These are my two favourite books when it comes to information about AD:
- The End of Alzheimer’s from Dr Dale Bredesen
- New Light on Dementia from Marieke de Vrij (newlightondementia.com – free downloadable book)
The first book explains the physiological processes around AD. It gives hope to everybody who wants to prevent or reverse cognitive decline. Instead of considering AD as an incurable, mainly genetically determined disease, dr. Dale Bredesen offers a new perspective: there are three types of AD in which different elements play a role: inflammation (from infections, food or other factors), shortage of nutrients, hormones and other molecules supporting the brain and toxic substances like heavy metals or biotoxins (=toxins produced by microbes like fungi).
Dr. Bredesen provides an overview of 36 metabolic factors which can trigger downsizing the brain and a program to balance these factors by adjusting food and lifestyle elements like improving your sleep pattern, avoid eating gluten, intermittent fasting, etc.
A roof with 36 holes:
There are at least 36 mechanisms contributing to the pathophysiology of AD. If you work on only one, the chance for success is limited. This probably also explains why, so far, no “miracle pill” has been found. It would have to fix all 36 mechanisms, which is highly unlikely in one pill.
The second book gives a more spiritual insight into the meaning of dementia. Unprocessed experiences get a chance to be processed, since the mental censorship disappears. Dementia is seen as a useful and valuable process to work away the backlog of unprocessed and undigested experiences. Understanding the meaning of dementia, provides insight in the prevention:
- Do not lead a life that is too full, because every day of excess creates a backlog in processing the path you have already taken.
- Take time to adequately process serious events in life, it is stored in you and waits for nurturing and attention from yourself.
- Don’t think you need to do more than you are actually capable of doing
- Spend time in nature in order to remember your own true nature
- Allow your true feelings
- Be authentic, be who you truly are and prevent a memory-backlog because you had to be something that is not in your nature to live up to. Life doesn’t ask you to be a different person than who you are by nature.
It also provides tools to deal with people who go through this cleaning process. Instead of challenging and activating them, we should appreciate the space and time they require for it.
Health and Wellness coaches can help you holistically if you want to make behavioural– or lifestyle changes on the above-mentioned elements.
Karin Sauren
