Alzheimer's Disease

[bookslover]

I read an interesting piece in the LA Times (I think it was) a few weeks ago. After about 30 years of research on Alzheimer's Disease without developing a treatment - much less a cure - some scientists are beginning to wonder if they need to attack this problem from a different angle.

Some researchers are asking: what if Alzheimer's Disease isn't a disease at all? What if it's a condition instead - a natural consequence, for some people, of the aging process, like gray hair or wrinkley skin? In other words, what if Alzheimer's is not like cancer but more like, say, osteoporosis?

That might make Alzheimer's more scary than it already is...

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Hi Richard (& thanks for your welcome earlier!),

Interesting thought; though it seems to be increasing exponentially, which would then seem to be something new. My thought is it is related to the increasing toxicity of our environment.

Interesting story: my wife and I just came back from being in Cyprus for 9 years, 8 of which we spent taking care of her mother, who had the disease. After a few years she (the mother) became much more childlike mentally, and responded wholeheartedly to my wife's (Pola is her name) constant witness to Christ. Pola would pray with her, read the Scriptures (in modern Greek), and tell her about Jesus and the Gospel (when Pola's dad was not around, for he was opposed to the evangelical faith). It was Pola's (unsentimental) belief her mother was deeply touched by the Spirit of God, and savingly believed. In her case Alzheimer's brought a real blessing, a mercy of the Lord.

 

[SRoper]

I believe that the current understanding is that all forms of dementia (including all age-related memory loss, not just Alzheimer's) are abnormal effects of aging. I guess the question is whether dementia is abnormal in the sense that balding is abnormal. That is, balding is abnormal in the sense that it comes with age, but it is not inevitable that a man will go bald.

 

[earl40]

Hi Richard (& thanks for your welcome earlier!),

Interesting thought; though it seems to be increasing exponentially, which would then seem to be something new. My thought is it is related to the increasing toxicity of our environment.

Interesting story: my wife and I just came back from being in Cyprus for 9 years, 8 of which we spent taking care of her mother, who had the disease. After a few years she (the mother) became much more childlike mentally, and responded wholeheartedly to my wife's (Pola is her name) constant witness to Christ. Pola would pray with her, read the Scriptures (in modern Greek), and tell her about Jesus and the Gospel (when Pola's dad was not around, for he was opposed to the evangelical faith). It was Pola's (unsentimental) belief her mother was deeply touched by the Spirit of God, and savingly believed. In her case Alzheimer's brought a real blessing, a mercy of the Lord.

The Lord is indeed mighty and good!!!!

 

[Skyler]

Then I guess we need to cure aging, huh?

 

[jwithnell]

I believe they have found particular abnormalities in the brain structures of those who have had Alzheimers. Recently, the Wall Street Journal published a story on research showing the maintenance of brain tissue in the elderly among a subset that regularly eats baked or broiled fish. My father has the disease and his younger brother has been reduced to a basket case by it, so I keep an eye out for preventative information.

 

[Scot]

Here's an interesting article.

http://coconutoil.com/AlzheimersDiseaseDrMaryNewport.pdf

 

[TimV]

Great story, Steve!

 

[Mushroom]

I have a friend who has been a medical lab tech for over 40 years, and she says that she has noticed in that time that the fats in the specimens she studies has slowly changed from a white water soluble form to a brown non-water soluble form over the decades. She is convinced there is some linkage to that and the incidence of Alzheimer's, and that it a byproduct of changes in the food supply. I tend to glaze over when she gets too technical, but after reading the article Dan posted I think I'll pay more attention. And buy some coconut oil. If I can find my keys...

 

[jgilberAZ]

High fat, low carb.

High fat, low carb diet may help Alzheimer's sufferers

And, eliminate wheat.

Cognitive impairment and celiac disease. [Arch Neurol. 2006] - PubMed - NCBI

 

[bookslover]

I've read that members of the Baby Boom generation (born: 1946-1964) are more afraid of getting Alzheimer's than they are of death. The oldest Boomers turned 65 this year, so it's relevant.