It’s All in Your Head Alzheimer’s disease
As a believer and practitioner of holistic approaches to wellness, I always hesitate to talk or write about diseases or about a specific disease in the conventional standard medicine fashion. For me diabetes is not a disease that should be looked at separately or all opathically. A person should not be called a diabetic, a person should not want to own this label, should not believe in this “condemnation”. Instead I look at this sugar imbalance in the blood in the context of the overall person and at the root causes that lead to such imbalance. This imbalance is not just a function of the pancreas which is the typical popular culprit. While it is a function of specialized cells within the pancreas, one must not forget the intimate participation of the liver and of the endocrine glands involved in the regulation. To be closer to reality one must at least look to the cellular level and begin the holistic journey. It is not the organ that is not functioning, rather it is certain specialized cells of the pancreas, of the liver, of the endocrine glands, of the hypothalamus the regulator of all glands and organs.
In the same way Alzheimer’s, taken out of the conventional context of medicine, is decay, is inflammation a dying off of cells of certain sections of the brain, and a loss of the cellular energy and speed to communicate within the brain.
Because of the rapidly increasing epidemic of Alzheimer’s, I have decided for this article to single it out from the many brain disorders.
Forecasting the Global Burden of Alzheimer’s Disease
Ron Brookmeyer, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Elizabeth Johnson, Johns Hopkins University, Kathryn Ziegler-Graham, St. Olaf College, H. Michael Arrighi, Elan Pharmaceuticals
The goal was to forecast the global burden of Alzheimer’s disease and evaluate the potential impact of interventions that delay disease onset or progression. Methods: A stochastic multi-state model was used in conjunction with U.N. worldwide population forecasts and data from epidemiological studies on risks of Alzheimer’s disease. Findings: In 2006 the worldwide prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease was 26.6 million. By 2050, prevalence will quadruple by which time 1 in 85 persons worldwide will be living with the disease. We estimate about 43% of prevalent cases need a high level of care equivalent to that of a nursing home. If interventions could delay both disease onset and progression by a modest 1 year, there would be nearly 9.2 million fewer cases of disease in 2050 with nearly all the decline attributable to decreases in persons needing high level of care. Interpretation: We face a looming global epidemic of Alzheimer’s disease as the world’s population ages. Modest advances in therapeutic and preventive strategies that lead to even small delays in Alzheimer’s onset and progression can significantly reduce the global burden of the disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that develops slowly and gets worse with time.
It is most often associated with memory loss. You lose your keys, and glasses … you do not remember seeing a movie, reading a book, a person you met. But these symptoms are nothing, as more disturbing events soon occur
You find your shoes in your fridge.
You get lost in your own neighborhood.
You believe things are stolen from your house.
You can no longer complete a simple task
Yet you try hard. You organize with a cheat sheet.
But in 40% of Alzheimer cases, the disease reached the next stage:
Words fail you and carrying on a conversation is becoming more difficult.
You can no longer put your washing machine on the proper cycle.
You have terrible nightmares, which sometimes continue when you are awake (hallucinations)!
The most intimate people in your life your children, your spouse slowly become strangers.
You do not recognize their faces.
You forget your age, your own name.
You cannot wash or dress yourself alone.
You sink into depression.
You are often subject to rampant neglect in assisted living homes
The final stage of the disease is often death.
.
The problem is that medicine is mostly helpless drugs do not work against Alzheimer’s
The fact that there is no solution against Alzheimer’s is such that official guidelines for doctors are to not screen for the disease in people who do not yet have symptoms. According to current medical doctrine, it considers that it is useless to worry, and worry the patient telling him that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s, since nothing can be done to help!
