as it also has a huge positive impact on any inflammatory issue. In fact, I am now on a Keto-flex type of diet combined with intermittent fasting as a prevention protocol. Unapproved but Effective Cancer Cures

An opposing, and sobering view on alternative treatments that specifically mentions treatment in Mexico: https://www.statnews.com/2017/08/29/cancer-treatment-alternative-medicine/

I am one who looks to alternative, "natural" treatments, especially diet and herbs --- but I certainly don't shun doctors and standard care. I just do my research. I rather like how he ended the article...doctors can alienate patients by demeaning alternative treatment, but there's no reason someone can't do both (again, I paraphrase).

Another article you may want to read: Cancer care in the U.S. versus Europe: Is more necessarily better?

NOTE: I put the links throughout the blog rather than posting at the end 'cause I figure you don't want to keep skipping to the end. Hope you found something of interest although I barely touched on the subject matter. I'm sure I'll be back with more at some point!

Fibromyalgia and Food "Fix"

Years back, when I worked a desk job, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.

I had been running regularly, working out, taking aerobic classes, and was very active (but not overly so). Slowly I got to the point where getting out of bed in the morning was painful. I hurt. I was miserable. Sleep was sporadic and I was slugging through the day.

Luckily, being in a management position which gave me fantastic health benefits, I was able to work with my doctor to try and figure out the cause. We did every test imaginable over a long period of time. Finally I ended up with a rheumatoid specialist who came up with Fibromyalgia.

She gave me a whole slew of prescriptions and toldl me to get on the treadmill and walk for ten minutes a day. I laughed, thinking of the races I used to run & thought she was really underestimating my abilities. I couldn't walk for five minutes.

I filled the prescriptions and took them for a few days. I really, really 1) hated the idea of taking all those pills and 2) hated the side-affects. I stopped and went back to being miserable.

However, I didn't give up. I started a search for another answer. I did NOT like the idea of being weak, spiraling into medicine dependence, or being labeled.

I ultimately went to see a nutritionist. Not your typical hospital nutritionist (here's your food pyramid, eat like it says). I went to a private doctor who believed in using food, vitamins, minerals and all that's natural to combat illnesses.

She put me on what she called a shock diet. Nothing white in my diet at all for two weeks. If it was processed with anything white I couldn't eat it. It truly was a shock. I went through withdrawals I suppose. For about three days I walked from refrigerator to pantry to almost banging into walls as I detoxed from all the junk I had been eating (I thought I was a healthy-eater!). By the time the 2 weeks were over I was comfortable with eating whole foods and rather liked the diet.

Long story, but after the shock diet, dumping all the vitamins I thought I needed and narrowing them down to a few select choices, changing my diet, etc. I have never had any of the symptoms of Fibromyalgia... It wasn't an overnight process but it was a fairly quick turnaround. (Note: when I go back to bad eating habits, don't allow myself to get sufficient sleep, I can tell when my body is heading back in the yikes direction. I adjust and get back on track.)

That was my very first real experience with looking at diet and nutrition as a "cure" rather than going with the drugs most doctors automatically prescribe. Since then I've looked for doctors who say diet, exercise, lifestyle before pulling out the prescription pad. They are hard to find.

When my cholesterol started going up my doctor (at the time) told me I just had bad genes, luck of the draw. She "allowed" me two months to try and decrease it before starting me on Lipitor. It went up. I was half-ass about working on it at the time, bought into "gene" thing.

Later I did some research, read how I could lower it naturally with diet and proper exercise. I ditched the Lipitor. My cholesterol is well below the top range and has stayed there for years. My doctor still insists on testing it more often than usual to monitor :-)

I could tell more tales...I have politely argued with many doctors, done it my way and been successful in every instance. Good research and culling through all the hype of the current fads is crucial.

I'm not saying that diet can cure everything, but we really should give it a shot first. Even if it's not "the" cure eating healthy sure will help with fighting whatever you are facing.

I now have an OK doctor. She's not "into" the same things I am but when I walk in and tell her I'm doing this or that she says OK, try it, go for it, we'll do blood tests and see how it works. She has even given me some natural alternatives when I asked. She's still a prescription pad grabber first type, but she's agreeable to trying other things.

I am getting ready to tell her I've gone totally plant based. That's going to be an interesting conversation!

On the hunt for sugar-free frozen potatoes...(Healthy Eating Post) - updated

I am a lazy cook. I used to do gourmet meals, spend time in the kitchen, but there's just way too much to do in life these days. I'd rather be in the studio!

Given there's only two of us, buying fresh often results in a lot of waste. I toss half of what we buy sometimes simply because we like variety and we can't eat a whole bunch or bag before it goes bad.

I'm not into buying real potatoes, cleaning and cooking them either. Yep, lazy cook. I will at times but when I want hash browns for breakfast or fries for dinner I want them now.

If you've read any of my past posts you know I don't eat any form of added sugar. It works for me...maybe not for you. I have found so many benefits from cutting it completely out of my diet over the years! Plus I've learned it's easier to ditch it all rather than try to eat just a little. I always want more and the craving cycle starts.

I've looked for frozen potatoes without added sugar over the past few years without success. Now that I'm moving to a much higher plant-based diet I wanted, needed, some potatoes. I got serious about finding some.

Who would have thought that finding hash browns, home fries or other frozen potato products without added sugar would be a problem? Did you know that your Ore-Ida, Alexia, etc. have sugar on them? It's getting harder and harder to find things that don't have some form of added sugar.

I know many of you are saying something along the lines of "who cares?". If you're diabetic they tell you not to eat potatoes anyway, sugar or no added sugar. Most of you already think I'm over the top with my 'no sugar' life-style! Give up cookies? cake? candy?

If you're eating sugar and you know it, that's one thing. But if you are eating sugar in your blue cheese salad dressings, mayonnaise, and other items that don't need or call for sugar, it seems kind of sneaky. According to some statistics over 80% of what you buy these days has added sugar. I dare you to go to the store and fill your cart up with things that have no added sugar...and try to go just five days without sugar. Bet you spend those five days craving the stuff, talking yourself out of giving it up. You will go through withdrawals.

I recently watched a fairly short documentary narrated by Katie Couric titled "Fed Up". If you have kids, or you struggle with your weight, I'd highly recommend that you watch it.

Here's the trailer:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCUbvOwwfWM)

I looked at every single bag in the grocery store's regular frozen food section. No luck. Every single bag had added sugar, plus many had things I couldn't pronounce. I went on-line looking at ingredients. No luck until...I finally found ONE company that doesn't add sugar to their potatoes: Cascadian Farms.  (http://www.cascadianfarm.com/products/frozen-potatoes). Guess where I'll be heading later today??? They sell them at Kroger in their healthy section. They probably sell them at Publix and other stores, too. They are organic, too! Big plus.

Here's another documentary, from Canada that's well worth watching.




 And one more (I keep finding them and adding):




I found some interesting sites while on my search:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=48 - interesting take on the much-maligned potato
http://www.potatopro.com/ - loads of information
http://www.potatoesusa.com/index.php - United States Potato Board