The summer of 2017 brought two books relating to recovering from dementia – or preventing its development. The first book gives an in depth understanding of what is known and can be done to reverse Alzheimer’s Disease. The second relates to our food choices and their relationship to our overall health and in particular brain health.
Below are a few comments from me and some additional reviews.
Dr. Dale Bredesen’s The End of Alzheimer’s
Dr. Joseph Mercola’s Fat For Fuel
The first book, The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline by Dr. Dale Bredesen, shatters previous views about Alzheimer’s being a slow path of cognitive function losses. This book is a paradigm shift forever altering the publicly and medically held views that cognitive decline was a downhill path with no “cure” or hope. – That once a person was diagnosed with this type of neurological disorder the most one could hope for was to slow the process down for a while. To encourage you to read this book yourself now I am providing descriptions and reviews by others., some lay persons and a lengthy expert review.
Amazon.com presents the book as:
“A groundbreaking plan to prevent and reverse Alzheimer’s disease that fundamentally changes how we understand cognitive decline. Everyone knows someone who has survived cancer, but until now no one knows anyone who has survived Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). In this paradigm shifting book, Dale Bredesen, MD, offers real hope to anyone looking to prevent and even reverse Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. Revealing that AD is not one condition, as it is currently treated, but three, The End of Alzheimer’s outlines 36 metabolic factors (micronutrients, hormone levels, sleep) that can trigger “downsizing” in the brain. The protocol shows us how to rebalance these factors using lifestyle modifications like taking B12, eliminating gluten, or improving oral hygiene. The results are impressive. Of the first 10 patients on the protocol, nine displayed significant improvement with three to six months; since then the protocol has yielded similar results with hundreds more. Now, The End of Alzheimer’s brings new hope to a broad audience of patients, caregivers, physicians, and treatment centers with a fascinating look inside the science and a complete step-by-step plan that fundamentally changes how we treat and even think about AD.”
If you are concerned about developing Alzheimer’s, are the caregiver for someone experiencing the ravages of this disease, or are seeking to avoid this neurodegenerative disease being a part of your future, you need to delve into Dr. Dale Bredesen’s book: The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline now.
As you may have observed, except if you have been following Dr. Bredesen’s research papers, until this publication in August 2017, the majority of medical doctors have not had a path to follow or even the “belief” that cognitive decline could be prevented or reversed.
This book provides the lay person and medical professionals with a path to remediation. It gives HOPE where none existed. It provides a proven path that is working and allowing persons to restore the “broken” pieces of their brains and return to living life with a positive future. This book confirmed for us at the Owl’s Nest Oasis for Alzheimer’s Remediation that we are guiding our guests along the right tracks.
Personally, I must admit, this publication lends a medical confirmation to our comprehensive non-invasive life changing protocol. Now the world can see a way to change the course of this brain destroying disease. I am not trying to sell you on our specific program. Many integrative medicine doctors and many clinics around the world have been quietly guiding some of their clients to reverse this dreaded disease for several years now. In the field of integrative medicine, using a whole-body approach to finding and healing the underlying causes, there have been many individual positive results. What has been missing is Dr. Bredesen’s research and the documentation of positive changes made by applying lifestyle alterations. And these are not following a pharmaceutical route, but instead are resulting from dramatic lifestyle changes.
The Bredesen Protocol is the first step. It holds great promise for many who are experiencing early cognitive decline and for many who are in the early to mid-stages of Alzheimer’s Disease. A promise that with an individualized intensive program they may restore their failing brains and hence their lives.
Is this the Holy Grail, a fail proof solution for all dementia clients? Probably not. BUT if this protocol can help turn the tide on the persons recently diagnosed or prevent this disease from destroying the lives of the 7 million being diagnosed each year, then it will have broken the back of this plague.
The Bredesen Protocol requires major lifestyle changes and many are challenging to adopt and to turn into habits. Here, in our Owl’s Nest Oasis program, we enable our guests to comfortably establish these and other new brain protective habits Click here to contact us and discover how we work with our guests.
Several experts have reviewed and all praise Dr. Bredesen’s work. I have chosen some from the Amazon website for you to consider. Two describe the perspective from a lay person’s view and the third is a lengthy review and opens up the pathways for areas that need more research. You can always go to amazon.com and read these and other reviews there.
Shar McBeeon wrote on August 28, 2017 Time to revolutionize our attitude. Dr. Bredesen is a genius revolutionary. I’ve seen the results. You don’t have to believe him. Just suspend your disbelief long enough to give his protocol a chance.
Hello Kitchen wrote on August 25, 2017 Amazing book that provides true hope and the tested methods to make real changes. I CAN change my future! My mother, and roommate, has frontal lobe dementia and, they believe, Alzheimer’s. Watching her decline has been heart wrenching, and I’m constantly trying to find ways to make her life better. I worry not only about Mom, but about myself. I believe that I am on the same path.I first heard of the Bredesen Protocol last winter, when Maria Shriver discussed it on the Today Show. I quickly researched it as much as possible, but info was limited. I had a feeling a book was forthcoming, so I anxiously awaited it’s release. I was worried The End of Alzheimer’s would contain too much technical information that I might not be able to understand. I was very happy to see that it was written in a casual format that intentionally makes it easier for the rest of us. The details are clear, the tone is casual, and it’s easy to follow.
As I read through this book, I was surprised by how many points were familiar to me. That’s me! I do that! Oh heck! It was as enlightening as it was scary. Living with Mom, I also live in fear because I know I’m on the same path she struggles down every day. That’s my future.
