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Alzheimer's
Disease
The brain has 100 billion specialized nerve cells
called neurons.. Each nerve cell communicates with
many others to form networks. Nerve cell
networks have special jobs. Some are involved
in thinking, learning and remembering. Others
help us see, hear and smell. Still others tell
our muscles when to move. In Alzheimer’s
disease, as in other types of dementia,
increasing numbers of brain cells deteriorate
and die.
Take the Brain
Tour to learn more about how the
brain works and how Alzheimer's disease
affects it.
The role of plaques and
tangles
Two abnormal structures called plaques and
tangles are believed to be damaging and
killing nerve cells. Plaques and tangles were
among the abnormalities that Dr. Alois
Alzheimer saw when he first named the disease,
although he called them different names.
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Plaques build up
between nerve cells. They contain deposits
of a protein fragment called beta-amyloid
(BAY-tuh AM-uh-loyd).
-
Tangles Tangles are
twisted fibers of another protein called
tau (rhymes with “wow”). Tangles form
inside dying cells.
Though most people develop some plaques and
tangles as they age, those with Alzheimer’s
tend to develop far more.
The plaques and tangles tend to form in a
predictable pattern, beginning in areas
important in learning and memory and then
spreading to other regions.
Scientists are not absolutely sure what
role plaques and tangles play in Alzheimer’s
disease. Most experts believe they somehow
block communication among nerve cells and
disrupt activities that cells need to survive.
Factors likely to cause Alzheimer's include
heavy metal poisoning, environmental
influences, genetics, hormone imbalances,
impaired blood flow, and nutritional
deficiencies.
Here is an interesting article on
Alzheimers as Diabetes of the Brain
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/alzheimers-diabetes-brain
What can be done:
Drink more
vegetable and fruit juices: particularly
vegetable juices since they have less
fructose. These juices have tons of
beneficial antioxidants.
Minimize eating
sugars & carbs:
Why would eating lots
of sweets and carbohydrates increase your risk
of dementia? Well, there are three
scientific reasons:
Reason 1:
Sugar dramatically increases your metabolism,
and high rates of metabolism become a major
source of free radical production which damage
your cells and impair their function.)
Reason 2:
High levels of sugar in your body cause the
sugar to react with various critical proteins,
including enzymes that repair DNA damage
caused by free radicals.
Reason 3:
Continued high sugar consumption prevents your
cells from absorbing the sugar needed to
produce energy — a condition called insulin
resistance. Another recent study found a high
incidence of insulin resistance in those with
Alzheimer's dementia. The worst form of sugar
is high Fructose corn syrup. See Insulin
Resistance
Therapy with
B Vitamins
such as B6, folic acid, and
B12 (methylcobalamin)
that lower homocysteine
levels. It is thought that a high
homocysteine level in the brain causes
neuronal damage leading to progression of
Alzheimer's disease.
Where can you get a
product for this. Go to the Nerve
Support Formula.
Although developed for the treatment of
neuropathy, the Nerve Support Formula has
all the ingredients to help with Alzheimers.
Good
quality vitamins and minerals for any
deficiencies.
Where can you
go for this product - Go to the Health
Basics Pack. Whole food
natural vitamins that the body will
recognize as food and utilize.
People who
eat an average of 180 mg or more a day of DHA,
a fatty acid found in fish
oils, have a lower incidence of
Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia,
compared with people who consume less DHA,
according to epidemiologic data collected
in the Framingham Heart Study. Dietary
supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids
may protect cognitive function in patients
with mild, early stage AD.
Exposure to
sunlight in the morning and sleep pattern
restoration
Other things that might
help:
Acetyl-L-carnitine
protects against amyloid-beta
neurotoxicity and may be helpful in combination with
medical drugs, if that is chosen to be
used. The dose
should not be more than 100 to 300 mg a
day a few times a week.
Use of ginkgo
biloba should certainly be considered.
Use of curcumin,
the yellow compound found in turmeric.
Curcumin supplements are now available.
Curcumin is lately getting more attention
and appears to be a good preventive spice.
Blocking the
breakdown of acetylcholine with
pharmaceutical drugs or natural
supplements such as huperzine.
Improving
blood flow to brain cells
Mood
improvement through nutrients and herbs
Drinking
herbal teas, including green
tea
Smart
Nutrients: Prevent and Treat Alzheimer's,
Enhance Brain Function
Protect
Yourself from the Ravages of Alzheimer's
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