Category Archives: Prevention

I have mentioned in earlier posts that I am a prime candidate for developing Alzheimer Dementia and therefore I am keen to learn if it is possible to prevent it altogether.  I am now quite confident that there are real possibilities with a natural product: Coconut Oil.  I appreciate this may be a little controversial – so I have searched for at least 4 sources before I published this post – so here goes:

This article is probably controversial because many medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies continue to suggest that there is no cure for Alzheimer’s – or at least that they have not found one yet.  Logically they are not interested in researching natural products – as they cannot place a patent on them – thus they cannot make any money from this research.  So they will not endorse a natural remedy.

As explained earlier – dementia is a disease where brain cells (neurons) die.   Neurons need oxygen and energy supplied by the blood flowing through your brain.  The primary source of energy is glucose, which comes from simple sugars such as from carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta etc.).  In simple terms – neurons have insulin receptors that absorb the glucose and hey presto – the neuron gets its’ energy.  However, when dementia has started, the insulin receptors no longer accept glucose – thus no energy gets into the neuron causing the neuron to die.  So this is in fact a type of diabetes – in fact in the USA they call this Diabetes Type 3.

The good news is that there is an alternative source of energy – called Ketones.  Ketones are produced by the liver from Medium Chain Triglycerides.  Yes – these are a fatty acid found in Coconut Oil.  So when you consume Coconut Oil your liver will produce Ketones and while glucose is no longer accepted as energy in your neurons – Ketones are!

This alternative energy source has been successfully trialed by Dr. Mary Newport on her husband who has early onset Alzheimer’s.  She has featured on many TV shows in the USA explaining how Coconut Oil has in fact reversed the symptoms in her husband Steve.  The disease had progressed to the point where it not only affected his memory, but also his speech and his motor skills where he had difficulty walking.  He failed the clock test – yet after just days – the symptoms started to reverse to the point where he can now walk, run, talk and has significant improvement in drawing the clock.  Here is a link to an interview on CBN News:  CBN article

There is an extensive (55 minutes interview) available with Dr. Newport and her husband: click here

The team at GreenMedInfo published an article confirming the benefits of Coconut Oil: Article

Dr. Mercola has a very comprehensive article about various options to treat Alzheimer’s (including coconut oil): Article  Dr. Mercola has another article specifically addressing coconut oil relating to Alzheimer’s which also refers to Dr. Mary Newport’s research: Article

Sadly, some of the Alzheimer Associations are skeptical as well – I guess they are relying on pharmaceutical funding as well – so they discourage people using these alternatives – even though there are so many positive stories – here is an example: Article

And here is another video where someone has seen significant improvements in his 85 year old father:  Steve’s video

In the CBN article, Dr. Mary Newport refers to Dr. Veech who has developed Ketone Esters as an even more powerful form of Ketones.  Here is a very scientific article explaining this: Article

Dr. Bruce Fife has published an article about the general benefits of coconut oil: Article

I realize this article contains a lot of links to secondary sources and the information can be overwhelming to sort through.  But once you learn what I have learned these last few months, you’ll see why I am so excited about this method of dementia prevention.  The potential benefits – for diseases such as Parkinson’s – are promising.   Please leave comments and share results if you decide to try these suggestions for yourself.  I look forward to the discussion. 

How much do you need to take?  Dr. Mary Newport feeds her husband 4 teaspoons of coconut oil per day – you should not need more than 3 tablespoons per day.

How do you take it?  Well you can add it into any food – like breakfast cereal.  I have personally started to use it – adding it into my tea and coffee.  When you use it in your tea or coffee – you only need a level teaspoon – any more and it will be rather oily – a small amount does not effect the taste.  Please note that Coconut oil solidifies below about 24 degrees Celsius.  So in warmer climates it is used in liquid form while in cooler climates you can use a spoon to get it from the container.  When you use it in a warm/hot food or drink, it dissolves and mixes in very easily.

