A Disturbingly Common, Modern ‘Rite of Passage’?
A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, sadly, has become almost like a rite of passage in so-called developed countries. Alzheimer’s is considered the most common form of dementia, which is defined as a serious loss of cognitive function beyond what is expected from normal aging in previously unimpaired persons.A 2006 study estimated that 26 million people throughout the world suffer from this condition, and that by 2050, the prevalence will quadruple, by which time one in 85 people worldwide will be afflicted with the disease.
Given the global extent of the problem, interest is growing in safe and effective preventive and therapeutic interventions within the conventional medical and alternative professions alike.
Conventional, drug-based approaches unfortunately may amount to declaring chemical war on the problem, a mistake that may result in serious neurological harm, as evidenced by the fact that this drug class carries an alarmingly high risk of causing seizures, according to World Health Organization post-marketing surveillance statistics.
Remarkable Recoveries Reported After Administration of Turmeric
A remarkable study was published in the journal Ayu titiled “Effects of turmeric on Alzheimer’s disease with behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.“ Researchers described three patients with Alzheimer’s disease whose behavioral symptoms ”improved remarkably” as a result of consuming dosages of turmeric for 12 weeks. According to the study:“All three patients exhibited irritability, agitation, anxiety, and apathy, two patients suffer from urinary incontinence. ... They were prescribed turmeric powder capsules and started recovering from these symptoms without any adverse reaction in the clinical symptom and laboratory data.”
After only three months of treatment, both the patients’ symptoms and the burden on their caregivers were significantly decreased.
The report describes the improvements :
This study illustrates just how powerful a simple natural intervention using a time-tested culinary herb can be. Given that turmeric has been used medicinally and as a culinary ingredient for over 5,000 years in Indian culture, we should not be surprised at this result. Indeed, epidemiological studies of Indian populations reveal that they have a remarkably lower prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease relative to Western nations, and this is true for both rural and more “Westernized” urban areas of India.
Other Documented Anti-Alzheimer’s Mechanisms Include:
- Anti-inflammatory: Curcumin has been found to play a protective role against β-amyloid protein associated inflammation.
- Anti-oxidative: Curcumin may reduce damage via antioxidant properties.
- Anti-cytotoxic: Curcumin appears to protect against the cell-damaging effects of β-amyloid proteins.
- Anti-amyloidogenic: Turmeric contains a variety of compounds (curcumin, tetrahydrocurcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin) which may strike to the root pathological cause of Alzheimer’s disease by preventing β-amyloid protein formation.
- Neurorestorative: Curcuminoids appear to rescue long-term potentiation (an indication of functional memory) impaired by amyloid peptide, and may reverse physiological damage by restoring distorted neurites and disrupting existing plaques.
- Metal-chelating properties: Curcumin has a higher binding affinity for iron and copper rather than zinc, which may contribute to its protective effect in Alzheimer’s disease, as iron-mediated damage may play a pathological role.
Just The Tip of the Medicine Spice Cabinet
- Coconut Oil: This remarkable substance contains approximately 66% medium chain triglycerides by weight, and is capable of improving symptoms of cognitive decline in those suffering from dementia by increasing brain-boosing ketone bodies, and perhaps more remarkably, within only one dose, and within only two hours.
- Cocoa: A 2009 study found that cocoa procyanidins may protect against lipid peroxidation associated with neuronal cell death in a manner relevant to Alzheimer’s disease.
- Sage: A 2003 study found that sage extract has therapeutic value in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
- Folic acid: While most of the positive research on this B vitamin has been performed on the semi-synthetic version, which may have unintended, adverse health effects, the ideal source for this B vitamin is foliage, i.e. green leafy vegetables, as only foods provide folate. Also, the entire B group of vitamins, especially including the homocysteine-modulating B6 and B12, may have the most value in Alzheimer’s disease prevention and treatment.
- Resveratrol: this compound is mainly found in the Western diet in grapes, wine, peanuts and chocolate. There are 16 articles on our website indicating it has anti-Alzheimer’s properties.
- Gingko biloba: is one of the few herbs proven to be at least as effective as the pharmaceutical drug Aricept in treating and improving symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Melissa offinalis: this herb, also known as Lemon Balm, has been found to have therapeutic effect in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
- Saffron: this herb compares favorably to the drug donepezil in the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease.
