Primehealths Approach To Alzheimers Disease
Prevention is always the best medicine. PrimeHealths approach to Alzheimers disease is to improve the function of the brain through lifestyle changes, hopefully during mild cognitive impairment before the early stages of Alzheimers take hold.
Our individualized approach allows PrimeHealth to identify unique risk factors through lab testing and counseling. Then lifestyle changes necessary for prevention will be introduced.
Combining science-based lifestyle changes, medicinal plants, and stress reduction, our practice has seen encouraging results with many of our patients.
Want to prevent Alzheimers using a plan that works without breaking the bank? Get our guide to the Bredesen Protocol on a budget for as little as $5.
Pillar : Spiritual Fitness
The ARPF considers increased consciousness and cognition the final frontier of Alzheimers prevention. Spiritual fitness may include spending time with like-minded people, having patience while practicing present-moment awareness, and developing a sense of purpose and meaning to carry us through life.
According to the ARPF, spiritual fitness is effective for preventing cognitive impairment and even improving genes by strengthening telomeres.
Overall, having self-kindness, love toward others, and a deep connection with the surrounding world seems to be the overall goal of spiritual fitness. Aim to cultivate these qualities to reduce your risk of Alzheimers and better enjoy your life.
Eating Together May Help Dementia Patients Avoid Dehydration And Malnutrition
When it comes to holistic needs of a dementia patient, food is a big issue. Dementia patients often suffer from lack of appetite, dehydration, malnutrition, and difficulty chewing, but some studies show that sufferers fare much better when they eat with their family or friends. Researchers from Norwich Medical School in the U.K. conducted a study and found that family-style eating meals with caregivers, playing music, and multisensory exercises could help boost nutrition and hydration in those with dementia.
The team reviewed research from around the world and examined the effectiveness of over 50 interventions which all focused on improving, maintaining, or facilitating food and drink intake among over two thousand people with dementia. Intervention tests such as changing the color of the plate, increasing exercise, waitress service, playing different music, singing, creating a home-like atmosphere, providing supplements, as well as boosting the social part of eating were conducted. They also looked at whether encouraging eating made a difference, as well as how better education and training for caregivers would impact mealtime. When assessing the factors, the researchers looked at whether the interventions improved hydration, body weight, and overall quality of life.
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A Personalized Approach Naturally
Prevention is important, but once signs of cognitive decline are noticed, you need expert guidance. Though more long-term studies are needed, initial research shows that a personalized approach incorporating natural medicines plus lifestyle change can reverse cognitive decline for some people.
For expert guidance in developing a personalized prevention or early intervention program, consult with a specialist in natural medicine treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease such as a Naturopathic Doctor like myself or a Functional Medicine practitioner.
Dementia Patients May Benefit From Holistic Exercise Program
Holistic approaches with dementia patients should also take exercise into consideration. Most dementia sufferers experience declining physical ability, along with loss of mental ability. It is believed that exercise can improve both physical and psychological wellbeing.
One study conducted in the U.K. showed that a holistic approach involving activities such as yoga, tai chi, qigong, and meditation, along with physical exercise, had a positive effect on dementia patients.
The researchers developed a holistic exercise plan that combined physical movements with exercises focusing on emotional, intellectual, and social fitness. In one session, dementia patients participated in a short exercise where they were shown a picture of an object while an instructor talked about that object. The patients were then prompted to discuss the object and ask questions. This was followed up with physical exercises like yoga and easy dance movements. To end off the session, the patients did some guided meditation.
After taking part in the exercises, some patients said they felt less anxious and more relaxed, while others reported that it helped them socially. There were even some people who indicated that the session helped them with pain relief. What was really encouraging was the fact that some patients said that learning new exercise was empowering.
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The Four Pillars In Action
Khalsa recalled one study subject named Sarah, a perimenopausal woman whose memory was still intact. Sarah underwent 12 weeks of practicing KK for 12 minutes daily, and after the study, she reported lower stress, a better mood, improved sleep, clearer memory, and other benefits. Sophisticated biochemical analysis also revealed dramatic improvements in cellular aging and reduced biomarkers for Alzheimers, Khalsa said.