Where do you buy it?  Most supermarkets sell coconut oil.  Or you can find it in health food stores or ethnic food stores.  I even bought a container in a fruit and vegetable market.  Make sure it is pure – virgin coconut oil – cold press is best.  Make sure it is not hydrogenated.

Will it increase my cholesterol?  Yes – it probably will – but it is the GOOD cholesterol – so it is actually good for you.  If you are not sure – you can always ask your doctor.

I have mentioned earlier that I am a prime candidate to develop the Alzheimer Dementia disease based on genetics and family history.  So I am extremely motivated to make sure that I do everything I can to delay the onset of dementia.  A couple of weeks ago I shared that Exercise is one of the most important prevention methods and today we look at food in a way to prevent Alzheimer’s.

Today we look at food and how this can make a difference and help prevent the onset of dementia.  In earlier blogs we have described that the brain requires large amounts of energy and that dementia develops when plagues and tangles form in the neurons in the brain.  On our “What is it page” we describe how the brain cells get clogged with tangles and plaque and start to die.

There is common agreement from all experts in the field that we should focus on a eating plan (or diet if you like) which focuses on brain food.  This includes foods that are high in “good fats” which includes Fish, Seeds and Nuts.    In fact – many studies now confirm that the “Mediterranean-style Diet”  which is high in fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and other forms of lean proteins, nuts and seeds, virgin olive oil, yogurts and natural cheese will improve your health, your brain health and as a result slow down the onset of dementia.  Oh yes – the Mediterranean diet does also include a glass of red wine every day.  (one glass not several).

Eating one serving of oily fish a week is associated with halving the risk of developing Alzheimer Dementia.  For some people who do not enjoy eating fish, supplements of one kind of omega 3 fish oil, called DHA, have been shown to enhance memory in adults who don’t eat fish, and to prevent memory loss in those in the early stages of memory decline.  But it’s not just oily fish. The more fish you eat, the better your memory test performance. Fish is also an excellent source of vitamins B12 and D, all essential for the brain. Chia and flax seeds are also an excellent source of omega 3.

Foods high in antioxidants also come highly recommended.  These include berries and brightly coloured vegetables – Carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, spinach and mushrooms.  Also very beneficial is tea (especially green tea), dark chocolate and red wine (great to see these foods are actually good for us!). Let’s not forget, too, that our brains need a minimum of six servings of fruit and vegetables per day to stay in optimal health.  That is about 500 grams as your baseline daily requirement – made up of any of these fruits & vegetables.

Talking about tea just before: Green tea is associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment. Ordinary tea drinking is also associated with better cognition. We recommend to limit coffee to one a day and drink tea, ideally green tea, instead of coffee.

Most importantly, there is also common agreement on the types of foods to avoid as these foods could accelerate the onset of dementia.  This includes sugars, processed foods like white bread,  regular pasta, white rice, soft drinks, etc.

Keeping your blood sugar level down, which also means you make less insulin, preserves your memory.  That means avoiding sugar and processed foods (such as white bread) as much as possible and eating slow-releasing ‘whole’ carbohydrate foods such as wholegrain bread or pasta and oat cakes. Eating white bread is associated with a poorer cognitive test performance as well, while high fiber bread is associated with better performance. Eating carbohydrate foods with protein, for example brown rice with fish, or porridge oats with seeds, further reduces the glycemic load (GL) of a meal. Best fruits in this respect are berries, cherries and plums while grapes, raisins and bananas are high GL. These kinds of foods are consistent with a Mediterranean diet which has also been shown to reduce risk.  Eat your fruit, don’t drink it. Many fruit juices have a lot of sugar in it.  And logically, avoid fast foods as much as possible.

During the next few weeks we will introduce the various methods that can be used to prevent Alzheimer’s Dementia being a destructive disease or at least how we can slow down the onset of Alzheimer’s.

