2018 may turn out to be the most exciting year yet for those interested in maintaining a health brain; and for those working to help maintain such in others, for 3 reasons. First, after decades of disappointing clinical trials the scientific community* is coming to the realization that although it appears unlikely that a drug will ever be found to effectively reverse age related cognitive decline, or Alzheimer’s (AD), there are many other things that may. Second, there have now been various high quality studies, conducted by good researchers, in different parts of the world, that have achieved reversals in well documented cases of cognitive impairment, and AD, and this year many of those studies will be replicated. Third, these researchers are now speaking out, and publishing their findings, not only in scientific journals, but in the public press – in popular new books and magazines. And I predict that soon you will be hearing about them and their work on talk shows, and reading about them in newspapers, and magazines throughout the country.
* It will likely take the medical community a while longer.
Much to the chagrin of the Pharmaceutical companies who have wasted billions in their search for a silver bullet to arrest these disorders, and the elite orthodox “authorities on the subject,” and the Alzheimer’s Association, who have actively suppressed the release of info on alternative therapies in the past (I can say that because I experienced it first hand), the proverbial Pandora’s box is now open. And I predict that before 2018 is over, most of the educated free world will be aware of the fact that most cases of Alzheimer’s, perhaps as high as 90% (see below), can be prevented; and most of those in the early to mid stages of this and other forms of dementia, can experience major symptom reversals.
As Dale Bredesen, MD from UCLA noted in 2016, “We are now living in the age of treatable Alzheimer’s.” Few knew that, or even heard that back then, but this year they will, and I’ll tell you why. But I predict the impact will be enormous. It will trigger a key “tipping point,” as people begin to realize they have been misinformed, and will eventually (may take a few years) effect a major shift towards healthier lifestyles both in the US and abroad. Now I will explain why.
For decades the mantra has been, “nothing can prevent, mitigate, cure or even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.” Health care professionals and at-risk seniors have been brain washed with this disempowering bulloney for years, by special interest groups more focused on money (for drug research) than public health. But, if you’ve been reading these newsletters or our book, or taken a class from me in the past 2 years, then you know that as far back as 2004 insightful and innovative researchers like David Perlmutter, MD, a board certified Neurologists and Nutritionist, and then in 2008 Vincent Fortanasce, MD, professor of Neurology at USC, have been declaring that age related cognitive decline and even Alzheimer’s are preventable and in the early stages modifiable. But their methods were unorthodox, they didn’t have many good large scale experimental studies to support their claims, and so few other than the “health food nuts” and “hippies” heeded their clarion calls, which were generally ignored or rejected by their mainstream medical colleagues.
But in 2014 a researcher named Miia Kivipelto from Sweden shocked the scientific community at a major Alzheimer’s conference in Paris, with the announcement, that in a large well designed Finnish Geriatric (FINGER) study[1], involving more than 1200 cognitively impaired seniors, they had reversed several important indicators of cognitive decline and dramatically reduced the risk for AD and dementia in hundreds of their subjects. Moreover, this was achieved, not with an expensive new medication, but with simple modifications in diet, exercise social interaction and other aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
In 2016 Majid Fotuhi, the honest dedicated former Director of science for the Alzheimer’s Association, reported on a 12 week study he conducted with 127 seniors with MCI (mild cognitive impairment – a precursor to Alzheimer’s diagnosis & dementia), wherein they produced similar outcomes to the FINGER study with a similar, though more intense and personalized, multi-pronged approach. This included a Mediterranean diet, physical and mental exercise, richer social interaction, meditation, sleep enhancement and other stress management strategies.[2] Of the 127 participants, 84% showed significant improvements in at least three areas of cognitive functioning. Of the 17 who had a pre and post MRI more than half were shown to have experienced growth in their hippocampus (memory center). Something most experts believed was impossible.
However, improvements have not been confined solely to those with mild impairments. In 2014 Dale Bredesen, a medical researcher from UCLA published a fascinating study, involving 10 people with dementia, apparently resulting in part from genetically driven Alzheimer’s disease.[3] He too instituted a combination personalized approach, involving diet, nutritional supplements, physical activity, mental activity (some of which were designed to improve auditory processing) and quality social interaction, as well as various other interventions to safely boost hormones and reduce stress and inflammation. He reported significant and remarkable reversals in 9 of these 10 patients, within just a year or two.
In 2016 Bredesen documented significant improvements in key structures of the brain.[4] In one patient the hippocampus volume went from the 17th percentile to 75th percentile, supporting the marked symptomatic improvement that he (and others) achieved using this multifaceted protocol. In another patient quantitative neuropsychological testing demonstrated improvements of up to three standard deviations (CVLT-IIB, from 3rd percentile to 84th percentile), with multiple tests all showing marked improvements.
Since 2006 a couple of other neuroscience researchers at Loma Linda medical center in CA, have been involved in related research. They are doctors Dean and Ayesha Sherzai. In their analysis of more than 2500 patients they report that less than 1% of the dementia patients they saw had healthy lifestyles (plant-based diets, regular exercise, stress management, community involvement, and higher levels of cognitive activity, which create resiliency in the brain).[5] Moreover, as a result of their research, they now echo Bredesen’s claim that “within the normal life span 90% of Alzheimer’s cases can be prevented” and in most cases reversed with appropriate interventions in the above noted areas.
Why People Are Now Paying Attention
In the early days it was easy to ignore such findings as they were meager , outside of mainstream journals, few and far between. However, in 2018 all that will change.
