Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's Disease (Part 3)

More preventative action measures

continued from Part 2: Alzheimer's Disease Suggested Cures and Prevention

Physical (aerobic) exercise for prevention

In addition to being a proven preventative for certain types of cancer (statistically speaking) as well as an essential part of a health-promoting lifestyle, engaging in regular physical exercise seems to benefit the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for memory. While brain scans have consistently shown atrophy (decrease in size) of the hippocampus as people get older, moderate exercise can reverse that effect.

Headed by Professor Kirk Erickson, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, followed 120 healthy volunteers aged 60 years and older for a year to assess the potential impact of moderate aerobic exercise on memory power. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, their results showed that walking for 40 minutes a day three times a week can increase the size of the hippocampus and thus possibly cut dementia risk. (Incidentally, animal experimentation [not supported by Healing Cancer Naturally, for the reasons see Cancer Research, Toxicity Testing & Animal Experimentation: an Unholy Union?] shows eg that running improves memory power in mice.)

Another study from 2007 owed to neurologist Scott Small, MD, from the New York Presbyterian Hospital suggests that increasing blood sugar levels damage a region of the hippocampus called the dentate gyrus by reducing its blood volume. Any strategy that improves a person's ability to keep blood glucose at lower levels such as exercise, can be expected to benefit the dentate gyrus and thus memory.

Yet another study (the Caerphilly Heart Disease Study) followed 2000+ men over 30 years (starting in 1979) and found a strong association between regular physical exercise and a greatly lowered risk for developing dementia (see "Healthy Lifestyles Reduce the Incidence of Chronic Diseases and Dementia: Evidence from the Caerphilly Cohort Study" at www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0081877 .

Note: Exercise is also a known potential preventative for certain types of cancer, see On cancer prevention and exercise: scientific research studies into protective effects of physical activity & training on cancer incidence, risk & mortality.

Vitamin D to prevent Alzheimer's

As already discussed under Alzheimer causes (scroll to "Vitamin D (nmol/L) blood levels and Alzheimer's risk"), another study Vitamin D in dementia prevention (2016) corroborates those earlier findings. Lower vitamin D concentrations resp. inadequate dietary intake of vitamin D are associated with brain changes, poorer cognition and cognitive disorders including increased Alzheimer's risk. Vitamin D supplementation for 1-15 months has resulted in cognitive improvements in older adults. The study authors conclude that it seems "crucial to maintain vitamin D concentrations at sufficiently high levels in order to slow, prevent, or improve neurocognitive decline".

A study done on 382 persons (average age 75 years) published in the Journal of Internal Medicine (JAMA) in September 2015 generally showed that vitamin D protects against rapid cognitive decline.

Fasting

Perhaps not so astoundingly considering its many other time-honoured benefits, intermittent fasting has also been shown to promote the growth of new neurons in the brain as well as better memory and mood, thus linking fasting to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

Like with exercise, fasting will lower your body's glycogen levels.^[1]

Turmeric

Turmeric is a powerful medicinal spice which wide-ranging benefits — both curative and preventative — on many diseases. More than 6000 scientific studies were able to demonstrate hundreds of beneficial effects on health including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, depression, the healing of open wounds — and Alzheimer's. See e.g. Examining the potential clinical value of curcumin in the prevention and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. To get the full benefit of the spice, make sure to ingest it in its natural form, see the important tips given under Ginger and turmeric fight cancer.

For more info, also see the Turmeric entry under Alzheimer's Disease (Part 2).

Vinpocetine

Vinpocetine is a compound derived from the lesser periwinkle plant. Among other things, it has been shown to possess strong antiinflammatory action (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20495091) and to improve the bloodflow to the neurons and the electrical transmissions in the brain.

As can be seen e.g. in the scientific review Role of vinpocetine in cerebrovascular diseases, Vinpocetine thus has potential in both prevention and attenuation (or slowing the progress) of brain-related / neurodegenerative illness incl. dementia and Parkinson's. MS patients may wish to abstain, however, the results of an in-vitro study Vinpocetine inhibits oligodendroglial precursor cell differentiation suggest that vinpocetine could interfere with myelin repair.