Another subject who had Alzheimers, 72-year-old Sam, adopted the Foundations four pillars in addition to traditional medication, and he experienced marked health results. What we saw in him was a significant slowing of progression and a delay in the manifestation of the advanced aspects of the disease, Khalsa explained. It is clear that by adopting the four pillars and making changes in your lifestyle, you can reduce your risk of developing this most dreaded disease and enjoy your golden years with a good mind and memory.
Study: Holistic Approach To Alzheimers Treatment May Reverse Memory Loss
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Alzheimers is a frightening disease not only for those who suffer from the progressive memory loss, but also their loved ones.
But researchers at the University of California Los Angeles said a new way of treating Alzheimers is showing promise for reversing some of that memory loss. The treatment combines western medicine with eastern philosophy.
Dr. Dale Bredesen, with UCLA’s Easton Center for Alzheimers Disease Research, said nine of 10 patients suffering from either Alzheimers or other cognitive impairments saw improvements in their memory. He said the new therapy treats the patients holistically, unlike traditional treatments for Alzheimers disease.
They have either taken a single drug, monotherapy, to try with Alzheimers and that has been a failure repeatedly, or they have tried without any sort of background simply saying, ‘Okay, try exercise, try changing your diet,’ these sorts of things, and there has not been any way to understand how these things contribute to the disease, Bredesen said.
A 55-year-old attorney who does not want her identity revealed because she suffered from progressive memory loss associated with early Alzheimers and still works is one of 10 patients who received a new therapy to treat memory loss.
Bredesen said there is a constant balance of the brain remembering and forgetting. He said many factors, including lifestyle, can create an imbalance in brain activity, leading to memory loss.
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Pillar : Stress Management
It is becoming common knowledge that stress is detrimental to brain health. When chronic stress occurs, damage and shrinkage may occur in areas of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and overall cognition.
It is important to develop a lifestyle surrounding stress-management to reduce the risk of Alzheimers disease. To this end, the ARPF recommends various forms of meditation to manage stress as well as increase mental well-being and cognition.
Holistic Treatments For Dementia Care
Traditional Chinese treatments, it seems, have some validity in dementia care. A 2007 study showed some promise in treating symptoms of dementia using herbal supplements and herb-based pharmaceuticals. This may be a holistic, less toxic way to help slow the progress of dementia in the earlier stages. Since these herbal treatments can sometimes be used alongside traditional pharmaceuticals, this allows for more treatment options.
Caregivers do well to find ways to include healthy foods, drinks, and doctor-approved vitamin supplements in loved ones diets. Treating the person holistically cannot harm and may very well help.
Mayo Clinic Staff. Dementia: Treatment. Available at . Mayo Clinic, April 5, 2016. Retrieved September 16, 2016.
Tucker, Jennifer. . A Dementia Care Revolution. Provider. Available at . Retrieved September 16, 2016.
Yan, Han, Li, Lin, and Tang, Xi Can. . Treating senile dementia with traditional Chinese medicine. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 2 : 201-208. Available at . Retrieved September 16, 2016.
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Social Interaction And An Active Mind
Social interactions can lead to happiness, exerting a positive effect on patients with Alzheimers disease and their families.
Ensuring constant social contact improves the quality of life for patients in every stage of Alzheimers disease.
Keeping your mind active reduces the risk for cognitive decline. Learning a new activity, such as dancing, creates new pathways of communication in the brain. Acquiring new skills and reminiscing on cherished life events are excellent ways to help prevent loss of cognitive function.
Maintaining an active mind is a very important lifestyle choice. Challenging oneself with problem solving activities, maintaining friendships, and learning new sensory skills help stimulate the mind.
A Broader Treatment Needed
Evan Wells and Danny Oseid decided to examine the behavior of monomeric tau as a control to compare the behavior of pathogenic states of tau, explained Prof. Robinson in an interview with MNT.
They decided to work together on this, leading to the amazing result that even normal tau was taken up readily by cells from the brain.
here are actually several pathways for tau to enter the cells. While pathogenic tau may be taken up slightly faster than normal tau, neurons and other cells in the brain take up both forms relatively quickly , Prof. Robinson explains.
