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!).

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. :-)

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!

Quick note on earaches...

I've been plagued since I was a child with intermittent earaches. No health issues, just have to make sure I take care when swimming, etc.

Monday started with an earache, much worse than usual. It got more painful as the evening progressed, none of my usual remedies made a dent. Even aspirin didn't ease the pain.

I did what most of us do these days when we can't get to a doctor, I hit the Internet and went on a search for natural remedies. I found a ton of suggestions, unfortunately I didn't have any of the items listed in the house... except alcohol and white vinegar.

I gave it a shot. Everyone had different mixtures -- 3 portions of white vinegar to one of alcohol, etc. I went with half and half. I put it on a cotton ball, grabbed a heating pad & went to bed to read. 15 minutes later I realized the pain was completely gone. It's been three days and it hasn't returned.

Next time I go to the doc I'll let her take a look just to make sure nothing's going on in there, but I imagine it was just the old swimmers ear. If it comes back, I'll head to the doctor.

Figured I'd take a minute & share just in case anyone ever ran into the same problem. I didn't see any horror tales or comments from doctors saying not to do it but whenever you / we go the route of home "repair" you / we need to be cautious... That's my official disclaimer . Be careful with your ears, eyes, and all the rest of your bod.