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Raw food.
Raw food, and lots of omega-3 fatty acids, I guess, like in olive oil, avocados, and walnuts :)
DHA. There are a few vegan ones available, including NuTru brand. Also avoiding gluten. Really, I think that can be a big help. Here’s an article with an anecdote, but you should look around for more: http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/archives/editori… High doses of B vitamins may help if celiac disease is the cause; I like the “Living Vitamin B Nano-Plex” available from NaturalZing and other places, but I’m sure there are other good brands out there.
All this said, I certainly don’t know if there’s a cure. I’ve had family go through Alzheimer’s symptoms and I know it can be devastating, and people don’t always take advice—especially if they’re already feeling distrustful of those around them. I think that managing to stay as happy as possible is important for someone going through this—both those having Alzheimer’s symptoms and those who care about them. Best of luck.
This is a bit long but here is the answer about Alzheimer’s and Dementia from my “One Earth Herbal Sourcebook”.
“Currently, more than 4 million people in the United States suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other dementias. AD affects 47% of people over the age of 85. In AD, in addition to degenerative changes and atrophy, individual brain cells begin to produce a sticky proteinous substance that swells the interior of the cell (neurofibrillary tangles) and “gums up” the exterior (amyloid plaques). In essense, the brain petrifies.
Causes of dementias include hardening of the arteries and ministrokes. Inflammation is a major contributor to neuronal damage in neurodegenerative disorders such as AD, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic laternal sclerosis (ALS). Nitric oxide inflammation has been shown to play a specific role in neurodegeneration. Blood flow to neural tissue is another important consideration.
The historical use of herbal medicines to treat dementia diseases like Alzheimer’s varies according to the different traditions.
According to TAM and TCM theories, dementias result from multisystemic decline and brain destruction due to aging, thus can be prevented or slowed by maintaining overall health and using tonics. Consequently, our preventive and treatment goals are the reduction of oxidative damage, reduction of cellular toxins and inflammation, and improvement of cerebral circulation and oxygen and glucose transport.
Neural circulation can be improved with blood-moving herbs, especially corydalis rhizome (yan hu suo), which slows the breakdown of choline.
According to studies of the pharmacological properties of gingko leaf, gingkolides exhibit antioxidant, neuroprotective, and cholinergic activities relevant to Alzheimer’s disease mechanisms.
In numerous well-controlled clinical studies in Europe and the United States, extracts of ginkgo leaf have proven “effective therapy for a wide variety of disturbances of cerebral function, including multi-infarct dementia, early cognitive decline, and mild-to-moderate cases of the more severe types of senile dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.”
Tonics that can prevent mental and neurological decline include flaxseed oil, guggul gum, rehmannia root, amla fruit, American ginseng root, ginseng root, ashwagandha root, dang gui root, garlic bulb, gotu kola, guduchi stem, shou wu root, maitake mushroom, milk thistle seed, ganoderma mushroom, shilajatu, and Siberian ginseng root bark.
Antioxidant protection comes from eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and using herbs like amla fruit, triphala, and wheat sprouts.
Because neurotransmitters and other brain chemicals are formed from amino acids, and digestion declines with age, digestion-strengthening herbs like bromelain or trikatu can be used to ensure proper protein and nutrient assimilation.
I hope this information is in some way helpful. Good luck.
NaturalNews.com just had an article on this same subject today, 5/19/08. Check it out at: http://www.naturalnews.com/023256.html
I hope it helps.
Recent discovery, Celery helps prevent Alzheimers, not sure about cure tho. Had to visit an old friend in hospital, will never forget, we boxed together once, he was british middleweight champ.