From all the research that I have completed, I concluded that Exercise has to be the number 1 strategy to combat Alzheimer’s.  No doubt there will be many medical professionals and other experts who disagree with this statement, but I am sure that there are many more who will totally agree with this.

Sure, there are plenty of alternatives that we will cover in the next few weeks, but the most effective way to delay the onset of Alzheimer Dementia is Exercise.  

I am sure that you all agree that exercise is good for your general health.  And I am also sure that many of us could exercise more.  But when you realize how debilitating the effects of Alzheimer Dementia are, the more motivated everyone should be to exercise more on a regular basis.

Apart from the fact that your health will improve, you will start to feel fitter, you will more than likely lose some weight (if you are overweight), you will feel younger, and progressively you will be able to do more.

Exercising does not only improve your physical fitness, it improves your mental health as well.  Even a small amount of regular exercise can release stress, reduce anxiety, ease depression and improve your mood.  No matter how old you are, we can all benefit from physical exercise as it will make you feel better and you reach a feeling of general well-being.

People that exercise regularly feel more energetic throughout the day, they usually sleep better at night, they have sharper memories, and they feel more relaxed and positive about their own lives. You do not need to spend hours pumping weights or run marathons to achieve these results.

For people with Alzheimer’s in their family (parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters etc.) it is best to start when you are still young, so that exercise will become part of your daily routine – so that it becomes one of your vital priorities.

The day I turned 40 I started going for regular health check-ups.  In Australia they welcomed this – and the doctor would often say: “Oh John, your cholesterol is a bit high and you should lose some weight” but that hardly motivated me.   Then we moved to the UK and it was: “Mr. Van Dijk – if you do not do something about your cholesterol and your weight – then we will”.

That was the motivation I needed, since then I started getting up between 5:00 and 5:30 am – 6 days a week to exercise.  It took me about 2 years to lose 28 kgs. and I have kept most of that off for about 16 years now.  Now nutrition is also an important factor here, but I will come back to healthy eating later.

Any exercise that raises your heart rate is beneficial, since it also improves your cardiovascular system.  So, if you have not exercised regularly, the most important thing to do is to start.  Even if it is just a brisk walk for 30 minutes, it will start to do you good.  Then gradually increase this to about 1 hour.

Any exercise: swimming, jogging, running, skipping, stretches, weight or resistance training, aerobics, dancing, just use your imagination.  Personally I now exercise at least 6-7 hours per week.  I go running 3 days a week and go to an outdoor gym (courtesy of the local city council) for the other 3 days ( I have one rest-day).  I normally run just over 10 kms and use the gym for about 70 minutes, rowing, doing stretches and weights.

OK – but what if your relative suffering with Alzheimer’s is a lot older and is not so fit anymore?   Again, the important message is to start.  We need to improve the blood flow.  So, even if we simply start with a walk around the block, it is a beginning.  Perhaps there is a gym nearby – almost all retirement village have a gym these days, and if not a gym – perhaps a pool.

For senior people there are lots of programs that can be followed in the privacy of your own home.  There are exercise programs on DVD  – here is an example.

Another great suggestion for both young and old is to get a Nintendo Wii or Microsoft XBox.  There are many sports games that get people up out of their chair and involved in the game and into bodily movements AND they can have fun at the same time.

Here is one of the resources that I can recommend for further reading.

Why does Exercise work?

The brain is an amazing organ.  The brain actually needs lots of energy which is supplied through millions of small blood vessels.  When you exercise your body, you actually exercise your brain at the same time.  This increased blood flow to the brain is actually very good for you.  The more active your brain – the less chance for Alzheimer Dementia to develop – thus slowing the onset of dementia.

On our “What is it page” we describe how the brain cells get clogged with tangles and plaque and start to die.  Scientists are suggesting that regular exercise slows down the development of these tangles and plaque and therefore keep you brain healthier for longer.  We are not suggesting that you will not get Alzheimer’s – but we are slowing down the onset of dementia.

So – what is holding you back?