Vitamin C to prevent Alzheimer's

A study from 2012 A Critical Review of Vitamin C for the Prevention of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Alzheimer's Disease showed a link between maintaining healthy vitamin C levels and protection against cognitive decline and Alzheimer's. The author added that avoiding vitamin C deficiency was probably better than taking supplements in addition to a healthy diet.

Vitamin E and vitamin C (ascorbate) supplements in combination

Even just taking certain antioxidant supplements has been found to be protective against the oxidative damage linked to pathological changes in the brain, lowering the risk of developing Alzheimer's by some 80 percent (see the cross-sectional prospective dementia study Reduced risk of Alzheimer disease in users of antioxidant vitamin supplements: the Cache County Study, published in Archives of Neurology [2004]). Even those using vitamin E plus multivitamins containing vitamin C tended to have a somewhat reduced Alzheimer's risk, while no protective effect was observed in those taking vitamin E*, C, multivitamins, or vitamin B-complex* in isolation.

What is all the more remarkable about these findings is that in all likelihood the vitamins shown to be protective were of synthetic origin — typically, vitamins derived from natural sources are considered superior in their effects on health. This could imply that diets rich in natural sources of vitamin C and E might be close to 100 percent protective against Alzheimer's disease.

* Note however that several studies found a protective effect of vitamin E in itself, see www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=alzheimer's+vitamin+e. Also compare Eufäxym further below.

Vitamin K

See the abstract Vitamin K has the potential to protect neurons from methylmercury-induced cell death in vitro.

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin/ hydroxycobalamin/ methylcobalamin [mecobalamin]) supplementation for prevention (and even treatment)

See Alzheimer's Causes under "Lack of vitamin B12" for the reasons of (apparently widespread) vitamin B12 deficiency and how it can damage the nervous system.

According to Dr. John Switzer MD (Feldafing by Munich), supplying the body with sufficient vitamin B12 can prevent later neurological illnesses. After injections, the most advantageous way of taking B12 seems to be in the form of methylcobalamin lozenges which one allows to gradually dissolve in the mouth. Bypassing the digestive system (with its frequently inefficient B12 absorption), the compound is directly absorbed through the oral mucosa, while the methyl group in methylcobalamin plays an important part in numerous detoxification functions.

Lack of absorption may also explain the placebo-controlled studies that administered B12 normally (i.e. by simple ingestion) and which found no benefit.

Mecobalamin given by injection however was shown to safely and effectively improve intellectual functions and mitigate psychiatric disorders even in patients already diagnosed with Alzheimer's, all this with no side effects (see Treatment of Alzheimer-type dementia with intravenous mecobalamin).

Essential phospholipids for prevention

“Essential fatty acid phosphatidylserine (PS) is powerful prevention for memory loss, Alzheimer's and dementia”.
www.naturalnews.com/016646_Phosphatidylserine_Alzheimers.html

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Rosemary has multiple medicinal benefits including as a radioprotective agent.^[2] There is evidence that compounds of the herb help improve memory and protect the brain against damage, possibly including dementia and Alzheimer's.

Garlic and aged garlic extract reduce dementia risk

Garlic works as an antioxidant, decreases blood pressure and seems to help prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and lower dementia risk. See Neuroprotective effects of garlic a review, Anti-amyloidogenic activity of S-allyl-L-cysteine and its activity to destabilize Alzheimer's beta-amyloid fibrils in vitro, Garlic reduces dementia and heart-disease risk and Antioxidant health effects of aged garlic extract.

Mental exercise for prevention

Please do an internet search to read up on the observed link between mental activity and Alzheimer's risk. (Basically it seems quite self-evident — as they say, use it or lose it.)

Drinking fruit and vegetable juices

A study out of Vanderbilt University Medical Center followed some 1,800 Japanese-Americans for ten years. Results showed that those who consumed juices more than three times a week reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer's by a whopping 76% (as compared to those who partook of juice less than once a week). It is thought that the protective effect is due to the juices' polyphenol content. See Fruit and vegetable juices and Alzheimer's disease: the Kame Project and Drinking Juice May Stall Alzheimer's.

