Comments on: Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Games

By: Madeleine Kolb

Madeleine Kolb — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 02:27:33 +0000

Christopher, There are glimmers of hope, as you know, especially the recent development of a brain scan for plaques and tangles that can be done in people experiencing decline of cognitive function. Prior to that, the only definitive diagnosis could be done after a person had died.

Personally, I’m running out of unhealthy stuff to give up, except for full-fat, full-flavor cheese. Thanks so much for the comment, Chris.

By: Christopher

Christopher — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:13:36 +0000

Madeleine & Mark,

One of my best friend’s grandmothers also had Alzheimer’s. She also happened to use an aluminum cutting board for decades!

My friend now refuses to use it for obvious reasons. Luckily, we have found a correlation between aluminum and Alzheimer’s and can make people aware of them.

Like you’ve said in various comments Madeleine, all you can do is do AS MANY OF THE RIGHT THINGS (take a holistic approach) and hope for the best. The fact is, just because a disease is idiopathic (we don’t know the cause yet) does NOT mean that it doesn’t have a cause. It is common sense that toxins damage the body. So why not reduce all undesirable toxins so at least you can choose your favorite ones? Mine being alcohol and the occassional binge on “unpaleo” foods.

Good stuff Madeleine!

By: Madeleine Kolb

Madeleine Kolb — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:34:42 +0000

Mark, I am so touched by your sharing the story of your grandmother’s illness. From what I’ve read, the effect of Alzheimer’s on a family is just devastating in so many ways. How demanding and difficult and completing draining it must be for a spouse or adult son or daughter to care for someone with this disease.

“In the end an inability to speak, to recognise – just a constant shouting and wailing like an eighty year old new born child – terrified, helpless, lost. It’s a terrifying disease – I would rather be dead that suffer the loss of each human faculty in turn.”

What a terrible way to end one’s life and even more terrible for you, if you have lovely memories of your grandmother in her younger years. I too have thought that I’d rather be dead than subject my daughter or my boyfriend to such a thing.

By: mark owen-ward

mark owen-ward — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:57:14 +0000

this important article is a timely reminder for me. my grandmother developed alzheimer’s in the last ten years of her life. To start with, sadly, it was vaguely amusing, repeated stories, slightly quirky behaviours and an acknowledgment from my gran that things weren’t quite right – there was humour there and we shared in it. But with time the disease grew more rampant – my gran ceased to recognise her husband of 60 years as her husband and viewed him as an imposter who had moved into her home – to complicate things, she thought my father was her husband. It was distressing for all concerned. When she fell and broke her hip she had no will to recover and the disease accelerated. Double incontinence, huge weight loss, an inability to retain her dentures or wear glasses. In the end an inability to speak, to recognise – just a constant shouting and wailing like an eighty year old new born child – terrified, helpless, lost. It’s a terrifying disease – I would rather be dead that suffer the loss of each human faculty in turn. Anything that helps find a cure is to be welcomed for this most debasing and dehumanising of diseases.

For one I know that my Gran always cooked with aluminium saucepans and so I avoid them like the plague, she was also addicted to sugar, white bread, cakes – a kind of post world war II reaction to rationing and she was diabetic too. Clearly, genetics play a key part too as her husband, my Grandfather was not affected. My only wish is that she could have kept more dignity in life at the end for her sake and those of her children.
.-= mark owen-ward´s last blog ..Why we should avoid unemployment of the body =-.

By: Madeleine Kolb

Madeleine Kolb — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:07:48 +0000

Hi Aileen, Thanks for the comment.

You can’t go wrong with eating healthy and getting plenty of physical exercise.

By: Aileen

Aileen — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 19:16:49 +0000

Great post – we do need to be informed in order to make the best choices. – and although we don’t know for sure how to prevent it 100% , I agree with you – make healthy adjustments and “hope for the best.”
.-= Aileen´s last blog ..5 Signs It’s Time To Let Go =-.

By: Tweets that mention Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Games -- Topsy.com

Tweets that mention Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Games -- Topsy.com — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 21:37:39 +0000

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By: Madeleine Kolb

Madeleine Kolb — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:49:44 +0000

@Angela, I think I’ve read this somewhere myself. I don’t know whether it contributes to Alzheimer’s Disease or not, but there’s no harm in finding a substitute for those deodorants.

By: Madeleine Kolb

Madeleine Kolb — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:38:46 +0000

@LPC, Thanks for your comment. One of the reasons that Alzheimer’s disease is so scary is that no one knows for sure what causes it or how to prevent, delay, or cure it.

We know that, besides age, risk factors include high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, both of which can be controlled by diet, exercise, medication, or some combination. I have both of those conditions and control them very well–so well that I don’t need medication for diabetes.

I throw in a fair amount of mental exertion, socializing, a wonderful relationship with my BF, travel, and a bit of hope for good measure.

By: Angela Artemis

Angela Artemis — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 03:02:20 +0000

Madeleine,
Alzheimers is scary prospect. I’ve stopped using deodorants with aluminum chlorhidrate. I’d read some where that heavy metal toxicity can contribute to Alzheimers.
.-= Angela Artemis´s last blog ..If You’ve Never Failed – You Haven’t Tried Hard Enough to Succeed =-.