On page 97, Bredesen says “How to give yourself Alzheimer’s. Live your life in a way that keeps your brain supplied with as many as possible of the 36 factors that influence whether APP gets cut into the destructive quartet or the beneficial duo. How to prevent it. Live your life in a way that minimizes the number of the 36 inducing factors in your brain.” Those 36 factors are clearly laid out and I believe they are not difficult to control. Several years ago, I struggled with brain fog and often had difficulty remembering numbers for even a couple of minutes. I also was overweight and had heart problems. I reached a point where I thought I would die, so I wrote my will and made plans for my dogs after I was gone. Then I said enough was enough, and I dramatically changed my lifestyle. I cut out processed foods, ate lots and LOTS of vegetables and fresh fruits, especially leafy greens and berries. I ate wild caught fish, but no other animal products. My diet was low in grains. I used the USDA Super Tracker to make sure that my diet exceeded the RDA for every nutrient they tracked. There’s a lot more to it, but I was eating all the time and I exercised every single day. Within a few weeks, I had much more energy. Within a few months, my brain was on FIRE! But then…I started a new job and everything about my lifestyle and schedule changed. Long story short, I fell back into old habits, abandoned my perfect diet and exercise program, and gradually regained weight. I also started losing clarity and life became more difficult. I recognize that. And I know that I alone can change that.
I’m so very glad to have read the Bredesen Protocol because I know now, more than ever, the importance of getting back on track. I am making a serious effort to change my future. I believe this book can help. I have already marked my calendar and plan to follow up on this review in 3 months and again in six months. Mom may be too far along, I don’t know, but it’s worth trying for both of us. Dr. Bredesen states in the book that his protocol may not work for frontal lobe and other types of dementias. It has only been tested on Alzheimer’s. I feel that it’s still very important to heed his advice, as Alzheimer’s often doesn’t get a definite diagnosis until after death.
The second book, released early in the summer of 2017, is Dr. Joseph Mercola’s book called Fat For Fuel. This book has been reviewed by many medical experts in nutrition, functional medicine and other medical fields, the book is a comprehensive easy to read and understand nutrition book. It is not another fad diet being promoted, but is instead a serious looking at the ways we can each address the metabolic challenges today’s available “foods” present to our complex body systems. Dr. Mercola explains why we need to fuel our bodies with fats – the right kinds – and how to make the choices to convert our bodies to burn fat as fuel as opposed to carbohydrates as fuel.
We have trillions of cells making up our bodies – and trillions of other non-person organisms (think bacteria and other organisms that maintain our healthy gut microbiome). Almost every cell in our body has a membrane which welcomes healthy fats and needs these fats to maintain the flexibility of its membrane (cell wall). And inside each cell, we find our metabolic energy producers (without which nothing can happen in our bodies) called the mitochondria. These too have a mainly healthy fat constructed membrane. Dr. Mercola carefully explains how changing from burning carbohydrates (glucose) to burning fats (ketones) is a positive and proven way to maintain and restore health to our bodies.
Fat For Fuel addresses the problems of today’s food choices and how these choices can cause serious damage to these fragile cell and mitochondrial membranes. The name given to the damage and illness of poor choices is metabolic syndrome – and in the case of the mitochondria being affected the name is metabolic mitochondrial syndrome. The solution found in Dr. Mercola’s book is called MMT or metabolic mitochondrial therapy. In today’s world, the majority of persons suffer from metabolic syndrome – a condition that basically is the root behind the inflammation that leads to serious diseases. Metabolic syndrome is the state in which a body is unable to assimilate nutrients and transport these nutrients to the cells and then then to the mitochondria to produce the energy we need to function. Fat for Fuel gives us a set of easy to follow processes all of which are designed to improve the healthy functioning of the mitochondria. And simply following these non-restrictive guidelines will almost guarantee that you will be healthier, satisfied, more energetic – and will make you feel happier.
The main reason so many persons suffer from metabolic syndrome relates to lifestyle choices. We have and are consuming less real food and more processed junk than ever before in the history of man. Our bodies interpret these non-foods as toxins and have to store them or waste energy on them as opposed to being well nourished and therefore being able to keep our bodies functioning optimally. The outcome of consuming these non-foods and our constant exposure to other toxins are diseases we call diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, obesity, arthritis, and more.
Offering the reasons our food (and non-food) choices can nourish or harm our bodies, Dr. Mercola explains how to improve your cellular and hence body’s overall health.
Of course, food choice is not the only assault we have in today’s world and Dr. Mercola briefly addresses these other major players and makes some suggestions to address these – things such as stress, iron overload, exposure to electromagnetic fields, proper sleep habits, and more.
I believe this is an easy to read and understand book that can help you make health enhancing decisions to maintain your health, improve your health, and even possibly reverse already done damage / existing disease. You can find out more about Dr. Mercola’s approach to health and also purchase a copy of the book by visiting either www.drmercola.com or www.amazon.com. Enjoy the read; apply the information and improve your future!
Incorporating Dr. Mercola’s approach to feeding the brain using ketones and Dr. Bredesen’s approach require some major lifestyle changes; but, being motivated these can become a new way of living and keeping one’s brain intact.
If you would like to know more about reversing you or your loved one’s early cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s Disease reversal program at the Owl’s Nest Oasis for Alzheimer’s Remediation, click here to contact our center.
Wishing you success in your journey.
Eleanor
CEO and Founder
The Owl’s Nest Oasis for Alzheimer’s Remediation