That means that keeping neurons passing healthy tau, rather than malformed tau, will take a much more nuanced treatment approach.
So, the most effective treatment for people with Alzheimers may involve a mixture of drugs to address different elements of the disease.
Based on our findings, Alzheimers requires a similar approach to HIV treatment, where you have a cocktail of drugs used to address different elements of the disease. Together, these drugs work toward the larger goal: treating the symptoms of Alzheimers in a particular patient.
Prof. Robinson
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Current Solutions Of Interdisciplinary Dementia Management
Dementia management is already a multidisciplinary effort. Professionals and health care providers work simultaneously, yet independent with the patient. Some teams have initiated approaches to develop new advances in interdisciplinary, that is integrated, dementia management. The National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, for instance, has begun to provide educational support for family caregivers through interdisciplinary programs . The program includes education on treatment and care , and was effective in helping patients and family members to understand dementia better. Another example is the Texas Christian University that formed an interdisciplinary team of an attending physician, speech pathologist, recreational therapist, and geropsychiatric clinical nurse to improve the management of behavioral disturbances. A constant feedback loop that incorporated assessment, intervention, evaluation, documentation, and problem-solving seemed to be an effective management strategy . Other dementia management teams across the world initiate similar interdisciplinary programs. A review of all interdisciplinary interventions in nursing homes points out that communicationformal team meetings and coordination among team membersseems the most effective strategy .
A Holistic Approach To Alzheimers Disease
Happy New Year and welcome to new beginnings in 2014!
Health Canada designates January as Alzheimers Awareness Month.
To bring in the New Year sharing wellness, Health House will contribute from a Holistic Perspective.
Alzheimers has been named the disease of the 21st century and has reached epidemic proportions with more middle-aged and elderly being diagnosed annually than ever before.
Alzheimers disease is a progressive brain disorder that begins with common memory loss but develops into dementia and eventually death it specifically targets a part of the brain called the hippocampus which controls memory and intellect.
Often AD is difficult to diagnose because many conditions including nutritional deficencies can mimic the same symptoms of the onset of this heartbreaking illness. Since Alzheimers is a progressive disease, symptoms worsen over time and often follow by order:
Memory deficiencyInability to complete basic tasksInappropriate behaviourEpisodes of violence & rage or passivityDementiaLoss of judgement
A diagnosis of AD relies on clinical judgement, numerous tests and evaluation of alternate conditions. Before a diagnosis can be made, medical exclusion of certain conditions must be ruled out:
DepressionAnemia Heart disease & StrokeAlcoholismPrescription Medication effects
Alzheimers disease can be prevented or even arrested with the correct nutrition and detoxification plan.
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Alzheimers Disease Treatments: The Need For A Holistic Approach
As part of the latest digital supplement to Value & Outcomes Spotlight, the International Society of Outcomes Research , published a series of editorials and articles on the need for the adoption of a more holistic approach towards Alzheimers disease treatments.
One of the articles focuses on the work of the Innovative Medicines Initiative funded ROADMAP project.
How Dementia Treatment Is Enhanced Through Holistic Care
Alzheimers disease care and dementia treatment plans are created to meet the unique needs of every senior. The causes, symptoms, and long-term care plan for seniors with dementia varies greatly from case to case. As medical researchers and doctors continue to learn about dementia and perform studies to determine the best dementia treatment methods, new approaches have become common.
Holistic care is a method of treatment that focuses on the whole person, not the only internal workings of the disease itself. This technique focuses on the seniors emotions, strengths, and remaining abilities to provide comprehensive care. Holistic dementia treatment incorporates the medical advice of your seniors doctors with emotional support to provide a nurturing environment for seniors with memory illnesses.
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The Benefit Of A Holistic Approach To Memory Care
As we learn more about dementia, were also understanding more about early identification and treatment of those with the disease. Were still waiting for a cure, but in the meantime, research has shown that early treatment of Alzheimers disease and other memory illnesses can have a great effect on maintaining abilities and slowing the progression of the disease. Early treatment can range from medications, preventative measures and even holistic approaches like aromatherapy, sensory stimulation, music therapy and more.