There was hope a few years ago with the discovery of AChEI Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, substances that slow the breakdown of acetylcholine, a molecule that allows communication between neurons. It was found that, among other things, a lack of acetylcholine slows down the brain of Alzheimer patients. So it was thought that preventing acetylcholine from being destroyed should maintain cerebral faculties. Unfortunately, the AChEI drugs have been shown to cause severe side effects: nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders, even increases in tremors and worsening of symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, according to the findings prescribing these drugs would be effective for only 10% of patients. And they do not slow the disease, not even by a few months.
Another common drug against Alzheimer’s, Memantine, acts by blocking NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors. The common side effects include confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia, agitation and / or hallucinations, or the opposite effects of that intended. In addition, in May 2011, a new analysis of data from three clinical trials with Memantine showed that patients with early-stage Alzheimer received no improvement in their mental function or their ability to perform everyday tasks, compared to a placebo. In patients with later stages, researchers have found meager improvements.
Many physicians therefore adopt an attitude of resignation about Alzheimer’s disease: if they do give drugs to patients, it’s mostly to not disappoint them and make sure they do not feel abandoned. The treatment(s) usually prescribed have nothing to do with Alzheimer’s and are more for the patient’s “comfort and social” life (allocation of home help and assisted living), and as palliatives: sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and antidepressants.
Act now against Alzheimer’s
Yet there are solutions now that mainstream medicine and YOU cannot continue to ignore.Do not wait until your doctor brings up Alzheimer’s. There are precautions and real solutions against the disease. Only 0.5% of the population is affected with Alzheimer before age 65, one in 40 are affected beyond 65, and beyond 80 years, 15% of the population is affected by the disease, nearly one in six!
Study results have been mixed about whether diet, exercise or other healthy lifestyle choices can prevent or reverse cognitive decline. But there is no doubt that these healthy choices promote good overall health and likely play a role in maintaining cognitive health. Remember that memory problems are NOT a normal sign of aging. Instead, they are a sign that you need to act now. So there’s no harm in including these following strategies right away in your general wellness plan:
Social engagement and intellectual stimulation will not only make life more satisfying, but also help preserve mental function.
Exercise will help fight Alzheimer’s – Regular exercise has known benefits for heart health and may also help prevent cognitive decline. Exercise may also help improve mood.
Some research shows that people living with Alzheimer’s have less protein PGC-1alpha in the brain. This is a protein which is also a decline in Parkinson’s disease. However, regular exercise is known to increase the level of PGC-1alpha and of many other beneficial molecules, which may explain why exercise seems so beneficial to maintain the proper functioning of the brain.
Most published research is very convincing: one study showed that a single moderate physical activity among middle-aged people reduced by 39% the risk of developing cognitive impairment minors and that at later ages, physical exercise also leads to lower the risk by 32%.
Another study even found that intense aerobic exercise over a period of six months is enough to improve brain function in people already affected by minor cognitive impairment, which often indicate a transitional phase between a normal brain state and the onset of dementia or Alzheimer.
A diet low in fat and rich in fruits and vegetables is another heart-healthy choice that also may help protect cognitive health. A diet rich in carotenoids and fatty acids is known for preventing tumors and cancers and increasing heart health. Most research showing possible benefits for cognitive health include the consumption of omega fatty acids as a yardstick.
Alzheimer’s disease is a disease that develops slowly and gets worse with time.
It is most often associated with memory loss. You lose your keys, and glasses … you do not remember seeing a movie, reading a book, a person you met. But these symptoms are nothing, as more disturbing events soon occur
You find your shoes in your fridge.
You get lost in your own neighborhood.
You believe things are stolen from your house.
You can no longer complete a simple task
Yet you try hard. You organize with a cheat sheet.
But in 40% of Alzheimer cases, the disease reached the next stage:
Words fail you and carrying on a conversation is becoming more difficult.
You can no longer put your washing machine on the proper cycle.
You have terrible nightmares, which sometimes continue when you are awake (hallucinations)!
The most intimate people in your life your children, your spouse slowly become strangers.
You do not recognize their faces.
You forget your age, your own name.