Similarly, www.wddty.com/two-glasses-of-apple-juice-as-good-as-drugs-for-alzheimer-s-dementia-patients.html reports on research which found that drinking two four ounce glasses of apple juice a day improved some of the worst effects of Alzheimer's disease.

Berries for prevention

About berries helping prevent dementia (blackcurrants and boysenberries).

Silica

Silicon dioxide (silica) is an important element in the body's connective tissues. Some studies suggest that silica works as a natural opponent of aluminium (implicated in Alzheimer's) (e.g. by precipitating it in the form of aluminium silicate which hinders its absorption in the gut or leads to its excretion via the urine).

See for instance Cognitive impairment and composition of drinking water in women: findings of the EPIDOS Study, The potential influence of silica present in drinking water on Alzheimer's disease and associated disorders and Aluminum and silica in drinking water and the risk of Alzheimer's disease or cognitive decline: findings from 15-year follow-up of the PAQUID cohort.

Some plants such as horsetail, nettles and oats contain high amounts of silica, it is also found in larger amounts in whole grains, parsley, garlic, onions, lentils, spinach, almonds, cashews, apples and others. Some also take silica supplements such as diatomaceous earth (80-90% silica) or zeolites which in addition to being a rich source of silica have also been shown to fight cancer.

Magnesium depletion

There seems to be an unclear relationship between magnesium depletion and the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. See http://mgwater.com/dur16.shtml .

Eufäxym

The monumental book Die Heilkunst von Morgen [The Healing Arts of Tomorrow] by Erika Herbst reports an improvement in an Alzheimer patient who took Eufäxym, a specially prepared yeast product rich in many B vitamins originally developed by German physician Paul Honekamp MD. In the 1920s and 1930s, Dr Honekamp successfully healed many psychiatric and epileptic patients using the product.

These most remarkable achievements are recorded in his book Die Heilung der Geisteskrankheiten durch Sanierung des endokrin-vegetativen Systems mit natürlichen Heilstoffen [The Cure of Mental Illness via Restoration of the Endocrine System With Natural Healing Agents]. Note: Eufäxym may not be available outside of German-speaking countries.

EFT

Last but far from least: EFT Emotional Freedom Technique. This often successful DIYable technique which aims to heal mind and body by re-establishing healthy energy flow can indeed be tried on anything and has already shown some results for Alzheimer’s patients as well (such as helping a wife to remember her husband again).

Addendum: mental-emotional-spiritual factors

The wife of a man stricken with Alzheimer’s wrote to me:

“I have seen times when miracles of healing happened just because the patient changed his mind and decided that no illness could approach the spiritual entity that he is. It is not sufficient to only think you are healthy but the person's imagination must be infused with an emotional conviction that it is already done.

Try all of the above suggestions concurrently for maximum effects if you are willing to do so... but I would add, 'Use your internal guidance to determine what seems to be more beneficial and don't go against your own intuition ever, nor insist that you know what's best for anyone else, since all disease has basically a spiritual cause, a false set of beliefs underlying it as the foundational cause.'

A difficult thing if the person is still evaluating the symptoms as they seem so real. So long as the symptoms are felt to be real, that set of beliefs is being reinforced by the patient's internal emotional reactions. I have had personal experiences of complete healing of particular symptoms and then had a return of the same symptoms later, when I defined a new pain as being related to the old injury...

It's a real challenge to keep the mind clear of all beliefs in pain and injury and ideas that there exists anything in this world to come against the spiritual body... we so closely identify with the physical as being us.

That is the tough thing to stay focused on the actual content of ourselves which is whole life when the form is seeming more solidly real... the physical body.

The physical body is the natural result of the originating beliefs of the identity. Change those beliefs and keep them changed by focusing on the Truth that the individual is only a spiritual awareness of whatever he focuses upon and then train him to focus only upon health without there being anything at all to come against him other than his own beliefs, and he gets well and stays well if he enacts such discipline of his imagination and his associated emotional reactions to his own ideas about his physical body."
Compare Mind.

Footnotes

1 See details e.g. at Are There Any Proven Benefits to Fasting?.

2 See Combatting radiation poisoning tips Chelating excess ionizing radiation and radioactivity from your body.

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