Holistic treatments play an integral role in the treatment of our memory care patients, with remarkable results, says Beth Vellante, Executive Director of Bridges® by EPOCH at Andover, a memory care assisted living community in Andover, MA. Working with the residents and their family members, we learn their histories, preferences, emotions and current strengths and abilities. By looking at the whole person instead of just dementia systems or brain function, were able to put together a personalized care plan that resonates with each individual resident.
While dementia patients lose their ability to communicate effectively and express themselves, theyre still able to maintain a sense of identity, individuality and self-awareness, says Vellante. By recognizing that individual spark, were able to provide residents with opportunities to experience joy every day.
Dementia Patients May Benefit From Holistic Approach To Mealtimes And Exercise
As the number of dementia cases rises and research into the neurological disorder intensifies, a holistic approach to dementia is being seen as a real benefit.
The holistic approach focuses on individualized care and looks at the whole person as opposed to the persons brain functions alone. It also takes into account the patients remaining strengths, emotions, and abilities, instead of just looking at their disabilities.
While it is true that as dementia progresses a person loses their ability to express their feelings, studies now suggest that people living with dementia are still able to maintain self-awareness, their sense of identity, and their individuality. Those who care for dementia patients with a holistic approach are able to both analyze a persons medical and social history, as well as come to a clear understanding of what their preferences are.
Holistic care for dementia patients includes working with families and friends to help determine what is best for an individual patient. Four important factors are taken into consideration: determining what environmental triggers might minimize or increase the patients level of anxiety, determining what form of communication is best for that patient, supporting the patient with nutrient-rich foods, and engaging the person in activities that will allow them to be creative and honor their abilities.
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A More Holistic Approach Is Gaining Traction In Combating Alzheimer’s Dementia
Catie Clark-Gordon, director of strategic communication for WRC Senior Services, and Bailey Reinard, wellness coordinator for WRC Senior Services, discuss some of the information forthcoming from the Regain Your Brain program Reinard particpated in dealing with brain health. Reinard has shared some of the information through WRCs Be Well series, especially how some supplements and lifestyle changes can impact brain health and lower the risk for Alzheimers and dementia.
SLU Mental Status Exam
This mental status exam, developed at St. Louis University, is an assessment tool to determine the presence of cognitive deficits and to identify changes in cognition over time. This assessment tool does not give a diagnosis but lists a range for whether someone is at low, medium or high risk for memory loss such as occurs with dementia. Anyone scoring in the high risk category should seek the advice of their physician. This questionnaire type assessment can be downloaded at .
- St. Louis Univeristy
BROOKVILLE There are new ideas on treating memory loss and Alzheimers on the West Coast. It encompasses a more holistic approach toward brain health.
Target the causes of the inflammation rather than the plaques that are caused by inflammation, Clark-Gordon added.
So what is Alzheimers?
Holistic Program May Help People With Alzheimer’s Dementia
May 19, 2022 â In 2018, David Elliot, an 83-year-old retired international businessman, was diagnosed with Alzheimerâs disease. His health care providers encouraged his wife, Susan, to join a caregiver support group and encouraged David to join a group for patients as soon as possible.
The Elliots had been told that if such care wasnât started early, a person with Alzheimerâs could become âset in their waysâ and decline more quickly, Susan says. So they began searching for the right support but couldnât find the services they needed.
âWe didnât know what to do or where to go,” Susan says. âShould we give up?â
Fortunately, they were referred to Together Senior Health, which offers a cognitive health program: Moving Together, dedicated to reducing the impact of memory loss, Alzheimerâs, and other dementias for older adults and also relieving the stress that caregivers have.
âIt is a very rounded program, itâs suitable for people with different types of dementia, including Alzheimerâs disease, which is what I have â and it has helped me tremendously,â David says. âWe look forward to it and look forward to carrying on with it in the future, because the biggest problem I see with Alzheimerâs is that there doesnât seem to be an end in sight.â
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