You cannot wash or dress yourself alone.
You sink into depression.
You are often subject to rampant neglect in assisted living homes
The final stage of the disease is often death.
.
The problem is that medicine is mostly helpless drugs do not work against Alzheimer’s
The fact that there is no solution against Alzheimer’s is such that official guidelines for doctors are to not screen for the disease in people who do not yet have symptoms. According to current medical doctrine, it considers that it is useless to worry, and worry the patient telling him that he is suffering from Alzheimer’s, since nothing can be done to help!
There was hope a few years ago with the discovery of AChEI Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, substances that slow the breakdown of acetylcholine, a molecule that allows communication between neurons. It was found that, among other things, a lack of acetylcholine slows down the brain of Alzheimer patients. So it was thought that preventing acetylcholine from being destroyed should maintain cerebral faculties. Unfortunately, the AChEI drugs have been shown to cause severe side effects: nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders, even increases in tremors and worsening of symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. Moreover, according to the findings prescribing these drugs would be effective for only 10% of patients. And they do not slow the disease, not even by a few months.
Another common drug against Alzheimer’s, Memantine, acts by blocking NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors. The common side effects include confusion, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, insomnia, agitation and / or hallucinations, or the opposite effects of that intended. In addition, in May 2011, a new analysis of data from three clinical trials with Memantine showed that patients with early-stage Alzheimer received no improvement in their mental function or their ability to perform everyday tasks, compared to a placebo. In patients with later stages, researchers have found meager improvements.
Many physicians therefore adopt an attitude of resignation about Alzheimer’s disease: if they do give drugs to patients, it’s mostly to not disappoint them and make sure they do not feel abandoned. The treatment(s) usually prescribed have nothing to do with Alzheimer’s and are more for the patient’s “comfort and social” life (allocation of home help and assisted living), and as palliatives: sleeping pills, tranquilizers, and antidepressants.
Act now against Alzheimer’s
Yet there are solutions now that mainstream medicine and YOU cannot continue to ignore.Do not wait until your doctor brings up Alzheimer’s. There are precautions and real solutions against the disease. Only 0.5% of the population is affected with Alzheimer before age 65, one in 40 are affected beyond 65, and beyond 80 years, 15% of the population is affected by the disease, nearly one in six!
Study results have been mixed about whether diet, exercise or other healthy lifestyle choices can prevent or reverse cognitive decline. But there is no doubt that these healthy choices promote good overall health and likely play a role in maintaining cognitive health. Remember that memory problems are NOT a normal sign of aging. Instead, they are a sign that you need to act now. So there’s no harm in including these following strategies right away in your general wellness plan:
Social engagement and intellectual stimulation will not only make life more satisfying, but also help preserve mental function.
Exercise will help fight Alzheimer’s – Regular exercise has known benefits for heart health and may also help prevent cognitive decline. Exercise may also help improve mood.
Some research shows that people living with Alzheimer’s have less protein PGC-1alpha in the brain. This is a protein which is also a decline in Parkinson’s disease. However, regular exercise is known to increase the level of PGC-1alpha and of many other beneficial molecules, which may explain why exercise seems so beneficial to maintain the proper functioning of the brain.
Most published research is very convincing: one study showed that a single moderate physical activity among middle-aged people reduced by 39% the risk of developing cognitive impairment minors and that at later ages, physical exercise also leads to lower the risk by 32%.
Another study even found that intense aerobic exercise over a period of six months is enough to improve brain function in people already affected by minor cognitive impairment, which often indicate a transitional phase between a normal brain state and the onset of dementia or Alzheimer.
A diet low in fat and rich in fruits and vegetables is another heart-healthy choice that also may help protect cognitive health. A diet rich in carotenoids and fatty acids is known for preventing tumors and cancers and increasing heart health. Most research showing possible benefits for cognitive health include the consumption of omega fatty acids as a yardstick.
Algae,, green,,, coconut all good
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