In 2018 the powerful US Alzheimer’s Assoc is set to replicate the FINGER study throughout the US. Similar studies will be launched in 7 major countries in Europe, Canada and Asia. These studies are so large that with their recruitment efforts much of the world will be notified of Dr. Kivipelto’s research, and soon all the world will be watching in anticipation of their results. But people don’t like to wait. With their interests peaked, and the “nothing can help” bubble having been burst, interest is going to turn to others who have shown even better results in less time.
Since Bedesen’s initial study, he has reported reversals in “hundreds of patients” who have used this or similar protocols, plainly laid out in his new book The End of Alzheimer’s, which hit bookstores last July, and is reportedly selling like hot cakes. I even found a copy in my local grocery store. He was also the feature presenter in the Awakening From Alzheimer’s documentary, viewed last year by more than 300,000 nation wide, and will likely star in a sequel this year, which will be shown to an even larger audience.
He is now training other doctors and health coaches, both in the US and abroad, on how to apply his protocol. One of his assistants told me that in October he trained over 300 practitioners in his methods at a two day training in Florida. Evidence that this new paradigm with its multi-pronged synergistic approach, is gaining traction amongst a growing number of health care providers. Dr. Fotuhi is also in the process of training others to do his program nationwide.[6]
In October the Sherzai’s new book, The Alzheimer’s Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age, also hit bookstores. And with an endorsement from the famed professor T. Colin Campbell, PhD of Cornell, author of the hugely popular China Study, it too has taken off on Amazon and in bookstores across the country.
And I just received word Mark Hyman, MD author the the Ultra Mind Solution has a new documentary coming out on 17 January with more than 50 experts on brain health – dementia, ADHD, depression, autism, etc. and they will all be talking about their newest best findings on how to avoid or reverse cognitive decline. Here’s a link to a free sign up for that. Mark is an interesting guy, as he himself suffered a brain break down and major cognitive decline, from stress, mercury poisoning etc., but then dove into the research and found out how to completely restore the health of his brain and related abilities with complementary approaches, like Bredesen uses.
The good book (Bible) says that “in the mouth of two or more witnesses all things shall be established.” Now we have at least 7 good witnesses, and soon a chorus of many more. I used to feel like I was singing this tune almost solo, but by this time next year I’ll likely be “preaching to the choir.” As you all and many more should know for sure that what I’ve been saying is true.
The Key to Cognitive Health
The question is: What does it take to maintain a healthy brain or to effect a remarkable recovery in those who have experienced a decline?
The Answer: That depends on what is causing the decline. And while our bodies and brains have many needs in common
Every body is different
Every brain has unique challenges and needs
Whatever helped your mother, friend, neighbor, brother or even a group of people in a study or on a PBS special, may not help you or do much for your new patient.
The key is: “biological individuality and meeting personal biological needs.
4 things that the Perlmutter, Fortanasce, Bredesen, Fotuhi, Hyman and Sherzai’ studies all have in common are:
- They assess each person’s unique biological needs, meds and mental challenges.
- They are each based on research from a variety of disciplines.
- They use a combined “synergistic” approach that meets unique biological, mental & emotional needs, incorporating physical, nutritional, mental & social strategies.
- Trained professionals track progress and tweek plans until success is achieved!
All of these researchers and the practitioners they have trained, now use this approach, which is the same as that advocated and used by the American Brain Council. It all starts with a personal assessment and then a personalized plan to meet each person’s unique needs.
Many people will learn about these new breakthrough’s this year, and they will be excited to learn more. But they may not know where to go to do so — where to obtain such an evaluation and plan. This is where you can help. If you know someone who needs this information, or who would like to learn how to develop or just introduce such a plan to others, I invite you to give us at the American Brain Council a call at (866) 634-9880. Our mission this year will be making others aware of how to apply this exciting new information into their own lives to achieve optimal brain health and improve their functional abilities. We now know what’s needed. Hopefully, working together we can help some people this year!
References
[1] Kivipelto M, Mangialasche F, Ngandu T.(2017) Can lifestyle changes prevent cognitive impairment? Lancet Neurol. 2017 May;16(5):338-339. doi: 10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30080-7. Epub 2017 Mar 27. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28359750
Kivipelto M, Mangialasche F, Ngandu T, (2018) on behalf of the World Wide Fingers Network. World Wide Fingers will advance dementia prevention. Lancet Neurol 2018; 17: 27. http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(17)30431-3
[2] Fotuhi M, Lubinski B, Hausterman N, Riloff T, Hadadi M, Raji CM. (2016) A Personalized 12-week “Brain Fitness Program” for Improving Cognitive Function and Increasing the Volume of Hippocampus in Elderly with Mild Cognitive Impairment. J Prev Alzheimers Dis. 2016;3(3):133-137. doi: 10.14283/jpad.2016.92. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29205251
[3] Bredesen DE, (2014) Reversal of cognitive decline: A novel therapeutic program. Aging, Sept 2014, Vol 6, 9 http://www.impactaging.com/papers/v6/n9/full/100690.html
[4] Bredesen DE, Amos EC, Canick J, (2016) Reversal of cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease. Aging. Vol 6 Issue 9. http://www.aging-us.com/article/100690
[5] Sherzai, D & Sherzaii S. (2017) The Alzheimer’s Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age. HarperCollins, NY. September 12, p 4 https://www.amazon.com/Alzheimers-Solution-Breakthrough
https://bluezones.com/2017/09/researchers-say-alzheimers-disease-cases-preventable-find/
[6] Oaklander M, (2016) Untangling Alzheimer’s. Time Aug 22: 41-43.
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